Caribou Hunting

I understand that many people do not like hunting in any form or for any reason. I was always interested in hunting and when I lived up there, I was introduced to a vital part of Inuit culture and economic necessity, the caribou harvest. My friend and work partner Ikey was a true Inuit and lived off the land to provide important sources of their diet.

Ikey was special as he was known for his skills as a hunter and fisherman and as a conservationist. Word had it that he never shot at an animal and left it wounded and would track other animals that were wounded by others to stop needless suffering. He invited me to go with him on one of his last harvesting days as the caribou had moved through our area and only stragglers were left.

I prepared as you must for a Friday to Sunday night outing on the land. As the temperatures were in the -20 and -30 you had to have everything in order. My snow machine was checked and my travelling sled was packed in a special order. Tents and hides were placed on the front of the sled and my supplies and cooking gear was tied down in a large box at the back. My sled box was a rough box used for burying which was discarded and exactly fitted the sled. Two primer stoves, a lantern, cooking pots and of course ingredients for making bannock, a staple on the land. A can of jam and pilot biscuits were for dessert with tea. Everyone there drinks pots of tea.

I used two rifles, one a 3.06 with 125 grain shells did the trick for small game like caribou. The second was a 303 which was for protection in case a bear could not be scared off. A supply of ammo and the work clothes rounded out the supplies. I chose caribou pants and jacket sometimes but the Hudson Bay parka was also good. Wolf mitts and sealskin boots completed the attire.

Twenty gallons of gas for the snow machine and five gallons of white gas for the stove and lantern; three tarps to cover the sled and snow machine, and an extra for the tent if no good snow was found for a half igloo. I was ready. Excitement was not the word as I went to sleep on Thursday eve, the day before the beginning of the hunt.