Final answer:
Hunting in a group is often advantageous in gathering-hunting societies because it allows for shared knowledge, distributed risk, and increased efficiency. The Hadza people exemplify this through their seasonal migrations and resource collection. Gender roles in these societies show flexibility with both men and women participating in gathering and even hunting activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing whether it is better to hunt in a group or solo, one must consider the strategies of gathering-hunting societies. In these societies, there is often flexibility and a shared workload amongst members. We learn from the Hadza people that groups, which traditionally include 20 to 30 people, work collectively to gather and hunt food resources available in a given area and then migrate seasonally.
The mobility of gatherer-hunter groups allows them to adapt to the scarcity of resources, which can include requesting access to neighboring territories through established relationships. In many cases, hunting in a group, similar to wolves using complex coordinated efforts to hunt as seen in the referenced video, can provide advantages such as shared knowledge, distributed risk, and increased efficiency. Additionally, in gathering-hunting societies, the gender division of labor is not strict; both men and women gather, and in some cases, women also participate in hunting.
Hunters in these societies may use knowledge of animal behaviors and migrations to devise group strategies and follow herds. There is evidence of more involved strategies such as controlling the movement of herds, as speculated in the development of new subsistence patterns thousands of years ago. Thus, while solo hunting can indeed be practiced, hunting in a group, leveraging collective knowledge and effort, is often seen as beneficial in the context of gathering-hunting societies.