 In the American South, the crossbow was used by the conquistadors for hunting and warfare when firearms or gunpowder were unavailable because of economic hardships or isolation.Since 500 AD; possibly due to trade contacts with Alaska and Asia or independently, the Inuit used and manufactured all-wooden hunting crossbows.With the same basic design of early medieval European hunting crossbows, medieval and early modern west African hunting crossbows, and even colonial era Appalachian hunting crossbows.