Native Americans managed the prairie for better bison hunts

[rangerrebew]

Native Americans managed the prairie for better bison hunts
Hunter-gatherer societies may have a bigger ecological impact than we thought.

Kiona N. Smith - 7/25/2018, 10:56 AM
 
 

Layers of charcoal residue buried beneath the northern Montana prairie show that pre-Columbian indigenous hunters on the Great Plains once burned patches of grassland to stimulate new growth. This created a tempting feast for bison herds, which the hunters then used to lure the bison in for the kill. And that, archaeologists say, means that even relatively small, mobile groups of hunter-gatherers can have a bigger environmental impact than they’ve been given credit for.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/native-americans-managed-the-prairie-for-better-bison-hunts/

[the_doc]

Native Americans managed the prairie for better bison hunts
Hunter-gatherer societies may have a bigger ecological impact than we thought.

Kiona N. Smith - 7/25/2018, 10:56 AM
 
 

Layers of charcoal residue buried beneath the northern Montana prairie show that pre-Columbian indigenous hunters on the Great Plains once burned patches of grassland to stimulate new growth. This created a tempting feast for bison herds, which the hunters then used to lure the bison in for the kill. And that, archaeologists say, means that even relatively small, mobile groups of hunter-gatherers can have a bigger environmental impact than they’ve been given credit for.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/native-americans-managed-the-prairie-for-better-bison-hunts/

Pardon my skepticism regarding these detailed conclusions from pre-Columbian patches of burned grassland.  (I'm pretty sure the Indians burned vegetation just to make tasty char for gourmet-quality bison ribeye stakes.)

[thackney]

Pardon my skepticism regarding these detailed conclusions from pre-Columbian patches of burned grassland.  (I'm pretty sure the Indians burned vegetation just to make tasty char for gourmet-quality bison ribeye stakes.)

Not to mention grass fires started by lightning happens often.

[Night Hides Not]

Not to mention grass fires started by lightning happens often.

Lightning strikes did not occur at the frequency we see today, due to global warming.