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I've done my share of hunting and when I put myself in the place of a hunter armed only with a stone-tipped spear, I reach a certain conclusion. When I need to put meat on the table I'm going after small, less dangerous creatures than mastadon. If I need to bag a bunch of meat, slow-moving ground sloth look out!

I'm of the same mind as well .... think about hunting Grizzly bears .... now thing about doing it armed only with spears. NO THANKS.

Agree. Having had a few innings with grizzlies I'm of the opinion large bears were a major factor in where early migrants to the Americas put ashore. Most came in boats, not across the land bridge. They skirted the shorline when sea levels were much lower than today. We'll find much more evidence of these migrations when and if we develop the means to search for it underwater. A very ancient skeleton was recently found on one of the islands off the coast of California.

Anyone who's read the journals of Lewis & Clark knows that grizzlies were a very serious problem to American travelers even in the early 19th century. Mountain Man Jedediah Smith had his scalp torn nearly off by a grizzly. When the surgeon sat him down on a log and sewed it back on, he got it a little skewed in his haste. Jed was never again seen without a hat pulled low over his forehead.

Well- early humans wouldn't hunt a grizzly bear unless real hungary - there being more docile and less agressive game far more abundant. And they would be far more calory efficient in hunting- meaning they would hunt the biggest game that would produce the biggest meat yield. Taking on a mamoth or bison with a spear would be impossible. taking it on with ten spears and torches is another matter.