Anadromous fish — fish that hatch in freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow to maturity, and then return to freshwater rivers and streams to spawn — are an extraordinarily concentrated source of protein and fat during their upstream migrations.

When salmon runs occur, the fish are present in enormous numbers, accessible with relatively simple fishing technology, and nutritionally dense enough to support extended human populations.

The Buhl Woman’s isotopic evidence for salmon consumption indicates that she lived in a community that had figured out how to exploit these runs.

The specific fishing technologies available in the terminal Pleistocene — weirs, traps, spears, or some combination — are not archaeologically visible at the Buhl site, but the dietary evidence is clear.

The Snake River salmon runs, in the period when the Buhl Woman lived, would have been one of the most reliable and abundant food resources available in the region.