Trapping Camp
Last weekend I went with a local to set a outfitter tent up at the base of the Mayuumerruq Mountains 30 miles from town. We left town at 11:00, just when it was starting to get light outside. The tundra was still rough, and we pounded our way for a good two hours. As we neared the creek at the base of the mountains we looked for a place to set the tent. After looking at a couple of different spots we settled on a small, flat area tucked under 3 large pine trees set inside a wide stand of pines. I was a good thing that it was so protected because the wind really blew that night.
First thing that we did was clean out the area. Cut down all the willows and small little saplings on the trail into the site. Then we cleared out the pine branches to make room for the tent. When we went to set the tent up we realized that we had the wrong poles. I cut three smaller pines to manufacture some new poles. The tent was set up. I cut a pile of pine boughs to lay underneath the tarp. Mike started setting up the wood stove. Camp was pretty much set up now. On our search for camp we ran across a stand of dead pines that was perfect for firewood. A chainsaw made quick work of the trees for at least a couple of trips.
Once camp was set up I we both took the time to set a few traps. Mike set one for wolverine right close to camp, and I made a lynx snare set, a wolverine set farther down the creek, a lynx foothold, and two marten sets. If a wolverine investigates our camp I think we stand a good chance of one of us getting it. It was well after dark by the time I got in. I sat down to a dinner of quaaq (frozen trout), paniqtuq (caribou jerky), dipped in seal oil, and for desert we had eskimo ice cream. This kind was whipped caribou fat with bits of caribou roast mixed in. The fresh frozen trout is the smooth kind. It tastes smooth in your mouth compared to the aged trout that have ice crystals in the flesh and is rough kind.
The woodstove was ripping and it wasn't too long before I started getting sleepy. I used my parka for a pillow and had two pairs of sweats and wool sock on. I slept very well until about 5 am when I woke up with my feet just freezing. The tarp wasn't quite long enough and my feet were hanging off the end of the tarp into the snow. I used my boots to try to prop my feet up a bit, but they never really warmed back up. I dozed in and out and close to 8 we got the stove going again and I warmed right back up.
The wind was blowing hard so we ate breakfast and broke camp waiting for it to get light outside. We went and checked our traps, mostly to see if they were still good sets in the daylight, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a lynx in one of my snare sets. By the time we got back from walking the traps the mountains were covered and the sky was looking ominous. We just decided to mosey our way back instead of exploring some more. On the way back we traveled the old sled dog trail crossing lakes and drainages which made for a much smoother ride back. There were a lot of caribou out on the flats.
That was two weekends ago. This past Friday I was going to go out fishing to try to get a bead on where I should try to fish on Saturday. On my way back from the store I stopped and talked to Thurston and he had caught 3 caribou just across the bridge "real close." Since it was windy I decided I would head out to try to catch a couple caribou. I quickly threw my things together and took off. I got across the bridge and headed towards the hills. I saw two snowmachine lights to the south so I veered that way. Sure enough I started running across lot of caribou sign. I could see a herd about a half mile away. Over a small little rise and there was a nice herd of cows right there. I shot once and missed, shot again and hit. I watched that one go down and picked out another. Shot and hit, I watched it stumble and go down. That one looked like a clean kill. I went back to the other one which was standing now. I could see that I had shot it to far back. I went closer to put it down for good. Those are the kind of shots that are hard to take, but being able to take a couple nice fat caribou home for dinner makes it easier. I stayed up late Saturday butchering one of them. I still don't really know what I am doing but I think I am getting a little better now. We had some legitimate steaks for breakfast on Saturday morning.
Driving His Truck
First thing that we did was clean out the area. Cut down all the willows and small little saplings on the trail into the site. Then we cleared out the pine branches to make room for the tent. When we went to set the tent up we realized that we had the wrong poles. I cut three smaller pines to manufacture some new poles. The tent was set up. I cut a pile of pine boughs to lay underneath the tarp. Mike started setting up the wood stove. Camp was pretty much set up now. On our search for camp we ran across a stand of dead pines that was perfect for firewood. A chainsaw made quick work of the trees for at least a couple of trips.
Once camp was set up I we both took the time to set a few traps. Mike set one for wolverine right close to camp, and I made a lynx snare set, a wolverine set farther down the creek, a lynx foothold, and two marten sets. If a wolverine investigates our camp I think we stand a good chance of one of us getting it. It was well after dark by the time I got in. I sat down to a dinner of quaaq (frozen trout), paniqtuq (caribou jerky), dipped in seal oil, and for desert we had eskimo ice cream. This kind was whipped caribou fat with bits of caribou roast mixed in. The fresh frozen trout is the smooth kind. It tastes smooth in your mouth compared to the aged trout that have ice crystals in the flesh and is rough kind.
Caribou
The wind was blowing hard so we ate breakfast and broke camp waiting for it to get light outside. We went and checked our traps, mostly to see if they were still good sets in the daylight, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a lynx in one of my snare sets. By the time we got back from walking the traps the mountains were covered and the sky was looking ominous. We just decided to mosey our way back instead of exploring some more. On the way back we traveled the old sled dog trail crossing lakes and drainages which made for a much smoother ride back. There were a lot of caribou out on the flats.
That was two weekends ago. This past Friday I was going to go out fishing to try to get a bead on where I should try to fish on Saturday. On my way back from the store I stopped and talked to Thurston and he had caught 3 caribou just across the bridge "real close." Since it was windy I decided I would head out to try to catch a couple caribou. I quickly threw my things together and took off. I got across the bridge and headed towards the hills. I saw two snowmachine lights to the south so I veered that way. Sure enough I started running across lot of caribou sign. I could see a herd about a half mile away. Over a small little rise and there was a nice herd of cows right there. I shot once and missed, shot again and hit. I watched that one go down and picked out another. Shot and hit, I watched it stumble and go down. That one looked like a clean kill. I went back to the other one which was standing now. I could see that I had shot it to far back. I went closer to put it down for good. Those are the kind of shots that are hard to take, but being able to take a couple nice fat caribou home for dinner makes it easier. I stayed up late Saturday butchering one of them. I still don't really know what I am doing but I think I am getting a little better now. We had some legitimate steaks for breakfast on Saturday morning.
Oren Getting a Hair Cut
Unimpressed
Saturday I got a late start out fishing. On the way out I realized I was pretty low on gas, enough to get out and back to where I was going but not much more. We tried one of the earlier in the year hotspots, but there were absolutely no fish. I saw a whitefish swim by but it didn't even look at the eggs. It was extremely strange. We tried another spot a little ways downriver. I spudded through about two feet of ice to find a foot of water underneath. Frustrating. I went back up a little ways above where I started but there was nothing there either. I was cold stone skunked. It was kinda weird, but I haven't been out fishing in about a month and a half so I wasn't to shook up about it.
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