IMAGINE IDAHO THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.

WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN LIKE?

EARLY IDAHOAN'S LIVES DEPENDED ON THEIR TOOLS.

COME... LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR TOOLS.

ANCIENT HUNTERS USED THIS CAVE TO CATCH BISON.

THEY PREPARED THE MEAT HERE.

HI, I'M PHYLLIS EDMUNDSON.

I'M AT OWL CAVE.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND TOOLS HERE USED BY EARLY HUNTERS.

TO UNDERSTAND EARLY IDAHOANS, WE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW THEY MADE TOOLS.

12,000 YEARS AGO HUNTERS USED A CLOVIS POINT.

IT IS A POINT CHIPPED FROM STONE.

THEY HUNTED BIG ANIMALS WITH IT.

GENE TITMUS HAS STUDIED HOW THE POINTS WERE MADE.

THE STONE MUST FIRST BE HEATED.

Gene Titmus: "THE EARLY IDAHOANS LOOKED HARD FOR THIS ROCK.

WE START BY HITTING THIS STONE WITH ANOTHER ROCK.

THIS BREAKS SMALL PIECES OFF.

WE MUST GET THIS DOWN TO A SMALLER SIZE.

IT NEEDS TO BECOME THINNER.

NOW, WE SHAPE THE POINT.

THIS ALSO SHARPENS THE EDGES."

Phyllis: THIS TAKES MORE THAN 2 HOURS.

THE POINT THEN FITS INTO THE FORESHAFT.

IT NEEDS TO BE VERY STRONG.

HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO HUNT WITH A SPEAR?

HOW HARD WOULD YOU HAVE TO THROW?

LATER THE WOOLY MAMMOTH BEGAN TO GO AWAY.

EARLY IDAHOANS HAD TO FIND NEW ANIMALS TO HUNT, AND NEW TOOLS TO HUNT WITH.

THEY MADE A BOW AND ARROW.

IT MADE IT EASIER TO KILL GAME.

JIM WOODS KNOWS HOW THEY MADE ARROWS.

Jim Woods: "THEY MADE ARROWS FROM CANE GRASS.

IT FIRST NEEDS TO BE STRAIGHTENED.

TAKE A SMALL STONE.

SET IT NEXT TO THE FIRE.

PUT THE GRASS ON THE HOT STONE AND THAT WILL STRAIGHTEN IT.

Phyllis: NEXT SINEW IS SOAKED IN WATER.

SINEW IS MADE FROM ANIMAL TENDONS.

Jim Woods: "SINEW IS VERY STICKY.

YOU CAN STRETCH IT.

THE EARLY IDAHOANS USED IT FOR MANY THINGS.

IT WILL DRY AND HOLD A POINT TIGHTLY.

NOW PUT ON THE FLETCHING.

I'M STRETCHING IT AS I WRAP.

NOW, I'M ADDING A SECOND PIECE.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO ADD THE POINT.

A GROVE MUST BE CUT IN THE ARROW.

I MUST WRAP IT TIGHTLY BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT COULD BREAK.

THE FORESHAFT IS NOW PUSHED INTO THE ARROW.

THE EARLY IDAHOANS USED EVERY PART OF THE ANIMAL.

THEY EVEN USED THE HIDES.

FIRST THEY NEED TO BE TANNED.

TANNING TURNS THE HIDE INTO LEATHER.

DAVE BETHKE CAN TAN ANIMAL SKINS JUST LIKE THE EARLY IDAHOANS DID.

Walt Bethke: "I WISH YOU COULD SMELL THIS.

IT SMELLS VERY BAD.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THE EARLY IDAHOANS DID THIS WITHOUT SHARP TOOLS.

YOU NEED TO GET ALL THE HAIR OFF.

NOW WE NEED TO PUT SOME BRAINS ON IT.

Phyllis: BRAINS MAKE THE HIDE SOFTER.

Walt Bethke: "I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES.

BUT THE HIDES BECOME SOFTER WITH BRAINS.

THEY'RE NOT MUCH HOTTER THAN LEVIS.

Phyllis: GATHERING PLANTS WAS ALSO IMPORTANT.

EARLY IDAHOANS GATHERED AND USED SAGEBRUSH.

Judy Trejo: "SAGEBRUSH WAS A GIFT FROM OUR CREATOR.

IT WOULD SHELTER THEM.

IT CAN BECOME WET AND IT WILL BURN.

YOU CAN MAKE SAGEBRUSH TEA WHEN YOU HAVE A COLD.

YOU CAN WASH YOUR HAIR WITH IT.

SAGEBRUSH GALLS ARE LIKE CHEWING GUM.

Phyllis: SOME PLANTS WERE USED FOR FUN.

Judy Trejo: "THIS IS SNAKE GRASS.

TAKE THE PIECES APART AND YOU HAVE A PUZZLE.

TRY TO PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER."

Phyllis: EARLY IDAHOANS MADE A LOT OF TOOLS.

THE CLOVIS POINT.

THE BOW AND ARROW.

THEY KNEW HOW TO TAN HIDES.

AND USE PLANTS.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS LEARNED A LOT ABOUT EARLY IDAHOANS.

THEY LEARNED HOW TOOLS WERE MADE.

WHAT COULD YOU LEARN FROM LOOKING AT THEIR TOOLS?

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

CLOSE CAPTION TRANSCRIPTION BY SARA J. HANSEN