Before humans invented and used weapons, how did they hunt animals that were faster and stronger than themselves?
One of the simplest hunting methods—requiring no tools at all—is called “endurance hunting.” In this technique, a hunter selects an herbivore that has fallen behind the herd and pursues it relentlessly. Regardless of the distance or number of days it takes, the hunter continues the chase until the animal collapses from exhaustion. If the prey slips out of sight, the hunter follows its trail by reading signs such as droppings or chewed leaves. This method is also known as “persistence hunting” or “tracking hunt.”
Wild animals can run very fast over short distances, but this comes at the cost of rapid energy depletion. Humans, on the other hand, may not be as fast but are capable of running much longer distances, giving them the advantage over time. The key reason early humans could catch stronger, faster animals was due to a powerful trait: endurance.
Though individual capacities vary, endurance is an ability that all humans possess to some degree. If you keep going without giving up, you can achieve nearly anything—because you hold a powerful weapon your target does not: the power to endure.