Spear and Rifle

[Svrtnsse]

My main character for my upcoming story spends a fair bit of time out hunting. I picture her as using a long rifle and a spear (she's also got a knife).

The rifle is for shooting and hopefully killing the prey. The spear is for defense in case something comes too close, or when approaching a prey that might not be properly dead.

Does this make sense?

It does to me and it fits the imagery I'm going for, but I know next to nothing of these things. If I've missed something obvious that makes this a silly/unbelievable combination, please let me know.

 

[CupofJoe]

Just a thought but put a bayonet on the rifle [plug in the barrel or a socket under/around it] and she doesn't need to carry the spear... Unless she wants to.

 

[Svrtnsse]

Just a thought but put a bayonet on the rifle [plug in the barrel or a socket under/around it] and she doesn't need to carry the spear... Unless she wants to.

Good thinking.
I probably do want her to want to carry the spear though. It's probably a bit lighter than a rifle, and it can do double-duty as a walking stick as well (right?).

 

[Garren Jacobsen]

Good thinking.
I probably do want her to want to carry the spear though. It's probably a bit lighter than a rifle, and it can do double-duty as a walking stick as well (right?).

But why carry both? And yes it can be walking stick.

 

[CupofJoe]

... and it can do double-duty as a walking stick as well (right?).

Walking stick, depth gauge, tent pole, trap springer, path clearer, creepy-crawly thing flicker-away-er; the uses are almost limitless.

But why carry both? And yes it can be walking stick.

Plug bayonets were/are notorious for both falling out when needed and not be able to got out when not needed. And it can feel like it takes an age to fix one if you rush and get it wrong. I've also read cases of people forgetting they have a plug bayonet fitted and firing, and dieing when their musket exploded. I doubt it would be any better with a rifle.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Spears are so under-used in fantasy, it seems. I suppose they're just less glamorous than the sword or bow.

 

[Pythagoras]

What kind of rifle are you talking about? An 1800s musket? Something more modern?
If it's a musket, a bayonet would absolutely serve the same purpose as a spear, at least in terms of jabbing stuff. A musket can also be swung about like a club if need be, too. As a weapon, it can be fairly multi-functional.

But as has been pointed out, a spear can serve many purposes, as well, and because of its simplicity has many more practical, non-violent applications.

I guess the main question for me would be, how does this hunter carry both of these weapons? Is the rifle strapped to her back? Even so, a musket is pretty cumbersome, not to mention very loud when fired. Plus, you need to keep cartridges, or bullets and powder if it's even older (like I said, I'm not sure what exactly to picture in my mind's eye when you say "rifle", but its pairing with a spear leads me to think older rather than newer), as well as primers of some sort. A rifle doesn't just "work" like a spear does. It requires care and feeding, if you will. Not that they can't be used for hunting, because they have been, but it seems to me that someone who is adept at using a spear would be a different kind of hunter than one who uses a musket.

With all that being said, however, I do like the image that comes to my mind of a hunter who uses both of these weapons as you described. Rifle as the main weapon, with a spear for defense and all around utility, if I'm understanding you correctly. The juxtaposition is kind of cool, and there's no real reason that I can think of which suggests you can't use them both.

Also, is this character a lone hunter, or is there a team? I see less of a need for a spear if her pals have her back, you know? What sort of terrain is it? Is it worth the energy to lug a musket around that kind of place? What kind of creature is being hunted? Birds, mammals, or something else? All of these things are factors I'd imagine would affect the choice of weapons when going hunting.

 

[Svrtnsse]

The rifles is the equivalent of a "modern day" hunting rifle. By modern day I'm thinking it's of a make produced within the last century. Perhaps equivalent to what was used during world war 2.
I'm not a weapons expert and I won't be going into any details about the functionality and use of the weapon, or even the hunting. It's more a case of establishing the image and the idea.

Like Pythagoras mentions I too like the juxtaposition of the old-fashioned spear and the more modern rifle.

I discussed the question with a friend of mine who's more knowledgeable than I on these things and they suggested staffs etc can be used as support for when firing from standing position.

The story itself takes place in a very remote fishing village far up above the polar circle and most of the hunting that gets done happens on the frozen sea. There's plenty of prey out there despite the cold - both things that would exist in the real world (polar bears), and things that wouldn't (Gnoph-keh).
Kala, the name of the character, hunts alone. This has the rest of the villagers worried, both for her actual physical well-being, and for her sanity in general. Kala has been through some tough times and she's been acting a bit strange...

(sorry, couldn't help but try and pitch the story a little).

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

If you're talking about hunting in the polar regions, might I suggest a harpoon for the close quarters combat/hunting potential you're discussing?

The problem with carrying a typical, mundane spear is that it offers little to no advantage over affixing a bayonet to your rifle. In fact, there would be one major disadvantage to using the separate components over the combination of rifle+bayonet. Weight.

Hunters and soldiers have battled with the issue of functionality versus weight since the dawn of weaponry. Compromises are made between the two considerations. As such, weapons like the bayonet were developed where 1 weapon, the musket or rifle, becomes 2, a weapon capable of long range combat as well as melee.

A harpoon, however, has a unique property. Yes, it is in essence, a spear. However, it is a spear with a specific purpose, one a rifle or ordinary bayonet could not accomplish. Namely, the ability to hold onto prey, specifically those that might escape in the water or under the ice.

Point being, if you're going to have your character use specialized equipment, you should provide reasons for them to prefer an item over a consideration like weight. If your character is an experienced hunter, or a hunter that has learned through observation of others (growing up in a hunting culture), they should have a decent grip on what being a hunter means, including equipment choices.

A harpoon offers greater functionality, and therefore, justifies a separate weapon.

 

[Svrtnsse]

If you're talking about hunting in the polar regions, might I suggest a harpoon for the close quarters combat/hunting potential you're discussing?

This is a good point, and there really isn't any reason at all she couldn't be using a harpoon instead.

 

[Trick]

So, now I'm imagining this:

Back on point, I like the idea of her carrying both for the imagery too and I think a harpoon, perhaps of the tribal/ancient style...

(which I imagine like this:

)

... would serve the purpose best. If the rifle were relatively short, she could travel with it strapped across her back and carry the harpoon as a walking stick like you mentioned.

 

[Svrtnsse]

It occurred to me she could have a dog sled. Then the carrying of the weapons might not be such an issue.

I'm not convinced though. A sled and a pack of dogs brings with it a whole other host of issues that I'm not in the mood to start dealing with. Other hunters may use dog sleds though.