Field notes
The beast
Woolly mammoths stood about 2.6–3.4 m at the shoulder and weighed 4–8 t. The model gives a young bull 5.5 t on a 4.4 m by 1.9 m body. Top speed is set near a charging elephant, about 6.5–7 m/s, but it turns slowly at speed: around 80°/s standing, under 15°/s flat out. A hunter who steps sideways at the last moment usually beats a charge.
Weapons
Atlatl darts weigh about 140 g and leave the thrower near 26 m/s, roughly 47 J. Aim spread is the same for every man and grows with range, a moving target and moving while throwing. Darts fly a ballistic arc, so a range error can drop one short or sail it over the back. Missed darts land in the grass and can be picked up again. A thrusting spear puts the hunter's body weight behind the point and goes much deeper, but he must be within arm's reach.
Wounds
Hair and hide cost about 6 cm of penetration. The shoulder blade stops most points, ribs stop some, and glancing hits skid off. The killing shot is broadside, just behind the shoulder, into the lungs: Frison's advice from his elephant trials. Lung and heart wounds do not clot; gut and haunch wounds bleed slowly and do clot. A running animal bleeds faster. At 40% blood lost the beast goes down.
Ground
Many proboscidean kill sites sit at springs, streams and soft ground. A heavy animal that blunders into the bog is mired to a crawl; drivers with firebrands work to push it there. If it crosses the edge of the ground, it has escaped.
Drawing
Hunters are drawn about twice life size so you can see them next to the beast.