1 00:00:06,673 --> 00:00:08,375 KALEB: I'm heading out to check one of my favorite 2 00:00:08,375 --> 00:00:11,278 spring bear hunting spots. 3 00:00:13,113 --> 00:00:15,983 It's been my tradition since I was 16 to get out every spring 4 00:00:15,983 --> 00:00:17,918 and hunt for bears. 5 00:00:17,918 --> 00:00:20,787 They're an important source of food in our family. 6 00:00:21,054 --> 00:00:24,424 And usually, this time of year the moose is all gone. 7 00:00:24,424 --> 00:00:25,959 And we need to fill our freezer up. 8 00:00:25,959 --> 00:00:28,629 So, I, I do that with bear. 9 00:00:31,365 --> 00:00:34,568 I've got about a quarter-mile walk to the edge of the river 10 00:00:34,568 --> 00:00:38,138 and then about a 300 foot drop down to the river bottom. 11 00:00:39,172 --> 00:00:41,508 Then we'll be in bear country. 12 00:00:41,742 --> 00:00:45,112 I gotta keep things quiet, stealthy. 13 00:00:45,445 --> 00:00:46,513 All right. 14 00:00:46,513 --> 00:00:49,016 Ready to go. 15 00:00:51,151 --> 00:00:55,122 It's May, and this is the latest I've ever seen snow. 16 00:00:56,123 --> 00:00:58,625 I'm hoping the bears will be out. 17 00:01:00,227 --> 00:01:02,629 There's moose tracks. 18 00:01:03,130 --> 00:01:06,333 Good sign. It means things are out and moving. 19 00:01:06,333 --> 00:01:10,203 After the long cold winter, everything's hungry and 20 00:01:10,203 --> 00:01:13,674 they're traveling in search of food. 21 00:01:15,275 --> 00:01:18,211 My hope is the bears are doing the same thing. 22 00:01:23,216 --> 00:01:27,187 I found some bear tracks here. 23 00:01:27,187 --> 00:01:29,790 This looks like maybe yesterday. 24 00:01:29,790 --> 00:01:32,292 Big old grizzly. 25 00:01:32,292 --> 00:01:34,061 A massive bear print, it completely swallows 26 00:01:34,061 --> 00:01:36,229 my hand whole. 27 00:01:36,229 --> 00:01:37,965 He was running. 28 00:01:37,965 --> 00:01:40,801 Holy Toledo. 29 00:01:40,801 --> 00:01:44,104 Yeah, so bears are out, let's go find 'em. 30 00:01:45,272 --> 00:01:51,144 This is time to quiet things down and keep my wits about me 31 00:01:51,144 --> 00:01:53,914 'cause I'm in bear country now. 32 00:01:53,914 --> 00:01:59,252 (theme music plays) 33 00:02:05,359 --> 00:02:07,527 Wowie, it's steep. 34 00:02:10,030 --> 00:02:12,733 SONTA: There's not that many Innoko River people 35 00:02:12,733 --> 00:02:14,568 in this world. 36 00:02:14,568 --> 00:02:19,106 So, I have a lot of pressure to keep this knowledge alive. 37 00:02:19,773 --> 00:02:22,476 And you're not gonna be able to pass it on to your own 38 00:02:22,476 --> 00:02:26,413 children unless they're living this lifestyle with you. 39 00:02:29,783 --> 00:02:32,619 CHEVIE: Nice to be back out on the river again. 40 00:02:32,953 --> 00:02:35,589 We're just gonna have to keep our eye out for all this drift 41 00:02:35,589 --> 00:02:38,658 and trash that's floating down. 42 00:02:39,159 --> 00:02:42,429 This year it's the highest that it's been in a long time 43 00:02:42,429 --> 00:02:46,233 and our remote cabin almost flooded. 44 00:02:47,734 --> 00:02:49,803 SONTA: It is a bit of a concern for being able to see 45 00:02:49,803 --> 00:02:52,506 where the fish are really at 'cause when it starts flooding 46 00:02:52,506 --> 00:02:55,575 like this, I mean, the eddies change and the fish have more 47 00:02:55,575 --> 00:02:57,577 area to go into, ya know? 48 00:02:57,577 --> 00:03:01,882 So, we really have to try to get the fish where we can. 49 00:03:03,650 --> 00:03:07,020 This whitefish run is the first fish run of the whole 50 00:03:07,020 --> 00:03:10,757 season and you best be out on the bank with your dip net 51 00:03:10,757 --> 00:03:16,329 ready to go because once they go by you, they're gone. 52 00:03:18,398 --> 00:03:22,035 CHEVIE: All right. Let's go find this first eddy. 53 00:03:25,872 --> 00:03:27,474 SONTA: Right in here probably, huh? 54 00:03:27,474 --> 00:03:30,277 Look at that. 55 00:03:30,277 --> 00:03:32,612 Looks good in there. 56 00:03:35,682 --> 00:03:38,251 CHEVIE: Yeah, I think this is the spot. 57 00:03:38,251 --> 00:03:41,154 SONTA: Yeah. 58 00:03:42,456 --> 00:03:45,058 Tie onto that same one like that. 59 00:03:45,058 --> 00:03:48,528 We've been living off of moose meat and beaver meat and 60 00:03:48,528 --> 00:03:50,263 other things all winter, so... 61 00:03:50,263 --> 00:03:52,265 CHEVIE: Come, baby. 62 00:03:52,265 --> 00:03:54,067 SONTA: It's a change of our diet that we really 63 00:03:54,067 --> 00:03:56,403 look forward to. 64 00:03:57,637 --> 00:03:58,872 RYDER: How do you do it? 65 00:03:58,872 --> 00:04:00,941 SONTA: Straight down. 66 00:04:00,941 --> 00:04:02,442 See how heavy that current is? 67 00:04:02,442 --> 00:04:04,945 Let's see how deep this water is. 68 00:04:06,246 --> 00:04:10,050 For me, whitefish dipping is a pure addiction. 69 00:04:11,218 --> 00:04:13,420 Do it against the boat in front. 70 00:04:13,420 --> 00:04:14,988 The current's going this way. 71 00:04:14,988 --> 00:04:16,656 RYDER: Right here? SONTA: Yeah. 72 00:04:16,656 --> 00:04:18,425 You have your net in the water and you're waiting for that 73 00:04:18,425 --> 00:04:19,860 first bump. 74 00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:23,196 You're waiting for some little sway of your net that you can 75 00:04:23,196 --> 00:04:25,298 feel through the pole. 76 00:04:25,298 --> 00:04:28,034 (kids chatter) 77 00:04:28,702 --> 00:04:31,772 SONTA: Oh. 78 00:04:34,241 --> 00:04:35,842 Oh, I felt a bump too. 79 00:04:35,842 --> 00:04:38,345 Dang it. 80 00:04:39,446 --> 00:04:42,749 I'm always hoping for getting as many fish as we can, 81 00:04:42,749 --> 00:04:45,385 40 to 60 fish. 82 00:04:45,385 --> 00:04:48,288 I want to have enough to put away in the smokehouse and 83 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:50,624 put away enough to freeze. 84 00:04:50,624 --> 00:04:53,493 But we're noticing that the current is just so strong and 85 00:04:53,493 --> 00:04:55,996 it's looking like fish aren't at this eddy. 86 00:04:57,430 --> 00:04:59,766 So, if we don't get any hits down here, we're gonna have to 87 00:04:59,766 --> 00:05:01,535 go pretty far upriver, huh? 88 00:05:01,535 --> 00:05:03,570 CHEVIE: Yep. 89 00:05:06,506 --> 00:05:08,608 JOHNNY: So, my goal when harvesting an animal is trying 90 00:05:08,608 --> 00:05:11,411 to utilize as much as I can. 91 00:05:11,711 --> 00:05:14,314 I use the meat. I use the organs. 92 00:05:14,314 --> 00:05:17,784 I use the bones. I use the hides. 93 00:05:18,185 --> 00:05:20,754 I just use what nature provides me. 94 00:05:22,055 --> 00:05:25,992 This is a caribou hide from a spring caribou. 95 00:05:25,992 --> 00:05:29,629 The hide is dried and it's ready to be tanned. 96 00:05:29,996 --> 00:05:32,232 But I'm not gonna start by tanning. 97 00:05:32,232 --> 00:05:35,101 I'm actually gonna be removing his hair and turning it into buckskin. 98 00:05:36,203 --> 00:05:39,840 Normally I leave the hair on because I like the insulating 99 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:43,076 properties of the hide, ya know, especially up in the Arctic. 100 00:05:43,076 --> 00:05:45,612 But I want to try something different and actually make 101 00:05:45,612 --> 00:05:47,347 leather 'cause there's so many more things I can do 102 00:05:47,347 --> 00:05:49,716 with leather without the hair on. 103 00:05:49,716 --> 00:05:53,119 So should come out to be a nice supple leather or it's 104 00:05:53,119 --> 00:05:56,189 just gonna rot and be a complete fail. 105 00:05:56,189 --> 00:05:58,325 So, we'll see what happens. 106 00:05:58,892 --> 00:06:01,828 Go down to the creek and grab some water. 107 00:06:02,596 --> 00:06:04,731 C'mon, girl. That's a good girl. 108 00:06:04,731 --> 00:06:06,466 That's a good girl. 109 00:06:06,466 --> 00:06:08,969 The goal of this lifestyle for me is always just doing 110 00:06:08,969 --> 00:06:11,504 new things and trying different things. 111 00:06:12,505 --> 00:06:15,775 I don't wanna be stagnant just doing the same stuff over and over. 112 00:06:15,775 --> 00:06:18,511 I want to challenge my mind. 113 00:06:19,212 --> 00:06:21,248 Grow. 114 00:06:21,248 --> 00:06:24,417 So, I think what I'm gonna do is get the water in now. 115 00:06:31,191 --> 00:06:33,827 This is the ash here from the woodstove. 116 00:06:38,265 --> 00:06:42,335 A lot of old time homesteaders consider this like a 117 00:06:42,335 --> 00:06:45,639 quick makeshift form of making lye. 118 00:06:46,139 --> 00:06:47,908 It helps get the hair off the hide 119 00:06:47,908 --> 00:06:50,277 and that's all I care about. 120 00:06:51,678 --> 00:06:54,948 Just really wanna work the water into it. 121 00:06:55,782 --> 00:06:58,151 It's already starting to absorb it and soften up, 122 00:06:58,151 --> 00:07:00,887 I can already see. 123 00:07:01,721 --> 00:07:06,893 You just gotta be patient and let it soak and while this 124 00:07:06,893 --> 00:07:09,896 sucker is soaking, I'm gonna make that bone tool. 125 00:07:12,265 --> 00:07:14,301 It's important for me to use all the parts of a caribou. 126 00:07:14,301 --> 00:07:15,802 I take a lot of pride in that. 127 00:07:15,802 --> 00:07:19,873 So, I'm gonna get a leg bone from this caribou here and 128 00:07:19,873 --> 00:07:23,276 turn it into a fleshing, hair removal tool. 129 00:07:24,477 --> 00:07:29,215 Indigenous people used it to flesh and scrape their hides. 130 00:07:30,750 --> 00:07:33,353 Metal tools are great, 131 00:07:33,353 --> 00:07:37,324 but I just like having that connection. 132 00:07:38,058 --> 00:07:42,362 Just holding something more natural like this. 133 00:07:42,362 --> 00:07:44,898 It just kinda goes hand in hand. 134 00:07:44,898 --> 00:07:48,068 It's not always about just being primitive, it's about 135 00:07:48,068 --> 00:07:51,571 being in tune with your tools and your projects. 136 00:07:53,373 --> 00:07:55,508 You can see it's starting to get sharp right here. 137 00:07:55,508 --> 00:08:00,146 By chiseling off this edge, it's starting to make a point there. 138 00:08:00,780 --> 00:08:02,315 I don't want to put holes in the hide, so this isn't 139 00:08:02,315 --> 00:08:05,385 supposed to be like razor sharp. 140 00:08:07,921 --> 00:08:12,258 But it's sharp enough to get the hair follicles out. 141 00:08:13,526 --> 00:08:16,329 Yeah, it's pretty sharp. 142 00:08:16,329 --> 00:08:18,865 It's actually kind of even peeling the log a little bit. 143 00:08:18,865 --> 00:08:21,368 So, it's just amazing how, actually how sharp 144 00:08:21,368 --> 00:08:23,837 you can get the bone. 145 00:08:25,472 --> 00:08:27,374 I think this is gonna work. 146 00:08:30,076 --> 00:08:34,014 SAMANTHA: This last winter wreaked havoc on the farm. 147 00:08:34,681 --> 00:08:36,516 And that's really concerning. 148 00:08:36,516 --> 00:08:39,252 Because we have a lot of mouths to feed. 149 00:08:39,252 --> 00:08:43,323 So, it's essential for us to be able to produce all of 150 00:08:43,323 --> 00:08:45,859 our own food. 151 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,228 NATHAN: The snow did a lot of damage. 152 00:08:48,228 --> 00:08:50,063 SAMANTHA: It did so much damage. 153 00:08:50,063 --> 00:08:54,934 NATHAN: I think it seems like most of the side frame is good. 154 00:08:54,934 --> 00:08:57,137 But to put a new roof on we have to get a whole 'nother 155 00:08:57,137 --> 00:09:00,640 frame going across and this wood is just trashed. 156 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,409 SAMANTHA: It's done, yeah. 157 00:09:02,409 --> 00:09:04,677 NATHAN: We have a greenhouse that collapsed because of the 158 00:09:04,677 --> 00:09:06,846 snow load over the winter. 159 00:09:06,846 --> 00:09:09,549 Now it's a huge makeover basically. 160 00:09:09,549 --> 00:09:11,418 I think all these poles are good. 161 00:09:11,418 --> 00:09:14,020 SAMANTHA: Maybe. 162 00:09:14,788 --> 00:09:16,823 NATHAN: I mean, the plants that we want to put in there 163 00:09:16,823 --> 00:09:19,726 require a long growing season 164 00:09:19,726 --> 00:09:21,394 and we're already a little bit late. 165 00:09:21,394 --> 00:09:23,930 So, we gotta get this greenhouse done. 166 00:09:23,930 --> 00:09:26,966 It's kinda up in the air if the corn and tomatoes will 167 00:09:26,966 --> 00:09:28,835 even finish, but we might as well try. 168 00:09:28,835 --> 00:09:32,072 I mean, we're at the last minute right now. 169 00:09:32,072 --> 00:09:34,707 It's looking rough. 170 00:09:37,076 --> 00:09:38,812 SAMANTHA: Just start grabbing stuff, kiddo. 171 00:09:38,812 --> 00:09:40,513 ADRIAN: I have no clue what to grab. 172 00:09:40,513 --> 00:09:43,249 NATHAN: Just grab what ya can and if it looks like crap, 173 00:09:43,249 --> 00:09:45,718 throw it in the looks like crap pile, if it looks good 174 00:09:45,718 --> 00:09:48,655 throw it in the looks good pile. 175 00:09:53,993 --> 00:09:56,863 Well, the crazy thing is I remember coming out here in 176 00:09:56,863 --> 00:09:59,866 the middle of winter and I was standing with my feet 177 00:09:59,866 --> 00:10:01,968 right about right there. 178 00:10:01,968 --> 00:10:04,037 I mean, my head was above the roof. 179 00:10:04,037 --> 00:10:06,773 SAMANTHA: That's crazy, isn't it? 180 00:10:07,273 --> 00:10:09,509 We know fairly well what we're doing with gardening 181 00:10:09,509 --> 00:10:11,978 in the lower 48. 182 00:10:11,978 --> 00:10:15,682 Up here we're sub-arctic temperatures. 183 00:10:18,918 --> 00:10:21,488 Woo! That was a thrill. 184 00:10:22,188 --> 00:10:25,525 In Alaska, a green house is one of the most valuable 185 00:10:25,525 --> 00:10:28,428 things you can have if you plan on growing a good source 186 00:10:28,428 --> 00:10:31,164 of sustainable food. 187 00:10:33,333 --> 00:10:35,268 NATHAN: Now that it's cleared, I've actually been able to 188 00:10:35,268 --> 00:10:37,737 assess how much damage there actually was and it's more 189 00:10:37,737 --> 00:10:40,473 than I, than I thought there was. 190 00:10:42,075 --> 00:10:45,078 Luckily, I think it's still fixable. 191 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:48,481 Wanna hook this up? 192 00:10:48,481 --> 00:10:51,551 Start burning this trash grass. 193 00:10:52,485 --> 00:10:55,455 Adrian, I put a fire extinguisher right in the 194 00:10:55,455 --> 00:10:57,690 front of the greenhouse there if you just wanna grab that 195 00:10:57,690 --> 00:11:00,226 and just kinda hang on to it. 196 00:11:00,226 --> 00:11:02,695 Just stand by with the hose. 197 00:11:06,566 --> 00:11:08,968 There we go. 198 00:11:14,908 --> 00:11:17,176 SAMANTHA: Well, it's not like a flamethrower and it doesn't 199 00:11:17,176 --> 00:11:19,412 just like catch everything on fire. 200 00:11:19,412 --> 00:11:22,815 Although it is moving quite quickly towards the propane tank. 201 00:11:29,122 --> 00:11:31,658 It's toasty. 202 00:11:34,894 --> 00:11:36,996 KALEB: I always look forward to this time of the year when 203 00:11:36,996 --> 00:11:42,101 the bears come out of their caves, 204 00:11:42,101 --> 00:11:43,536 and out into the open 205 00:11:43,536 --> 00:11:45,204 where they can be hunted because there's nothing else 206 00:11:45,204 --> 00:11:47,974 that can be hunted this time of year. 207 00:11:52,645 --> 00:11:56,082 I'm down into the prime bear hunting area. 208 00:11:58,117 --> 00:12:01,588 All these slopes up here have greenery on 'em, 209 00:12:01,588 --> 00:12:04,657 and that's what draws the bears into this area. 210 00:12:06,092 --> 00:12:09,762 It's like the all you can eat salad buffet for the bears. 211 00:12:10,430 --> 00:12:14,968 They'll be grazing on these slopes for hours like the cows do. 212 00:12:18,037 --> 00:12:19,706 But they're still wild. 213 00:12:19,706 --> 00:12:21,708 They still have to be hunted, 214 00:12:21,708 --> 00:12:24,077 and I gotta be smarter than my prey. 215 00:12:29,649 --> 00:12:32,919 I'm gonna sit here for a little bit and watch for bears. 216 00:12:35,722 --> 00:12:39,492 Come here, bears. Come to me. 217 00:12:44,998 --> 00:12:51,638 ♪ ♪ 218 00:12:52,305 --> 00:12:54,774 Oh, I see a bear. 219 00:12:59,145 --> 00:13:02,081 KALEB: The difference between grizzlies and black bears is 220 00:13:02,081 --> 00:13:06,119 grizzlies have a big hump on their back, right above their 221 00:13:06,119 --> 00:13:07,654 shoulder blades. 222 00:13:07,654 --> 00:13:08,788 Black bears don't. 223 00:13:08,788 --> 00:13:10,857 They have a really smooth profile. 224 00:13:10,857 --> 00:13:13,559 So, I'm trying to see, 225 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,062 is this a grizzly or is this a black bear cinnamon face, 226 00:13:16,062 --> 00:13:19,899 because they can be easily mistaken for each other. 227 00:13:20,533 --> 00:13:24,470 I already got a grizzly within the last regulatory year, 228 00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:26,906 so I'm only allowed one. 229 00:13:26,906 --> 00:13:30,143 So, if this is a grizzly, I cannot shoot it. 230 00:13:30,143 --> 00:13:33,913 But if I can determine that, that's a cinnamon face bear, 231 00:13:33,913 --> 00:13:36,649 then I'll go after it. 232 00:13:38,418 --> 00:13:41,954 Yeah, there's a very, very pronounced hump above his 233 00:13:41,954 --> 00:13:43,122 shoulder blade. 234 00:13:43,122 --> 00:13:45,725 So, I'm thinking this is a grizzly. 235 00:13:52,532 --> 00:13:55,034 Seeing a grizzly up there is not super positive. 236 00:13:55,034 --> 00:13:57,870 They're higher up on the food chain than the black bears are. 237 00:13:57,870 --> 00:14:00,073 And having a grizzly in my hunting area can keep the 238 00:14:00,073 --> 00:14:03,176 black bears pushed back. 239 00:14:03,176 --> 00:14:08,748 So, seeing a grizzly up there is not an encouraging sign. 240 00:14:13,286 --> 00:14:16,389 (clucking) 241 00:14:17,290 --> 00:14:20,927 SAMANTHA: Up here in Alaska, there's not a lot that is more 242 00:14:20,927 --> 00:14:24,297 important than learning how to sustain yourself. 243 00:14:25,431 --> 00:14:26,599 NATHAN: Hold it like that. 244 00:14:26,599 --> 00:14:28,401 Hold the trigger. Whoa. 245 00:14:28,401 --> 00:14:29,569 SAMANTHA: And to pass down that knowledge. 246 00:14:29,569 --> 00:14:30,837 NATHAN: Good job. 247 00:14:30,837 --> 00:14:32,305 SAMANTHA: From generation to generation. 248 00:14:32,305 --> 00:14:34,674 NATHAN: Oh, stop. You gotta hold it straight. 249 00:14:34,674 --> 00:14:36,809 SAMANTHA: Because sustainability up here is 250 00:14:36,809 --> 00:14:39,278 what's going to save lives. 251 00:14:41,214 --> 00:14:43,049 NATHAN: Explosion. 252 00:14:43,049 --> 00:14:46,052 Okay. 253 00:14:46,052 --> 00:14:47,453 You wanna try today, Adrian? 254 00:14:47,453 --> 00:14:48,721 SAMANTHA: Oh, yeah. You do it. 255 00:14:48,721 --> 00:14:49,889 NATHAN: See if the kids wanna give it a shot. 256 00:14:49,889 --> 00:14:51,157 SAMANTHA: Yeah. 257 00:14:51,157 --> 00:14:53,960 NATHAN: So, all you do is pull that trigger and then it goes. 258 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,027 ADRIAN: Okay. 259 00:14:55,027 --> 00:14:57,730 NATHAN: Try to keep it straight. 260 00:14:57,730 --> 00:15:00,166 It's probably one of our most important tasks is to pass on 261 00:15:00,166 --> 00:15:03,002 our skills to our children 262 00:15:03,903 --> 00:15:06,839 to teach them how to provide for yourself. 263 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:08,908 SAMANTHA: That's pretty cool. 264 00:15:08,908 --> 00:15:11,077 NATHAN: So actually, you wanna just try throwing the post in 265 00:15:11,077 --> 00:15:13,746 and see what we got sitting above the soil. 266 00:15:14,414 --> 00:15:19,619 So it's great to see the kids help get this greenhouse done. 267 00:15:19,619 --> 00:15:21,354 Yeah, that should be good. 268 00:15:21,354 --> 00:15:24,891 And once the poles and the soil, 269 00:15:24,891 --> 00:15:26,826 we'll start throwing the walls on. 270 00:15:26,826 --> 00:15:29,061 From there, we're gonna start building the roof trusses. 271 00:15:29,061 --> 00:15:31,631 SAMANTHA: Okay. That's enough. 272 00:15:31,631 --> 00:15:33,166 I think it looks really good. 273 00:15:33,166 --> 00:15:34,700 NATHAN: Good enough to get the plants in the ground. 274 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:35,935 SAMANTHA: Yeah. 275 00:15:35,935 --> 00:15:38,271 Because we're already, we're, we're getting to about a week 276 00:15:38,271 --> 00:15:42,008 late, so time is of the essence. 277 00:15:45,144 --> 00:15:47,547 NATHAN: And then taking a look at the soil, it's definitely 278 00:15:47,547 --> 00:15:49,816 not gonna grow anything as it is. 279 00:15:49,816 --> 00:15:53,486 It needs amendments added to it, and then you can see, 280 00:15:53,486 --> 00:15:54,654 I mean, it's... 281 00:15:54,654 --> 00:15:56,456 SAMANTHA: It's, it's sand like it's, it's actually sand 282 00:15:56,456 --> 00:15:58,858 in most places, so... 283 00:15:58,858 --> 00:16:01,260 NATHAN: So, let's get started. SAMANTHA: Let's start. 284 00:16:02,862 --> 00:16:04,664 NATHAN: Let's start with the lime. 285 00:16:04,664 --> 00:16:06,732 Sprinkle generously. 286 00:16:06,732 --> 00:16:10,436 This will help sweeten the soil and raise the pH a bit. 287 00:16:11,270 --> 00:16:15,007 Someone can read all they want, but at the end of the day, 288 00:16:15,007 --> 00:16:17,076 the one thing that's gonna help you the most is 289 00:16:17,076 --> 00:16:21,147 just getting out and doing it, and just experimenting. 290 00:16:21,414 --> 00:16:23,883 SAMANTHA: Before we moved up here, our garden in Oregon 291 00:16:23,883 --> 00:16:26,419 was just amazing. 292 00:16:26,419 --> 00:16:29,422 Up here, that's gonna be a lot harder than in lower 48, 293 00:16:29,422 --> 00:16:33,492 but I'm determined to make it work. 294 00:16:33,993 --> 00:16:36,796 NATHAN: I think we plan to be here for a long time, so using 295 00:16:36,796 --> 00:16:41,901 manure and whatnot, it's a natural, you know, organic way 296 00:16:41,901 --> 00:16:45,538 to fertilize the garden, you know, and we got all this here 297 00:16:45,538 --> 00:16:48,140 from our animals, we might as well use it. 298 00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:52,411 This will fix the problem for now and then we can always add. 299 00:16:52,411 --> 00:16:54,113 It never hurts to add on top. 300 00:16:54,113 --> 00:16:55,481 Let it break down. 301 00:16:55,481 --> 00:17:00,319 I think we gotta a good start here, a well-balanced meal 302 00:17:00,319 --> 00:17:03,055 for the plants. 303 00:17:04,957 --> 00:17:08,594 This much setup will only have to be done once, pretty much, 304 00:17:08,594 --> 00:17:12,098 and the years to come, it'll just get easier and easier, 305 00:17:12,098 --> 00:17:15,234 'cause once you start that living soil and begin that 306 00:17:15,234 --> 00:17:19,405 process, we won't be doing this again. 307 00:17:21,908 --> 00:17:24,243 SONTA: You know, we do this every year with the kids, 308 00:17:24,243 --> 00:17:27,146 but every year there's some new skill that they're gaining on, 309 00:17:27,146 --> 00:17:30,249 that they're learning, that they're improving upon, 310 00:17:30,249 --> 00:17:35,254 and create more memories around this activity. 311 00:17:41,427 --> 00:17:45,431 CHEVIE: We're looking for a better option 312 00:17:45,431 --> 00:17:48,200 to place our family to be able to be on the bank 313 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,070 and also catch fish. 314 00:17:55,374 --> 00:17:57,476 SONTA: This is a pretty good fishing spot right here kids, 315 00:17:57,476 --> 00:17:59,946 you see how it's kind of narrow in the river? 316 00:17:59,946 --> 00:18:01,280 EMERY: Yeah. 317 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,316 SONTA: There's more likely to be fish in this spot because 318 00:18:03,316 --> 00:18:05,184 it's kind of a bottleneck, 319 00:18:05,184 --> 00:18:08,321 so this might be a pretty good spot. 320 00:18:08,321 --> 00:18:12,725 I think fishing in this lifestyle's generational knowledge. 321 00:18:13,459 --> 00:18:16,429 What I practice is all that I've learned growing up. 322 00:18:16,429 --> 00:18:20,366 And so, I want my kids to have those same experiences and 323 00:18:20,366 --> 00:18:23,002 they themselves teach their kids. 324 00:18:23,002 --> 00:18:25,504 CHEVIE: Hi. 325 00:18:26,872 --> 00:18:29,508 SONTA: So helpful. 326 00:18:29,709 --> 00:18:31,844 So, so helpful. 327 00:18:31,844 --> 00:18:33,446 Oh, that's good depth. 328 00:18:33,446 --> 00:18:38,684 Not too deep, not too shallow, not too swift. 329 00:18:38,684 --> 00:18:39,852 CHEVIE: Liking it better? 330 00:18:39,852 --> 00:18:42,588 SONTA: Yeah. CHEVIE: Good. 331 00:18:44,023 --> 00:18:48,995 SONTA: Spring whitefish is definitely a staple for every 332 00:18:48,995 --> 00:18:51,964 Innoko River person right now. 333 00:18:52,765 --> 00:18:57,670 I like fish, roasted fish, half dried fish, fully dried fish, 334 00:18:57,670 --> 00:19:01,741 any kind of fish, so you really gotta catch enough 335 00:19:01,741 --> 00:19:03,743 to have it many different ways. 336 00:19:03,743 --> 00:19:06,912 So, we're hoping that we're not at the tail end too much 337 00:19:06,912 --> 00:19:08,981 of this run. 338 00:19:08,981 --> 00:19:11,650 You just gotta hit him just right. 339 00:19:11,650 --> 00:19:15,988 I mean, if you're on him, you can get a ton in one night, 340 00:19:15,988 --> 00:19:18,457 but right now it's pretty slow. 341 00:19:20,292 --> 00:19:22,194 Ooh. 342 00:19:23,362 --> 00:19:24,664 CHEVIE: Pull something up. 343 00:19:24,664 --> 00:19:28,200 SONTA: Pulling it, pulling it, pulling it. 344 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:29,535 Oh! 345 00:19:29,535 --> 00:19:31,203 CHEVIE: There is a fish. SONTA: Little fish. 346 00:19:31,203 --> 00:19:33,139 CHEVIE: Yay. SONTA: Yay. 347 00:19:33,139 --> 00:19:34,173 CHEVIE: Say, "Yay," Chevelle. 348 00:19:34,173 --> 00:19:35,975 Yay. 349 00:19:35,975 --> 00:19:37,176 SONTA: Long time coming. 350 00:19:37,176 --> 00:19:40,546 CHEVIE: Yay. SONTA: The net works. 351 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,549 EMERY: Finally. 352 00:19:43,549 --> 00:19:44,717 SONTA: They're here. 353 00:19:44,717 --> 00:19:47,920 I gotta put it back in as quickly as possible. 354 00:19:49,789 --> 00:19:53,426 EMERY: Where's the fish, ah, fishy. 355 00:19:53,993 --> 00:19:56,395 SONTA: It's just a good feeling to get that first catch. 356 00:19:56,395 --> 00:19:58,898 You know, when you first feel that bump on your frame, 357 00:19:58,898 --> 00:20:02,468 on your net, um, you know, you know there's one in there. 358 00:20:02,468 --> 00:20:05,471 You know, you're in a spot where you can catch. 359 00:20:05,471 --> 00:20:07,506 Any day's a good day to get fish. 360 00:20:07,506 --> 00:20:10,209 But definitely there's nothing like that first one of the year. 361 00:20:10,209 --> 00:20:13,245 And that's what we just had. 362 00:20:13,245 --> 00:20:15,781 So, where there's one, there's sure to be others. 363 00:20:15,781 --> 00:20:17,683 SYDNEY: Mom, can I try doing the fishnet? 364 00:20:17,683 --> 00:20:19,985 SONTA: Yep. Come on over. 365 00:20:21,187 --> 00:20:24,457 And remember what you're feeling for Sydney is just any 366 00:20:24,457 --> 00:20:27,560 sort of little bump or something that's changed. 367 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:28,928 SYDNEY: How will I pull this up? 368 00:20:28,928 --> 00:20:31,163 SONTA: I'll help you. I'll be right here. 369 00:20:31,163 --> 00:20:34,066 CHEVIE: Pull 'em in bean, pull 'em in. 370 00:20:37,103 --> 00:20:39,271 JOHNNY: This is all trial and error. 371 00:20:39,271 --> 00:20:42,775 And I'm learning things by just doing it. 372 00:20:43,809 --> 00:20:45,377 And if you're always worried about failing, you're not 373 00:20:45,377 --> 00:20:47,746 gonna get anywhere in life. 374 00:20:54,353 --> 00:20:56,088 Yeah. It's just nice using this bone tool. 375 00:20:56,088 --> 00:20:58,991 Cause I'm not worried about putting holes in this hide. 376 00:20:58,991 --> 00:21:03,362 If I pull on it in some areas, you can see the stubble. 377 00:21:04,230 --> 00:21:05,898 You see some right there. 378 00:21:05,898 --> 00:21:09,001 All I gotta do is just pass over it again 379 00:21:09,001 --> 00:21:11,804 and it pulls it right off. 380 00:21:15,107 --> 00:21:17,243 That's working well. 381 00:21:17,243 --> 00:21:20,279 I just don't have to worry about, again, putting a 382 00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:21,547 hole in the hide. 383 00:21:21,547 --> 00:21:24,250 Cause that's just the worst part. 384 00:21:26,852 --> 00:21:29,488 I've actually never made buckskin before. 385 00:21:29,488 --> 00:21:32,391 It's just a old hide, you know. 386 00:21:32,725 --> 00:21:35,094 It's kind of a gamble trying to make buckskin out of it, 387 00:21:35,094 --> 00:21:40,132 but it looks pretty good. 388 00:21:40,132 --> 00:21:43,636 It's all scraped down, it's hairless, 389 00:21:43,636 --> 00:21:48,374 significantly lighter, trim off the edges later. 390 00:21:49,441 --> 00:21:52,645 For now, I just gotta go on to the next step. 391 00:21:54,613 --> 00:21:57,950 Which is gonna be a saltwater soak. 392 00:22:00,619 --> 00:22:02,021 This is my salt water. 393 00:22:02,021 --> 00:22:05,291 This is where I'm gonna soak the hide. 394 00:22:05,291 --> 00:22:07,560 Let's get busy. 395 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,162 Hides are just like meat. They can rot, they can spoil. 396 00:22:10,162 --> 00:22:11,730 They can go bad. 397 00:22:11,730 --> 00:22:16,035 So, I wanna make sure that I don't waste this hide. 398 00:22:16,035 --> 00:22:18,671 So basically, that's it. 399 00:22:18,671 --> 00:22:23,008 Saltwater's gonna pickle it and kind of stop that like rot 400 00:22:23,008 --> 00:22:26,912 process cause it's soaking in that ash water. 401 00:22:26,912 --> 00:22:29,415 There are a couple loons right here. 402 00:22:29,415 --> 00:22:32,484 (mimicking bird call) 403 00:22:33,652 --> 00:22:36,956 You see those loons, look at you. 404 00:22:36,956 --> 00:22:40,426 She wants to go get those loons. 405 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:47,032 And all I have to do now is just a little wring out 406 00:22:47,032 --> 00:22:50,069 and then uh, start tanning it. 407 00:22:51,303 --> 00:22:52,705 That'll do. 408 00:22:52,705 --> 00:22:54,039 You ready? 409 00:22:54,039 --> 00:22:56,542 Let's roll. Come on. 410 00:22:56,542 --> 00:22:59,745 Probably make it up the hill faster than me. Huh? 411 00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:08,187 KALEB: When I'm hunting spring bears, there's a lot of danger 412 00:23:09,455 --> 00:23:14,193 and I need to be instantly ready to take a shot. 413 00:23:20,466 --> 00:23:22,468 Well, I saw that grizzly earlier 414 00:23:22,468 --> 00:23:24,436 and he eventually meandered off. 415 00:23:24,436 --> 00:23:26,839 But the problem is he left his scent behind, and I think 416 00:23:26,839 --> 00:23:30,142 that's spooking out the black bears. 417 00:23:30,142 --> 00:23:32,111 I've been sitting here for a while and I haven't seen 418 00:23:32,111 --> 00:23:34,713 anything, so I'm gonna mosey on back to camp. 419 00:23:34,713 --> 00:23:37,483 Hunt my way back. 420 00:23:38,284 --> 00:23:41,420 I'm not expecting to see a lot because the wind is moving the 421 00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:45,291 direction I'm going, 422 00:23:46,258 --> 00:23:49,561 but I still gotta keep my eyes looking. 423 00:23:52,464 --> 00:23:54,967 Oh, wait. 424 00:23:55,868 --> 00:24:00,072 Actually... 425 00:24:00,072 --> 00:24:05,611 there's a bear 100 feet above my tent, jet black, 426 00:24:06,812 --> 00:24:10,449 so I'm back in the full-blown hunting mode here. 427 00:24:11,250 --> 00:24:14,720 Shell and barrel, full safety. 428 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,122 It's time to go for a stalk. 429 00:24:17,122 --> 00:24:20,125 Let's go get a black bear. 430 00:24:21,260 --> 00:24:25,431 I'm gonna go way wide and then try and get up wind and 431 00:24:25,431 --> 00:24:27,599 pop over in there. 432 00:24:27,599 --> 00:24:30,469 We'll see how this works. 433 00:24:31,603 --> 00:24:34,306 This is tough. 434 00:24:34,974 --> 00:24:37,743 I'm in a quandary 'cause the wind's going this way. 435 00:24:37,743 --> 00:24:40,279 The bear's right there. 436 00:24:41,046 --> 00:24:43,849 That puts me in a bad space as a hunter, because they 437 00:24:43,849 --> 00:24:46,618 rely on their nose. 438 00:24:46,618 --> 00:24:49,588 He can see me, he'll tolerate me. 439 00:24:49,588 --> 00:24:53,058 If they smell me, game over. 440 00:24:54,593 --> 00:24:58,664 At 184 yards I wanna get to that stump right there. 441 00:24:59,665 --> 00:25:02,968 I'm gonna wait for him to step out. 442 00:25:12,678 --> 00:25:19,351 ♪ ♪ 443 00:25:20,652 --> 00:25:23,756 My heart's pounding right now. 444 00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:35,768 He's behind the brush. 445 00:25:35,768 --> 00:25:39,338 I can't take a shot right now. 446 00:25:44,877 --> 00:25:46,779 (gunshot) 447 00:25:48,781 --> 00:25:55,387 ♪ ♪ 448 00:25:56,955 --> 00:25:58,123 KALEB: He's dead. 449 00:25:58,123 --> 00:26:00,526 He's down. 450 00:26:04,830 --> 00:26:06,932 There's the, there's the death moans right there. 451 00:26:06,932 --> 00:26:10,636 (moaning) 452 00:26:10,636 --> 00:26:14,106 160 yard shot. 453 00:26:16,642 --> 00:26:20,746 One shot right through the boiler room as ethical and 454 00:26:20,746 --> 00:26:25,350 clean and quick of a death as I could ever hope for. 455 00:26:33,192 --> 00:26:36,361 Bear's heavy. 456 00:26:36,962 --> 00:26:41,733 All right. Time to get to work. 457 00:26:46,205 --> 00:26:48,240 Nice young boar. 458 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,375 This thing's probably three years old. 459 00:26:50,375 --> 00:26:53,712 He's got perfect teeth. 460 00:26:53,712 --> 00:26:57,883 Most older bears, their teeth are all busted off and 461 00:26:57,883 --> 00:27:00,819 their jaw's just in sorry shape. 462 00:27:00,819 --> 00:27:04,590 But this guy, I mean, his teeth are absolutely perfect. 463 00:27:05,157 --> 00:27:08,160 Not a thing wrong with him. 464 00:27:08,727 --> 00:27:11,029 Oh, really nice young boar. 465 00:27:11,029 --> 00:27:13,432 He'll be really good eating. 466 00:27:14,333 --> 00:27:16,502 I'll lose the coat. 467 00:27:19,071 --> 00:27:20,939 Spring Bear is just premium. 468 00:27:20,939 --> 00:27:25,644 Good meat is something that I've been eating since 469 00:27:25,644 --> 00:27:27,946 I was a little kid. 470 00:27:30,582 --> 00:27:33,852 I'm gonna prop this guy's belly open so I can get as 471 00:27:33,852 --> 00:27:38,557 much airflow through here as possible, so he gets nice and 472 00:27:38,557 --> 00:27:40,993 cool tonight. 473 00:27:40,993 --> 00:27:43,395 Yeah. 474 00:27:43,395 --> 00:27:45,564 Nice young boar. 475 00:27:45,564 --> 00:27:47,232 Good and healthy. 476 00:27:47,232 --> 00:27:49,868 This is premium spring black bear meat. 477 00:27:49,868 --> 00:27:52,838 This'll kind of tide us over till fall time when we can 478 00:27:52,838 --> 00:27:54,907 hunt moose. 479 00:27:54,907 --> 00:27:56,875 Yeah, good eating. 480 00:27:56,875 --> 00:27:59,511 Thanks, Bear. 481 00:28:00,212 --> 00:28:03,115 That was an epic day. 482 00:28:09,054 --> 00:28:11,290 SONTA: You know our people have lived off this river for 483 00:28:11,290 --> 00:28:14,359 many, many, many generations. 484 00:28:14,893 --> 00:28:17,462 So, we're just doing an activity that we've been 485 00:28:17,462 --> 00:28:20,732 doing for forever. 486 00:28:21,967 --> 00:28:25,137 Oh, Chevie's pulling something up. 487 00:28:26,238 --> 00:28:27,773 You felt something hit your frame? 488 00:28:27,773 --> 00:28:28,974 CHEVIE: For sure that time. 489 00:28:28,974 --> 00:28:31,910 SONTA: Oh, must have just bounced right off the side. 490 00:28:31,910 --> 00:28:33,912 CHEVIE: I'll put it right back in the exact same spot. 491 00:28:33,912 --> 00:28:35,814 SONTA: That's where it was. 492 00:28:35,814 --> 00:28:36,949 CHEVIE: There is fish here. 493 00:28:36,949 --> 00:28:38,483 I kind of hate to leave a spot where you at least 494 00:28:38,483 --> 00:28:39,918 catching something. 495 00:28:39,918 --> 00:28:42,854 SONTA: You know, if they're there, I don't want to leave either. 496 00:28:47,726 --> 00:28:50,095 CHEVIE: Hey, look at that. 497 00:28:50,596 --> 00:28:53,565 SONTA: Whoa, you got a little guy. 498 00:28:53,565 --> 00:28:55,500 CHEVIE: I didn't even know it was in there. 499 00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:57,736 I couldn't even feel it hit. 500 00:28:57,736 --> 00:28:59,304 That's your baby fish, Emy. 501 00:28:59,304 --> 00:29:01,173 EMERY: Yay. SONTA: That's your meal, Emery. 502 00:29:01,173 --> 00:29:02,874 That's just your size. 503 00:29:02,874 --> 00:29:04,710 CHEVIE: Grab it, baby. EMERY: No. 504 00:29:04,710 --> 00:29:07,179 (laughing) 505 00:29:08,246 --> 00:29:10,682 Now the fishy has a friend. 506 00:29:11,216 --> 00:29:13,185 CHEVIE: That's a really small whitefish, so you know, 507 00:29:13,185 --> 00:29:16,188 it's the, kind of the end of the run. 508 00:29:16,188 --> 00:29:19,291 SONTA: The most ideal dipping situation is when the run is 509 00:29:19,291 --> 00:29:22,628 so strong, you put your net in and you just pull it 510 00:29:22,628 --> 00:29:24,096 right back out. 511 00:29:24,096 --> 00:29:25,364 EMERY: Uh-hmm. 512 00:29:25,364 --> 00:29:28,166 SONTA: But obviously we're not in the thick of it right now. 513 00:29:28,166 --> 00:29:31,336 This is the tail end of it and we're probably gonna have to 514 00:29:31,336 --> 00:29:34,740 go upriver just to catch them up a little bit. 515 00:29:38,377 --> 00:29:40,612 CHEVIE: Oh, look, I got you guys a treat. 516 00:29:40,612 --> 00:29:44,516 Ryder come, this is better than fish right now. 517 00:29:45,017 --> 00:29:46,718 RYDER: What's that, dad? 518 00:29:46,718 --> 00:29:49,688 CHEVIE: For the kids, it's all the adventure and the time of 519 00:29:49,688 --> 00:29:52,791 being out as a family and doing it together. 520 00:29:52,791 --> 00:29:54,660 EMERY: It's so smooth, Ryder. 521 00:29:54,660 --> 00:29:56,294 Look how smooth it is. 522 00:29:56,294 --> 00:29:59,131 CHEVIE: Go ahead. Put it on your face. 523 00:29:59,131 --> 00:30:02,167 Every year's different, and timing is key. 524 00:30:03,235 --> 00:30:08,306 All these things they're learning about from firsthand experience. 525 00:30:09,207 --> 00:30:12,377 Not being told the story, but by being there and 526 00:30:12,377 --> 00:30:14,680 being a part of it. 527 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,049 So, we caught two fish, we know that there's fish here. 528 00:30:17,049 --> 00:30:20,185 But it would be nice to be somewhere where we're catching 529 00:30:20,185 --> 00:30:22,120 a fish about every five minutes or something like 530 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:23,955 that, even if they are small. 531 00:30:23,955 --> 00:30:26,191 So, I think if we want to get into big fish. 532 00:30:26,191 --> 00:30:28,493 we're going to have to run upriver. 533 00:30:33,432 --> 00:30:38,737 Hi, hi. You got a big smile. 534 00:30:38,737 --> 00:30:41,239 Oh, yeah, hi, hi. 535 00:30:46,445 --> 00:30:50,115 Every eddy on the way up the river, we're checking it. 536 00:30:50,382 --> 00:30:53,051 I'm tying and untying the boat. 537 00:30:55,020 --> 00:30:56,588 We're fishing from the boat out on the river, 538 00:30:56,588 --> 00:30:59,324 we're fishing from the boat on the bank. 539 00:31:00,826 --> 00:31:03,295 We're trying everything that we know how to do to find 540 00:31:03,295 --> 00:31:06,965 these fish and it's just not working out. 541 00:31:09,501 --> 00:31:16,074 We're about 20 miles, 23 miles above Shageluk and uh... 542 00:31:16,074 --> 00:31:18,810 in another eddy, trying another spot here. 543 00:31:18,810 --> 00:31:22,080 This is a really good swift eddy. 544 00:31:22,914 --> 00:31:24,716 We could catch fish here, 545 00:31:24,716 --> 00:31:28,520 it's going to be a really good situation. 546 00:31:28,987 --> 00:31:31,323 When the getting's good, every time you put your net 547 00:31:31,323 --> 00:31:33,024 into the water, you're getting a bump. 548 00:31:36,928 --> 00:31:43,568 ♪ ♪ 549 00:31:46,238 --> 00:31:49,374 CHEVIE: I swear I got a couple good bumps. 550 00:31:49,374 --> 00:31:52,677 I don't know if that's fish hitting my net or you hitting my net. 551 00:31:54,079 --> 00:31:55,714 RYDER: You feel something hitting your net? 552 00:31:55,714 --> 00:31:59,684 CHEVIE: Yeah. RYDER: Do you feel it again? 553 00:32:00,752 --> 00:32:03,155 CHEVIE: It's like finding a needle in a haystack, 554 00:32:03,155 --> 00:32:05,857 trying to find fish in this big deep river right now. 555 00:32:05,857 --> 00:32:07,793 But we, we have an idea where to look. 556 00:32:07,793 --> 00:32:09,594 We just gotta keep on looking. 557 00:32:09,594 --> 00:32:11,263 SONTA: Maybe. 558 00:32:11,263 --> 00:32:15,000 Or we can just call it what it is, getting skunked out here. 559 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,836 The water is so high. 560 00:32:18,470 --> 00:32:22,240 (crying) 561 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:25,977 CHEVIE: All right, baby's crying, kids are ready to go. 562 00:32:29,114 --> 00:32:32,717 Let's head to the house and enjoy those two fish 563 00:32:32,717 --> 00:32:35,687 that we did get. 564 00:32:38,990 --> 00:32:41,927 JOHNNY: You can choose to buy things in a store. 565 00:32:41,927 --> 00:32:44,896 You can choose to make things. 566 00:32:45,530 --> 00:32:48,300 And the more I learn to make things, you know, the better 567 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:51,837 I feel about my possessions. 568 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:58,210 You think this hide's dry enough yet? 569 00:32:58,210 --> 00:33:01,413 It's a bit hard to dry with this rain, huh? 570 00:33:07,219 --> 00:33:09,855 JOHNNY: I'm gonna do a superhero cape. 571 00:33:10,989 --> 00:33:13,825 Man, look at this thing. 572 00:33:13,825 --> 00:33:17,395 You see where it's kind of like beige? 573 00:33:17,395 --> 00:33:22,801 And right about in here you can see it's dark and it's pretty hard, 574 00:33:23,101 --> 00:33:28,173 when you pull on it, see it turn white like that? 575 00:33:28,173 --> 00:33:31,009 And that's the fibers breaking and it's a lot softer 576 00:33:31,009 --> 00:33:33,979 versus how it was before I pulled on it. 577 00:33:33,979 --> 00:33:35,347 That's a really good sign. 578 00:33:35,347 --> 00:33:38,917 That means that this thing was tanned successfully. 579 00:33:39,451 --> 00:33:41,853 I'll be honest, I kind of didn't think it was going to. 580 00:33:43,221 --> 00:33:45,957 But just pulling on it is not enough. 581 00:33:45,957 --> 00:33:48,193 And one way I find that's very successful is to just rub it 582 00:33:48,193 --> 00:33:50,428 on a post. 583 00:33:53,131 --> 00:33:57,202 This was on an animal that I had shot in the fall and then 584 00:33:57,202 --> 00:34:00,438 in the winter I frost flushed it. 585 00:34:01,072 --> 00:34:04,009 And then now we're at summer, close to fall again, 586 00:34:04,009 --> 00:34:06,244 and I'm making buckskin out of it. 587 00:34:06,244 --> 00:34:08,280 And like, how far along this thing has come, 588 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,216 it's just incredible. 589 00:34:13,818 --> 00:34:16,855 Let's see, let's check it out. 590 00:34:16,855 --> 00:34:19,925 Oh, yeah, you can see the fibers are breaking up here. 591 00:34:19,925 --> 00:34:22,727 My God, it feels like suede. 592 00:34:22,727 --> 00:34:24,396 That is incredible! 593 00:34:24,396 --> 00:34:26,197 This is, this is a game changer. 594 00:34:26,197 --> 00:34:29,534 You know, I mean, I harvest what, six caribou a year? 595 00:34:29,534 --> 00:34:31,102 This is really cool. 596 00:34:31,102 --> 00:34:33,738 One day maybe I'll just be wearing buckskin head to toe. 597 00:34:33,738 --> 00:34:35,941 I'd be cool with that. 598 00:34:36,541 --> 00:34:38,743 Yeah, I've never had these feelings of satisfaction like 599 00:34:38,743 --> 00:34:42,213 working any other job I've had and, you know, 600 00:34:42,213 --> 00:34:44,816 that's why I'm out here. 601 00:34:44,816 --> 00:34:48,053 My job is, you know, living off the land as much as I can. 602 00:34:48,053 --> 00:34:51,256 So, I think I know what I'm going to make. 603 00:34:52,691 --> 00:34:55,060 I just like things to speak to me and tell me what to make, 604 00:34:55,060 --> 00:34:58,897 and this thing is just kind of screaming vest for some reason. 605 00:34:58,897 --> 00:35:01,967 27 right there. 606 00:35:06,938 --> 00:35:11,109 Sewing is a important trade to know when you're trying to be 607 00:35:11,109 --> 00:35:14,346 this self-reliant, as I am. 608 00:35:15,814 --> 00:35:19,184 You know, it would be a dream to sew all my own stuff. 609 00:35:19,184 --> 00:35:21,286 You know, because I don't, I don't buy clothing anymore. 610 00:35:21,286 --> 00:35:23,154 The clothing I have is just what I have from when I was 611 00:35:23,154 --> 00:35:25,357 living in the city. 612 00:35:25,357 --> 00:35:28,426 And when it, you know, dilapidates, who knows what 613 00:35:28,426 --> 00:35:31,096 I'll be wearing next? 614 00:35:31,963 --> 00:35:34,799 Hopefully this. 615 00:35:35,300 --> 00:35:36,768 Looking pretty good. 616 00:35:36,768 --> 00:35:37,969 It's a nice tight stitch. 617 00:35:37,969 --> 00:35:40,205 It's going to hold up. It's durable. 618 00:35:40,205 --> 00:35:43,308 And I'm just going to keep working on down here, 619 00:35:43,308 --> 00:35:46,911 it's just time to get busy and get at it! 620 00:35:49,648 --> 00:35:51,349 SAMANTHA: This isn't just for me and my husband. 621 00:35:51,349 --> 00:35:54,052 We're building these things now to pass down 622 00:35:54,052 --> 00:35:57,288 to our children and their future children. 623 00:35:57,288 --> 00:36:00,725 We want to be able to leave them with fertile ground 624 00:36:00,725 --> 00:36:03,795 and structures that work. 625 00:36:03,795 --> 00:36:08,767 (clucking) 626 00:36:12,537 --> 00:36:14,806 Oh, wow. 627 00:36:15,674 --> 00:36:18,576 This is going to be a big job. 628 00:36:20,178 --> 00:36:21,513 Oh. 629 00:36:21,513 --> 00:36:24,649 What is going on here? 630 00:36:24,649 --> 00:36:26,751 NATHAN: I think maybe we should stretch out this first part 631 00:36:26,751 --> 00:36:29,754 over the front on each side in case a breeze picks up 632 00:36:29,754 --> 00:36:31,790 and we can kind of just sandwich it in with a board 633 00:36:31,790 --> 00:36:33,692 temporarily or something. 634 00:36:33,692 --> 00:36:34,926 SAMANTHA: Yeah. 635 00:36:34,926 --> 00:36:37,662 NATHAN: Just to keep it from pulling around, so we have the 636 00:36:37,662 --> 00:36:39,898 first portion spread out. 637 00:36:39,898 --> 00:36:42,901 SAMANTHA: That's what I was thinking about doing. 638 00:36:43,468 --> 00:36:46,504 I've gotta tie my skirt up first. 639 00:36:48,773 --> 00:36:52,444 Putting up greenhouse plastic, it's my favorite part. 640 00:36:55,714 --> 00:36:59,150 The wind is trying to blow away our tarp, and this is 641 00:36:59,150 --> 00:37:02,120 already urgent enough. 642 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:05,056 We have to get this done and on like immediately. 643 00:37:05,724 --> 00:37:07,759 NATHAN: Storm's blowing in. 644 00:37:07,759 --> 00:37:09,127 SAMANTHA: And it's coming in pretty quick. 645 00:37:09,127 --> 00:37:12,097 NATHAN: Yeah. 646 00:37:12,097 --> 00:37:13,965 SAMANTHA: I'm kind of panicking right now. 647 00:37:13,965 --> 00:37:16,334 I'm completely overwhelmed. 648 00:37:20,505 --> 00:37:22,540 Oh, no. Oh, no. 649 00:37:22,540 --> 00:37:25,844 What do I do? 650 00:37:25,844 --> 00:37:27,145 NATHAN: Come help. 651 00:37:27,145 --> 00:37:28,213 SAMANTHA: I don't know what to do. 652 00:37:28,213 --> 00:37:29,247 NATHAN: Pull. 653 00:37:29,247 --> 00:37:35,520 SAMANTHA: Okay. 654 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:38,623 This is crazy. 655 00:37:38,623 --> 00:37:40,425 Ugh. 656 00:37:42,293 --> 00:37:47,632 ♪ ♪ 657 00:37:49,167 --> 00:37:50,902 NATHAN: It's hitting us. 658 00:37:50,902 --> 00:37:54,139 (bleating) 659 00:37:54,139 --> 00:37:55,907 Meanwhile the goat is just laughing at us. 660 00:37:55,907 --> 00:37:58,376 SAMANTHA: I know. 661 00:37:59,844 --> 00:38:03,248 NATHAN: Just hand me a piece of wood, six inches to a foot please. 662 00:38:03,248 --> 00:38:05,283 SAMANTHA: Okay. 663 00:38:05,283 --> 00:38:06,584 Okay, here's... 664 00:38:06,584 --> 00:38:08,253 NATHAN: We're going to have a seam here to deal with, 665 00:38:08,253 --> 00:38:12,090 but it is what it is. 666 00:38:12,090 --> 00:38:15,360 Okay, now you can pull on the other end and try to get it 667 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,428 tight enough for me. 668 00:38:17,428 --> 00:38:19,597 SAMANTHA: I have to do it with a ladder. 669 00:38:19,597 --> 00:38:21,566 NATHAN: All right. 670 00:38:21,566 --> 00:38:23,234 SAMANTHA: I'm okay with the rain. 671 00:38:23,234 --> 00:38:25,937 It's the wind I don't like. 672 00:38:25,937 --> 00:38:27,572 Oh. 673 00:38:27,572 --> 00:38:29,674 NATHAN: I'm gonna have to try to get up here somehow. 674 00:38:29,674 --> 00:38:31,409 SAMANTHA: Oh. 675 00:38:31,409 --> 00:38:34,012 Oh, lord be with you. 676 00:38:37,582 --> 00:38:39,751 I brought you a ladder. 677 00:38:39,751 --> 00:38:41,686 Well, fine. 678 00:38:50,428 --> 00:38:53,431 NATHAN: Okay, the plastic is on. 679 00:38:53,431 --> 00:38:57,735 Looks like crap, but it is on nonetheless. 680 00:38:57,735 --> 00:39:00,038 SAMANTHA: Phenomenal. 681 00:39:04,275 --> 00:39:07,779 JOHNNY: Now the more trades that I can accumulate out here, 682 00:39:07,779 --> 00:39:09,514 the more successful I'm gonna be, the more 683 00:39:09,514 --> 00:39:12,350 self-reliant I'm gonna be. 684 00:39:12,350 --> 00:39:15,353 That's the ultimate goal for me living out here, and 685 00:39:15,353 --> 00:39:18,022 I think it's the ultimately goal for most Alaskans 686 00:39:18,022 --> 00:39:20,925 living out in the wild. 687 00:39:24,128 --> 00:39:26,598 So I got this couple caribou antlers there and I'm going to 688 00:39:26,598 --> 00:39:30,001 saw off some discs and those would be the buttons and we'll 689 00:39:30,001 --> 00:39:32,770 call this buttoned up. 690 00:39:35,473 --> 00:39:37,809 You know, you talk about like remembering an animal, 691 00:39:37,809 --> 00:39:39,244 and that's why I keep antlers. 692 00:39:39,244 --> 00:39:40,445 I don't keep those for trophies. 693 00:39:40,445 --> 00:39:42,313 I keep them because I'm always gonna remember the animal, 694 00:39:42,313 --> 00:39:45,250 whether the antler's whole or it's just a little disc like 695 00:39:45,250 --> 00:39:46,684 this for a button. 696 00:39:46,684 --> 00:39:49,420 This animal lives on in my life. 697 00:39:49,687 --> 00:39:51,522 They're not trophies, they're parts, they're pieces 698 00:39:51,522 --> 00:39:54,058 that I continue using. 699 00:39:54,058 --> 00:39:57,161 And I'm just kind of paying respect to that animal that 700 00:39:57,161 --> 00:40:00,265 helped me live. 701 00:40:00,265 --> 00:40:02,533 KALEB: Ellie, do you know what time it is? 702 00:40:02,533 --> 00:40:04,235 ELOVIE: It's sausage time! 703 00:40:04,235 --> 00:40:07,138 KALEB: All right, that sounds good to me. 704 00:40:07,906 --> 00:40:09,908 ELOVIE: Me too. 705 00:40:11,409 --> 00:40:14,345 KALEB: I think hunting is a rite of passage around here, 706 00:40:14,345 --> 00:40:17,081 and I've been hunting since I was a little kid. 707 00:40:17,081 --> 00:40:20,385 You know what I'm gonna do once I get done grinding this bowl? 708 00:40:20,385 --> 00:40:23,121 I'm gonna make up a patty and cook it and taste it 709 00:40:23,121 --> 00:40:25,189 and see how it is. 710 00:40:25,189 --> 00:40:27,458 And my hope is that in a few years I can take the kids on 711 00:40:27,458 --> 00:40:29,794 these bear hunts. 712 00:40:29,794 --> 00:40:32,864 ELOVIE: That's pretty. 713 00:40:33,264 --> 00:40:35,633 NATHAN: Just put it all kind of in the middle right here. 714 00:40:35,633 --> 00:40:38,703 We'll figure out, what's gonna go where. 715 00:40:39,704 --> 00:40:42,707 I'm feeling pretty great that the greenhouse is finished. 716 00:40:42,707 --> 00:40:45,977 So, corn, celery, dill and tomatoes. 717 00:40:45,977 --> 00:40:47,278 SAMANTHA: Okay. 718 00:40:47,278 --> 00:40:48,813 NATHAN: I think that sounds good. 719 00:40:48,813 --> 00:40:51,015 All of which are pretty long seasoned vegetables. 720 00:40:51,015 --> 00:40:52,617 SAMANTHA: Yeah. 721 00:40:52,617 --> 00:40:54,986 NATHAN: That kind of brings a little bit more urgency to this. 722 00:40:54,986 --> 00:40:56,387 So, we just want to get it done. 723 00:40:56,387 --> 00:40:58,423 We want to get the plants in the ground in hopes of being 724 00:40:58,423 --> 00:41:01,225 able to harvest something later this summer. 725 00:41:01,225 --> 00:41:02,794 SONTA: At least we got something. 726 00:41:02,794 --> 00:41:04,162 CHEVIE: I know. 727 00:41:04,162 --> 00:41:06,097 SONTA: It's like I'm just happy with at least two, 728 00:41:06,097 --> 00:41:09,033 because that's all you need just to have the taste of 729 00:41:09,033 --> 00:41:10,535 whitefish in the spring. 730 00:41:10,535 --> 00:41:12,270 CHEVIE: Yeah. 731 00:41:12,270 --> 00:41:14,906 Yeah, we'd like to get 40 or 50 fish and hit the run right on 732 00:41:14,906 --> 00:41:19,310 and be perfect but life's not always like that. 733 00:41:19,310 --> 00:41:22,814 Sometimes you get a small paycheck. 734 00:41:22,814 --> 00:41:24,782 SONTA: Oh, I heard it just sizzle when you turned it over. 735 00:41:24,782 --> 00:41:25,817 CHEVIE: Oh. 736 00:41:25,817 --> 00:41:27,151 SONTA: Just that sound, you know? 737 00:41:27,151 --> 00:41:30,221 CHEVIE: Oh. SONTA: Pshhhhh. 738 00:41:31,255 --> 00:41:33,524 JOHNNY: Yeah, it doesn't look store bought. 739 00:41:33,524 --> 00:41:35,293 Thank God it doesn't. 740 00:41:35,293 --> 00:41:38,663 Any piece of store-bought clothing that I've put on, 741 00:41:38,663 --> 00:41:41,666 will never make me feel the way this will make me feel. 742 00:41:41,666 --> 00:41:44,936 Because I have a, a connection to this. 743 00:41:45,603 --> 00:41:48,873 There we go, that's it right there. 744 00:41:48,873 --> 00:41:52,810 Feels nice, feels good, man, this is cool. 745 00:41:52,810 --> 00:41:56,948 This will feel better than anything I've ever bought in the store. 746 00:41:56,948 --> 00:41:58,983 Yeah, I like it. 747 00:41:58,983 --> 00:42:00,184 What do you think Java? 748 00:42:00,184 --> 00:42:02,987 You impressed or you unimpressed? 749 00:42:02,987 --> 00:42:05,790 Which one are you? Are you impressed? 750 00:42:05,790 --> 00:42:08,626 You just want me to make you one now, don't you? 751 00:42:09,761 --> 00:42:10,762 ELOVIE: Can I smell? 752 00:42:10,762 --> 00:42:12,497 KALEB: Oh, it smells so good. 753 00:42:12,497 --> 00:42:13,898 ELOVIE: Uh-hmm. 754 00:42:13,898 --> 00:42:16,067 SONTA: Every meal tastes better over the fire. 755 00:42:16,067 --> 00:42:18,770 CHEVIE: Always. 756 00:42:19,036 --> 00:42:20,872 SONTA: And this is really a tradition to have 757 00:42:20,872 --> 00:42:23,141 whitefish this way. 758 00:42:23,141 --> 00:42:25,810 When you're in college or when you're away from home, 759 00:42:25,810 --> 00:42:27,345 you'll come back to the Innoko River, 760 00:42:27,345 --> 00:42:29,280 and this will be one of the things that you crave. 761 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:30,314 EMERY: Hey, give me. 762 00:42:30,314 --> 00:42:33,151 SONTA: You'll crave that spring whitefish. 763 00:42:34,052 --> 00:42:36,320 Chevie and I always are talking to our kids about why 764 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:39,757 it is we live this lifestyle and why they're unique, 765 00:42:39,757 --> 00:42:43,227 having grown up in this lifestyle, and we want them to 766 00:42:43,227 --> 00:42:46,497 celebrate who they are and understand that this is 767 00:42:46,497 --> 00:42:50,134 what makes them Deg Hit'an Athabaskan, just like me. 768 00:42:50,802 --> 00:42:53,771 And what makes them from this land. 769 00:42:54,072 --> 00:42:55,406 NATHAN: Watch, okay? 770 00:42:55,406 --> 00:42:58,276 I stick my hands, and my fingers kind of around the plant. 771 00:42:58,276 --> 00:43:00,578 Turn it upside down to support it and push on the bottom and 772 00:43:00,578 --> 00:43:02,680 it comes out like that. 773 00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:03,815 SAMANTHA: There you go. 774 00:43:03,815 --> 00:43:06,651 Use both hands to turn it over. 775 00:43:07,185 --> 00:43:09,754 I'm so proud of my little gardeners. 776 00:43:10,221 --> 00:43:11,456 NATHAN: It's looking good so far. 777 00:43:11,456 --> 00:43:14,025 SAMANTHA: Yeah, plenty of room. 778 00:43:14,025 --> 00:43:16,894 NATHAN: We can readjust as we're planting. 779 00:43:16,894 --> 00:43:18,729 SAMANTHA: There's something so special about having that 780 00:43:18,729 --> 00:43:20,865 intimate relationship with your food. 781 00:43:20,865 --> 00:43:23,267 SONTA: Hmm. 782 00:43:23,267 --> 00:43:25,169 CHEVIE: First whitefish. 783 00:43:25,169 --> 00:43:27,839 KALEB: Oh, that's good. ELOVIE: Ahh. 784 00:43:28,573 --> 00:43:30,007 KALEB: What do you think? 785 00:43:30,007 --> 00:43:32,009 ELOVIE: Hmm. KALEB: Amazing huh? 786 00:43:32,009 --> 00:43:33,978 SAMANTHA: And I think that's especially important for kids 787 00:43:33,978 --> 00:43:35,947 to know exactly where their food comes from and 788 00:43:35,947 --> 00:43:38,516 what goes into growing it. 789 00:43:38,516 --> 00:43:42,553 I think there is something just spectacular about that. 790 00:43:42,553 --> 00:43:44,922 (chatter) 791 00:43:44,922 --> 00:43:47,525 SONTA: Hmm, uh-hmm. 792 00:43:47,525 --> 00:43:51,696 Whether you catch one fish or two fish or 60, it's all about 793 00:43:51,696 --> 00:43:56,000 the memories and the good times we had together. 794 00:43:57,535 --> 00:43:59,237 Captioned by Cotter Media Group.