hunting party consisted of Harley, Mak, Larry, Allie, Alexis, and me. Well, I wasn't actually hunting. I was going along for the ride in the beautiful wilderness.
Scammon Bay village as seen from the banks of the Kun River. Askinuk Mountains in the background.
Getting the boats loaded. Part of the load is the fuel. There are no fueling stations out there in the wilderness so we must take enough with us. We had 3 barrels of fuel (seen in the pic below) which cost about $700, plus camping equipment, food, hunting gear, and 6 people.
With Harley Sundown as our captain, we headed to the mouth of the Kun River where it empties into the Bering Sea, then along the coast for a few hours until we reached the mouth of the Black River. I was looking for Beluga whale while on the ocean but never saw any. We headed up the Black River toward Kuzi. Kuzi is Kuzilvak Mountain which is the location of important hunting and fishing grounds for the Yupik Eskimos of this area.
Below is a picture of Kuzi in the distance.
Putting out fish nets.
We stopped early in the Black River and put out a fish net that we would collect on the way back.
The catch was interesting with several different kinds of salmon and a few flounder.
The meandering rivers and creeks of the tundra are grassy and shallow. So the guys had to get out and push a few times! Wet feet. We saw beavers and beaver dams. Harley ramped the boat over a beaver dam once and it knocked me off my seat! OK. Lesson learned. Hold on tight!
We spotted moose pretty early on! But it's a little more difficult to get a good aim in a moving boat. A few moose walked away. But we continued in our pursuit and finally caught two! The moose often just stand there staring at you with a curious look as they continue munching. Yupik Eskimo believe that the moose allow themselves to get caught. So they don't brag about being a good hunter or killing a big animal.
Allie takes aim! We hunted until dark which was around midnight.
Below is where we camped inside an old trading post with Kuzi in the background. It was good to be under a roof and out of the wind and weather. But when I woke, my feet were numb from the cold.
What a beautiful location! The pink flowers are fireweed.
A tree on the tundra. Not a common sight. This tree conveniently marked the spot where the moose fell. They field-dressed the moose then carried it to the boat. That's hard work. Wow, moose are big-hearted creatures. Literally.
So my 2nd annual moose hunt was another success and a great blessing to be able to go and witness God's magnificent creation. Thanks to Harley for his willingness to take others out for the thrill of the hunt and wilderness experiences.
Allie didn't catch a moose on her first outing this Fall. But she went back 2 weeks later and caught a young bull. It was her first catch and therefore she gave it all away in accordance with Eskimo tradition. It is believed that by giving away your first catch you will be successful in the future and you are doing your part to help take care of your community. Following are pictures from that hunt.....
Credit: photos taken by Michelle Benisek, a friend and fellow teacher here in Scammon Bay.
When they got back that night our kitchen became the Butcher Shop. Lots of people pitched in to help and the job was done in just a few hours. Lots of blood and fur, though.
Above is the Ulu. An Eskimo knife. It works well when butchering a moose or slicing a pizza :)
The next day, Allie had good help (Ayla) grinding the meat for burgers.
And delivering the meat to elders in the village. Allie gives Irene a gift from her first catch.
And since I'm an elder, Allie gave some of the moose to me!
Thanks Allie!
Pics of my first ever attempt at making moose jerky. It was fun! And tasty, too.
Until next time, happy hunting and stay warm!
Go Hogs!
