Aragorn the Ranger - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Meriadoc1961 · 10-18-2007, 12:49 PM

In the Fellowship of the Ring (the book) Aragorn tells the hobbits that he has some skill as a hunter at need, so they did not need to worry about starving in the wild. I have never known of anyone claiming to be hunter who used a sword to achieve that goal, so it would seem to me that Aragorn would have had a bow and arrows handy.

Merry

Kuruharan · 10-18-2007, 01:16 PM

He could have used traps.

Just sayin'.

Lord Halsar · 10-18-2007, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

He could have used traps.

Wouldn't the equipment for that be a lot more noticeable than a simple short-bow and a small number of arrows? That, and traps seem more like an orc tool, the Dunedain probably referred to themselves as "above" such ways of killing.

Hammerhand · 10-19-2007, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Halsar

Wouldn't the equipment for that be a lot more noticeable than a simple short-bow and a small number of arrows? That, and traps seem more like an orc tool, the Dunedain probably referred to themselves as "above" such ways of killing.

I think its quite conceivable. Traps can be easily made out of the surrounding vegetation, if you know what to look for - which i'm sure Aragorn would. Saying that, it always seemed more likely to me, certainly with the imagery i gained from reading, that he was equipped with a bow. However, i cannot think of any evidence to support this notion! just something i drew my own conclusion on i guess. The power of literature!

MatthewM · 10-30-2007, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meriadoc1961

In the Fellowship of the Ring (the book) Aragorn tells the hobbits that he has some skill as a hunter at need, so they did not need to worry about starving in the wild. I have never known of anyone claiming to be hunter who used a sword to achieve that goal, so it would seem to me that Aragorn would have had a bow and arrows handy.

Merry

Good catch Merry, I think you're right. It really isn't too far-fetched to assume Aragorn carried a bow with him. It just makes sense.

TheGreatElvenWarrior · 10-30-2007, 07:33 PM

Hmmm... good point. I at least think that Aragorn would carry a bow and a few arrows with him for hunting reasons, it would kill an animal better than a trap or a sword anyway. And who runs up to a deer, or moose(where I live anyways), or a bear even, anyways?

But I do not think that he would set up traps, I don't know much about traps, but wouldn't it hurt the animals if Aragorn trapped them? And I don't think Aragorn would purposely hurt some poor animal and leave them there for a while until he came back to check on it. With the way that Aragorn travels, it might be quite a long time before he got back to that spot again.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 10-31-2007, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior

But I do not think that he would set up traps, I don't know much about traps, but wouldn't it hurt the animals if Aragorn trapped them? And I don't think Aragorn would purposely hurt some poor animal and leave them there for a while until he came back to check on it. With the way that Aragorn travels, it might be quite a long time before he got back to that spot again.

Of course whenever you hunt, you have to stop for a while or at least tell the hobbits: "Go this way and wait for me at the bridge while I look around for some food." You can very well lay traps in the evening when you camp, and check them in the morning. Of course one does not lay traps along the way through Ettenmoors, go to Rivendell and after a week or two go back the same way and "collect" the caught animals!

But I also don't think Aragorn would use traps. Certainly not any mechanical traps, that's Orc-work. Simple snare using a rope could be possible to imagine, though from the text, I would think of "simple" hunt:

Quote:

I have some skill as a hunter at need. (...) But gathering and catching food is long and weary work (...)

Catching food - do you think he would use this term if he laid traps? On the other hand, concerning the bow, I am not inclined to believe that he had one because there is not a single mention of it. I believe that sometimes, he surely carried a bow with him during his journeys in the Wilderness, but sometimes, and also this time, he did not. "Why" would be another question.

Lindale · 11-07-2007, 10:02 PM

With all the "noble" and "high" stuff about Aragorn and the Dunedain, I still think it's impractical for them not to bring little bows for hunting, especially if their quests include watching borders, and in Aragorn's case, catching Gollum. Those kinds of tasks, well, they are done in the wild, and in the wild, you can't really just bring barrels of salted meat or other preserves, you have got to know how to hunt.

Did Faramir and Co., upon meeting Frodo and Sam, really use bows to ambush the other Men, the men under Sauron? If they did, I think it's safe to assume that their kinsmen in the North also used bows, although not mainly for war.

MatthewM · 11-10-2007, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindale

Did Faramir and Co., upon meeting Frodo and Sam, really use bows to ambush the other Men, the men under Sauron? If they did, I think it's safe to assume that their kinsmen in the North also used bows, although not mainly for war.

Nice point. I can't see why they wouldn't have.

10-18-2007, 12:49 PM	#1
Meriadoc1961 Wight Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 101	In the Fellowship of the Ring (the book) Aragorn tells the hobbits that he has some skill as a hunter at need, so they did not need to worry about starving in the wild. I have never known of anyone claiming to be hunter who used a sword to achieve that goal, so it would seem to me that Aragorn would have had a bow and arrows handy. Merry __________________ "If I yawn again, I shall split at the ears!"

10-18-2007, 01:16 PM	#2
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	He could have used traps. Just sayin'. __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

10-30-2007, 07:33 PM	#6
TheGreatElvenWarrior Mighty Quill Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walking off to look for America Posts: 2,230	Hmmm... good point. I at least think that Aragorn would carry a bow and a few arrows with him for hunting reasons, it would kill an animal better than a trap or a sword anyway. And who runs up to a deer, or moose(where I live anyways), or a bear even, anyways? But I do not think that he would set up traps, I don't know much about traps, but wouldn't it hurt the animals if Aragorn trapped them? And I don't think Aragorn would purposely hurt some poor animal and leave them there for a while until he came back to check on it. With the way that Aragorn travels, it might be quite a long time before he got back to that spot again. __________________ The Party Doesn't Start Until You're Dead.

11-07-2007, 10:02 PM	#8
Lindale Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: midway upon... in a forest dark Posts: 975	With all the "noble" and "high" stuff about Aragorn and the Dunedain, I still think it's impractical for them not to bring little bows for hunting, especially if their quests include watching borders, and in Aragorn's case, catching Gollum. Those kinds of tasks, well, they are done in the wild, and in the wild, you can't really just bring barrels of salted meat or other preserves, you have got to know how to hunt. Did Faramir and Co., upon meeting Frodo and Sam, really use bows to ambush the other Men, the men under Sauron? If they did, I think it's safe to assume that their kinsmen in the North also used bows, although not mainly for war. __________________ The heart does things for reasons Reason itself cannot comprehend. - Blaise Pascal Legal Madness.