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[bear growling, wolf howling]
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00:00:10,594 --> 00:00:12,261
[Narrator] Coming up
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00:00:12,262 --> 00:00:14,555
on Mountain Men, Wild North...
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00:00:14,556 --> 00:00:16,139
[Broc] The point isn't
just to get bears...
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00:00:16,140 --> 00:00:18,100
It's gonna
drive the bears crazy.
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...we're trying to find
mature boars.
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[bear growling]
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[Arön] Our wind changed
just like that.
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[Jen] We've got some swirling
action here on the winds,
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00:00:29,154 --> 00:00:31,697
and now the sparks.
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[Arön] The speed of this fire,
that's what scares me.
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[Kie] The fur is off.
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Beavers are
a great source of food.
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I'm going to get
this body cavity opened up.
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[Kie] Oh, nice-looking liver.
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[dogs barking]
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[Connor] Whoa!
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Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
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The sled's gone,
and I'm behind my sled,
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and that's the last place
a musher wants to be.
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Whoa! [bleep]
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[♪]
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[Narrator]
The remote Pasquia Hills
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are in the heart
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of one of the most concentrated
black bear populations
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in the region.
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At this density,
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population management
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is the only thing
that maintains balance...
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and Broc Simoneau
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is one of the few
hunting guides around
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who knows how to draw the bears
in close enough
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to bag a giant.
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[Broc whispering]
I kinda want to see
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what they're doing here.
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[Narrator] The vital
spring bear season
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is fast approaching,
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which means every blind
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and every bait station
on his property
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has to perform
exactly as planned.
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[Broc whispering]
There's a bear coming in.
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It's a sow with cubs.
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She's on red alert right now.
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Sows are legal to harvest
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if they do not have cubs
with them.
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It's obvious when the cubs
are with them, but still,
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I need to do my best
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to make sure
clients only shoot boars.
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The point isn't just
to get bears,
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we're trying to find
mature boars.
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We don't want to shoot the sows,
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because they're gonna regenerate
the population.
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[Narrator] A sow with cubs
is unmistakable,
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but alone,
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she can be nearly impossible
to distinguish from a male,
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known as a boar.
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[Broc whispering]
They don't have antlers
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like an elk,
or a moose, or a deer.
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The one thing that never fails
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is when a sow stands
on her hind legs,
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she's going to be shorter,
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so if I can get something
up in the tree
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that she can't reach,
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but that the boar can reach,
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it's an easier way to figure out
if it's a sow or a boar.
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[Narrator] In the past,
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Broc has hung fresh meat
in the trees.
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[Broc] The problem
is that through the night,
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they will clean it up,
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and then the next night
it's empty,
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and they're no longer standing.
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[Narrator] This season,
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he's engineering
a more sophisticated operation,
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one designed to last.
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[Broc] During Covid,
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when everybody
was selling everything,
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there was a honey farm
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that was selling off
all their excess material,
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so I bought everything they had.
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[Narrator] The plan
is to suspend the honey
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where only a standing boar
can reach it.
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Once I get the barrel
up in the air,
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I'm gonna drill a hole
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just so that the liquid honey
will trickle out.
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So, if the honey's liquid,
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we're good to go.
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[♪]
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Yeah, that's good,
that's still really good.
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[spray paint hissing]
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[Narrator]
Painting the barrels black
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will allow them
to absorb more sunlight
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00:04:01,992 --> 00:04:05,327
and make the honey
warm enough to flow.
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but each weighs 650 pounds,
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so getting it
high off the ground
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will be a challenge.
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[Broc] The problem is,
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is anything
that I get up in the air
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is something
I have to be able to lift.
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[♪]
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But I've never put something
of this volume there before.
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This is trial and error.
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[Narrator]
A thousand miles away,
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in the frozen
La Cloche Mountains...
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[Kie] Oh, yeah!
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[Narrator]
...a successful trapline
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doesn't end with the catch...
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[Dave] Nice.
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[Narrator]...and
for Dave and Kie Marrone,
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the real work is about to begin.
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[Kie] Which one do you want?
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[Dave]
I like the looks of this guy.
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[♪]
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[Narrator] For days,
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they've been battling
a colony of beavers...
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whose handiwork threatens
to flood their only road...
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- [Kie] Hey!
- [Dave] Oh!
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[Narrator]...and now that
they've caught the culprits...
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[Dave] Beauty. Perfect catch.
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[Narrator]...not a single part
will go to waste.
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Get the feet off?
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[Dave] Yeah, I was going
to start with the tail, myself.
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[Kie] Catching the beaver
is important to our lifestyle
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because we use it to sustain us.
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Beavers are
a great source of food.
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We eat the meat
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and use all of the fat
and the fur.
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Feet off, tail off,
and I need to...
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open it up.
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[Dave] I'm just
going to rough-skin these guys
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so we can get on to butchering
and rendering fat right away.
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[Kie] Yeah.
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[Narrator] Rough-skinning
is a fast and efficient way
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to remove the hide,
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while leaving much of the fat
and flesh attached.
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[Kie] Once we get the fur
off the animal,
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then we'll set it aside...
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Fur is off.
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- Ta-da-da!
- Beauty.
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...and then at a later date,
we'll get them tanned.
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[Dave] The land provides.
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I'm going to get
this body cavity opened up.
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[Kie] Oh, nice-looking liver.
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[Dave]
We eat many of the organs.
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The heart and kidneys
we quite enjoy,
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but a lot of the livers
will go to our dog, Hank.
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Hank's gonna be happy.
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[Narrator]
The rest of the prime meat
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Kie and Dave will save
for themselves...
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[Dave] Got the tiny little
backstraps off.
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[Narrator]
...providing key protein
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that sustains them
throughout the year.
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[Dave] Beavers are our primary
meat source out here.
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[Kie] It's a lot more work
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than just going
to the supermarket.
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[Dave] They're big animals.
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They're bigger than I think
a lot of people realize.
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40 pounds is fairly typical
for an adult.
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[Kie] Let's get this fat on.
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[Narrator] For centuries,
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beavers have helped sustain
Indigenous communities
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and northern trappers.
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Beyond the meat and fur,
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their fat has long been
a valuable resource.
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[Kie] To start
the rendering process,
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add a little bit of water.
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[Narrator] Most of it will be
rendered down to make soap.
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Off the grid,
everything they make
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is one less thing
they have to buy.
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[Kie] It's nice to have
a well-rounded homestead,
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and so it's one thing
to provide your own meat,
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to provide your own clothing,
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but there's lots of other things
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that need to happen
at the homestead,
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and part of that
is keeping clean,
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and to be able to make soap
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from that same animal
that is feeding you
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is pretty special.
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[♪]
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You've got to stir it a lot
when it's first going.
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Eventually,
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all of this mass
will shrivel up,
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and all that's left
will be the liquid fat.
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It's actually starting
to reduce now.
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- [Dave] One beaver down.
- [Kie] Nice.
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[♪]
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[Narrator] 2,300 miles north,
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deep in the boundary ranges
of the Yukon,
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the land remains locked
in winter's grip,
189
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and with it,
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hundreds of miles
of frozen trails,
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00:08:01,606 --> 00:08:03,899
epic mountain passes,
192
00:08:03,900 --> 00:08:05,693
and back country so remote
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the only way through...
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00:08:06,986 --> 00:08:08,737
[dogs barking]
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00:08:08,738 --> 00:08:09,822
...is by dog team.
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00:08:09,823 --> 00:08:10,865
[dogs whining]
197
00:08:12,450 --> 00:08:13,992
Come on, Mitchy Goops.
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00:08:13,993 --> 00:08:15,911
[Narrator] For competitive
mushers like Connor McMahon...
199
00:08:15,912 --> 00:08:17,371
Mitchy...
200
00:08:17,372 --> 00:08:18,872
[Narrator]...the racing
season may be over...
201
00:08:18,873 --> 00:08:21,542
[Connor] Mitchy,
we gonna go mushing?
202
00:08:21,543 --> 00:08:23,293
[dogs barking]
203
00:08:23,294 --> 00:08:25,671
[Narrator]...but with
more than 50 dogs to train,
204
00:08:25,672 --> 00:08:27,589
and a racing career to build,
205
00:08:27,590 --> 00:08:29,925
every morning counts.
206
00:08:29,926 --> 00:08:32,635
[Connor] We're gonna
take out B-team here.
207
00:08:32,636 --> 00:08:35,806
Do a little bit of challenges
with them,
208
00:08:35,807 --> 00:08:39,226
and we're gonna just
up the ante a little bit today.
209
00:08:39,227 --> 00:08:41,019
[whining]
210
00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:42,896
Within this kennel,
211
00:08:42,897 --> 00:08:44,565
there's different dogs
212
00:08:44,566 --> 00:08:45,858
at different stages
in their career,
213
00:08:45,859 --> 00:08:47,484
so we have what I like to call
my race team,
214
00:08:47,485 --> 00:08:48,861
my A-team,
215
00:08:48,862 --> 00:08:50,404
and then we got, like,
the B-team,
216
00:08:50,405 --> 00:08:52,656
which is my younger dogs
217
00:08:52,657 --> 00:08:53,991
that have lots of potential.
218
00:08:53,992 --> 00:08:55,784
You're going to work, big man?
219
00:08:55,785 --> 00:08:57,286
Yeah?
220
00:08:57,287 --> 00:08:59,455
All right, yeah, let's go.
221
00:08:59,456 --> 00:09:02,124
[Narrator] After placing
seventh in the Yukon Quest
222
00:09:02,125 --> 00:09:04,334
and 20th in the Iditarod,
223
00:09:04,335 --> 00:09:06,003
Connor is pushing harder than ever
224
00:09:06,004 --> 00:09:07,504
to move up the ranks,
225
00:09:07,505 --> 00:09:10,090
and that means
some aggressive training
226
00:09:10,091 --> 00:09:12,885
and tough choices.
227
00:09:12,886 --> 00:09:15,095
[Connor]
This is Clipper right here.
228
00:09:15,096 --> 00:09:16,263
We're grooming this guy.
229
00:09:16,264 --> 00:09:18,849
He's one day gonna be replacing
230
00:09:18,850 --> 00:09:20,934
the top lead dogs
we got in the yard.
231
00:09:20,935 --> 00:09:21,811
[♪]
232
00:09:23,146 --> 00:09:25,355
[Narrator] Today's test...
233
00:09:25,356 --> 00:09:28,192
20 miles of demanding
back country trail
234
00:09:28,193 --> 00:09:30,486
designed to find out
235
00:09:30,487 --> 00:09:32,863
if any of the B-team
are ready to graduate...
236
00:09:32,864 --> 00:09:34,490
- Ready?
- [dogs barking]
237
00:09:34,491 --> 00:09:35,866
[Narrator]...to the A-team.
238
00:09:35,867 --> 00:09:36,950
[barking excitedly]
239
00:09:36,951 --> 00:09:38,452
All right!
240
00:09:38,453 --> 00:09:40,705
[♪]
241
00:09:43,792 --> 00:09:45,709
[Narrator] The first challenge
242
00:09:45,710 --> 00:09:47,629
is to see if Clipper
has what it takes to lead.
243
00:09:52,884 --> 00:09:56,053
[Connor] I've left
one of my corners untouched.
244
00:09:56,054 --> 00:09:58,180
There hasn't been
any traffic through it.
245
00:09:58,181 --> 00:09:59,431
There's been a couple snowfalls,
246
00:09:59,432 --> 00:10:02,434
so it's an unused trail,
247
00:10:02,435 --> 00:10:05,063
and... I'm going to ask Clipper
to take it.
248
00:10:07,357 --> 00:10:09,691
There's nice, easy,
hard pack trail
249
00:10:09,692 --> 00:10:11,026
that we're traveling on.
250
00:10:11,027 --> 00:10:12,319
So now I'm going to ask him,
251
00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,029
"There's two roads, Clipper,
252
00:10:14,030 --> 00:10:15,823
one's easy,
and one's hard,
253
00:10:15,824 --> 00:10:17,866
but we're going to take
the hard road today."
254
00:10:17,867 --> 00:10:19,827
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
255
00:10:19,828 --> 00:10:22,204
Gee, gee, gee, gee, gee!
256
00:10:22,205 --> 00:10:23,914
Gee, Clipper, gee!
Yeah, yeah!
257
00:10:23,915 --> 00:10:25,916
That's a dog, man!
258
00:10:25,917 --> 00:10:27,501
[Narrator] "Gee"
is a musher's command
259
00:10:27,502 --> 00:10:28,503
to take a hard right.
260
00:10:29,921 --> 00:10:32,798
[Connor]
Gee, gee, gee, gee, gee!
261
00:10:32,799 --> 00:10:34,758
Clipper, gee!
262
00:10:34,759 --> 00:10:36,176
Gee!
263
00:10:36,177 --> 00:10:37,970
[Narrator] Mastering it
in rough conditions
264
00:10:37,971 --> 00:10:41,390
is exactly what separates
the A-team from the B-team...
265
00:10:41,391 --> 00:10:43,267
[Connor] Gee, gee!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
266
00:10:43,268 --> 00:10:45,310
Clipper, yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah!
267
00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:46,812
Yeah... up!
268
00:10:46,813 --> 00:10:49,648
[Narrator]...and today,
Clipper makes the cut.
269
00:10:49,649 --> 00:10:53,652
Good work, guys.
270
00:10:53,653 --> 00:10:54,653
Good dogs.
271
00:10:54,654 --> 00:10:56,780
Atta boy, Clip!
272
00:10:56,781 --> 00:10:59,575
It was not as smooth
as it could have been,
273
00:10:59,576 --> 00:11:00,701
but that's training, man.
274
00:11:00,702 --> 00:11:01,785
That's mushin'.
275
00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:03,203
That's how I wanted it to go,
276
00:11:03,204 --> 00:11:04,997
and we got through it,
we did it, we conquered it.
277
00:11:04,998 --> 00:11:09,251
[♪]
278
00:11:09,252 --> 00:11:12,129
[Narrator] Out here,
the trail is a lifeline.
279
00:11:12,130 --> 00:11:13,630
Beyond it,
280
00:11:13,631 --> 00:11:16,717
wilderness too dense
and unforgiving to survive...
281
00:11:16,718 --> 00:11:17,551
and everything happens
right on it--
282
00:11:17,552 --> 00:11:20,345
eating, sleeping,
283
00:11:20,346 --> 00:11:21,847
and answering
the call of nature,
284
00:11:21,848 --> 00:11:24,558
for the dogs
and the musher alike.
285
00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,894
[Connor] I stand on the brake,
286
00:11:26,895 --> 00:11:30,105
and I got my snow hook in,
and got the pants undone,
287
00:11:30,106 --> 00:11:31,733
and was about to start
going to the bathroom...
288
00:11:33,985 --> 00:11:36,154
[dogs barking]
289
00:11:38,573 --> 00:11:39,865
Whoa!
290
00:11:39,866 --> 00:11:41,241
The sled's gone,
291
00:11:41,242 --> 00:11:42,993
and I'm behind my sled,
292
00:11:42,994 --> 00:11:45,746
and that's the last place
a musher wants to be.
293
00:11:45,747 --> 00:11:47,247
Eh! Eh! Eh! Eh!
294
00:11:47,248 --> 00:11:49,041
[Connor]
I'm running for my life.
295
00:11:49,042 --> 00:11:51,502
[bleep] Whoa!
296
00:11:58,009 --> 00:11:59,259
[Narrator] In the remote
boundary ranges...
297
00:11:59,260 --> 00:12:00,969
[Connor] Whoa!
298
00:12:00,970 --> 00:12:01,762
[Narrator]...it's a musher's
worst nightmare...
299
00:12:01,763 --> 00:12:03,305
[Connor] [bleep]!
300
00:12:03,306 --> 00:12:05,182
[Narrator]...a runaway sled
301
00:12:05,183 --> 00:12:07,392
with a team of dogs
tearing up the trail
302
00:12:07,393 --> 00:12:09,686
with no end in sight.
303
00:12:09,687 --> 00:12:12,022
[Connor]
I'm running for my life.
304
00:12:12,023 --> 00:12:14,274
I'm behind my sled,
305
00:12:14,275 --> 00:12:16,693
and that's the last place
a musher wants to be.
306
00:12:16,694 --> 00:12:18,737
I could get stuck out there
in the wilderness.
307
00:12:18,738 --> 00:12:20,949
It could be life or death
for my dogs.
308
00:12:22,617 --> 00:12:24,284
[dogs barking]
309
00:12:24,285 --> 00:12:27,287
[man] Whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa...
310
00:12:27,288 --> 00:12:30,165
[Narrator] While few people
live in this remote area,
311
00:12:30,166 --> 00:12:31,166
it's a musher's paradise,
312
00:12:31,167 --> 00:12:32,210
and luckily for Connor...
313
00:12:34,712 --> 00:12:35,754
[Narrator]
...he's not the only one
314
00:12:35,755 --> 00:12:36,965
training out here today.
315
00:12:39,008 --> 00:12:41,009
[Connor] As I come around
that first corner,
316
00:12:41,010 --> 00:12:42,678
I see my neighbor's out there.
317
00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:43,846
[musher] Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa.
318
00:12:45,515 --> 00:12:47,849
Oh, I get a beer.
I get a beer, I know that!
319
00:12:47,850 --> 00:12:49,268
[Connor] You get
a whole case, buddy!
320
00:12:49,269 --> 00:12:50,352
Whew!
321
00:12:50,353 --> 00:12:52,729
[♪]
322
00:12:52,730 --> 00:12:54,064
- Whoo!
- Good job, brother!
323
00:12:54,065 --> 00:12:55,065
[laughing]
324
00:12:55,066 --> 00:12:56,942
Good job, boys.
325
00:12:56,943 --> 00:13:00,362
[Connor] I'm just so grateful
my dogs are safe.
326
00:13:00,363 --> 00:13:02,739
That's a big slice
of humble pie there.
327
00:13:02,740 --> 00:13:04,157
- [dogs barking]
- [Connor exhaling]
328
00:13:04,158 --> 00:13:06,743
That's not something
that normally happens, so...
329
00:13:06,744 --> 00:13:09,288
- [dogs barking]
- ...we're sweating pretty good.
330
00:13:09,289 --> 00:13:10,872
If that was my A-team,
331
00:13:10,873 --> 00:13:13,583
they would've been probably
laying down eating some snow...
332
00:13:13,584 --> 00:13:16,503
You guys ditched me!
333
00:13:16,504 --> 00:13:18,130
How could you do this?
334
00:13:18,131 --> 00:13:20,215
...but these young guys,
they want to keep going.
335
00:13:20,216 --> 00:13:22,342
- [dogs barking]
- [Connor breathing hard]
336
00:13:22,343 --> 00:13:24,261
[Narrator] Out here,
mistakes happen fast.
337
00:13:24,262 --> 00:13:26,722
In a race,
338
00:13:26,723 --> 00:13:29,016
one like that would take you
out of the running,
339
00:13:29,017 --> 00:13:32,519
which is exactly why
the training never stops.
340
00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,646
Okay, ready, young guns,
341
00:13:34,647 --> 00:13:35,772
and we're off.
342
00:13:35,773 --> 00:13:36,773
All right, all right.
343
00:13:36,774 --> 00:13:37,774
Yep, yep, yep, yep!
344
00:13:37,775 --> 00:13:39,484
[♪]
345
00:13:39,485 --> 00:13:40,653
Good dogs.
346
00:13:50,872 --> 00:13:52,914
[♪]
347
00:13:52,915 --> 00:13:54,541
[Narrator] More than
1,000 miles southeast,
348
00:13:54,542 --> 00:13:57,544
in the Pasquia Hills,
349
00:13:57,545 --> 00:13:59,713
if you want to hunt a bear,
you have to think like one,
350
00:13:59,714 --> 00:14:01,715
and Broc knows
351
00:14:01,716 --> 00:14:04,301
nothing stops a prowling
predator in its tracks
352
00:14:04,302 --> 00:14:06,721
like the sweet smell of honey...
353
00:14:09,057 --> 00:14:10,307
[Broc] Yup.
354
00:14:10,308 --> 00:14:11,224
[Narrator]
...but to make the bears
355
00:14:11,225 --> 00:14:13,268
play by his rules,
356
00:14:13,269 --> 00:14:15,187
the 650-pound barrel
357
00:14:15,188 --> 00:14:19,608
has to first
get high off the ground...
358
00:14:19,609 --> 00:14:20,776
[Greg] Do you want me
to back it up a ways?
359
00:14:20,777 --> 00:14:21,985
[Narrator]...and for that,
360
00:14:21,986 --> 00:14:24,279
he has the help
of his dad, Greg,
361
00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,615
and a heavy-duty lifting machine
362
00:14:26,616 --> 00:14:28,158
with a telescopic boom.
363
00:14:28,159 --> 00:14:30,410
Ideally, I want
the bottom of the honey barrel
364
00:14:30,411 --> 00:14:31,620
to be seven feet.
365
00:14:31,621 --> 00:14:33,371
I just need something
366
00:14:33,372 --> 00:14:35,248
to get the bears to stand up,
367
00:14:35,249 --> 00:14:37,709
which makes it easier
to identify a boar from a sow,
368
00:14:37,710 --> 00:14:39,795
as a sow will be
substantially shorter.
369
00:14:39,796 --> 00:14:43,215
[Narrator] Securing
the 650-pound barrel in the tree
370
00:14:43,216 --> 00:14:45,175
is one challenge...
371
00:14:45,176 --> 00:14:47,177
Now I've got it lashed
to this tree and this tree.
372
00:14:47,178 --> 00:14:49,221
That would probably hold it,
373
00:14:49,222 --> 00:14:51,056
but I'm going
to chain it as well.
374
00:14:51,057 --> 00:14:52,307
[Narrator]...making sure
a 500-pound bear
375
00:14:52,308 --> 00:14:54,810
can't knock it down is another.
376
00:14:54,811 --> 00:14:58,146
[Broc] I'm gonna run
a ratchet strap around it
377
00:14:58,147 --> 00:14:59,940
to keep the bears
from swinging on it,
378
00:14:59,941 --> 00:15:01,483
I want it to be tight.
379
00:15:01,484 --> 00:15:02,526
[♪]
380
00:15:02,527 --> 00:15:04,820
[Broc] Black bears
can problem-solve,
381
00:15:04,821 --> 00:15:08,657
and if it's got a lever,
a latch, a knob, a trigger,
382
00:15:08,658 --> 00:15:10,367
they will find it,
and they will open it.
383
00:15:10,368 --> 00:15:12,912
Okay, let's lower this.
384
00:15:17,959 --> 00:15:19,876
[Narrator] The last step
385
00:15:19,877 --> 00:15:23,004
is to make a hole big enough
to let the honey escape,
386
00:15:23,005 --> 00:15:26,800
but small enough
to keep the bears wanting more.
387
00:15:26,801 --> 00:15:28,343
I like it, that's perfect.
388
00:15:28,344 --> 00:15:30,137
That is perfect.
389
00:15:30,138 --> 00:15:31,513
[Greg] It's good.
390
00:15:31,514 --> 00:15:33,306
It's going to drive
the bears crazy.
391
00:15:33,307 --> 00:15:35,809
[Narrator] To ensure
he has strong bear activity
392
00:15:35,810 --> 00:15:37,811
before the season opens,
393
00:15:37,812 --> 00:15:40,398
Broc needs to get
the barrels up today...
394
00:15:42,483 --> 00:15:45,318
but the second location
is deeper in the woods,
395
00:15:45,319 --> 00:15:48,947
and can only be accessed
by ATV,
396
00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:52,033
which means Broc is on his own
to get it done.
397
00:15:52,034 --> 00:15:54,119
[Broc] This site is on
the south end of the property.
398
00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:55,078
There's water.
399
00:15:55,079 --> 00:15:56,872
Difficult to get machines in.
400
00:15:56,873 --> 00:15:57,957
You just got to do things
a little bit differently.
401
00:16:00,209 --> 00:16:01,960
I don't mind that tree.
402
00:16:01,961 --> 00:16:03,670
There's a big pile
of bear scat right here.
403
00:16:03,671 --> 00:16:05,714
You can tell by the size
of the scat
404
00:16:05,715 --> 00:16:07,174
the size of the bear,
405
00:16:07,175 --> 00:16:10,093
and this is the kind of bear
we're after.
406
00:16:10,094 --> 00:16:12,470
[Narrator] To single-handedly
get this barrel up,
407
00:16:12,471 --> 00:16:15,640
Broc will rely on a block
and tackle pulley system
408
00:16:15,641 --> 00:16:18,186
and his own brute strength.
409
00:16:30,823 --> 00:16:32,657
So that's
where I want the barrel to be.
410
00:16:32,658 --> 00:16:34,409
Put a strap on it.
411
00:16:34,410 --> 00:16:35,952
[cranking ratchet]
412
00:16:35,953 --> 00:16:37,871
Okay. Solid.
413
00:16:37,872 --> 00:16:39,081
Honey barrel in the tree.
414
00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,007
The smallest of holes...
415
00:16:50,218 --> 00:16:51,676
and this should do it.
416
00:16:51,677 --> 00:16:53,970
[Narrator] The traps are set.
417
00:16:53,971 --> 00:16:55,639
All that's left now
418
00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:57,849
is to see if the bears
will take the bait.
419
00:16:57,850 --> 00:16:59,434
[Broc] Now it's just
Mother Nature's timing.
420
00:16:59,435 --> 00:17:00,936
I've got the honey here for 'em,
421
00:17:00,937 --> 00:17:02,605
and I'll just come in and hunt
when the wind's right.
422
00:17:11,781 --> 00:17:13,490
[♪]
423
00:17:13,491 --> 00:17:15,408
[Narrator] 1,000 miles away,
424
00:17:15,409 --> 00:17:18,118
in the shadow
of the Ilgachuz Range,
425
00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,039
Eliguk Lake
is teeming with trout,
426
00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:22,499
which makes it the perfect place
427
00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:25,460
to run a remote fishing lodge...
428
00:17:25,461 --> 00:17:26,627
[Jen] There's another dead one,
429
00:17:26,628 --> 00:17:28,463
look at 'em all,
430
00:17:28,464 --> 00:17:30,465
and these are so close to home.
431
00:17:30,466 --> 00:17:31,675
[Narrator]...but one of
the worst places on Earth...
432
00:17:31,676 --> 00:17:33,635
[Arön] See these couple
of trees right here?
433
00:17:33,636 --> 00:17:35,762
[Narrator]
...to face a wildfire.
434
00:17:35,763 --> 00:17:37,806
[Arön] Those were alive
last summer.
435
00:17:37,807 --> 00:17:39,808
[Jen] Wow.
436
00:17:39,809 --> 00:17:40,809
[Arön] Fire comes through here,
437
00:17:40,810 --> 00:17:41,852
they hit these dead ones,
438
00:17:42,019 --> 00:17:43,770
it's-it's going to travel
very fast.
439
00:17:43,771 --> 00:17:46,481
[Narrator] 10 years ago,
440
00:17:46,482 --> 00:17:49,526
Jen and Arön
left city life behind
441
00:17:49,527 --> 00:17:51,611
to live off-grid full-time.
442
00:17:51,612 --> 00:17:54,364
[Arön] We had been in the city
for 20 years,
443
00:17:54,365 --> 00:17:56,783
and it was just time
for a change.
444
00:17:56,784 --> 00:17:59,035
Whoo!
445
00:17:59,036 --> 00:18:00,745
[laughing]
446
00:18:00,746 --> 00:18:02,914
[Jen] Since we were both
from the wilderness originally,
447
00:18:02,915 --> 00:18:05,292
coming back to the wilderness
was a calling.
448
00:18:05,293 --> 00:18:07,794
[Narrator] Carving out
a life from scratch
449
00:18:07,795 --> 00:18:09,421
in the remote backcountry
450
00:18:09,422 --> 00:18:11,006
has never been easy,
451
00:18:11,007 --> 00:18:14,093
but recently they've faced
a new threat-- fire.
452
00:18:16,012 --> 00:18:18,305
[Jen] Look at this monster.
453
00:18:18,306 --> 00:18:20,974
[Narrator] One blaze
came within a mile and a half
454
00:18:20,975 --> 00:18:22,727
of taking everything...
455
00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,196
I fought that fire
for two and a half months.
456
00:18:36,782 --> 00:18:39,326
[Jen] Our lodge
is extremely vulnerable.
457
00:18:39,327 --> 00:18:42,662
Trees are so dry.
458
00:18:42,663 --> 00:18:45,999
You just know
that you could lose it all.
459
00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,709
[Narrator]
...so as soon as winter
460
00:18:47,710 --> 00:18:49,544
starts to loosen its grip,
461
00:18:49,545 --> 00:18:51,004
priority number one
462
00:18:51,005 --> 00:18:53,840
becomes clearing their property
of dead trees
463
00:18:53,841 --> 00:18:57,385
to mitigate
the threat of wildfires.
464
00:18:57,386 --> 00:18:59,804
[Arön] Well, I'm gonna go
get the chainsaw
465
00:18:59,805 --> 00:19:01,598
and start cutting.
466
00:19:01,599 --> 00:19:04,309
[Jen] Are you gonna have
another burn pile right there?
467
00:19:04,310 --> 00:19:05,602
- [Arön] Right there.
- [Jen] Okay.
468
00:19:05,603 --> 00:19:07,604
[Arön] Burn what we have to,
469
00:19:07,605 --> 00:19:09,981
and try to save everything else.
470
00:19:09,982 --> 00:19:12,442
We've got to do this while
we have snow on the ground.
471
00:19:12,443 --> 00:19:14,319
[Narrator]
The moment the snow melts,
472
00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:16,738
government fire bans
go into effect,
473
00:19:16,739 --> 00:19:19,199
and their window to cut and burn
will disappear.
474
00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,451
[Arön] Once the fire bans
are in place,
475
00:19:21,452 --> 00:19:25,455
there is no more burning
until fall or next winter.
476
00:19:25,456 --> 00:19:27,165
Now...
477
00:19:27,166 --> 00:19:29,459
which one's first?
478
00:19:29,460 --> 00:19:32,087
[Narrator] First
on the chopping block,
479
00:19:32,088 --> 00:19:35,298
a towering 120-foot spruce
480
00:19:35,299 --> 00:19:37,384
that split
straight through the center
481
00:19:37,385 --> 00:19:38,885
in a recent windstorm,
482
00:19:38,886 --> 00:19:40,553
and now threatens
to come crashing down
483
00:19:40,554 --> 00:19:42,222
on their lodge.
484
00:19:42,223 --> 00:19:44,432
[Arön] That's the big crack
right from the base.
485
00:19:44,433 --> 00:19:45,767
- Wow.
- All the way up
486
00:19:45,768 --> 00:19:48,561
past that top strap.
487
00:19:48,562 --> 00:19:52,023
Cutting a tree down
with cracks in it like that
488
00:19:52,024 --> 00:19:53,983
is very unpredictable.
489
00:19:53,984 --> 00:19:55,318
These two straps
490
00:19:55,319 --> 00:19:57,737
should stop any big splits
coming off it.
491
00:19:57,738 --> 00:20:00,365
[Jen] Are you confident
you can fell this
492
00:20:00,366 --> 00:20:01,991
without hitting the woodshed?
493
00:20:01,992 --> 00:20:03,201
[Arön] It has to come down,
494
00:20:03,202 --> 00:20:06,204
or the next big windstorm
will take it down
495
00:20:06,205 --> 00:20:10,500
without the control
of where we want it to go.
496
00:20:10,501 --> 00:20:13,045
[revving chainsaw]
497
00:20:14,463 --> 00:20:16,589
[Narrator] Arön is no novice
498
00:20:16,590 --> 00:20:18,550
when it comes
to felling trees...
499
00:20:18,551 --> 00:20:20,677
[Jen] I always,
in the back of my mind,
500
00:20:20,678 --> 00:20:22,011
I'm always worried
for his safety.
501
00:20:22,012 --> 00:20:23,847
[Narrator]
...but being 130 miles
502
00:20:23,848 --> 00:20:25,306
from the nearest hospital,
503
00:20:25,307 --> 00:20:27,852
there's no room for error.
504
00:20:28,978 --> 00:20:31,313
[♪]
505
00:20:42,158 --> 00:20:44,452
Oh, look, it's gonna go.
506
00:20:47,496 --> 00:20:48,914
- [wood splintering]
- [Jen] There it goes.
507
00:20:52,585 --> 00:20:53,669
Wow!
508
00:20:59,258 --> 00:21:01,009
[Narrator]
Back on Eliguk Lake...
509
00:21:01,010 --> 00:21:03,011
[hammering]
510
00:21:03,012 --> 00:21:05,513
[Jen] There it goes!
There it goes!
511
00:21:05,514 --> 00:21:07,515
[wood splintering]
512
00:21:07,516 --> 00:21:09,518
Oh, wow.
513
00:21:12,646 --> 00:21:13,313
Right where you said
it was going to go!
514
00:21:13,314 --> 00:21:14,773
That's awesome.
515
00:21:14,774 --> 00:21:16,357
Beauties.
516
00:21:16,358 --> 00:21:17,776
[laughing]
517
00:21:17,777 --> 00:21:19,903
- I love it.
- Thank you.
518
00:21:19,904 --> 00:21:22,447
[Narrator]
One dead tree is down...
519
00:21:22,448 --> 00:21:23,740
[starting chainsaw]
520
00:21:23,741 --> 00:21:25,658
...but the work isn't over.
521
00:21:25,659 --> 00:21:27,702
[Arön] Let's cut this up
and get it into a fire pile.
522
00:21:27,703 --> 00:21:29,537
[Narrator] Now comes delimbing,
523
00:21:29,538 --> 00:21:31,456
bucking,
524
00:21:31,457 --> 00:21:33,334
and stacking.
525
00:21:35,002 --> 00:21:36,503
[Arön] This is good.
526
00:21:36,504 --> 00:21:38,755
I think I can get
some lumber out of this one.
527
00:21:38,756 --> 00:21:40,673
Looks like a 16-footer.
528
00:21:40,674 --> 00:21:42,550
[Narrator] If the sections
are long enough
529
00:21:42,551 --> 00:21:44,719
and free of cracks and rot,
530
00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,680
they're saved as millable logs.
531
00:21:49,058 --> 00:21:50,767
[Arön]
That's going to be firewood.
532
00:21:50,768 --> 00:21:54,021
[Narrator] Others are kept
to ward off the cold...
533
00:21:57,149 --> 00:22:01,445
[Jen] It's hard to fathom
how much firewood we go through.
534
00:22:02,947 --> 00:22:04,739
Our wood shed is crucial.
535
00:22:04,740 --> 00:22:05,825
[dog barking]
536
00:22:07,076 --> 00:22:10,036
We can't turn on a furnace
or a light switch
537
00:22:10,037 --> 00:22:11,120
or any other heating source,
538
00:22:11,121 --> 00:22:12,163
so this is it.
539
00:22:12,164 --> 00:22:13,332
[♪]
540
00:22:14,625 --> 00:22:15,751
[dog barking]
541
00:22:17,795 --> 00:22:19,712
[Arön]
Anything that's not usable,
542
00:22:19,713 --> 00:22:22,340
get them in that pile
and burn them
543
00:22:22,341 --> 00:22:24,552
so that they won't be a hazard
later on.
544
00:22:26,220 --> 00:22:29,222
[Narrator]...but before
a single match is lit,
545
00:22:29,223 --> 00:22:31,099
they have to be ready
546
00:22:31,100 --> 00:22:33,143
for anything
that could go wrong.
547
00:22:34,395 --> 00:22:39,065
The water trailer we have
is a very important tool.
548
00:22:39,066 --> 00:22:40,859
There might be snow
on the ground,
549
00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:43,278
but these fires
can take right off.
550
00:22:43,279 --> 00:22:45,488
This is the only way
I can get water
551
00:22:45,489 --> 00:22:47,657
for fire mitigation,
552
00:22:47,658 --> 00:22:49,368
straight from the lake.
553
00:22:57,751 --> 00:22:58,961
I'm through.
554
00:23:05,384 --> 00:23:06,551
That's in there.
555
00:23:06,552 --> 00:23:08,344
[starting pump]
556
00:23:08,345 --> 00:23:11,806
[♪]
557
00:23:11,807 --> 00:23:14,225
My safety measure.
558
00:23:14,226 --> 00:23:17,396
[♪]
559
00:23:19,607 --> 00:23:21,691
Beautiful.
560
00:23:21,692 --> 00:23:23,610
Filling up nicely.
561
00:23:23,611 --> 00:23:24,528
[♪]
562
00:23:36,874 --> 00:23:38,541
[Narrator] Back
in the La Cloche mountains,
563
00:23:38,542 --> 00:23:41,711
Dave and Kie
are still grinding it out.
564
00:23:41,712 --> 00:23:42,837
It's basically going as fast
565
00:23:42,838 --> 00:23:44,797
as I can shovel the meat
in the hopper.
566
00:23:44,798 --> 00:23:48,259
[Narrator]...to make the most
of their two-beaver catch.
567
00:23:48,260 --> 00:23:50,219
[Dave] Most of the beaver meat
568
00:23:50,220 --> 00:23:52,138
ends up getting turned
into ground meat
569
00:23:52,139 --> 00:23:54,307
simply because
you don't get those big cuts
570
00:23:54,308 --> 00:23:56,726
that you're going to get
on big game animals.
571
00:23:56,727 --> 00:23:59,145
Ground meat
is just so versatile.
572
00:23:59,146 --> 00:24:00,980
We're going to make
some sausage...
573
00:24:00,981 --> 00:24:02,315
and that's pretty well...
574
00:24:02,316 --> 00:24:04,526
the end of the meat.
575
00:24:06,862 --> 00:24:07,696
[Narrator]
Once the meat is processed...
576
00:24:08,864 --> 00:24:10,407
[Kie] Can you put some salt?
577
00:24:12,076 --> 00:24:14,369
[Narrator]...it's time to put
their secret sausage recipe
578
00:24:14,370 --> 00:24:15,828
to work.
579
00:24:15,829 --> 00:24:17,664
[Kie] I'm going to put a little
bit of flour in it, too,
580
00:24:17,665 --> 00:24:18,873
just as a binder.
581
00:24:18,874 --> 00:24:20,542
Okay.
582
00:24:22,211 --> 00:24:25,046
[Dave] I've got the beaver meat
all mixed up here.
583
00:24:25,047 --> 00:24:28,299
Okay, I got the intestine.
584
00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:30,760
I'm just going
to give it a rinse again.
585
00:24:30,761 --> 00:24:32,679
[Narrator]
Cleaned and prepared,
586
00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:34,430
the beaver's own intestine
587
00:24:34,431 --> 00:24:36,683
will become the natural casing
588
00:24:36,684 --> 00:24:38,643
that'll hold
the sausage together.
589
00:24:38,644 --> 00:24:40,354
[Kie] Okay, this one's
ready to stuff.
590
00:24:41,814 --> 00:24:43,815
[♪]
591
00:24:43,816 --> 00:24:46,567
[Kie] This is going to be
super yummy,
592
00:24:46,568 --> 00:24:48,945
even though it does not look it.
593
00:24:48,946 --> 00:24:51,990
Whoa! Slippery.
594
00:24:51,991 --> 00:24:54,409
I think beaver is probably
595
00:24:54,410 --> 00:24:55,994
one of the healthiest meats
that you can find.
596
00:24:55,995 --> 00:24:57,745
It's organic.
597
00:24:57,746 --> 00:25:00,081
It's fair trade.
598
00:25:00,082 --> 00:25:01,624
It's free range.
599
00:25:01,625 --> 00:25:04,460
Oh, hello.
600
00:25:04,461 --> 00:25:06,295
What do you think?
601
00:25:06,296 --> 00:25:08,297
Butchering
is a real family affair.
602
00:25:08,298 --> 00:25:09,549
The animals see what's going on.
603
00:25:09,550 --> 00:25:11,092
They get excited,
604
00:25:11,093 --> 00:25:12,885
because they've learned
if they do wait patiently,
605
00:25:12,886 --> 00:25:14,262
they're gonna get
their share as well.
606
00:25:14,263 --> 00:25:16,681
[laughing]
One giant sausage,
607
00:25:16,682 --> 00:25:17,932
that's what we're getting.
608
00:25:17,933 --> 00:25:20,893
Seeing how an animal
is processed
609
00:25:20,894 --> 00:25:23,521
is always a part
of living out here
610
00:25:23,522 --> 00:25:24,897
that I really appreciate.
611
00:25:24,898 --> 00:25:27,942
You have to see
the guts and the glory.
612
00:25:27,943 --> 00:25:30,779
It's done,
it's out of my hands.
613
00:25:32,406 --> 00:25:34,282
[Kie] I think we're going
to need a bigger pan.
614
00:25:34,283 --> 00:25:35,992
Oh, look at that.
615
00:25:35,993 --> 00:25:38,286
I'm always thinking about
how grateful I am to the beaver
616
00:25:38,287 --> 00:25:39,537
for giving its life to us.
617
00:25:39,538 --> 00:25:40,913
[Dave] Fresh beaver sausage.
618
00:25:40,914 --> 00:25:41,998
[Kie] Mm, yeah.
619
00:25:41,999 --> 00:25:43,417
[Dave] Amazing.
620
00:25:49,631 --> 00:25:50,882
[Narrator] As dusk settles
621
00:25:50,883 --> 00:25:52,717
over the Pasquia Hills...
622
00:25:52,718 --> 00:25:53,968
[bear growling]
623
00:25:53,969 --> 00:25:55,970
[Narrator]
...black bears emerge,
624
00:25:55,971 --> 00:25:57,139
hungry and on the move...
625
00:25:59,308 --> 00:26:00,808
and so does Broc,
626
00:26:00,809 --> 00:26:04,730
eager to find out
if his honey traps will pay off.
627
00:26:07,816 --> 00:26:09,443
[Broc whispering]
628
00:27:26,395 --> 00:27:28,688
[whispering] It's easy to see
she's too short,
629
00:27:28,689 --> 00:27:30,523
and that it's a female.
630
00:27:30,524 --> 00:27:31,941
Most inexperienced hunters
631
00:27:31,942 --> 00:27:34,570
would be thinking, "Maybe
I should shoot this bear."
632
00:27:35,904 --> 00:27:38,739
My goal,
aside from getting big bears,
633
00:27:38,740 --> 00:27:40,867
is to keep sows like this alive,
634
00:27:40,868 --> 00:27:43,077
keep them from getting shot.
635
00:27:43,078 --> 00:27:44,203
Seeing the honey barrel
come to fruition
636
00:27:44,204 --> 00:27:46,205
and actually work,
637
00:27:46,206 --> 00:27:47,623
it's exciting for me...
638
00:27:47,624 --> 00:27:49,917
We're ready
to start hunting now.
639
00:27:49,918 --> 00:27:52,629
[♪]
640
00:28:00,637 --> 00:28:02,930
[♪]
641
00:28:02,931 --> 00:28:05,224
[Narrator]
1,300 miles northwest,
642
00:28:05,225 --> 00:28:08,769
it's a crisp 10 degrees
under a bluebird sky...
643
00:28:08,770 --> 00:28:10,605
[Connor] There you go, Clipper.
644
00:28:10,606 --> 00:28:12,148
[Narrator]
...and Connor's B-team
645
00:28:12,149 --> 00:28:14,650
now has 10 more miles
under their belts...
646
00:28:14,651 --> 00:28:17,194
Good dogs... yup!
647
00:28:17,195 --> 00:28:19,405
[Narrator]...but running
at a steady clip
648
00:28:19,406 --> 00:28:20,740
is only half the equation.
649
00:28:20,741 --> 00:28:22,617
[Connor] Whoa...
650
00:28:22,618 --> 00:28:23,951
All right.
651
00:28:23,952 --> 00:28:25,703
[Narrator] Learning
how to rest on the trail
652
00:28:25,704 --> 00:28:27,663
is just as important
653
00:28:27,664 --> 00:28:30,458
to maintain the stamina it takes
to win races.
654
00:28:30,459 --> 00:28:31,876
[dogs barking]
655
00:28:31,877 --> 00:28:34,170
[Connor] Now the plan
is to teach these young bucks
656
00:28:34,171 --> 00:28:36,298
what it is
to do a good quick camp.
657
00:28:37,674 --> 00:28:40,760
So it's a big learning time
for these young dogs.
658
00:28:40,761 --> 00:28:44,680
They're gonna see
that once this stuff comes out,
659
00:28:44,681 --> 00:28:47,558
that means we're having a nap.
660
00:28:47,559 --> 00:28:49,810
We sleep out in the bush
quite a bit,
661
00:28:49,811 --> 00:28:51,520
and it's really important
for these guys
662
00:28:51,521 --> 00:28:53,314
to learn that routine.
663
00:28:53,315 --> 00:28:54,857
[♪]
664
00:28:54,858 --> 00:28:56,025
[Narrator] In a race
like the Iditarod,
665
00:28:56,026 --> 00:28:58,694
mushers run a strict schedule,
666
00:28:58,695 --> 00:29:01,656
four hours on, four hours off,
667
00:29:01,657 --> 00:29:04,116
keeping the dogs sharp
and healthy through a race
668
00:29:04,117 --> 00:29:06,410
that can last nearly two weeks.
669
00:29:06,411 --> 00:29:08,747
All right, guys.
670
00:29:11,792 --> 00:29:16,253
So we're going to get
a pot right now full of snow.
671
00:29:16,254 --> 00:29:19,382
We're going to make
some water for the dogs
672
00:29:19,383 --> 00:29:20,550
to mix up with
a little bit of kibble.
673
00:29:22,594 --> 00:29:24,470
Add our fuel to our cooker.
674
00:29:24,471 --> 00:29:25,888
Throw in some straw,
675
00:29:25,889 --> 00:29:27,848
light the methanol hydrate.
676
00:29:27,849 --> 00:29:29,600
Cooker's rolling.
677
00:29:29,601 --> 00:29:31,352
That is good to go now.
678
00:29:31,353 --> 00:29:33,563
[♪]
679
00:29:36,650 --> 00:29:39,151
We got some nice
pink salmon here.
680
00:29:39,152 --> 00:29:41,278
Good stuff.
681
00:29:41,279 --> 00:29:43,615
Just to give it some flavor,
easy digestible fats for them.
682
00:29:46,159 --> 00:29:47,494
Now we make you some yum-yums.
683
00:29:48,954 --> 00:29:50,287
Who's hungry?
684
00:29:50,288 --> 00:29:52,873
All right, Mitchy Goops.
685
00:29:52,874 --> 00:29:54,542
There you go, Vega.
686
00:29:54,543 --> 00:29:55,960
Eat your yum-yums.
687
00:29:55,961 --> 00:29:57,586
Okay, Button.
688
00:29:57,587 --> 00:29:58,587
Okay, yes, I'm coming.
689
00:29:58,588 --> 00:30:00,132
I'm coming.
690
00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,514
So now I need to make sure
that I rest myself.
691
00:30:08,515 --> 00:30:10,182
Need to make sure
you're clear-headed,
692
00:30:10,183 --> 00:30:12,268
because if I don't
take care of myself,
693
00:30:12,269 --> 00:30:14,186
I can't take care of my dogs.
694
00:30:14,187 --> 00:30:16,522
[♪]
695
00:30:16,523 --> 00:30:17,815
It took us about an hour,
696
00:30:17,816 --> 00:30:19,817
but right now
we got 'em all laid down,
697
00:30:19,818 --> 00:30:21,777
everybody's asleep,
and they're fed.
698
00:30:21,778 --> 00:30:23,612
This was the goal.
699
00:30:23,613 --> 00:30:24,613
[♪]
700
00:30:24,614 --> 00:30:25,449
[snoring]
701
00:30:31,663 --> 00:30:33,039
[♪]
702
00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:34,457
[crows cawing]
703
00:30:34,458 --> 00:30:35,583
[Narrator]
Back on Eliguk Lake...
704
00:30:35,584 --> 00:30:37,460
Grab my torch.
705
00:30:37,461 --> 00:30:39,170
[Narrator]
...with a full tank of water...
706
00:30:39,171 --> 00:30:41,172
[Arön] Find a good spot
to light this from.
707
00:30:41,173 --> 00:30:42,214
[Narrator]...Arön and Jen
708
00:30:42,215 --> 00:30:44,508
are preparing
to light the fuse.
709
00:30:44,509 --> 00:30:45,760
Light it up.
710
00:30:45,761 --> 00:30:47,095
[blowtorch hissing]
711
00:30:51,224 --> 00:30:53,559
[flames crackling]
712
00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:56,979
[Jen] Look how fast
that's going.
713
00:30:56,980 --> 00:30:58,522
[Narrator]
Fighting fire with fire
714
00:30:58,523 --> 00:31:01,067
means staying vigilant
every second.
715
00:31:01,068 --> 00:31:04,361
[Arön] If a spark got into
a standing dead tree like this,
716
00:31:04,362 --> 00:31:05,489
this is how fast
it would take off.
717
00:31:06,990 --> 00:31:08,783
[Narrator]
One shift in the wind,
718
00:31:08,784 --> 00:31:10,993
and the flames can spread
719
00:31:10,994 --> 00:31:14,081
faster than they can be contained.
720
00:31:15,707 --> 00:31:17,626
[Arön] Our wind changed
just like that.
721
00:31:19,127 --> 00:31:21,712
[Jen] We've got some swirling
action here on the winds.
722
00:31:21,713 --> 00:31:22,464
[Arön] It's going in circles.
723
00:31:24,466 --> 00:31:27,259
And now the sparks.
724
00:31:27,260 --> 00:31:28,678
[♪]
725
00:31:30,931 --> 00:31:31,972
Maybe you should get the hose.
726
00:31:31,973 --> 00:31:32,974
Yup.
727
00:31:40,524 --> 00:31:41,775
[Narrator] On Eliguk Lake...
728
00:31:43,401 --> 00:31:45,277
[Jen] Look at the wind
just flame that fire.
729
00:31:45,278 --> 00:31:46,529
[Narrator]
...what was supposed to be
730
00:31:46,530 --> 00:31:47,530
a controlled burn
731
00:31:47,531 --> 00:31:49,866
is now pushing the limits...
732
00:31:52,953 --> 00:31:54,912
[Jen]
Maybe you should get the hose.
733
00:31:54,913 --> 00:31:56,456
[Arön] Yep. [starting pump]
734
00:31:57,958 --> 00:32:00,543
[Narrator]...but luckily,
Arön is prepared for the worst.
735
00:32:00,544 --> 00:32:02,628
[Arön] You can't just
let a fire burn.
736
00:32:02,629 --> 00:32:05,256
They're so unpredictable.
737
00:32:05,257 --> 00:32:07,341
The wind's changing so much.
738
00:32:07,342 --> 00:32:09,301
Sparks are going everywhere.
739
00:32:09,302 --> 00:32:11,471
[♪]
740
00:32:14,141 --> 00:32:16,225
This should help stop
any sparks
741
00:32:16,226 --> 00:32:18,603
from getting these trees
caught on fire.
742
00:32:25,026 --> 00:32:27,403
[Jen] Wow, that's much better.
743
00:32:27,404 --> 00:32:30,072
I've got the ground
all around here soaked,
744
00:32:30,073 --> 00:32:31,991
so I think this fire's good.
745
00:32:31,992 --> 00:32:34,869
It's not going anywhere.
746
00:32:34,870 --> 00:32:38,539
[Jen] I'll feel a little better
when it burns down a bit.
747
00:32:38,540 --> 00:32:41,375
If I had to say anything
scared me the most off the grid,
748
00:32:41,376 --> 00:32:45,212
it's not just wildfires,
749
00:32:45,213 --> 00:32:47,298
it's complacency.
750
00:32:47,299 --> 00:32:49,091
[crows cawing]
751
00:32:49,092 --> 00:32:50,426
Anything can change out here
at any moment,
752
00:32:50,427 --> 00:32:52,720
so getting complacent about it
753
00:32:52,721 --> 00:32:54,471
is what is going to
trip you up the fastest.
754
00:32:54,472 --> 00:32:55,973
We need some rains now.
755
00:32:55,974 --> 00:32:57,892
If we don't get spring rains,
756
00:32:57,893 --> 00:33:00,728
it's going to be a scary summer.
757
00:33:00,729 --> 00:33:03,480
This area is much safer now,
758
00:33:03,481 --> 00:33:04,732
for now,
759
00:33:04,733 --> 00:33:07,318
but who knows
what it's going to be like
760
00:33:07,319 --> 00:33:08,527
in a couple of weeks.
761
00:33:08,528 --> 00:33:10,321
The fires are coming.
762
00:33:10,322 --> 00:33:11,281
[♪]
763
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:24,877
[Narrator]
2,000 miles southeast
764
00:33:24,878 --> 00:33:27,087
in the La Cloche Mountains,
765
00:33:27,088 --> 00:33:29,506
the sun is sinking low,
766
00:33:29,507 --> 00:33:32,343
but the day's work
isn't done yet.
767
00:33:32,344 --> 00:33:33,594
[Dave] It's looking good.
768
00:33:33,595 --> 00:33:34,595
- [Kie] Is it?
- [Dave] Oh yeah.
769
00:33:34,596 --> 00:33:36,347
She's done.
770
00:33:36,348 --> 00:33:37,932
[Narrator]
The fat from two beavers
771
00:33:37,933 --> 00:33:39,391
is rendered and ready,
772
00:33:39,392 --> 00:33:42,062
but homemade soap
takes more than fat alone.
773
00:33:43,271 --> 00:33:45,940
[Kie] Watch your step,
it's very slippery.
774
00:33:45,941 --> 00:33:48,567
The soap that we're going
to be making today
775
00:33:48,568 --> 00:33:51,111
is a combination
of the rendered beaver fat
776
00:33:51,112 --> 00:33:55,115
and our own
homemade wood ash lye.
777
00:33:55,116 --> 00:33:56,742
Just pour off
most of the liquid.
778
00:33:56,743 --> 00:33:59,620
We're going to use the ash
from our furnace
779
00:33:59,621 --> 00:34:01,664
and make potassium hydroxide.
780
00:34:01,665 --> 00:34:02,915
[♪]
781
00:34:02,916 --> 00:34:05,501
[Narrator]
Potassium hydroxide, or lye,
782
00:34:05,502 --> 00:34:06,752
is the chemical reactant
783
00:34:06,753 --> 00:34:09,213
that turns raw fat into soap.
784
00:34:09,214 --> 00:34:12,424
- Watch my face!
- Watch, this lye is caustic.
785
00:34:12,425 --> 00:34:15,636
[Narrator] After 24 hours
soaking in rainwater,
786
00:34:15,637 --> 00:34:17,930
the ash gets strained and boiled
787
00:34:17,931 --> 00:34:20,265
into a highly volatile
concentrate.
788
00:34:20,266 --> 00:34:21,726
One wrong move,
789
00:34:24,813 --> 00:34:28,314
It's crazy that
this bucket of ash
790
00:34:28,315 --> 00:34:31,277
is the second ingredient
in soap making.
791
00:34:33,446 --> 00:34:35,656
That's good, that's good,
stop, stop, stop.
792
00:34:35,657 --> 00:34:37,533
I am not a chemist.
793
00:34:37,534 --> 00:34:39,827
This is an ancient way
of making soap.
794
00:34:39,828 --> 00:34:42,705
This was household knowledge,
795
00:34:42,706 --> 00:34:44,330
and it's really cool
796
00:34:44,331 --> 00:34:46,582
because both ingredients
came from the land,
797
00:34:46,583 --> 00:34:48,002
and I just love that.
798
00:34:48,003 --> 00:34:49,253
Boom.
799
00:34:49,254 --> 00:34:51,214
We've just made lye.
800
00:34:54,259 --> 00:34:56,218
[Narrator] A few hours later,
801
00:34:56,219 --> 00:34:59,888
Kie is ready to put
her homemade recipe to the test.
802
00:34:59,889 --> 00:35:02,850
[Kie] This is my lye,
potassium hydroxide.
803
00:35:02,851 --> 00:35:05,144
[Narrator] The concentrated lye
804
00:35:05,145 --> 00:35:07,187
is combined with
the rendered beaver fat
805
00:35:07,188 --> 00:35:09,898
to start
the soap-making process.
806
00:35:09,899 --> 00:35:11,693
[♪]
807
00:35:13,069 --> 00:35:15,988
[Kie] We're blending the lye
and the fat together,
808
00:35:15,989 --> 00:35:18,699
and the idea
is that we keep blending it
809
00:35:18,700 --> 00:35:20,284
until they can't
be separated anymore.
810
00:35:20,285 --> 00:35:23,621
It's already turning
a nice creamy color.
811
00:35:23,622 --> 00:35:25,789
You've reached saponification,
812
00:35:25,790 --> 00:35:27,499
which is soap,
813
00:35:27,500 --> 00:35:30,712
when the two particles
don't separate.
814
00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:33,505
It's soap!
815
00:35:33,506 --> 00:35:35,507
It's workin'!
816
00:35:35,508 --> 00:35:38,969
[♪]
817
00:35:38,970 --> 00:35:43,057
I just love
that aspect of creation
818
00:35:43,058 --> 00:35:47,269
from something that was
a living animal,
819
00:35:47,270 --> 00:35:51,524
and now it's ready
to be used for cleaning up.
820
00:35:53,068 --> 00:35:54,944
That's it.
821
00:35:56,863 --> 00:35:58,906
We're going to let this soap
cure a little bit,
822
00:35:58,907 --> 00:36:01,159
and that just means
to dehydrate,
823
00:36:01,534 --> 00:36:04,746
and then we're going to go
test it out.
824
00:36:06,831 --> 00:36:08,416
I'm ready for a wash.
825
00:36:13,713 --> 00:36:16,590
[Narrator] Back on the trail,
rested and well fed...
826
00:36:16,591 --> 00:36:18,050
- All right!
- [dogs barking]
827
00:36:18,051 --> 00:36:19,385
[Connor laughing]
All right, you guys.
828
00:36:19,386 --> 00:36:21,428
[Narrator] Connor and the team
829
00:36:21,429 --> 00:36:23,889
are ready for the final stretch
of their training run...
830
00:36:23,890 --> 00:36:25,641
Nap time is officially over.
831
00:36:25,642 --> 00:36:27,976
- [dogs barking]
- Ready, Clip? Ready, Clip?
832
00:36:27,977 --> 00:36:29,436
[laughing]
The beasts are awakened,
833
00:36:29,437 --> 00:36:32,439
and they're screamin',
and they wanna go.
834
00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,610
[dogs barking excitedly]
835
00:36:37,987 --> 00:36:40,114
Ready? All right.
836
00:36:40,115 --> 00:36:42,324
Easy, guys.
837
00:36:42,325 --> 00:36:45,202
[♪]
838
00:36:45,203 --> 00:36:46,745
[Narrator]...but there's
one last obstacle
839
00:36:46,746 --> 00:36:48,997
that stands between them
and the finish line.
840
00:36:48,998 --> 00:36:51,875
[Connor] Whoa...
841
00:36:51,876 --> 00:36:53,420
[exhaling]
842
00:36:54,546 --> 00:36:58,424
So we got this, uh,
beaver pond.
843
00:36:58,425 --> 00:36:59,466
It's pretty deep,
844
00:36:59,467 --> 00:37:01,635
and it's never ever
have good ice.
845
00:37:01,636 --> 00:37:04,304
I don't trust the ice.
846
00:37:04,305 --> 00:37:06,099
There's no such thing
as safe ice.
847
00:37:08,143 --> 00:37:12,896
Got my, uh,
ice-checking pick here,
848
00:37:12,897 --> 00:37:15,357
so we're gonna have to go start
working our way across this,
849
00:37:15,358 --> 00:37:17,109
making sure it's safe
850
00:37:17,110 --> 00:37:19,278
for the knuckleheads
to follow me,
851
00:37:19,279 --> 00:37:21,238
so hope it doesn't end
in swimming.
852
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:22,656
[dogs barking]
853
00:37:22,657 --> 00:37:24,366
They don't swim.
854
00:37:24,367 --> 00:37:25,993
These northern dogs,
they will not get in the water.
855
00:37:25,994 --> 00:37:27,077
They will not,
856
00:37:27,078 --> 00:37:28,495
and that's because
857
00:37:28,496 --> 00:37:30,122
they have an instinctual fear
of hypothermia.
858
00:37:30,123 --> 00:37:32,082
They know if they go in
and they get wet,
859
00:37:32,083 --> 00:37:33,834
we live in a cold environment,
860
00:37:33,835 --> 00:37:36,044
that could be
detrimental to them.
861
00:37:36,045 --> 00:37:39,339
[Narrator] Breaking through
the ice in these temperatures,
862
00:37:39,340 --> 00:37:42,092
and hypothermia can set in
within minutes,
863
00:37:42,093 --> 00:37:45,053
for a human or a dog.
864
00:37:45,054 --> 00:37:47,181
[Connor] Three good, hard hits
with my ice pick
865
00:37:47,182 --> 00:37:49,141
and the ice feels solid,
866
00:37:49,142 --> 00:37:51,186
I'm going to move onto it.
867
00:37:56,107 --> 00:37:59,068
Just about to the other side.
868
00:38:00,987 --> 00:38:01,862
I think we're going
to go for it.
869
00:38:01,863 --> 00:38:03,363
I'm feeling confident
870
00:38:03,364 --> 00:38:04,698
that this ice will support us,
871
00:38:04,699 --> 00:38:06,450
and we're going to
get across this.
872
00:38:06,451 --> 00:38:08,494
Ready! Hup!
873
00:38:08,495 --> 00:38:10,038
[dogs barking]
874
00:38:11,414 --> 00:38:13,500
[♪]
875
00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:16,836
Mitchy, haw, haw, haw!
876
00:38:19,506 --> 00:38:21,299
All right, bring me across.
877
00:38:23,843 --> 00:38:26,720
Haw, haw!
878
00:38:26,721 --> 00:38:28,973
Good dogs.
879
00:38:35,271 --> 00:38:36,814
We got across.
880
00:38:36,815 --> 00:38:37,981
That was just perfect,
881
00:38:37,982 --> 00:38:39,733
especially those young guys,
you know?
882
00:38:39,734 --> 00:38:41,819
It was the first time those guys
have had to see me get off
883
00:38:41,820 --> 00:38:44,655
and do a little bit
of trail inspection,
884
00:38:44,656 --> 00:38:47,116
so that's a very good
learning experience for them.
885
00:38:48,618 --> 00:38:49,660
Good work, guys.
886
00:38:49,661 --> 00:38:51,787
Yah, yah, Vega.
Yah, yah, Vega.
887
00:38:51,788 --> 00:38:54,873
Bring us home strong, my boys.
888
00:38:54,874 --> 00:38:57,543
Home stretch, yah! Yup! Yup!
889
00:38:57,544 --> 00:39:00,045
Whoa...
890
00:39:00,046 --> 00:39:01,672
Good dogs!
891
00:39:01,673 --> 00:39:03,048
You wanna go back
to your houses?
892
00:39:03,049 --> 00:39:04,758
Yeah?
You ready to go back home?
893
00:39:04,759 --> 00:39:05,843
[Connor laughing] I feel like
894
00:39:05,844 --> 00:39:07,928
today was more
of a training day for me,
895
00:39:07,929 --> 00:39:09,346
but that's what we do together.
896
00:39:09,347 --> 00:39:10,264
We go out there, and we learn,
and we grow,
897
00:39:10,265 --> 00:39:11,348
and we work together as a team.
898
00:39:11,349 --> 00:39:13,976
Clipper, big man.
899
00:39:13,977 --> 00:39:15,811
Clipper
really impressed me today.
900
00:39:15,812 --> 00:39:17,521
We got some things to work on,
901
00:39:17,522 --> 00:39:18,981
we do for sure,
902
00:39:18,982 --> 00:39:20,858
but he did really good.
903
00:39:20,859 --> 00:39:22,734
[Clipper panting]
904
00:39:22,735 --> 00:39:24,903
[Connor] I'm very proud of you.
905
00:39:24,904 --> 00:39:26,822
I'm very proud of you.
906
00:39:26,823 --> 00:39:28,991
I see a really bright future
907
00:39:28,992 --> 00:39:30,868
for all the younger dogs
we got going.
908
00:39:30,869 --> 00:39:32,828
They're gonna do
great, great things.
909
00:39:32,829 --> 00:39:34,747
Good dogs!
910
00:39:42,505 --> 00:39:44,756
[Narrator] 2,300 miles away
911
00:39:44,757 --> 00:39:46,717
in the La Cloche mountains,
912
00:39:46,718 --> 00:39:49,095
life off the grid
913
00:39:52,140 --> 00:39:55,435
and that goes for even
the simplest daily routines.
914
00:39:57,186 --> 00:39:58,937
[Narrator] The soap made from
yesterday's beaver harvest
915
00:39:58,938 --> 00:39:59,855
is ready,
916
00:39:59,856 --> 00:40:02,190
so all Kie and Dave need now...
917
00:40:02,191 --> 00:40:03,609
[sawing]
918
00:40:03,610 --> 00:40:06,069
...is the bath.
919
00:40:06,070 --> 00:40:07,613
[Kie] We don't have a shower
in the wintertime,
920
00:40:07,614 --> 00:40:09,489
so once a week,
921
00:40:09,490 --> 00:40:11,116
we'll cut a big enough hole
in the ice
922
00:40:11,117 --> 00:40:13,035
so that we can have
a cold plunge.
923
00:40:13,036 --> 00:40:13,953
[Dave] Whoo-hoo!
924
00:40:15,455 --> 00:40:16,748
We got one free.
925
00:40:18,249 --> 00:40:20,125
[Kie] Cold plunges are cold,
926
00:40:20,126 --> 00:40:21,377
there's no
getting around that...
927
00:40:23,254 --> 00:40:24,004
...but the more you do it...
928
00:40:24,005 --> 00:40:25,339
[Dave] Oh, yeah!
929
00:40:25,340 --> 00:40:26,465
[grunting with effort]
930
00:40:26,466 --> 00:40:28,133
...the more comfortable
you become.
931
00:40:28,134 --> 00:40:30,636
Okay... and one.
[grunting] Nice.
932
00:40:30,637 --> 00:40:32,638
[Narrator] Hovering
barely above freezing,
933
00:40:32,639 --> 00:40:36,725
the frigid lake water
isn't for the faint of heart,
934
00:40:36,726 --> 00:40:40,270
which is why every plunge
begins with a sauna.
935
00:40:40,271 --> 00:40:41,521
[Kie] This sauna we built,
936
00:40:41,522 --> 00:40:44,859
and we harvested the logs
from our property.
937
00:40:47,028 --> 00:40:48,278
[♪]
938
00:40:48,279 --> 00:40:50,697
It's a great way to get clean,
939
00:40:50,698 --> 00:40:53,533
but also a nice relaxing way
to end the week
940
00:40:53,534 --> 00:40:55,619
and just enjoy a good sweat.
941
00:40:55,620 --> 00:40:58,914
[Narrator] After 20 minutes
at 108 degrees
942
00:40:58,915 --> 00:41:01,626
and a good lather
with their homemade soap...
943
00:41:02,627 --> 00:41:03,710
I'm ready.
944
00:41:03,711 --> 00:41:04,629
- Ready for the plunge?
- Yeah.
945
00:41:05,546 --> 00:41:06,839
[Narrator]...all that's left
946
00:41:07,006 --> 00:41:09,508
is the final sprint
across frozen ground...
947
00:41:09,509 --> 00:41:10,926
[Kie] Whoo!
948
00:41:10,927 --> 00:41:12,010
Let's do this.
949
00:41:12,011 --> 00:41:13,345
Whew!
950
00:41:13,346 --> 00:41:15,889
[Narrator]...and one act
of pure courage.
951
00:41:15,890 --> 00:41:17,474
Three, two, one!
952
00:41:17,475 --> 00:41:18,434
Ah!
953
00:41:21,312 --> 00:41:22,689
[♪]
954
00:41:24,273 --> 00:41:26,024
[Kie laughing]
955
00:41:26,025 --> 00:41:27,484
- [Dave] Come on in!
- [Kie] I'm comin'!
956
00:41:27,485 --> 00:41:29,528
Ooh! Ooh!
957
00:41:29,529 --> 00:41:33,156
[Dave] Building a life together
in the wilderness
958
00:41:33,157 --> 00:41:34,449
has been
an incredible experience.
959
00:41:34,450 --> 00:41:35,535
Whoa! Okay...
960
00:41:36,703 --> 00:41:38,078
[Dave] We're masters
of our own destiny.
961
00:41:38,079 --> 00:41:39,121
I think it's freezing
in my hair.
962
00:41:39,122 --> 00:41:40,205
Yeah.
963
00:41:40,206 --> 00:41:42,749
[Kie] I think one of the keys
964
00:41:42,750 --> 00:41:44,209
to being successful out here
965
00:41:44,210 --> 00:41:45,961
is that neither one of us
wanted to give up
966
00:41:45,962 --> 00:41:47,254
at the same time,
967
00:41:47,255 --> 00:41:51,466
so it was always a matter of...
things get hard,
968
00:41:51,467 --> 00:41:52,843
let's work through it,
969
00:41:52,844 --> 00:41:54,636
and just step by step.
970
00:41:54,637 --> 00:41:56,722
Okay, I'm good.
971
00:41:56,723 --> 00:41:58,265
- You're good?
- I'm good.
972
00:41:58,266 --> 00:41:59,349
[Kie] Okay.
973
00:41:59,350 --> 00:42:01,018
Here we go, whoa.
974
00:42:01,019 --> 00:42:04,104
Oh, my gosh! Wow!
975
00:42:04,105 --> 00:42:05,398
[♪]
976
00:42:08,192 --> 00:42:11,820
[Narrator] Next time
on Mountain Men, Wild North...
977
00:42:11,821 --> 00:42:12,612
- [Connor] All right.
- [dogs barking]
978
00:42:12,613 --> 00:42:14,239
Ready?
979
00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:15,949
Easy...
980
00:42:15,950 --> 00:42:17,534
[Connor]
If they do step off-trail,
981
00:42:17,535 --> 00:42:20,454
if they do start to get
a little uneasy,
982
00:42:20,455 --> 00:42:22,415
I want to be
in complete control.
983
00:42:23,958 --> 00:42:27,586
[Rob] It's the last good run
for under-ice beaver trapping.
984
00:42:27,587 --> 00:42:30,630
The trap is live.
985
00:42:30,631 --> 00:42:32,549
[Dave] Feels like
the wind is holding.
986
00:42:32,550 --> 00:42:34,051
I'm going for it quick.
987
00:42:34,052 --> 00:42:35,677
[chainsawing]
988
00:42:35,678 --> 00:42:37,679
[shouting] Wham!
989
00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:38,556
[♪]
990
00:42:44,479 --> 00:42:46,022
[shot echoing]