The specific modifications identified on the Bluefish Caves specimens in the 2017 reanalysis tell a more detailed story of human activity than a simple statement that people were present.

The skinning marks — observed on the bones of the lower limbs, particularly on the distal limb bones where the skin would be the first thing removed in carcass processing — indicate that people were not just encountering carcasses opportunistically but were engaged in the deliberate removal of hides.

Hide removal is a step that makes particular sense in a cold-climate context: the hides of large arctic animals like horses and caribou are among the most valuable products a large-animal carcass provides, being essential material for clothing, bedding, shelter coverings, and other purposes that are critical for survival in cold environments.

The defleshing marks — observed on the shafts of major limb bones — indicate that muscle meat was being stripped from bones in a systematic way.