As to the Principles and Means of Catching Wildland Game, I am speaking Far More Ideally than Practically or Feasably here. I'm also speaking Generally to Anyone or Everyone.

Rather than Addressing it Specifically to your Question, on Good Ways to Do such in the Abscence of Handguns / Heavier Guns. So Refer to Other Posts in this Thread, for Far More Specific and More Enlightening Answers, to your Particular Question.

I'm also Speaking here of some of the Best Means and Principles Towards such Getting of Wild Animals! -Even if a Lot of That yet remains in the World of the Impracticably Ideal. I'm also Touching of some Practically Feasable Means here as well. But it Mostly Revolves around What is Yet Ideal.

This Ideal, however, would be Great to be Able to Someday Turn into a Practical Reality!, for Animal Acquisition Purposes, if we Someday Can!

On This Area of Survival Needs that your Question Poses, -The Practical and Feasable Part would certainly include Shotguns as already Exist. Of course you've already mentioned their Drawback of Weight and Bulk.

The More Ideal Involves Utilizing the Spread Out Principle of the Shotgun.

In that we'd Ultimately Want Projectiles / Netting / or Types of Cageing, -Which either (1) Already are in Place as a Concealed Trap, or (2) Caging or Netting which can so Quickly Fall Down On and Around your Quarry, or (3) Caging, Netting, or Projectiles which can be Fired Towards and Into / Around your Quarry.

On Cageing / Traps, -It's also Occurred to me, that *Transparent* Plastic (or Other Materials) Bars, can be Used on such Cages / Traps. For Maximum Invisibility to the Game.

Of course if these Plastic or "Other Materialed" Bars, Cage Sides, Etc, -They would Have to be Strong Enuff, -So that an Entrapped Animal Cannot just Gnaw it's Way Thru!

This could be a Nice Addition to Caging / Trapping!

Heck!, -Similarly Transparent Snares!

Though Much of these may Not Actually Exist, -This is the Means and Principle of the Matter, -of What would Ideally be the Best Solution Towards this Purpose!

The Corral and Cattle Roundup very Much Revolves around this Same Principle. Coupled with Deception, and Using an Animal's / Herd's Instinct and Reaction regarding One Thing!, -To Unwittingly Direct it to Another! To Where you Want it to Go! To Such an Encageing, Surrounding Corral or Pen!

Unless you are a Quite Good, and Undetected Shot!, -the Best Means and Principle for Getting Wild Animals, Aside from Lureing and Trapping, -Is to "Surround it on All Sides!", and in Time! A Quick Time! This is the General Principle I'm speaking of here.

Again, I'm speaking Mostly Ideally here. Beyond our Well Known and Familiar Shotguns, Cages, Nets, Traps, and Pens, -Most of What's entailed in this Principle remains in the World of the Ideal.

Real Devices along these Lines have often Not been Invented. And for their Good, Impractical Reason. Or Else Otherwise they would have Already been Long Since Invented!

But This is the Principle! And This would be the Best Means!, or One of the Best Means, for this Purpose!

That would be a Direction to Keep in Mind, and to Go Towards!, in any such Invention Efforts toward this Purpose!

I Know there's the Added Complication, in a Wooded or Scrubby Environment, of Intervening and Nearby Vegetation, -Interfereing with whatever one Fires Forth! This may Prove to be an Insuperable Obstacle!

Such Equipment, Assuming it can even be Designed and Created at All, -Would be Far Better on say a Grasslands, Desert / Semi-Arid / or Plains Environment! Though there you are often Far More Visible to the Game! With an Unobstructed View, and Being Out there in the Open Like that!

So I Hope that Someday Someone can Come Up with Such Stuff!

Surrounding an Animal or a Herd to Block Off Any and All Escape!, -is Surely One of the Best Means and Principles toward Doing so!!!

But there are of course Many Remaining Practical Obstacles. Beyond Traps, Nets, Shotguns, and Etc. as we Already Have!, I'm Afraid that a Lot of This, at least for a Good Woul to Come, -Will Have to Remain in the Realm of the Ideal! -Unfortunately!

Again, for Answers and More Enlightenment on your particular Question, -See Other Posts within this Thread.

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