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 the elk or moose has been hunted since the stone age. In Northern Scandinavia one can still find remains of trapping pits used for hunting elk, reindeer, wolves and bears. These pits, which can measure up to 4 x 7 m in plan and be up to several metres deep, would have been camouflaged with branches and leaves. They would have had steep sides lined with planks, making it impossible for the animal to escape once it had fallen in. When the animal had fallen into the pit, it would either be killed by sharpened sticks pointed upwards from the bottom of the pit, or in the case of pits without these sticks, by hunters waiting nearby.
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Pits for hunting elks
These pits are normally found in large groups, crossing the elk's regular paths and stretching over a large landmass. Remains of wooden fences designed to guide the animals toward the pits have been found in bogs and peats. In Norway, an early example of these trapping devices has been excavated by archaeologists and dated to around 3700 BC. Trapping elk in pits is an extremely effective hunting method, and as early as the 16th century the Norwegian government tried to restrict their use. Nevertheless, the method was in use until the 19th century.
Pits for hunting reindeer
These pits are almost exclusively found in the mountainous areas of Norway. They are stone built and are normally accompanied by leading fences, also made from stone, which would have guided the animals towards the pits. In some areas one can also find bow rests, stone built hiding places for hunters equipped with bow and arrow. The trapping pits are normally rectangular in shape and quite narrow, making it impossible for the animal to move once it had fallen in.
Pits for hunting wolves
These are deep pits, dug into soft soils, normally near farmland. They would have had a wooden stake in the middle, with a platform on top, onto which offal would have been placed. In certain cases a living animal, such as a lamb, would have been tethered to the stake, the idea being that the wolf would hear the cries of the animal and be lured towards the pit. The pit itself would have been covered by branches and foilage.
