Bows & Arrows

Part of a Native American’s livelihood for hundreds of years was the Bow and Arrow.  Without the proper tools, they could not hunt for food or defend their land and people in war. You might think that the natives invented the bow and arrows.  However, that is not the case. They did incorporate them as part of their arsenal for hunting and warfare.

The early bow and arrows were made from the wood of various trees like cherry, ash, cedar, oak, hickory and practically any other wood available at the time.  For the string, fibers were harvested from local plants like milkweed and yucca.  The shaft of the arrows was primarily made from the wood native to the region.  Even hardy reed grass was used in construction.

For the arrow tips, there was a wide variety of materials used.  Flint was a popular material as was animal bone, wood and stone.  Each type of tip was constructed differently based on what was being hunted and killed.  There were harpoon-like arrow tips for fishing and large blunted models for small game and birds.

The fletching or end of the arrow was often made from the feathers of eagles, turkeys and hawks.  However, any other birds in the local area were also fair game.  The fletching part of the bow and arrows makeup was to provide a balance and create a trajectory suitable for hitting a target.