text: the south african indians hunt animals with poisonous arrow heads..? how come the animals die but the people who eat them don't no he does not.  the poison is highly toxic and is greatly feared by the san themselves; the arrow points are therefore reversed so that the poison is safely contained within the reed collar. it is also never smeared on the point but just below it - thus preventing fatal accidents.    the poison is neuro toxic and does not contaminate the whole animal. the spot where the arrow strikes is cut out and thrown away, but the rest of the meat is fit to eat.  the effect of the poison is not instantaneous, and the hunters frequently have to track the animal for a few days.