Some of the campsites have evidence of populations of several hundred. The karankawa’s traversed the bays in dugout canoes. During this period, tribal bands would migrate inland. During the summer months and hot weather, the oysters, clams and other shellfish are not safe to eat and the fish make an annual migration out of the pass. They wintered (passed their winters) around the coastal bays, eating oysters, clams, shellfish, black drum, redfish, spotted seatrout and the other abundant species of fish. Older men, women and children harvested waters for blue and stone crabs, oysters, mussels, sea turtles, shellfish, and other edible crustaceans. Men waded into the waters with lances or bows and arrows, to spear fish. The bays, back bays, lagoons and bayous along the Texas Coast, were the Karankawa’s hunting and harvesting grounds.
Karankawa diorama in the Brazoria County museum In the winter they added more coverings, and in the summer they would adjust the wall coverings to allow a breeze to pass through. The wikiups were made of wooden poles covered with woven grass or animal hides. The Karankawa built “wikiups” (huts) so they could be moved from place to place. In the summer, they moved inland to hunt wild animals and gather wild roots, berries and fruits. In the winter they lived along the gulf coast, fishing and gathering oysters.
The karankawa were nomadic (moved from place to place), and were hunters and gatherers. The Karankawa lived south of the Caddo in the grasslands and brush-lands of the Coastal Plains Region.