https://www.livescience.com/64778-vikings-reindeer-cyclone.html
Vikings hunting reindeer in Norway were once confounded by "reindeer cyclones"; a threatened herd would literally run circles around the fierce hunters, making it nearly impossible to target a single animal.
Filmmakers recently captured incredible aerial footage of one of these reindeer cyclones, which aired Feb. 13 on PBS in the documentary "Wild Way of the Vikings," a program about Vikings and the wilderness they inhabited around A.D. 1000. [Photos: Ancient Arrows from Reindeer Hunters Found in Norway]
One of the documentary's most striking scenes shows a re-enactment of a Viking hunt interspersed with real footage of reindeer herds. Reindeer were important to the Vikings for their meat, hides, antlers and bones, according to the film.
In the cyclone scene, a lone hunter (an actor playing a Viking) approaches the herd; he notches and releases an arrow. The footage that follows shows an actual herd of reindeer running in circles. As the swirling mass of bodies thunders along a circular path, an overhead camera reveals that the herd's momentum follows a spiral shape, drawing tightly toward the cyclone's "eye" at the center.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @02:27AM
I wonder why they do that
We get better reception that way...
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @07:50AM
They're just looking for a parking space that can fit a sleigh.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @07:59AM (1 child)
If reindeer are being hunted by wolves or bears, surrounding them like this might increase the chances of the predator being trampled or at least knocked back. Really big herd animals can stampede, but reindeer are too small. But if the predator is a human with a spear or a bow, he doesn't much care if his arrow gets stepped on.
Since the circling herd does not move as far, it might be better at protecting the weaker members, who won't be left behind. Or maybe the advantage is that, if grazing land is hard to come by, they don't have to leave the food behind.
My question is how the herd allows the predator a way out? The herd just wants it to leave, they need to make that possible.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @12:34PM
Why make it possible to leave? Trap them, hurt and traumatize them, maybe they'll stick to rabbits.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @03:21PM (1 child)
Deernado week on SyFy channel
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @03:39PM
Do south pole reindeer run their cyclones counter-clockwise?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @03:45PM
Reindeer is fucking delicious.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 07 2022, @05:52PM
Axes and shields were very popular among vikings. If a bunch of reindeer just started spiralling like that (close but not trampling on the enemy) the vikings can just swing their axes and soon there'll be more meat on the ground. Who really thinks they can't kill a reindeer just by swinging their axe at reindeer running close by? They don't have to get a kill at the first swing, but if the reindeer keep running close, the viking will eventually get a kill.
The more reindeer on the ground the harder for the rest to spiral closely even if they were dumb enough to still keep trying.
This dumb spiral trick won't do much. Now if it was a bison or wildebeest stampede that's a different story. Axe or not you don't want to be in their way.