I read once of a "Stone Bow" or "pellet bow," a medieval weapon that was a bow (duh!) with a pouch in the middle of the string, and was used as a hunting weapon (killing those pesky moving things

). I'm still trying to figure out how it would work without slamming the stone into the back of the bow.
As for the American obsession, my favorite present as a child was a brick of .22 shells (1000 rounds). Got at Christmas, gone by April. Would have been gone sooner, but there was too much snow on the ground.
I enjoy shooting. I like being a good shot. I've proved many times that a bad day hunting is better than a good day at work, and have yet to bring home anything to fill the family larder. That being said, I personally hunt for food, to cut down on bills. Yes, the cost of the rifle, scope, ammunition, license, tag, fuel/wear/tear on the truck, and time off work are somehow cheaper than going to the grocery store. At any rate, I've convinced my wife of that.
I believe that if you are going to shoot something, do it humanely, without causing the animal any undue suffering (even the neighbor's marauding loose hogs). That's why I like being a good shot. And don't waste it. I've grown up in a rural area and have seen more than one animal that so-called "hunters" have shot, and left because the horns weren't big enough, and I totally disapprove of this. If you're going to take a life, then it ought to count for something more than a head on a wall. I'll take my soapbox and go home now.

K'Jev