When the Four Shielders gave feedback that they were interested in various ways and tools for hunting, Mentors rose to the call. Despite getting drenched during two rain showers, Shielders spent the afternoon immune to the wet as we tapped into our innate hunting capacity.
We called upon another mentor, Tim Flores, who does work through the Whatcom Folk School, to teach us the history and techniques that our human ancestors have used to hunt and thrive in the wilderness. Though Tim is locally famous for his bike move last year, his knowledgeable about primitive tools is even more impressive.
Shielders learned the history of things that we fling, from slings and rabbit sticks to boomerangs and Atlatls. We learned the differences among spears, darts, and arrows, and Tim showed us that replacing the tips is easier than the making an entirely new dart.
We discussed the designs of those instruments and how they might have been modified over time to fit the needs of hunters. This is particularly the case of the boomerang that must have been slowly carved more and more perfectly so that it might come back to the thrower. We even considered scientific ideas like Bernoulli’s principle that allows wings to work.
Shielders then set off into the field to practice their skills. We gathered stones and practiced using the sling. Three set off to use boomerangs… and then got promptly yelled at for nearly losing one in the trees! A couple of us honed our skills with rabbit sticks and the bolas. These skills came in handy as Steve suggested we play a game.
We took turns being the deer… while the others tried to hunt us! Talk about scary. A whole firing line of tennis balls and bolases being chucked at you while you run, dodge, duck, dive, turn and move across the open range. We didn’t use anything that would cause injury, but everyone had the chance to “feel” what hunted animals must feel while being in the line of fire. And we got to feel like hunters too, in using primitive tools (tennis balls) to secure our evening meal.
That game morphed into a deer herd and three hunters setting up to get them. Shielders and mentors explored herd mentality and how to avoid being killed. We also strategized about the best way to make a kill against a herd of animals. Again, choosing to learn by experience, some of us got wrapped up by the bolas, nailed with tennis balls, or chased down by hunger-driven hunters.
This particular Mentor remembers seeing Kyler’s eyes focused directly on me as a bolas came whizzing at my face. I ducked in the nick of time but my fellow herdsmate, Marcus, was taken out and we lost a member of the herd.
We were asked not to use the Atlatls in the park, so we discussed their mechanics and how they are an extension of the other tools that we practiced using. The handle is notched so it can fling darts that have Y’s or holes on the end. And, as Tim shared, if we had been aiming at real animals and missed with our dart, we could use our handle as a rabbit stick if needed, to be efficient and successful in a hunt.
We ended our day with a Circle of Thanks and Tim gifted everyone the beginnings of an Atlatl handle. We are also looking forward to our role as the leaders and designers of the new Boys Explorers’ Club service area in Connelly Creek. Please check the website for directions to Happy Valley Park for that outing on April 20th.
In the spirit of thanks, we’d like to thank you again, Tim, for your positive mentorship and sharing the skills you have honed over the years. You made for a truly unforgettable outing. Shielders, thank you for leading the charge by sharing your interests with us and then participating fully during this outing. Parents, thank you for your support and encouragement.
Don’t forget to:
(1) Check out the photo gallery for more pictures
(2) Sign up for spring Explorers Mentoring Apprentice opportunities
(3) Register for Ozette this summer!
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