1 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,400 NARRATOR: On this episode of Life Below Zero, 2 00:00:09,433 --> 00:00:13,033 as winter nears its end, new obstacles arise. 3 00:00:13,067 --> 00:00:16,400 SUE: In the end, I'm not the one with control out here, Mother Nature is. 4 00:00:16,433 --> 00:00:19,133 NARRATOR: The Hailstones' hunt takes a turn for the worse. 5 00:00:19,167 --> 00:00:22,433 AGNES: There's a fox over there, I'm gonna take a shot. Fuck! 6 00:00:22,467 --> 00:00:25,800 NARRATOR: Andy stalks a lethal predator to protect his livelihood. 7 00:00:25,833 --> 00:00:28,433 I got multiple wolf tracks in this slough here. 8 00:00:28,467 --> 00:00:31,533 NARRATOR: Erik and Martha's plans come to a screeching halt. 9 00:00:31,567 --> 00:00:32,633 It's not gonna happen. 10 00:00:32,667 --> 00:00:34,433 NARRATOR: And Sue races to clear a path. 11 00:00:34,467 --> 00:00:37,600 SUE: A plane must have a runway to safely land. 12 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:58,633 There we go. 13 00:00:58,667 --> 00:01:00,200 We're gonna cut up this moose quarter. 14 00:01:00,233 --> 00:01:03,033 It's the last one that we have from the moose we harvested this past fall. 15 00:01:03,067 --> 00:01:05,967 It's a ham, really tasty, prime cut piece. 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,233 I'll hack the bone out of here. 17 00:01:08,267 --> 00:01:11,233 Start taking apart the muscle groups. 18 00:01:11,267 --> 00:01:13,100 When we kill a moose or kill a caribou, 19 00:01:13,133 --> 00:01:15,833 the bones are full of marrow and they're really great for soup, 20 00:01:15,867 --> 00:01:18,133 and then, you know, animals like moose or caribou, 21 00:01:18,167 --> 00:01:20,833 where the hide isn't worth anything, we use that for trapping bait. 22 00:01:20,867 --> 00:01:23,467 And there's really something to do with most parts of any animal. 23 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:30,333 NARRATOR: Erik and Martha Salitan rely on the animals they hunt 24 00:01:30,367 --> 00:01:33,433 to maintain a subsistence lifestyle in the Arctic. 25 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,167 You wanna scrap together a smoker and smoke some of this meat? 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,433 Yeah, that could be fun, different. 27 00:01:40,467 --> 00:01:43,867 -Break up the cuisine a little bit? -Mmm-hmm. 28 00:01:45,967 --> 00:01:48,133 Harvesting your own meat, it's very fulfilling. 29 00:01:48,167 --> 00:01:51,900 You feel a lot better knowing that you butchered the animal, 30 00:01:51,933 --> 00:01:53,367 it's all good quality meat, 31 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:57,133 and makes you feel a little bit more independent living in the bush. 32 00:01:57,167 --> 00:02:01,000 Well, I'm done. Let's go out and check out what we got for building materials. 33 00:02:01,033 --> 00:02:03,400 Sounds good. I'm done, too. 34 00:02:03,433 --> 00:02:06,167 I'll go put this outside where it'll be cold. 35 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,733 MARTHA: So Erik and I just got done butchering the moose. 36 00:02:08,767 --> 00:02:11,400 We're gonna go out to the hangar and hopefully find the materials 37 00:02:11,433 --> 00:02:14,600 that we need to put together a, uh, usable smoker. 38 00:02:19,833 --> 00:02:23,533 ERIK: The type of smoker that we're looking to make is a cold smoker. 39 00:02:23,567 --> 00:02:25,133 It just adds a little bit more flavour. 40 00:02:25,167 --> 00:02:27,067 It doesn't add any nutritional value. 41 00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:28,700 It has nothing to do with life or death, 42 00:02:28,733 --> 00:02:31,033 it's just a little spice of life. 43 00:02:31,067 --> 00:02:34,433 Doing these small kind of projects is fun 'cause it's like a change of pace, 44 00:02:34,467 --> 00:02:37,133 something different than the daily chores. 45 00:02:37,167 --> 00:02:39,367 It's nice to be able to build something yourself 46 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,867 and to be able to also take the meat that you've harvested 47 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:45,567 and throw it in there and make an edible, finished product. 48 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,233 ERIK: I'm gonna use these 2 x 6s 49 00:02:47,267 --> 00:02:50,400 that are left over from building this hangar this past summer. 50 00:02:50,433 --> 00:02:54,133 We're gonna go six feet deep, six feet wide, and put a six-foot roof on there. 51 00:02:54,167 --> 00:02:56,067 MARTHA: Now we just got one more wall to go, 52 00:02:56,100 --> 00:02:58,200 which is the wall that's gonna have the door in it. 53 00:02:58,233 --> 00:03:00,400 Then we're gonna throw on the sheeting. 54 00:03:00,433 --> 00:03:02,467 We got a lot of work ahead of us. 55 00:03:04,433 --> 00:03:06,233 ANDY: We give up a lot to live out here 56 00:03:06,267 --> 00:03:09,200 because we want a certain type of quality of life. 57 00:03:09,233 --> 00:03:11,567 And a big part of that quality of life 58 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,567 is utilising the resources that are here for us. 59 00:03:26,433 --> 00:03:28,933 I'm preparing right now to start making 60 00:03:28,967 --> 00:03:33,067 a bunch of snares for predator trapping. 61 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:37,767 And, um, we don't have a lot of moose per square mile here. 62 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,500 Part of that problem is because of predators, uh, namely, wolves. 63 00:03:41,533 --> 00:03:45,367 Any kind of predator control is very emotional for a lot of people. 64 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:47,267 Most people are either for it or against it. 65 00:03:47,300 --> 00:03:50,067 There's very few people that are middle ground. 66 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:52,467 Um, I tend to be kind of middle ground on it, though, 67 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:54,233 because I realise, 68 00:03:54,267 --> 00:03:57,333 as much as I don't like killing animals, 69 00:03:57,367 --> 00:04:01,200 um, it's absolutely necessary if I want to be able to eat in the future. 70 00:04:02,567 --> 00:04:04,667 I'm getting older, and so I want to make sure 71 00:04:04,700 --> 00:04:07,233 that there's a good moose population in my area 72 00:04:07,267 --> 00:04:10,233 so that I don't have to work so hard to feed myself every year. 73 00:04:14,033 --> 00:04:17,533 For me, going a year without a moose is really bad. 74 00:04:19,567 --> 00:04:23,167 That's probably the equivalent of someone's house burning down, 75 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,567 losing their job, and their car explodes. 76 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,267 Your world is gone if you don't have moose or caribou 77 00:04:28,300 --> 00:04:29,633 in the freezer for the winter. 78 00:04:30,767 --> 00:04:32,567 I've now made my loop. 79 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,333 I like to make my loops pretty big. 80 00:04:34,367 --> 00:04:37,433 Uh, the wolves, they don't like going through something small, 81 00:04:37,467 --> 00:04:40,033 so I tend to make my loops fairly big. 82 00:04:40,067 --> 00:04:41,733 Uh, and when the animal goes in, 83 00:04:41,767 --> 00:04:45,867 this slides very easily in one direction, here. 84 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:47,900 And then, once it tightens down, 85 00:04:47,933 --> 00:04:51,067 it's very difficult to get it to unlock. 86 00:04:51,100 --> 00:04:53,000 It's pretty simple method to make these. 87 00:04:53,033 --> 00:04:55,333 Not too terribly expensive 88 00:04:55,367 --> 00:04:58,833 and, um, can be very efficient. 89 00:05:02,667 --> 00:05:06,000 Wolves are probably the single hardest thing to trap or snare up here. 90 00:05:06,033 --> 00:05:07,500 They're incredibly smart. 91 00:05:07,533 --> 00:05:09,000 They have an incredible sense of smell, 92 00:05:09,033 --> 00:05:12,833 so they can smell steel underneath the snow or hanging in the woods. 93 00:05:12,867 --> 00:05:15,000 This year, when I killed my moose, I saved the hide, 94 00:05:15,033 --> 00:05:20,433 I saved the head, but I also saved all the guts and I put them in a tote. 95 00:05:20,467 --> 00:05:23,867 They've been sitting in a tote all fall and into the winter. 96 00:05:23,900 --> 00:05:26,900 Ooh, yeah. 97 00:05:26,933 --> 00:05:28,167 Smells ripe. 98 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,267 These wolves are going after moose, 99 00:05:30,300 --> 00:05:33,467 so I think the moose guts is probably gonna be my best bet. 100 00:05:35,133 --> 00:05:37,367 And that'll be my main bait. 101 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,700 Got some moose guts for bait. 102 00:05:40,733 --> 00:05:43,200 I got holes in them so I can tie them up to a tree. 103 00:05:43,233 --> 00:05:47,367 The one thing I don't have is I don't have much daylight left. 104 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,633 It's pretty much gone off the mountain here now, 105 00:05:50,667 --> 00:05:52,333 which means I got about an hour or so. 106 00:05:52,367 --> 00:05:54,867 That's not enough time to get out and make these sets. 107 00:05:57,100 --> 00:05:59,200 It's a one-shot deal when you do this 108 00:05:59,233 --> 00:06:01,300 and we'll get an early start tomorrow morning. 109 00:06:04,033 --> 00:06:06,567 SUE: I did not choose to leave society. 110 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,267 I am just living my own life. 111 00:06:09,300 --> 00:06:13,333 Only with the freedom of isolation does my little light shine. 112 00:06:21,567 --> 00:06:24,400 I've got a snow machine coming out to help me with my chores. 113 00:06:24,433 --> 00:06:26,700 (COUGHS) Snow machine won't fit into a regular plane. 114 00:06:26,733 --> 00:06:28,567 It's gotta be a bigger plane. 115 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,733 And, uh, there's a Caravan, 116 00:06:31,767 --> 00:06:34,800 a little bit larger plane than I usually get during the winter. 117 00:06:34,833 --> 00:06:39,100 But the key to getting the Caravan in was getting the runway ready for it. 118 00:06:39,133 --> 00:06:43,433 NARRATOR: Sue Aikens relies on planes to deliver supplies into Kavik. 119 00:06:43,467 --> 00:06:45,367 Maintaining her mile-and-a-half runway 120 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,267 is crucial for her survival and can take days to complete. 121 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,200 SUE: If a big plane tries to land, you know, 122 00:06:53,233 --> 00:06:57,400 going 200 miles an hour and tries to land on ice, on sheet ice, glare ice, 123 00:06:57,433 --> 00:07:00,800 all's they're gonna do is be a new storage unit off the end of my runway. 124 00:07:00,833 --> 00:07:04,100 Gonna go work on the runway, try to get as much snow off of it as I can. 125 00:07:04,133 --> 00:07:07,500 I'm hoping if I can get the initial layer of snow off down to the ice, 126 00:07:07,533 --> 00:07:09,933 the sun will do the rest of the work for me. 127 00:07:09,967 --> 00:07:12,233 If I can't do that, I can't get the Caravan in. 128 00:07:12,267 --> 00:07:14,167 Can't get the Caravan in, 129 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,400 well, then somebody in Deadhorse gets my snow machine 130 00:07:16,433 --> 00:07:18,567 as a lawn decoration. (CHUCKLES) 131 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:28,367 I don't take the clearing or the maintaining of the runway lightly at all. 132 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,900 Most of these bush pilots and pilots that come out here are people that I know. 133 00:07:31,933 --> 00:07:34,233 They're cool people. 134 00:07:34,267 --> 00:07:37,800 A plane must have a decent runway 135 00:07:37,833 --> 00:07:40,700 that they can count on to safely land. 136 00:07:40,733 --> 00:07:44,233 Doesn't matter how badly I want to get whatever's on that plane. 137 00:07:44,267 --> 00:07:47,967 I will never risk somebody's life to get it. 138 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,733 I take that very seriously. 139 00:07:52,167 --> 00:07:53,900 I'm gonna go ahead and drag this section. 140 00:07:53,933 --> 00:07:57,033 Gonna attach my drag, that's this thing under the snow. 141 00:07:57,067 --> 00:08:00,467 And it's gonna cut and move the top layer of snow. 142 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:02,000 Right now it may seem light, 143 00:08:02,033 --> 00:08:03,900 but this is after 10:00 at night, 144 00:08:03,933 --> 00:08:06,100 so my temperatures are gonna go down a little bit. 145 00:08:06,133 --> 00:08:07,733 Um, before everything refreezes, 146 00:08:07,767 --> 00:08:10,733 I wanna knock that clear and let the sun work on it tomorrow. 147 00:08:19,867 --> 00:08:21,467 I heard the engine knocking. 148 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,267 If I keep pushing it and it breaks down on the runway, 149 00:08:24,300 --> 00:08:27,133 then I've shut down my entire runway to even skied landings. 150 00:08:30,467 --> 00:08:33,767 I had to take a drag off this, she's done. 151 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,633 I have to get her in the shop, let it warm up, take a look at it tomorrow. 152 00:08:39,433 --> 00:08:41,533 If I can't get this thing going tomorrow, 153 00:08:41,567 --> 00:08:45,033 I don't get a snow machine in a Caravan, that's the way that is. 154 00:08:47,067 --> 00:08:50,467 AGNES: In this harsh country, there's nobody just gonna appear and help you. 155 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:53,733 You have to be comfortable and have an idea of what you're doing 156 00:08:53,767 --> 00:08:57,167 before you just decide to just get up and go out into the country. 157 00:09:11,067 --> 00:09:12,867 Is it cold out, Chip? 158 00:09:12,900 --> 00:09:14,567 CHIP: It's getting a little breezy, 159 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:16,367 so I would dress warm if I were you. 160 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,933 NARRATOR: Chip and Agnes have set up camp in Kiwalik, 161 00:09:18,967 --> 00:09:21,467 110 miles from their home in Noorvik, 162 00:09:21,500 --> 00:09:25,200 to capitalise on the region's vast resources of caribou and fur. 163 00:09:25,233 --> 00:09:27,167 CHIP: We've had terrible winds and terrible weather 164 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,500 and in the time that we've had to wait for the weather, 165 00:09:29,533 --> 00:09:31,600 the caribou have gotten closer and closer. 166 00:09:31,633 --> 00:09:32,733 Now the caribou are here. 167 00:09:32,767 --> 00:09:35,533 -Whoa, bright. -Yeah, it is bright. 168 00:09:35,567 --> 00:09:38,367 There should be a small herd of caribou roaming around, 169 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,833 so we're just gonna go check out the flats and the lower hills 170 00:09:40,867 --> 00:09:42,533 and, uh, see what we've come across. 171 00:09:42,567 --> 00:09:46,367 After three, four days, we pretty much consumed all our extra food we brought, 172 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,567 so we just need camp meat. 173 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,767 I'll bet you the caribou are closer than they were yesterday. 174 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,833 CHIP: One thing that's nice is the caribou are moving closer to camp every day. 175 00:09:54,867 --> 00:09:59,067 Caribou are herd animals. They all wanna be together. They wanna be in large groups. 176 00:09:59,100 --> 00:10:00,967 So they're forming up right now and they're forming up, 177 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:02,233 and they're following each other, 178 00:10:02,267 --> 00:10:04,533 and they're gonna be passing through here. 179 00:10:04,567 --> 00:10:05,833 Our good days are here. 180 00:10:09,533 --> 00:10:11,467 CHIP: Yeah, no, let's head up to the, to the, um, trail 181 00:10:11,500 --> 00:10:12,600 -and take the hard trail. -The trail. 182 00:10:12,633 --> 00:10:15,233 And we'll save gas that way. 183 00:10:15,267 --> 00:10:18,500 The best thing we can do here, because we wanna hunt in a short distance 184 00:10:18,533 --> 00:10:20,033 and because we wanna have an easier hunt 185 00:10:20,067 --> 00:10:22,000 is to let the animals come to us. 186 00:10:22,033 --> 00:10:25,500 So when we got the animals coming closer and closer, it saves us gas, 187 00:10:25,533 --> 00:10:28,700 it saves us parts, it saves us time, it saves us a lot of energy. 188 00:10:32,233 --> 00:10:35,900 AGNES: Pretty much gonna stay down low where it's not too windy, not too cold. 189 00:10:35,933 --> 00:10:39,633 We just go ride round through the back and watch the herd 190 00:10:39,667 --> 00:10:42,800 and see if there's any fur or anything else around. 191 00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:48,833 There's a fox over there! I'm gonna get closer and take a shot! 192 00:10:57,233 --> 00:10:58,300 Fuck! 193 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,233 There goes my ride. 194 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,600 I let go of my handlebar. 195 00:11:08,633 --> 00:11:14,867 I sit up, and I grab my rifle, and it got stuck in my handlebar. 196 00:11:16,133 --> 00:11:18,267 And then it turned me. 197 00:11:19,333 --> 00:11:20,667 Fuck! 198 00:11:21,533 --> 00:11:25,033 Oh, God, over a stupid fucking fox. 199 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,867 CHIP: Wow, I didn't see you crash. 200 00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:31,067 If I saw her standing there, and I saw the fox running, 201 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:33,167 and I didn't see her aiming or trying to shoot at it. 202 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:35,633 -Are you okay? -No. 203 00:11:37,467 --> 00:11:40,333 Well, the rifle went right through the fucking, uh... 204 00:11:41,733 --> 00:11:43,300 Right through the tank. 205 00:11:43,333 --> 00:11:46,233 (EXHALES) Well, you know, here on the tundra, it's bumpy. 206 00:11:46,267 --> 00:11:49,200 And if you go too fast and you hit too big of a bump, you can get thrown off, 207 00:11:49,233 --> 00:11:53,633 you get your machine flipped over, you can get, um, you can just crash. 208 00:11:53,667 --> 00:11:56,933 As long as you're okay, I can fix this. 209 00:11:56,967 --> 00:11:58,233 Okay? 210 00:11:58,267 --> 00:12:00,467 AGNES: Fucking, stupid fucking fox. 211 00:12:00,500 --> 00:12:02,567 CHIP: You could sit here and cry, and hoo and ha over this shit. 212 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,667 It doesn't fix plastic or metal. 213 00:12:04,700 --> 00:12:09,067 We need to get it back to camp so we can put it on a cargo sled and take it home. 214 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:13,000 Or we need to, um, leave it the fuck here and just carry on with ourselves. 215 00:12:13,033 --> 00:12:15,033 We need to go get you another rifle. 216 00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:20,133 AGNES: Oh, God, it's... 217 00:12:20,167 --> 00:12:22,067 Fuck! 218 00:12:22,100 --> 00:12:23,833 Bent. 219 00:12:23,867 --> 00:12:25,333 Broken. 220 00:12:25,367 --> 00:12:29,500 Not only did I break my best rifle, 221 00:12:29,533 --> 00:12:32,300 I totally broke my gas tank. 222 00:12:32,333 --> 00:12:34,367 Handlebars won't even turn. 223 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,933 My windshield is all smashed up into many pieces. 224 00:12:37,967 --> 00:12:39,867 CHIP: There's a lot of structural damage to this thing. 225 00:12:39,900 --> 00:12:42,000 -It's not a pretty sight. -Sorry about that. 226 00:12:42,033 --> 00:12:44,500 It's not you, I'm glad you're okay. 227 00:12:44,533 --> 00:12:46,067 Don't be sorry to me. 228 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:48,933 I've crashed snow machines, I know just exactly how you're feeling. 229 00:12:48,967 --> 00:12:51,833 We still got one ride, there's no reason to go back unless my ride's totalled, 230 00:12:51,867 --> 00:12:54,300 and then we've got yours for parts and we'll still make it home. 231 00:12:54,333 --> 00:12:56,300 -Okay. Well, that's a good way... -So buck up. 232 00:12:56,333 --> 00:12:58,500 -...to look at it. -It'll be all good, yeah. We're gonna be good. 233 00:12:58,533 --> 00:13:00,067 -Get ready? -Yeah, put your stuff on it 234 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:01,967 and let's just tow this thing back to camp now. 235 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,100 Having two machines has always been our premise. 236 00:13:04,133 --> 00:13:06,967 When one machine's down, we can continue on while we fix the other one. 237 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,633 I think you gotta just quit worrying about it. 238 00:13:08,667 --> 00:13:12,167 We've always, always, always figured it out. 239 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,833 MARTHA: As far as waste goes, I guess that comes full circle with everything that we have. 240 00:13:24,867 --> 00:13:28,300 Whatever we can use, we'll utilise it, so, nothing goes to waste. 241 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,267 ERIK: Working on my skid here, drilling a hole in. 242 00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:47,933 I'm gonna attach a rope between the two of them 243 00:13:47,967 --> 00:13:51,100 and then I'm gonna be able to pull the smokehouse around with a truck, 244 00:13:51,133 --> 00:13:53,700 a four-wheeler, a snow machine, a tractor, whatever. 245 00:13:53,733 --> 00:13:55,000 NARRATOR: In Wiseman, 246 00:13:55,033 --> 00:13:58,000 Erik and Martha are using resources that surround them 247 00:13:58,033 --> 00:14:00,533 as well as salvage materials from past builds 248 00:14:00,567 --> 00:14:03,100 for the construction of a new smokehouse. 249 00:14:04,533 --> 00:14:06,400 MARTHA: We're putting up the sheet metal here, 250 00:14:06,433 --> 00:14:10,833 which is not only going to complete the smokehouse, but make it sturdier. 251 00:14:10,867 --> 00:14:12,933 Feed it up on the top there. 252 00:14:12,967 --> 00:14:15,033 MARTHA: So far progress has been real fast. 253 00:14:15,067 --> 00:14:17,267 We have four walls, we've got the roofs all ready. 254 00:14:17,300 --> 00:14:19,933 We've pounded it out and we're just gonna keep moving. 255 00:14:19,967 --> 00:14:23,200 Is it gonna fit? 256 00:14:23,233 --> 00:14:26,300 We're gonna get this door on hinges, make sure it flows the way we want it. 257 00:14:26,333 --> 00:14:28,433 Then we'll sheet the son of a gun. 258 00:14:28,467 --> 00:14:30,233 MARTHA: Between our fishing lodge in Iliamna 259 00:14:30,267 --> 00:14:32,000 and our hunting lodge up here in the Brooks Range, 260 00:14:32,033 --> 00:14:33,400 we've always got a lot going on. 261 00:14:33,433 --> 00:14:36,500 So it's nice to be able to work on our own little projects 262 00:14:36,533 --> 00:14:38,967 at our own pace and do what we wanna do. 263 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,333 ERIK: It's gotta come up a touch more. 264 00:14:44,367 --> 00:14:46,367 Yup, right there. 265 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:50,633 (DRILLING) 266 00:14:55,467 --> 00:14:57,700 Nice. 267 00:14:57,733 --> 00:14:59,700 -And it's solid. -Yeah. 268 00:14:59,733 --> 00:15:03,433 And the first moose we smoke in there is the moose that antlers it is. 269 00:15:03,467 --> 00:15:07,500 I'm just pumped to drag it out of here and, uh, fire it up for the first time. 270 00:15:10,700 --> 00:15:13,133 ANDY: Everything changes in the wintertime up here. 271 00:15:13,167 --> 00:15:14,433 Everything gets harder. 272 00:15:14,467 --> 00:15:16,033 You have to be twice as careful. 273 00:15:16,067 --> 00:15:17,733 You don't take chances. 274 00:15:17,767 --> 00:15:20,967 If you do have a problem, you don't have a lot of time to react. 275 00:15:27,500 --> 00:15:29,267 (BARKING) 276 00:15:31,267 --> 00:15:32,767 This is gonna be bait for wolves. 277 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:39,100 This is moose guts, left over from the moose that I got this fall. 278 00:15:50,467 --> 00:15:53,033 I think that's about all we need for supplies. 279 00:15:53,067 --> 00:15:56,867 I'm hoping that I can set a bunch of bait out and, uh, hopefully trap 280 00:15:56,900 --> 00:15:58,900 a few of those wolves in this area. 281 00:15:58,933 --> 00:16:00,767 (HOWLING) 282 00:16:03,567 --> 00:16:07,467 I'm really dependent on the resources that are around here. 283 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:09,867 The moose population, the density is so low, 284 00:16:09,900 --> 00:16:13,500 that's creating a real problem with competition. 285 00:16:13,533 --> 00:16:15,367 Good boy, Briggus! Good boy, Berg! 286 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,733 And that's making it harder and harder for me to get out and get 287 00:16:18,767 --> 00:16:22,500 what I absolutely have to have to eat for the winter. 288 00:16:22,533 --> 00:16:25,900 And it really affects how we can even survive out here. 289 00:16:25,933 --> 00:16:28,500 NARRATOR: To survive along the Yukon River, 290 00:16:28,533 --> 00:16:31,700 Andy believes it is essential to remove any predators 291 00:16:31,733 --> 00:16:34,000 that are a threat to his food supply. 292 00:16:35,067 --> 00:16:37,867 Up and over. Up and over. 293 00:16:37,900 --> 00:16:40,100 Let's go haw. Let's go haw. 294 00:16:40,133 --> 00:16:42,500 Attaboys. Attaboys. Good. You'll make it. 295 00:16:42,533 --> 00:16:44,500 You'll make it. Attaboys. 296 00:16:47,633 --> 00:16:49,667 That didn't look good. 297 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:55,367 Whoa, whoa, whoa. Everybody, stay! 298 00:16:57,333 --> 00:16:58,667 Yeah! 299 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:00,500 Good boys! Everybody, stay! 300 00:17:01,967 --> 00:17:05,567 All right, all right, we've got some wolf tracks here. 301 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,233 I got multiple wolf tracks in this slough here. 302 00:17:09,967 --> 00:17:11,633 Looks like they were chasing something 303 00:17:11,667 --> 00:17:13,500 'cause they're in a gallop here. 304 00:17:13,533 --> 00:17:15,733 Attaboy! Attaboy! Let's go! 305 00:17:15,767 --> 00:17:19,267 Think this spot's gonna be a pretty good spot around here to set some snares. 306 00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:20,767 Good boys! 307 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,500 That's it! Get on that track. 308 00:17:22,533 --> 00:17:23,933 All right! 309 00:17:23,967 --> 00:17:26,167 Good job! 310 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,967 I'll get these up into the woods here in a couple of places 311 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,200 and then come back and start setting some snares 312 00:17:33,233 --> 00:17:35,000 and see what I can do. 313 00:17:38,933 --> 00:17:41,967 These wolves have a really good sense of smell. 314 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,433 So if he's walking down the river, 315 00:17:44,467 --> 00:17:47,133 I think they'll pick up on this pretty quick. 316 00:17:48,467 --> 00:17:49,933 There's one. 317 00:17:52,133 --> 00:17:53,833 Go back down this way now. 318 00:17:59,433 --> 00:18:00,900 Killing daylight. 319 00:18:00,933 --> 00:18:03,067 I got two chunks of moose meat in. 320 00:18:03,100 --> 00:18:06,600 Now I just gotta get in here and just set snares all around this area. 321 00:18:09,333 --> 00:18:13,133 My main emphasis for doing all this trapping right now is to try and knock 322 00:18:13,167 --> 00:18:18,367 a few of the predators off so that the moose populations can come back stronger. 323 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:20,233 So, it's not gonna go to waste. 324 00:18:20,267 --> 00:18:23,167 If I had a couple of wolves, I could make a nice parka. 325 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,133 So there's lots of things I can do with the fur, 326 00:18:25,167 --> 00:18:27,500 but the main reason why I'm doing this is to try 327 00:18:27,533 --> 00:18:29,233 and help the moose in the area. 328 00:18:29,267 --> 00:18:31,533 So if there's something I can do to help the abundance 329 00:18:31,567 --> 00:18:33,333 of the food that I need to eat, 330 00:18:33,367 --> 00:18:35,400 then it's worth my effort to do that. 331 00:18:39,033 --> 00:18:40,933 There we go. That's the last one. 332 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,867 It's time to head out of here, back home, where it's warm. 333 00:18:45,900 --> 00:18:47,600 Right, let's go home! 334 00:18:47,633 --> 00:18:49,300 Attaboys! 335 00:19:10,900 --> 00:19:12,600 This lower section of this river 336 00:19:12,633 --> 00:19:15,567 is always really bad with ice, uh, very thin ice. 337 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,833 It can be very deceiving at times when you get a snowfall over it. 338 00:19:18,867 --> 00:19:21,633 So I'm always a little bit nervous in this lower section. 339 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:27,200 That's not even hard to break that with this pole. 340 00:19:29,267 --> 00:19:32,700 I think we're just gonna have to go fast and... You understand that, Tope? 341 00:19:32,733 --> 00:19:35,633 We're gonna go fast, girl, right here. Right here. 342 00:19:37,467 --> 00:19:39,700 Okay. Little Gee, little Gee, little Gee! 343 00:19:39,733 --> 00:19:42,367 Attagirl, right there. Good. Perfect. Let's go. 344 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,533 Hup, hup, hup, hup! All right. 345 00:19:45,567 --> 00:19:48,533 Nobody hurt, but, uh, we still got a long ways to go. 346 00:19:48,567 --> 00:19:49,900 So it's time to keep moving. 347 00:19:53,667 --> 00:19:55,667 CHIP: Life here is done as it's done. 348 00:19:55,700 --> 00:19:56,833 It's all cheque-in-the-mail stuff. 349 00:19:56,867 --> 00:19:59,300 It's not in your hands, till it's in your hands. 350 00:20:00,867 --> 00:20:02,467 You can talk about might all we want, 351 00:20:02,500 --> 00:20:04,767 but we don't fly on the wings of maybe. 352 00:20:16,700 --> 00:20:18,067 -AGNES: Hi. -A snow go, I heard one. 353 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:20,000 Oh, look right there! 354 00:20:20,033 --> 00:20:22,500 Hee! 355 00:20:22,533 --> 00:20:25,733 NARRATOR: After Agnes broke her rifle in a snow machine crash... 356 00:20:25,767 --> 00:20:27,567 CHIP: Hey, Jeff! What's going on? 357 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,567 ...Chip called on a family friend to bring out a new rifle. 358 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:32,900 AGNES: Whoa! I got it. I got it. 359 00:20:32,933 --> 00:20:34,867 -CHIP: You want coffee? -I got it, mine! 360 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:36,467 Thank you! 361 00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:38,133 CHIP: A friend of ours from Noorvik's down here hunting 362 00:20:38,167 --> 00:20:40,500 and he brought down a rifle for my wife that my daughter 363 00:20:40,533 --> 00:20:42,000 went over to her aunt's and got. 364 00:20:42,033 --> 00:20:43,700 Okay, Chip. Yep. I'll see you guys at home. 365 00:20:43,733 --> 00:20:44,967 AGNES: All right. Thank you so much. 366 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:46,767 -You're welcome. -Good luck to you! 367 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:48,333 Yep! 368 00:20:51,267 --> 00:20:52,400 AGNES: Hee! 369 00:20:52,433 --> 00:20:56,767 Well, I don't have a new snow machine, 370 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,067 but, uh, I have a new rifle. 371 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,067 One hundred, right, 125? 372 00:21:04,100 --> 00:21:06,467 One fifty, just set it on 150, 373 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:09,233 give it a crank off and see if you nail it. 374 00:21:09,267 --> 00:21:11,033 It's not a rifle she's used for hunting. 375 00:21:11,067 --> 00:21:12,900 It's, um, it's from her collection. 376 00:21:12,933 --> 00:21:15,300 We're not sure where it hits or if it even works. 377 00:21:15,333 --> 00:21:17,733 But we have to test it and make sure. 378 00:21:17,767 --> 00:21:19,200 Fire at will. 379 00:21:21,333 --> 00:21:24,233 You hit about two inches to the right of the paper. 380 00:21:28,533 --> 00:21:31,700 You hit about two inches closer. 381 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:34,200 (GUNSHOT) 382 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:37,967 -Hmm. -Real close to where you were. Here, let me go check now. 383 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,067 I'll zip over there. 384 00:21:44,900 --> 00:21:48,333 It's good to get familiarised with the trigger, the, um, 385 00:21:48,367 --> 00:21:51,900 the action of the bulk, and the feel, 386 00:21:51,933 --> 00:21:55,433 and see how long the, um, how much play I have 387 00:21:55,467 --> 00:21:57,133 before the bullet actually goes off. 388 00:21:57,167 --> 00:21:58,433 So this is good practice, 389 00:21:58,467 --> 00:22:01,100 regardless of if I hit or not. 390 00:22:01,133 --> 00:22:04,633 You are hitting to the right. So shoot more to the left. 391 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:12,600 -(GUNSHOT) -Hitting high. 392 00:22:12,633 --> 00:22:15,233 So I think it's the rifle hitting high. 393 00:22:15,267 --> 00:22:17,467 I really do. What does your trigger feel like? 394 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:19,533 Does it feel like your last rifle? 395 00:22:19,567 --> 00:22:21,233 Not really. 396 00:22:21,267 --> 00:22:23,533 Okay. That's a trouble, too. 397 00:22:23,567 --> 00:22:26,100 -Yeah, we gotta get used to that. -Yep. 398 00:22:26,133 --> 00:22:27,700 So we'll get up there and give it a try 399 00:22:27,733 --> 00:22:30,300 -and we'll see what happens, all right? -Yeah. 400 00:22:30,333 --> 00:22:34,100 That rifle's not exactly dialled in for, um, my wife. 401 00:22:34,133 --> 00:22:35,600 She, uh, took a few shots. 402 00:22:35,633 --> 00:22:37,767 And so she's only missing by an inch or two on this side, 403 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,833 an inch or two on this side. So she's keeping it within a foot by a foot. 404 00:22:40,867 --> 00:22:42,500 And that's good enough for caribou. 405 00:22:42,533 --> 00:22:45,400 You can put it right in the middle of their chest, and it will hit within a foot, 406 00:22:45,433 --> 00:22:48,300 you're gonna get an animal really well. No problem. 407 00:22:50,867 --> 00:22:53,967 ERIK: Every day I work. You know, out cutting some firewood, 408 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,800 out hunting, trapping. 409 00:22:55,833 --> 00:22:58,133 Whatever it is, I'm into being productive every day. 410 00:23:09,633 --> 00:23:12,600 MARTHA: (GIGGLES) You ran into me. 411 00:23:12,633 --> 00:23:14,400 NARRATOR: Erik and Martha have built a smoker 412 00:23:14,433 --> 00:23:17,233 to prepare meat they harvested themselves. 413 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,467 But before it can be used, it must be moved out of the hangar. 414 00:23:25,533 --> 00:23:26,800 MARTHA: Your snow machine's gonna be able 415 00:23:26,833 --> 00:23:28,400 -to pull this thing? -I am not sure. 416 00:23:28,433 --> 00:23:31,633 Try with a snow machine. If not, we'll just hook the truck up to it. 417 00:23:35,633 --> 00:23:37,400 MARTHA: So we got the tow hitch attached. 418 00:23:37,433 --> 00:23:41,733 We're gonna see if we can get the smoker out of the hangar now. 419 00:23:46,733 --> 00:23:48,567 (SNOW MACHINE BEEPING) 420 00:23:51,367 --> 00:23:52,733 ERIK: All right. 421 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:55,467 (SNOW MACHINE REVVING) 422 00:23:57,500 --> 00:23:59,000 MARTHA: No. 423 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:01,833 It's not gonna happen. 424 00:24:04,267 --> 00:24:07,200 ERIK: We tried to pull the smokehouse out with the snow machine. 425 00:24:07,233 --> 00:24:09,667 I think we can probably get it if we kept reefing on it, 426 00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:13,233 but it's not worth damaging a snow machine over it. 427 00:24:13,267 --> 00:24:17,333 So I'm just gonna pull my truck around, hook onto it, and drag it on out. 428 00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:20,667 That's good! 429 00:24:21,833 --> 00:24:24,333 Start off slow so we can get the line taut. 430 00:24:26,533 --> 00:24:28,067 Little bit more. 431 00:24:28,967 --> 00:24:30,733 Okay! 432 00:24:32,433 --> 00:24:34,300 Oh, oh! 433 00:24:39,467 --> 00:24:41,667 I knew it was gonna hit that lip! 434 00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:44,267 It hit that lip and busted the skid off. 435 00:24:45,367 --> 00:24:47,033 We just tried pulling the smokehouse out. 436 00:24:47,067 --> 00:24:51,000 Unfortunately, we didn't have the skids braced well, so they came together and, uh, 437 00:24:51,033 --> 00:24:54,600 in turn, pulled the whole frame of the smokehouse in also. 438 00:24:54,633 --> 00:24:56,933 So, a little bit of a bummer. 439 00:24:56,967 --> 00:24:58,633 How'd that happen? 440 00:24:58,667 --> 00:25:00,733 The chain choked the two pieces together 441 00:25:00,767 --> 00:25:02,667 because there was no crosspiece here. 442 00:25:03,667 --> 00:25:05,833 I'm irritated in myself for rushing, 443 00:25:05,867 --> 00:25:07,733 not putting a good support on it. 444 00:25:09,500 --> 00:25:13,667 Gonna take this 2 x 6 and make the skids a little bit sturdier 445 00:25:13,700 --> 00:25:16,067 by putting it in between, so next time when we pull, 446 00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:17,467 at least they won't come together. 447 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:19,733 Stand on this, will you, Martha? 448 00:25:23,467 --> 00:25:25,033 Now we got the bracing on there, 449 00:25:25,067 --> 00:25:26,800 I'm gonna go ahead and hook it onto my truck 450 00:25:26,833 --> 00:25:29,533 and hopefully it should be secure and we'll go ahead and we'll be able to pull it 451 00:25:29,567 --> 00:25:31,233 across the yard where we want it. 452 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,367 MARTHA: We just moved the smokehouse 453 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,200 to where it's gonna sit temporarily and get it smoking. 454 00:25:54,467 --> 00:25:57,667 I'm gonna put this little wood stove in there and fire her up. 455 00:26:00,967 --> 00:26:04,400 So now Erik's sticking the alder in there. 456 00:26:04,433 --> 00:26:07,633 Alder is a highly desirable wood to use for a smoker. 457 00:26:07,667 --> 00:26:11,300 A nice flavour that comes off of it that will be impregnated into the meat. 458 00:26:12,500 --> 00:26:13,867 There she goes. 459 00:26:15,333 --> 00:26:17,800 Being able to put the moose meat in there, get that fire going, 460 00:26:17,833 --> 00:26:20,133 get it smoking in there, it's great, you know. 461 00:26:20,167 --> 00:26:24,067 It'll be good and it'll have that really good smoky smell and taste to it. 462 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,500 Close the doors, let it smoke. 463 00:26:29,833 --> 00:26:31,733 ANDY: Alaskans are very unique people. 464 00:26:31,767 --> 00:26:33,333 We're all very independent. 465 00:26:33,367 --> 00:26:37,033 We're all very inventive, tough, hardy souls 466 00:26:37,067 --> 00:26:39,367 that wanna take care of themselves. 467 00:26:55,100 --> 00:26:56,800 Hey, Briggus, boy! 468 00:26:56,833 --> 00:26:59,300 Let's go check some traps. 469 00:26:59,333 --> 00:27:00,500 Let's go check some traps. 470 00:27:00,533 --> 00:27:02,333 We gotta go see if we got some wolves. 471 00:27:02,367 --> 00:27:06,700 NARRATOR: Andy has set traps for wolves in order to protect the moose population, 472 00:27:06,733 --> 00:27:10,600 an essential source of food and protein along the Yukon River. 473 00:27:10,633 --> 00:27:12,233 So we'll go check those traps today 474 00:27:12,267 --> 00:27:14,733 and hopefully we'll come home with a little bit of fur to skin. 475 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,600 Pack of wolves is probably one of the most lethal things on the planet, 476 00:27:19,633 --> 00:27:21,833 as far as hunting goes. 477 00:27:21,867 --> 00:27:24,567 So, if you have that knowledge, and you know how to use that, 478 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:26,100 you can use it to your advantage 479 00:27:26,133 --> 00:27:29,433 to try and take advantage of the wolves and trap them. 480 00:27:30,467 --> 00:27:32,900 You guys are smoking down the trail today! 481 00:27:32,933 --> 00:27:34,033 Good boys! 482 00:27:34,067 --> 00:27:35,567 Yee-haw! 483 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,200 So it's all luck. 484 00:27:37,233 --> 00:27:39,233 You know, there's a certain amount of skill in everything you do, 485 00:27:39,267 --> 00:27:41,333 but if the wolves don't come through, you're not gonna catch them. 486 00:27:41,367 --> 00:27:43,067 It's just the way it works. 487 00:27:44,467 --> 00:27:46,533 Gee! Gee! Gee! 488 00:27:46,567 --> 00:27:49,067 Attaboys! Good! Good! Good! Good! 489 00:27:49,700 --> 00:27:51,567 Whoa. 490 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,100 Whoa. 491 00:27:53,133 --> 00:27:54,767 Good dogs. 492 00:27:55,533 --> 00:27:57,433 Everybody, stay. Good boys. 493 00:27:57,467 --> 00:28:01,500 I'll just walk up there and try and disturb as little as possible, 494 00:28:01,533 --> 00:28:03,700 check out all the snare sites. 495 00:28:08,100 --> 00:28:11,167 I can see the rest of my snares down through the line here. 496 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,000 I don't see anything that's disturbed. 497 00:28:16,567 --> 00:28:18,900 I've got another bait here. A leghold here. 498 00:28:18,933 --> 00:28:21,600 There's another snare right there in that opening. 499 00:28:21,633 --> 00:28:25,167 Looks to me like I got skunked on this spot right now. 500 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,233 It's just gonna take more time. 501 00:28:28,033 --> 00:28:30,033 So a little bit disappointing. 502 00:28:30,067 --> 00:28:33,333 Like everything I do, I always try and make it multi-purpose 503 00:28:33,367 --> 00:28:35,867 and so I'm not just gonna go out and set for wolves, 504 00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:38,833 I'm gonna set for marten, because they bring me a few bucks, 505 00:28:38,867 --> 00:28:40,500 whether I sell them to a furrier 506 00:28:40,533 --> 00:28:45,100 or whether I make something out of them myself, it's dollars in my pocket. 507 00:28:45,133 --> 00:28:48,133 So what I wanna do here is I wanna make a marten set, 508 00:28:48,167 --> 00:28:51,233 just a natural one, using the branches. 509 00:28:51,267 --> 00:28:53,500 This is one of my favourite ways to set for them. 510 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:58,900 Trying to build a little bit of an income from this 511 00:28:58,933 --> 00:29:02,633 to help offset the cost of dog food and other supplies that I need. 512 00:29:02,667 --> 00:29:04,200 There's one set. 513 00:29:05,667 --> 00:29:09,267 I think I'll make another one on this tree right here. 514 00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:12,667 It's just a matter of one animal finding this, and then from that point on, 515 00:29:12,700 --> 00:29:15,700 a lot of the other animals will start following those tracks. 516 00:29:15,733 --> 00:29:18,267 Yeah, okay. 517 00:29:18,300 --> 00:29:20,367 So there's two marten sets. 518 00:29:22,067 --> 00:29:24,300 Okay. Let's go. 519 00:29:24,333 --> 00:29:26,767 I'll just keep checking about every four or five days 520 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,533 and sooner or later, I'm gonna catch something here, I know. 521 00:29:30,967 --> 00:29:32,900 AGNES: Lots of little things get thrown at you, 522 00:29:32,933 --> 00:29:35,800 but when you're out here, you just have to keep moving forward 523 00:29:35,833 --> 00:29:39,967 and keep on keeping on and keep on hunting. 524 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:41,667 We're opportunists. 525 00:29:53,767 --> 00:29:55,100 (CHIP SPEAKING) 526 00:29:55,567 --> 00:29:57,800 AGNES: Yee! 527 00:29:57,833 --> 00:30:00,100 NARRATOR: The Hailstones are hunting for caribou, 528 00:30:00,133 --> 00:30:02,067 which will provide meat and fur 529 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:05,000 that will help them survive the months to come. 530 00:30:09,933 --> 00:30:13,233 I'm on top of a ridge top, 531 00:30:13,267 --> 00:30:17,833 and, uh, the caribou were slowly eating their way up this way. 532 00:30:17,867 --> 00:30:20,500 So any moment they should be coming soon. 533 00:30:20,533 --> 00:30:23,200 So I just keep my eyes open. 534 00:30:23,233 --> 00:30:25,467 Whichever direction they come from, 535 00:30:25,500 --> 00:30:28,000 I just, pretty much, have to be ready. 536 00:30:28,033 --> 00:30:30,067 Whether it's scouting around looking for different things, 537 00:30:30,100 --> 00:30:32,700 or we're going directly to where we know what the conditions are 538 00:30:32,733 --> 00:30:35,133 and we can hunt the area, we're always hunting. 539 00:30:35,167 --> 00:30:37,100 AGNES: They're coming straight to us! 540 00:30:47,867 --> 00:30:49,533 -I got him! -Good one. 541 00:30:51,167 --> 00:30:54,167 CHIP: We didn't get defeated on the caribou. We were able to ride. 542 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,967 We were able to, um, come up about, maybe 2,000 caribou here. 543 00:30:58,000 --> 00:30:59,433 And we had to pick out a good one. 544 00:30:59,467 --> 00:31:00,933 Whew, we got one. 545 00:31:00,967 --> 00:31:03,300 This is a good piece of meat right here. 546 00:31:03,333 --> 00:31:05,400 There was no mistake in shooting this one. 547 00:31:05,433 --> 00:31:09,233 He's fat, too. So I can't complain. He's a young bull. 548 00:31:09,267 --> 00:31:11,100 We thought a cow, but he's a young bull. 549 00:31:15,167 --> 00:31:17,633 There's always more caribou around, 550 00:31:17,667 --> 00:31:23,100 so just have to work on meat, and try for another one, and keep your eyes open 551 00:31:23,133 --> 00:31:25,233 'cause there's a lot of fur around, too. 552 00:31:25,267 --> 00:31:26,800 (AGNES SPEAKING) 553 00:31:26,833 --> 00:31:28,333 (CHIP SPEAKING) 554 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:40,033 SUE: You have to be dead nuts about who you are, what you want out of life, 555 00:31:40,067 --> 00:31:41,800 and how the hell you're gonna get it. 556 00:31:41,833 --> 00:31:44,900 You better have both hands on the pistol and ready to aim and shoot. 557 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:57,400 Yeah, it's gonna be scattered snow, possible rain. 558 00:31:57,433 --> 00:32:00,267 So, yeah, if you can find out whether or not we can reschedule, 559 00:32:00,300 --> 00:32:02,900 that would be awesome sauce and a side of fries. 560 00:32:02,933 --> 00:32:06,067 NARRATOR: Sue is awaiting a plane to deliver a snow machine, 561 00:32:06,100 --> 00:32:08,633 which will increase her mobility in Kavik. 562 00:32:08,667 --> 00:32:12,167 But in the tundra, she is always at the mercy of Mother Nature. 563 00:32:13,667 --> 00:32:16,733 The update on the flight is, today is a scratch. 564 00:32:16,767 --> 00:32:20,533 Um, plane cannot get in here and I'm just waiting to hear 565 00:32:20,567 --> 00:32:22,500 whether I can reschedule it for tomorrow. 566 00:32:22,533 --> 00:32:27,200 It cost me 500 bucks just to, in the fuel to work the runway the last day and a half. 567 00:32:27,233 --> 00:32:28,767 But it's just part of the risk of being here. 568 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,267 I can plan for it, and I can get ready for it, and in the end, 569 00:32:32,300 --> 00:32:34,767 I'm not the one with control out here, Mother Nature is. 570 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:38,767 Last night, I was trying to clear the runway 571 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,667 and the Bobcat started having some power issues. 572 00:32:41,700 --> 00:32:45,200 I have a feeling my hydraulic, uh, pump is going out. 573 00:32:46,133 --> 00:32:48,667 I'm gonna top it off 574 00:32:48,700 --> 00:32:50,433 with a little bit of hydraulics. 575 00:32:51,833 --> 00:32:53,067 It's not feeling happy. 576 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:55,367 So, I either get it done 577 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,800 or bust it down trying. 578 00:32:58,833 --> 00:33:01,133 I mean, everything else has been failing this year, 579 00:33:01,167 --> 00:33:03,033 might as well go for broke and get it all. 580 00:33:04,867 --> 00:33:08,967 I've decided I'm gonna go ahead and push this thing as hard as I can today. 581 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,733 It may be a mistake, I may end up with a lawn decoration. 582 00:33:11,767 --> 00:33:13,533 Even if the Caravan can't come in, 583 00:33:13,567 --> 00:33:15,300 there's other pilots flying around. 584 00:33:15,333 --> 00:33:17,800 They're gonna think it's safe, and it's not. 585 00:33:17,833 --> 00:33:20,133 So I've gotta go see if I can't just finish dragging it 586 00:33:20,167 --> 00:33:21,700 and then let nature do its business. 587 00:33:21,733 --> 00:33:24,033 At least then, I've given it my all. 588 00:33:26,133 --> 00:33:28,133 I'm definitely risking the equipment. 589 00:33:28,167 --> 00:33:30,267 I know I have to replace the hydraulic pump. 590 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:32,300 I know I've got filters to replace. 591 00:33:32,333 --> 00:33:34,667 I know I've got some issues. 592 00:33:34,700 --> 00:33:36,900 I'm hoping that it just holds its own. 593 00:33:36,933 --> 00:33:40,333 These birds need to be safely on the ground. 594 00:33:40,367 --> 00:33:43,867 They need to know Kavik is a place to go and be safe. 595 00:33:46,833 --> 00:33:49,500 The runway is as good as I can get it. 596 00:33:49,533 --> 00:33:55,000 I am pleased that I got a good mile, solid mile of the runway 597 00:33:55,033 --> 00:33:57,033 done nice and smooth. 598 00:33:58,200 --> 00:33:59,967 Do one more check in the morning, 599 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,100 verify that it's still in good shape, 600 00:34:02,133 --> 00:34:04,733 and, uh, when he calls, I'll give him the honest report. 601 00:34:04,767 --> 00:34:06,000 Away we go. 602 00:34:08,733 --> 00:34:10,967 ERIK: Day in and day out, I wanna be out in the woods, 603 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:12,433 I want to be hunting, I want to be trapping, 604 00:34:12,467 --> 00:34:15,533 I want to be flying, I want to be fishing. 605 00:34:15,567 --> 00:34:17,933 That's why I run off and come live out in the woods. 606 00:34:33,733 --> 00:34:37,233 MARTHA: So, uh, our meat's been smoking in here for a couple hours. 607 00:34:38,700 --> 00:34:41,100 Should been long enough to give it a good, smoky taste 608 00:34:41,133 --> 00:34:42,900 from that alder we put in there. 609 00:34:42,933 --> 00:34:46,267 I'm gonna go and grab a good piece for dinner for Erik and I. 610 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:53,467 Looking good in here. 611 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:57,967 I think I'm gonna go with this one right here. Right on the top shelf. 612 00:34:58,000 --> 00:34:59,467 Took this one off the top shelf, 613 00:34:59,500 --> 00:35:03,100 so I guess it's what you would call a top-shelf meat. 614 00:35:03,133 --> 00:35:04,567 Nice. 615 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:05,967 Gonna go cook it up. 616 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:15,333 Um, smoker was a good little project for Erik and I. 617 00:35:15,367 --> 00:35:18,633 That was a little bit of a challenge there at the end when it came apart, 618 00:35:18,667 --> 00:35:21,867 but, uh, Erik and I always, uh, 619 00:35:21,900 --> 00:35:25,467 overcome whatever issues we have out here, which you gotta do anyway. 620 00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:29,600 You can't rely on anybody else but yourselves, so you work independently. 621 00:35:29,633 --> 00:35:31,633 It's really cool to think that just not too long ago, 622 00:35:31,667 --> 00:35:36,233 Erik and I were brainstorming up this idea about this whole smokehouse, and, uh, 623 00:35:36,267 --> 00:35:39,367 built the smoker and then smelled the fruits of our labour. 624 00:35:42,033 --> 00:35:44,533 -Do you like it? -Mmm-hmm. 625 00:35:44,567 --> 00:35:46,667 I'd say that smoker worked out pretty good. 626 00:35:46,700 --> 00:35:48,100 Mmm-hmm. 627 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:51,400 Real good. 628 00:35:57,233 --> 00:35:59,767 ANDY: I really don't need a lot to live out in this country. 629 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,300 I have the skills, and I know how to get the resources, 630 00:36:02,333 --> 00:36:04,567 and I know how to utilise the resources. 631 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:09,100 I think living the way I live is one of the easiest ways in the world to live. 632 00:36:18,500 --> 00:36:19,733 Burning daylight. 633 00:36:23,700 --> 00:36:26,033 It's time to go check snares and traps. 634 00:36:26,067 --> 00:36:29,533 These traps and snares have been out for a little over a week. 635 00:36:29,567 --> 00:36:31,800 I got skunked at my first set. 636 00:36:32,267 --> 00:36:33,300 There you go. 637 00:36:33,333 --> 00:36:35,300 Second time's a charm is what I'm hoping for. 638 00:36:36,233 --> 00:36:39,267 Let's go, yeah! All right! 639 00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:42,833 There's no one thing that a person makes his living on out here. 640 00:36:42,867 --> 00:36:45,233 You have to be multi-talented. 641 00:36:45,267 --> 00:36:49,167 You have to be kind of an opportunist. 642 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:53,100 I don't think I'll ever stop trapping, even when I'm 70 years old. 643 00:36:53,133 --> 00:36:55,333 Attaboys. On by. Let's go. 644 00:36:55,367 --> 00:36:56,933 Straight ahead. Let's go. 645 00:37:00,367 --> 00:37:03,867 Well, looks like, uh, I'm at the end of my line here. 646 00:37:05,267 --> 00:37:09,767 Go check some snares and a few marten sets. 647 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,933 And I'm not seeing any disturbances in the trees. 648 00:37:12,967 --> 00:37:14,967 So there's a snare there. 649 00:37:17,533 --> 00:37:19,667 There's my bait set over here. 650 00:37:21,733 --> 00:37:23,733 One here. 651 00:37:23,767 --> 00:37:26,833 A little bit early on, anything big coming through here, 652 00:37:26,867 --> 00:37:29,267 but I'm gonna leave all these snares where they're at. 653 00:37:29,300 --> 00:37:32,800 The longer they're out here, the better chance I have of catching something. 654 00:37:35,500 --> 00:37:39,300 I think I'll, I'll head on back and go check the rest of my traps. 655 00:37:39,333 --> 00:37:42,567 And there's two more marten sets and we'll go back 656 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,067 and see if I have a little bit of luck in that area. 657 00:37:47,567 --> 00:37:50,700 It kind of looks like there's something hanging there. 658 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,467 Yeah, baby! 659 00:37:57,500 --> 00:37:59,367 So we've got one marten here. 660 00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:03,000 All right! 661 00:38:03,033 --> 00:38:06,867 He's frozen solid, so he was definitely caught in the cold weather. 662 00:38:06,900 --> 00:38:08,933 It's been a few days. 663 00:38:08,967 --> 00:38:11,367 I feel good there's one, let's go check some more traps, 664 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:12,833 see if I have any more luck. 665 00:38:14,933 --> 00:38:16,200 Yeah, buddy! 666 00:38:17,500 --> 00:38:19,133 Hello, Mr Marten. 667 00:38:20,500 --> 00:38:22,600 All right. 668 00:38:22,633 --> 00:38:24,400 That's a nice-looking marten. 669 00:38:25,333 --> 00:38:28,900 So that's two. That makes me feel good. 670 00:38:28,933 --> 00:38:31,467 I like coming home with something in this bag. 671 00:38:33,033 --> 00:38:34,733 We're good to go. 672 00:38:34,767 --> 00:38:38,333 It's a pretty productive area. We'll just keep setting, hopefully we'll keep catching. 673 00:38:39,167 --> 00:38:40,567 Good day today. 674 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:42,333 Look at that, Tope. 675 00:38:42,367 --> 00:38:47,567 Didn't pick up any wolves, but I've got two nice marten, and, uh, so I've got some fur. 676 00:38:49,333 --> 00:38:52,100 Didn't do any real predator control to help the moose right now, 677 00:38:52,133 --> 00:38:54,833 but it's just a matter of time. 678 00:38:54,867 --> 00:38:56,367 Time and patience. 679 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:00,633 Okay, let's go home. Yeah! 680 00:39:00,667 --> 00:39:02,000 Go home and skin some marten. 681 00:39:04,933 --> 00:39:08,167 Marten skins peel off pretty easily once you get going. 682 00:39:09,767 --> 00:39:10,933 And once it gets to this point, 683 00:39:10,967 --> 00:39:13,100 I usually like to hang them up. 684 00:39:21,067 --> 00:39:24,767 Go slow and easy right here 'cause I don't wanna tear it. 685 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,767 Trapping is probably the only way that a person out in the bush 686 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,100 can be guaranteed making some money. 687 00:39:30,133 --> 00:39:32,300 Um, you know, I say all the time, 688 00:39:32,333 --> 00:39:35,733 the only way to really live out here is you gotta diversify what you're doing. 689 00:39:35,767 --> 00:39:37,800 Fact remains that I have to make a living, too 690 00:39:37,833 --> 00:39:43,500 and this is one of the few ways that I can supplement my income. 691 00:39:43,533 --> 00:39:45,000 There we go. 692 00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:50,900 And so now what I need to do is I need to put it on the board 693 00:39:50,933 --> 00:39:52,467 with the flesh side out. 694 00:39:52,500 --> 00:39:55,667 I'm gonna stretch it out and that's gonna dry in that shape, 695 00:39:55,700 --> 00:40:00,833 and that gives it a certain form that the fur buyers like. 696 00:40:00,867 --> 00:40:04,400 Generally speaking, I'd say 90 bucks for one animal like this. 697 00:40:04,433 --> 00:40:05,800 I've got one of them skinned out. 698 00:40:05,833 --> 00:40:07,800 This one's still a little bit stiff. 699 00:40:07,833 --> 00:40:10,067 He's not quite ready to skin out, 700 00:40:10,100 --> 00:40:13,600 so we'll let this guy sit here and thaw out a little bit more. 701 00:40:17,467 --> 00:40:21,833 So this was a pretty, pretty good day for me. I picked up a couple marten. 702 00:40:21,867 --> 00:40:26,000 I didn't pick up any wolves, but, uh, for the amount of time that I put into it, 703 00:40:26,033 --> 00:40:31,267 it's good to get a little bit of fur here and, um, keep adding to my collection. 704 00:40:31,300 --> 00:40:36,400 And as time goes on, I'm hoping that I'll pick up a wolf or two in those snares. 705 00:40:36,433 --> 00:40:39,500 I'll just keep at it all winter long, see what I end up with. 706 00:40:41,167 --> 00:40:42,633 It was a good day. 707 00:40:46,433 --> 00:40:48,167 SUE: Mother Nature and I are always kind of 708 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:50,067 playing a game of cards, it's like poker. 709 00:40:50,100 --> 00:40:52,300 Occasionally, she deals herself a winning hand. 710 00:40:52,333 --> 00:40:54,733 You know, and I just gotta wait till we shuffle again. 711 00:40:54,767 --> 00:40:57,600 You know, eventually I'll get my, uh, full house. 712 00:41:04,467 --> 00:41:06,267 Good bit of news, finally. 713 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:11,400 It's been several days with this storm and the fog is now finally pulling back. 714 00:41:11,433 --> 00:41:13,867 Supposed to be blue bird in the next couple of hours. 715 00:41:13,900 --> 00:41:17,100 So I'm just checking the runway with the wind that we've had. 716 00:41:17,133 --> 00:41:18,700 What kind of drifts have built up? 717 00:41:18,733 --> 00:41:21,933 What do I need to do to make this a perfect landing? 718 00:41:21,967 --> 00:41:27,267 So I'm going up and down and seeing, how wide can I tell them is a good area? 719 00:41:27,300 --> 00:41:30,000 How long of an area is acceptable? 720 00:41:30,033 --> 00:41:31,667 It's looking pretty good! 721 00:41:31,700 --> 00:41:34,567 The eastern end of the runway looks beautiful. 722 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,033 If he sticks to the centre, he's got a good run. 723 00:41:37,067 --> 00:41:40,667 But I'm gonna mark some of these drifts with my machine. 724 00:41:40,700 --> 00:41:45,700 I mark the drifts by just running over the drift with the Argo. 725 00:41:45,733 --> 00:41:48,267 And that's gonna leave a trail 726 00:41:48,300 --> 00:41:54,100 and he'll be able to see from the air, stay between the lines. 727 00:41:54,133 --> 00:41:58,600 Because it's not bad, it's just I care a lot about the safety of these guys. 728 00:42:05,133 --> 00:42:07,167 It's just beautiful, blue skies. 729 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,167 Uh, no obscurations at all. 730 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:13,400 I'm really happy, yay, a new toy. 731 00:42:13,433 --> 00:42:16,767 But actually, I... Serious face, it's a new tool. (SNORTS) 732 00:42:24,167 --> 00:42:27,667 These guys live 500 miles away from me, but any time I need them, 733 00:42:27,700 --> 00:42:28,867 bam, they're there. 734 00:42:31,133 --> 00:42:32,800 -How are you doing, Sue? -Good. How are you doing? 735 00:42:32,833 --> 00:42:33,967 -Pretty good. -Thank you. 736 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:35,267 -Good to see you. -Yeah, you, too. 737 00:42:35,300 --> 00:42:36,833 I appreciate all the help. 738 00:42:36,867 --> 00:42:38,200 How was the runway? 739 00:42:38,233 --> 00:42:39,467 -The runway's good, yeah. -Okay. 740 00:42:39,500 --> 00:42:42,433 Dirk got here safely and the snow machine is here. 741 00:42:42,467 --> 00:42:45,300 The Argo was a go-slow-and-get- there-and-back. 742 00:42:45,333 --> 00:42:46,833 This is a go-fast. 743 00:42:46,867 --> 00:42:50,867 Time for me to see what I can do here. 744 00:42:52,633 --> 00:42:54,167 (ENGINE STARTS) 745 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:55,633 Yay! 746 00:42:57,967 --> 00:43:02,567 It seemed like Mother Nature dealt herself a winning hand on the old weather conditions. 747 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:04,400 Susie pulled out a royal flush in the end. 748 00:43:04,433 --> 00:43:09,633 It's a beautiful day, he landed no problems, and I've got my new "tool." 749 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:11,733 Yay! 750 00:43:14,100 --> 00:43:15,267 Got a new tool.