Think guns are the only way to bag a meal? Think again. The world of hunting is peppered with 10 bizarre ancient practices that have survived the ages and are still being pulled off today. From daring lion‑stealing raids to the oddly graceful art of flounder tramping, these methods showcase humanity’s uncanny knack for turning the environment into a hunting partner.
10 Bizarre Ancient Hunting Methods
10 Kleptoparisitism
Snatching meat straight from a lion’s kill might sound like a fool’s gamble, yet the Mbororo herders of Cameroon have been perfecting this audacious act for centuries. Armed with flaming sticks, they drive the big cats away from their fresh kills, allowing the humans to swoop in and claim the prize. Though kleptoparasitism is well‑documented among animal predators, it is a rarity in human culture, making this practice all the more extraordinary.
As lions grow increasingly wary of human presence, the opportunity for kleptoparasitism has widened. Reports from Cameroon, Uganda and Tanzania suggest the technique is on the rise, a trend that spells trouble for big cats. Lions expend massive energy to bring down prey; having their hard‑won meals stolen can dramatically affect survival rates. Conservationists warn that unchecked human kleptoparasitism could drive entire lion populations toward extinction.
9 Trout Tickling
Despite sounding like a mischievous prank, trout tickling is a centuries‑old, equipment‑free fishing technique that yields a free dinner for the patient practitioner. The method calls for a stealthy approach: the angler slips downstream toward a likely trout hole, lies flat on the riverbank, and gently reaches into the water. Once a trout is felt, the fisher gently rubs the fish’s belly, moving from tail to head to lull it into a trance.
When the fish’s head is within reach, the hunter gives a swift squeeze and lifts the trout out of the water. Historically favored by Europe’s impoverished, who could not afford rods or tackle, trout tickling skirts the line of poaching. Notably, Django Reinhardt, the celebrated Gypsy guitarist, was reputed to be a master of this art—perhaps his nimble fingers on a guitar translated into deft fish‑tickling skills.
8 Golden Eagle Hunting
The Burkitshi, a subgroup of Mongolia’s Khazakh minority, have cultivated a breathtaking partnership with golden eagles, riding horseback while the massive raptors perch on their arms, scanning the High Altai for foxes and other quarry. This aerial alliance, honed over generations, blends human horsemanship with avian ferocity.
To forge this bond, hunters capture four‑year‑old female eagles—young enough to be trainable yet already seasoned hunters. The females, boasting a broader wingspan and a fiercer temperament than their male counterparts, are hand‑fed, co‑sleep with their masters, and become lifelong companions. Though an eagle may live up to thirty years, the Burkitshi typically release the bird after a decade, allowing it to return to the wild for the remainder of its life.
Unfortunately, the tradition teeters on the brink of disappearance. With only about 50 to 60 practitioners left, the art of golden‑eagle hunting faces extinction alongside the dwindling nomadic lifestyle of the Burkitshi.
7 Aboriginal Fire Hunting
The Martu people of Australia’s Western Desert have long employed fire as a strategic tool to hunt goannas, the lizards that supply roughly 40 % of their caloric intake. By igniting a carefully measured swath of grass around goanna burrows, they coax the reptiles out of hibernation, making them easy prey.
This controlled burn not only yields food but also reshapes the landscape into a mosaic of fresh growth that benefits a host of bush critters. Without such fire‑clearing, vegetation would become overly dense, providing fuel for catastrophic lightning‑induced wildfires that devastate mammalian habitats. The Martu’s fire‑hunting practice is so ingrained that their language possesses distinct terms for every stage of post‑burn vegetation succession.
6 Rat Hunting With Dogs
Hunting rats may seem a modest endeavor, yet it demands a remarkable choreography of predators. Mid‑19th‑century London accounts describe terriers flushing rats from burrows while ferrets pursued them, and a second dog delivering the final blow. Many of today’s beloved lap‑dog breeds trace their lineage back to these vermin‑hunting ancestors.
Modern New York City has revived this tradition, training Jack Russells, fox terriers and dachshunds to chase down the urban rodent menace. While some view the practice as a time‑honored rite, animal‑rights advocates argue it borders on cruelty. Nevertheless, proponents claim it may be more humane than poison, which can cause prolonged suffering and secondary poisoning of predators that consume the tainted rats.
5 Persistence Hunting
Human evolution is thought to have progressed from scavenging to endurance running, with our upright posture, naked skin and abundant sweat glands acting as natural cooling systems. Our powerful gluteal muscles and elastic tendons enable us to out‑run most four‑legged animals over long distances, a trait exploited by persistence hunters.
Today, Kalahari Bushmen in Botswana and the Rarámuri of northern Mexico still practice this ancient method, chasing prey until exhaustion forces it to collapse. Even fitness enthusiasts in the West have begun experimenting with persistence hunting, often adopting a vegetarian diet and focusing on the physiological challenge rather than sustenance.
4 Knife Hunting Wild Boar
Hawaii’s delicate ecosystems are under siege by invasive wild boar, whose rooting behavior devastates native flora. The island’s response? A culinary one—hunters use knives to stalk, chase with dogs, and then deliver a precise, fatal stab.
Knives are prized for being both traditional and safer than firearms on a crowded island where stray bullets could endanger tourists and wildlife alike. This low‑impact method also minimizes collateral damage, preserving the fragile environment while providing a tasty source of protein.
Outside Hawaii, wild boar pose a looming threat across the lower 48 states. Some desperate measures have turned to explosives—a method that destroys the meat and classifies the act as extermination rather than hunting.
3 Octopus Pots
Octopuses are among the most intelligent invertebrates, yet they fall prey to a surprisingly simple trap: the pot. Fishermen lower bait‑free vessels to the sea floor; an inquisitive octopus crawls inside, mistaking it for shelter. The pot is then hauled aboard, and the creature, rarely attempting escape, is collected for its prized flesh.
This technique has changed little over millennia. Ancient Greeks employed terracotta pots, while modern fishers use durable plastic. From Spain to Japan, octopus pots remain a staple, underscoring the timeless efficiency of a low‑tech solution to a high‑tech problem.
2 Gum Lime Sticks
In Cyprus, poachers target songbirds with a cunning contraption: lime sticks coated in a sticky gum harvested from Syrian plums. The sticks are placed in lower branches of juniper trees, where unsuspecting birds become ensnared while seeking shelter.
The primary quarry is the blackcap, a cherished delicacy in local cuisine. However, the gum‑stick method indiscriminately traps other species, including the endangered spotted flycatcher. Conservation groups and volunteers are battling the tradition, which is deeply embedded in Cypriot culture, to curb the widespread avian slaughter.
1 Flounder Tramping
Flounders, the flat, flaky fish of estuarine mudflats, have inspired a delightfully simple yet daring harvest method: tramping. Hunters wade through the shallow waters, feeling for the subtle rise of a flounder beneath their soles, then stand firm long enough to lift the fish before it can dart away.
Some practitioners supplement their footwork with a stick, using it to prod the fish from behind as they shuffle. The sport has even birthed an annual World Flounder Tramping Competition in Palnackie, Scotland, broadcast across the UK and Australia each August, celebrating this quirky tradition.
+ Further Reading
Craving more wild tales? Dive into these additional articles for a deeper look at the animal kingdom’s most astonishing stories.
10 Mysterious Trips Into The Wilderness That Went Horribly Wrong
8 Endangered Species Still Hunted
Top 10 Worst Man Eaters In History
10 Deadly Tricksters of the Animal World
Abraham Rinquist is the executive director of the Winooski, Vermont branch of the Helen Hartness Flanders Folklore Society. He co‑authored Codex Exotica and Song‑Catcher: The Adventures of Blackwater Jukebox.