How did American Indian peoples of the Pacific mountain region obtain food and trade goods before European settlement?

Before European settlement, American Indian peoples of the Pacific mountain region relied primarily on hunting, fishing, and the gathering of wild plant foods to sustain themselves.12

Food Procurement

Subsistence strategies were highly adapted to local environments:
* Fishing: This was a critical food source, particularly in the Pacific Northwest and Plateau regions, where salmon, trout, and other fish were abundant in rivers and streams. Techniques included the use of spears, nets, and large communal weirs to corral catches.34
* Gathering: Women and children typically collected wild plant foods, including berries, nuts (such as acorns and piñon nuts), seeds, roots, and bulbs (like the camas flower).124
* Hunting: Men generally hunted terrestrial game, including deer, elk, bear, and smaller animals, using bows, arrows, and spears. Coastal groups also hunted marine mammals.243

Trade and Exchange

Trade was a common practice among tribes, serving as a vital network for distributing resources. In northern areas, interior groups frequently traded hides, meat, and roots with coastal peoples in exchange for salmon. These exchange systems were often rooted in kinship and reciprocity, facilitating the movement of goods across diverse territories.15