Abstract:

Generally, many accounts represent reindeer as the only economically profitable animal in the taiga. However, the taiga dwellers also rely on dogs and horses in their daily life. In this article, the author suggests the wolf-pack approach as a fruitful means of interpreting co-existence of humans and animals in the taiga. Understanding the methods used by Tozhu reindeer herder-hunters (Tyva Republic, Russia) in hunting is central to measuring their hunting success, as well as their ability to survive and thrive within the taiga environment. The story of early hunters begins with a remarkable achievement—the domestication of canids and ungulates. With the aid of reindeer and dogs, taiga hunters developed a successful hunting style by mimicking the hunting tactics of super predators—wolves. This approach, has been passed down from generation to generation, has been practiced at least 10,000 years. This paper examines hunting activities through the application of the wolf-pack approach.