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Currently Playing: Moose Hunting & Living Off The Land in Remote Alaska

Moose camp this year has brought us a grizzly for the freezer, a sow charging through camp, and wolves singing us to sleep. We still have until the 30th in one unit, and we’re using every day we have. This time, we set up the hot tent and settled in for another stretch of hunting. Dennis and our neighbor Jamie took the canoe back toward the country where we had harvested the grizzly. They had two days of beautiful weather ahead of them and miles of river to explore. This river system winds through an archaeological district that was once known along the lines of “the valley where none went hungry.” Long ago, enormous herds of caribou moved through these valleys and over these ridges, and people followed them. The last time we were here, we found an old Clovis point—an arrowhead that could date back somewhere around 10,000 to 13,000 years. People have been walking these same ridges, watching these same valleys, and hunting these animals for a very long time. Instead of a .300 Win Mag, they had spears. As Dennis and Jamie cruised around the first bend, just after the morning mist lifted from the river, they spotted a small moose crossing ahead. They pulled the canoe ashore and took off into the brush, following its tracks through thick dwarf birch and alder. They pushed their way through brush for miles, crossing two rivers and climbing ridge after ridge, hoping they wouldn’t stumble onto another grizzly along the way. Eventually they caught up. It was a small bull—or so they thought. Getting close enough for a shot without spooking it was another matter. They worked their way closer, only to discover they had been following a cow. The moose disappeared back into the country, and they loaded up the canoe and continued on. Jamie made camp while Dennis headed back toward our hot tent with the canoe. Not long after, the pin in the prop broke, leaving him to row the last stretch back to camp. The next morning came colder, with a fine drizzle settling over the country. We were out at sunrise after a breakfast of grizzly sausage and strong coffee, heading toward the lake.It’s been a long moose hunt, and this year one of Lena’s favorite things has been duck hunting and reeling in a fish. There were plenty of ducks on the lake, so we took her out to try to bring one home for supper. Along the way, we spotted a big bull caribou with several cows. They worked their way up and over a ridge painted red and yellow with fall, stopping to watch us from above. Everywhere we looked, there was life. Eagles, geese and ducks circled overhead. Otters worked along the water. Beavers were busy along the shoreline. We managed to bring a duck home, and Dennis caught a beautiful little Arctic grayling for Lena, who tossed it back into the cold water. As darkness began to settle and the temperature dropped, we made our way back toward camp. Just as we reached the tent, a moose calf stepped out of the brush and began feeding on the water plants along the lake. It was a good reminder of just how easily a moose can disappear into this country. And it made us wonder how many moose had been standing just beyond the edge of our glass all along, completely hidden from view. That evening we cooked duck and grizzly sausage with wild red currants over sourdough flatbread. We still haven’t found our moose. But we haven’t stopped looking. There is one week of the season left, and we’re hopeful. The leaves are beginning to fall, opening up the country and making animals easier to spot. The rut is coming on strong, and the woods are changing by the day. That night, we crawled into our sleeping bags with the woodstove crackling beside us and a cold breeze moving through the trees outside. We talked about how thankful we are simply to be here. Alaska has a way of humbling you. It has a way of making you appreciate the small things—the warmth of a stove, a hot meal, a child reeling in a fish, the sound of wolves somewhere beyond camp. We may live out here year-round, but every day still brings something we’ve never seen before. Out here, just being here is a gift. Thank you for following our life on the last frontier! -Dennis, Amy & Lena End Music By: @HawkenHorse, who wrote us "Holdfast". Frontier music and history. Become a Channel Member for exclusive videos, sneak peaks, and behind the scenes. Get in Touch with Us: Westerlind Family P.O Box 906, Slana, AK 99586 We are also on Instagram @holdfastalaska Donate to the homestead if you wish: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6B2249KCY6STE