Stemmed points, unlike fluted points, do not require the specialized fluting technique that characterizes Clovis and related technologies.

They are hafted differently and may have been more versatile — useful as both projectile points and cutting tools.

The assemblages associated with the Western Stemmed Tradition tend to be found in proximity to ancient lake margins, river valleys, and wetland environments, suggesting that the people who made them were exploiting diverse resources rather than focusing primarily on large game.

The Snake River Plain, with its major river system and the salmon runs that would have accompanied it, would have been exactly the kind of environment suited to Western Stemmed Tradition adaptations.

The Buhl Woman’s diet — heavy in fish, suggesting a life near the river — is consistent with this picture.