Lov človeka spremlja že iz pradavnine. Kamenodobni ljudje so se preživljali z lovom in nabiralništvom. Živeli so nomadsko življenje. Selili so se z letnimi časi, tako kot so se selile živali, ki so jih lovili, in zaradi plodov, ki so jih nabirali. Prebivali so v preprostih bivališčih, ki so si jih uredili s pomočjo živalskih kož in drugih materialov, ki so jih našli v naravi. Svoje tabore so pogosto postavljali pod skalne previse, kjer so bili še zavarovani pred vremenskimi vplivi in zvermi. V zimskem času so se pogosto zatekli v votline, kjer je bilo topleje kot na prostem.
Hunting has been around since ancient times. Stone Age people made a living by hunting and gathering. They lived a nomadic life. They migrated with the seasons, just as the animals they hunted migrated and because of the fruits they harvested. They lived in simple dwellings arranged with the help of animal skins and other materials found in nature. They often set up their camps under rock overhangs, where they were still protected from the weather and beasts. In the winter, they often took refuge in caves where it was warmer than outdoors.
Za večjo varnost in lažji lov so se združevali v skupine, ki jih imenujemo horde. Moški so predvsem skrbeli za varnost in lov, medtem ko so ženske skrbele za otroke, ogenj in nabirale užitne in zdravilne rastline. Lov v tistih časih je bil zelo nevaren, zato poškodbe lovcev niso bile redke. Za preživetje skupine je bilo pomembno, da so skrbeli za poškodovane člane.
For greater safety and easier hunting, they were grouped into groups called hordes. The men cared primarily for safety and hunting, while the women cared for the children, the fire, and harvested edible and medicinal plants. Hunting in those days was very dangerous, so injuries to hunters were not uncommon. It was important for the survival of the group that they cared for the injured members.
Z lovom so v prvi vrsti dobili meso - z beljakovinami in maščobami bogato hrano. Poleg tega so uporabili tudi kože, dlako, kosti, rogovje in druge dele živali, iz katerih so izdelovali preprosta oblačila, vrvi in mnoge druge uporabne predmete. Lovsko orožje jim je služilo tudi za obrambo pred zvermi.
By hunting, they primarily obtained meat - a food rich in protein and fat. In addition, they also used skins, hair, bones, antlers, and other animal parts from which they made simple clothing, ropes, and many other useful items. Hunting weapons also served as a defense against beasts.
Kamenodobni lovci so izdelovali množico različnega orožja in orodja. Prva orožja so izdelali iz lesa in kamenja. Kasneje so začeli obdelovati še živalske kosti in rogovje. Skozi tisočletja so izpopolnjevali tehniko izdelave orodij in orožij, ki so postajala vedno bolj specializirana in učinkovita. Izdelovali so sekire, kopja, sulice, kije in podobna orožja, s katerim so si pomagali pri lovu na večje živali. Le-te so najprej spretno zvabili ali pregnali v vnaprej izkopane pasti - jame vdornice. Manjše in spretnejše živali so lovili s pračami, z bumerangi in kasneje z loki. Poleg tega so si pomagali z najrazličnejšimi pastmi in zankami, v katere so se ujele živali.
Stone Age hunters made a multitude of different weapons and tools. The first weapons were made of wood and stone. Later, they began to process animal bones and antlers. Over the millennia, they perfected the technique of making tools and weapons, which became increasingly specialized and effective. They made axes, spears, spears, clubs, and similar weapons to help them hunt larger animals. They were first skilfully lured or driven into the pre-excavated traps of the intruder. Smaller, more skilful animals were hunted with slingshots, boomerangs, and later with bows. In addition, they helped themselves to a variety of traps and snares in which animals were caught.
Ledenodobni lovci so lovili najrazličnejše živali. Nekatere so izumrle - mamuti, nosorogi, jamski medvedje, orjaški jeleni in turi, druge so se ob koncu ledene dobe umaknile na skrajni sever Evrope - severni jelen, rosomah, muškatno govedo, los, bizoni. Nekatere ledenodobne živali še danes živijo v naši okolici: medved, volk, ris, jeleni in srnjad, pa tudi manjše živali kot zajci, lisice, kune, svizci in druge. V jamah so živele zveri, kot so jamski medvedje, jamski levi in jamske hijene.
Ice Age hunters hunted a wide variety of animals. Some became extinct, like mammoths, rhinos, cave bears, giant deer and turkeys, others retreated to the far north of Europe at the end of the ice age: reindeer, wolverines, nutmeg, moose, bison. Some Ice Age animals still live in our surroundings today: bears, wolves, lynxes, deer and roe deer, as well as smaller animals such as rabbits, foxes, martens, marmots and others. Caves such as cave bears, cave lions and cave hyenas lived in the caves.
Preživetje človeka je bilo v tistih časih močno odvisno od razmer v naravi, zato so ljudje naravne sile zelo spoštovali. V znak spoštovanja so se razvili različni obredi, s katerimi so ljudje prosili božanstva za srečo pri lovu. V jamah so naslikali prve slike in puščali darove. Iz zob in krempljev uplenjenih živali so si naredili amulete, ki so jih varovali in jim prinašali uspeh. V nevarnih lovih so bile pogum, odločnost, spretnost in druge vrline pomembne lastnosti lovcev, zato so se mladi morali najprej izkazati pri lovu na manjše živali in prestati obred iniciacije (obred vključitve posameznika v neko skupino). Šele tako so postali pravi lovci.
Human survival in those days depended heavily on the conditions in nature. Therefore, people respected the forces of nature very much. As a sign of respect, various rituals were developed by which people asked the deities for luck in hunting. They painted the first paintings in the caves and left gifts. From the teeth and claws of the captured animals, they made amulets that protected them and brought them success. In dangerous hunts, courage, determination, skill and other virtues were important qualities of hunters, so young people first had to prove themselves in hunting smaller animals and undergo the rite of initiation (the rite of inclusion of an individual in a group). Only then did they become real hunters.
V mlajši kameni dobi so ljudje začeli gojiti prve kulturne rastline in domače živali. Zato so morali opustiti nomadsko življenje in se stalno naseliti. Lov je počasi izgubil prvotni pomen. Z lovom pridobljene živali so postale le dodaten vir hrane in dobrin. Pomen lova je bil vedno bolj v varovanju domačih živali pred plenilci in kmetijskih posevkov pred rastlinojedi.
In the Late Stone Age, people began to cultivate the first cultivated plants and domestic animals. So they had to give up nomadic life and settle permanently. Hunting has slowly lost its original meaning. Animals obtained by hunting have become only an additional source of food and goods. The importance of hunting was increasingly in protecting domestic animals from predators and agricultural crops from herbivores.
Z razslojevanjem družbe si je gornji sloj pridržal izključno pravico do lova. Lov je postal zabava plemstva, za nižje sloje pa je bil večinoma prepovedan. Zaradi tega so se pojavili divji lovci, ki so morali loviti, da so si izboljšali svoj skromen jedilnik. Kazni zanje so bile stroge in krute.
By stratifying society the upper class reserved the exclusive right to hunt. Hunting became a pastime of the nobility, and for the lower classes it was mostly forbidden. Because of this, wild hunters appeared who had to hunt in order to improve their modest diet. The punishments for them were severe and cruel.
Načini lova se do pojava ognjenega strelnega orožja niso bistveno spremenili, le osti sulic, puščic, sekire ter nože so namesto iz kosti in kamenja izdelovali iz kovin. Še pred slabimi 200 leti so na Bovškem medveda preganjali s hladnim orožjem in nesrečni Tožbar, oborožen s sekiro, je pri tem lovu izgubil spodnjo čeljust.
Hunting methods did not change significantly until the advent of firearms, only the spears, arrows and axes and knives were made of metal instead of bone and stone. Less than 200 years ago, bears were chased with cold weapons in the Bovec region, and the unfortunate Tožbar, armed with an ax, lost his lower jaw during this hunt.
Najlepšo lovsko pripovedko najdemo v delu V Zali, kjer prva zgodba opisuje lov in dogodke, ki se tam zgodijo. Prav tako opisuje lov na petelina, ki »začenja peti pesem o ljubezni, ne vedoč, da preži nanj lovec, ki ga hoče pokončati. Petelin, zatopljen v svoje petje, da bi privabil kokoši, ne opazi lovca. Ljubezen ga naredi »slepega««.
The most beautiful hunting tale can be found in the part In the Hall, where the first story describes hunting and the things that happen there. He also describes a rooster hunt that begins to sing a song about love, not knowing that a hunter who wants to kill him is waiting for him. The rooster, immersed in its singing to lure the hens, does not notice the hunter. Love makes him "blind."
S sabo imejte pisalo. Have a pen with you.