Drivelines, hunting blinds, effigies and intercept hunting strategies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA

Abstract

This paper shares a description of cairn lines and hunting blinds in association with an ice patch in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Until now no definitive stone features, including drivelines and hunting blinds, have been reported in association with Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem ice patches; however, such features are known from ice patches in northern North America, eg Yukon Territory. In the system reported here, the ice patch is presumed to be an animal attractant with the drivelines and blinds positioned to serve as intercepts. The paper also shares a brief report of a stone effigy of a probable bighorn sheep that appears to be associated with an ice patch. Such features are emblematic of spiritual provisioning in the alpine.