Wolfpit

Trapping pits are deep pits dug into the ground, or built from stone, in order to trap animals. European rock drawings and cave paintings reveal that bear, moose and wolf were hunted since the Stone Age using trapping pits. Remains of trapping pits used for hunting elk, reindeer, wolves, and bears can still be found in Northern Scandinavia. These pits, which can measure up to 4 by 7 metres in size and be up to several metres deep, were camouflaged with branches and leaves. They had steep sides lined with planks or masonry, making it impossible for the animal to escape once it had fallen in. When the animal had fallen into the pit, it was killed, either bled to death by sharpened sticks pointed upwards from the bottom of the pit, or in the case of pits without these sticks, dispatched by hunters waiting nearby. Some traps had a small rope enabling rodents and amphibians to escape.

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