GREAT FALLS – The giant elephant-like mammoths that once roamed across Montana during the last ice age may be long gone, but visitors to First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park near Ulm can learn about them and experience using weapons that the First Peoples used to hunt mammoths thousands of years ago.
During the annual Mammoth Hunt event at the park on Aug. 8 and 9, park visitors can practice using an atlatl, a 10,000-year-old weapon that pre-dates the bow and arrow. The atlatl is a tool that produces extra leverage to aid the hunter in throwing a long, lightweight dart with greater force and accuracy than with an arm alone.
Park staff and Jim Ray, who has more than 20 years of experience using and teaching the atlatl, will help participants master the skills that the Native American hunters depended on to feed themselves. Park visitors will also have the chance to shoot primitive bows and arrows and throw tomahawks.
The mammoth hunt is an annual event, and one of the most popular weekends of the year. "Visitors get to actually try their hand with these very ancient weapons that most people will never even get to see outside of a museum," said park ranger Andy Keller. "The presenters are very approachable ,too, and they really encourage discussions and sharing their skills and knowledge with visitors to do their best to make this a very fun and educational experience."
In addition to hands-on weapons practice during the weekend event, cultural anthropologist Billy Maxwell will demonstrate First Peoples traditional skills including tanning hides and making arrows. George Bryce from Helena will showcase flint knapping to demonstrate how stone points for the atlatl darts, arrowheads and spear points were produced. Finally, Don "Doc" Woerner, a veterinarian from Laurel, will have his unique bison and mammoth bone collection on display to help teach about these unique animals and the First Peoples who depended on them for their survival.
The mammoth hunt event activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 8 and 9. The park and its extensive visitor center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. In addition to the mammoth hunt, the popular ranger-led Saturday Jump Talk will occur at its regularly scheduled time of 1 p.m. at the top of the buffalo jump.
All the events are free of charge, and Montana residents are entitled to free daily entrance to the park through payment of vehicle registration fees. Nonresident vehicles must purchase a park pass for entrance to the park.
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is located 3.5 miles north of Ulm, just off I-15 at exit 270. For more information about the park visit fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/first-peoples-buffalo-jump For more information about these events, contact the park at 406-866-2217, or email firstpeoplesbuffalojump@mt.gov.