Uploads from Holdfast Alaska

Currently Playing: Hunting and Eating Grizzly Bear in Remote Alaska

This week’s hunt took an unexpected turn, going from a moose hunt to a grizzly spot-and-stalk. Dennis headed out again, this time into an area with better harvest numbers. We were hopeful for a moose, with five days to spend in the bush, and things looked promising when a big bull was spotted that morning. After searching high and low for it, they came across a grizzly instead and decided to harvest it and bring it home. Small interior grizzlies are delicious, their fat is prized, and this one brought home more than a month’s worth of food for the homestead. We’re incredibly grateful for the harvest and for the animal that will help carry us through the coming months. As soon as it came home, we got to work processing the meat and packaging it for future meals. We smoked some, rendered the fat, and Jamie took the pelt to make into clothing. It’s a good start to hunting season, but we’re still going after a moose. It can take days and days in the backcountry to find and harvest one, and it’s still early in the season. Moose tend to move more as things cool down and the rut really gets underway. With a cool spell moving in, though, it was a good week to get into the woods. Last year, we were constantly having to come home to upload videos, tend animals, and keep the homestead running, and we simply couldn’t spend the amount of time in the backcountry that a successful moose hunt can require. This year, we’re going to be uploading from the field and finding new ways to keep things running at home while we’re gone. This week also brought heartbreaking news much closer to home. Our neighboring community of Tok was hit by a terrible, fast-moving wildfire. Hot temperatures and high winds caused the fire to spread rapidly, burning homes and leaving many residents with very little time to pack up and leave. We’re heartbroken for everyone who lost so much. But if there’s one thing we know about Alaskans, it’s that they are tough, resilient, and willing to lend a helping hand when their neighbors need it most. We’re sharing Kyle’s video here because some of you may recognize him from our fish wheel video. Kyle had been documenting the cabin he and his parents were building on his channel when the fire came through. Please take a few minutes to watch his story: https://youtu.be/-Rds4YL93S0?si=l2TltfDszRzF7KlT 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