> Similarly, dangerous game (e.g., Cape buffalo and long-horned buffalo; see SOM Table S2) are recorded in small numbers throughout the faunal dataset. Increased proportions of dangerous game within MSA assemblages have been argued to reflect improvements in projectile technology, which provides the ability to hunt game at greater distances (Klein et al., 2007). While the proportion of these species increases from the early (0.03%) to late Middle Pleistocene (4%), they never predominate.

Even in the modern era with high powered rifles, Cape Buffalo are still considered dangerous. I would not want to be anywhere near one with armed only with a spear.

Given that, a 100-fold increase in how much is hunted after spears are introduced, seems like a huge difference.