1 00:00:09,343 --> 00:00:11,543 Chris: I think there's a grouse. 2 00:00:11,579 --> 00:00:14,613 It flew right back in here. 3 00:00:16,450 --> 00:00:19,585 Jessi: Oh, right here, right here, right here, right here. 4 00:00:21,522 --> 00:00:23,088 It's a good size grouse. 5 00:00:23,124 --> 00:00:24,890 Chris: Yeah. 6 00:00:33,534 --> 00:00:35,300 Jessi: If I miss the shot, 7 00:00:35,336 --> 00:00:38,103 I could totally lose the bird, 8 00:00:38,139 --> 00:00:40,739 and I can't waste those opportunities, 9 00:00:40,775 --> 00:00:43,042 or come December, January, February, 10 00:00:43,077 --> 00:00:46,412 I'm going to be sorely disappointed. 11 00:00:47,915 --> 00:00:48,981 Chris: You got about three seconds to get on 12 00:00:49,016 --> 00:00:50,749 him and kill him. 13 00:00:50,785 --> 00:00:52,084 Jessi: Ow, dang. 14 00:00:52,119 --> 00:00:54,620 Oh, come on. 15 00:00:57,425 --> 00:00:59,892 Thank you, grouse. Thank you, grouse. 16 00:00:59,927 --> 00:01:02,494 Thank you, grouse. Thank you, grouse. 17 00:01:02,830 --> 00:01:04,963 When it comes to hunting and fishing, 18 00:01:04,999 --> 00:01:06,832 I will get my hands dirty. 19 00:01:06,867 --> 00:01:08,567 I took off its head cause I want it to die fast. 20 00:01:08,602 --> 00:01:11,270 Chris: Oh, good job. 21 00:01:11,305 --> 00:01:13,972 Jessi: I don't want him to suffer. 22 00:01:14,275 --> 00:01:16,041 I feel like this is an omen. 23 00:01:16,077 --> 00:01:17,643 Winter is coming. 24 00:01:17,678 --> 00:01:20,012 We need to get everything buttoned up so we can make it 25 00:01:20,047 --> 00:01:22,648 through the rough winter that it always is. 26 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,461 Jessi: Great, there's that. 27 00:01:35,496 --> 00:01:37,496 Chris: Ah, this is the one that I wanna use. 28 00:01:38,432 --> 00:01:39,598 Should probably check this thing out, 29 00:01:39,633 --> 00:01:41,600 it's been sitting up there a little while. 30 00:01:41,836 --> 00:01:44,203 Just stretch it all the way out for me. 31 00:01:44,605 --> 00:01:46,138 The fall in alaska's pretty short. 32 00:01:46,173 --> 00:01:49,174 And the cosna's a really tough place to harvest fish. 33 00:01:49,810 --> 00:01:52,211 Ice is coming, and once that hits, 34 00:01:52,246 --> 00:01:54,847 we're going to have to pull our nets and stop fishing, 35 00:01:55,816 --> 00:01:57,783 which means you have to do everything in your power in a 36 00:01:57,818 --> 00:02:00,152 very limited amount of time to catch these fish. 37 00:02:02,656 --> 00:02:04,289 Gotta make sure all the knots are tight but looks 38 00:02:04,325 --> 00:02:06,425 like it's in good shape. 39 00:02:06,460 --> 00:02:08,160 Jessi: And this is supposed to be tied, right? 40 00:02:08,195 --> 00:02:09,561 Like that? 41 00:02:09,597 --> 00:02:11,897 Chris: Yeah, make sure it's tight enough a fishy can't get out. 42 00:02:11,932 --> 00:02:14,266 I think we should go, try dropping this thing in. 43 00:02:15,069 --> 00:02:17,469 If the fish get in there, they're not getting out. 44 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:23,041 The fats that you find in fish are really healthy for you. 45 00:02:24,745 --> 00:02:26,378 As we get into the colder days, 46 00:02:26,413 --> 00:02:28,347 we're really gonna need those. 47 00:02:28,616 --> 00:02:30,315 When you eat it, you can actually feel the energy burn 48 00:02:30,351 --> 00:02:32,284 inside of you. 49 00:02:32,319 --> 00:02:34,953 Especially when it's 40 and 50 below. 50 00:02:35,322 --> 00:02:37,322 So, it's one of the best sources of fat that we really 51 00:02:37,358 --> 00:02:39,291 want to chase after. 52 00:02:42,863 --> 00:02:45,330 Okay. Yeah. 53 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:47,766 There's a small eddy up here on the river that 54 00:02:47,801 --> 00:02:49,268 I'd like to get down to. 55 00:02:49,303 --> 00:02:51,436 It looked like it was a pretty good fishing spot 56 00:02:51,472 --> 00:02:53,739 from our side of the river. 57 00:02:54,108 --> 00:02:55,674 See if we can work our way down there. 58 00:02:55,709 --> 00:02:58,110 Just walk really carefully. 59 00:02:59,713 --> 00:03:03,081 Jessi: The river is obviously coming downriver. 60 00:03:03,117 --> 00:03:04,449 Is this the spot? 61 00:03:04,485 --> 00:03:06,752 Chris: Yeah, look at this nice little eddy that's coming in. 62 00:03:06,787 --> 00:03:09,788 Jessi: That eddy is a current, actually going up, 63 00:03:09,823 --> 00:03:13,158 and its usually kind of a small area on the outer bank 64 00:03:13,194 --> 00:03:15,127 and that's where we want to put the fyke net. 65 00:03:15,162 --> 00:03:19,364 Chris: And we're gonna go one, two, and release. 66 00:03:20,968 --> 00:03:23,368 Jessi: We want the fyke net in the pathway that the 67 00:03:23,404 --> 00:03:25,671 fish is gonna take when it's going upriver. 68 00:03:25,706 --> 00:03:27,673 Chris: And let it sink. 69 00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:30,542 Jessi: The fish is gonna take that turn into the eddy, 70 00:03:30,578 --> 00:03:33,745 exactly where the opening of the fyke net needs to be. 71 00:03:35,349 --> 00:03:36,782 Chris: Perfect. That looks great. 72 00:03:36,817 --> 00:03:38,483 (grunt) 73 00:03:38,519 --> 00:03:42,654 but we gotta expect that the water's gonna come up too, so. 74 00:03:42,856 --> 00:03:46,391 Jessi: Yeah, I mean if it comes up more than two or three feet, 75 00:03:46,427 --> 00:03:48,493 we might, you know, be in trouble, 76 00:03:48,529 --> 00:03:51,163 but I am slightly worried about the fyke net. 77 00:03:51,198 --> 00:03:54,766 The river is rising right now, so if the river rises too much, 78 00:03:54,802 --> 00:03:57,569 or if the bank gives away, we're out, 79 00:03:57,605 --> 00:03:59,805 our only fyke net. 80 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,709 But I'm still gonna give it a shot because there is still a chance that tomorrow, 81 00:04:03,744 --> 00:04:05,877 that thing's gonna be full of fish. 82 00:04:06,347 --> 00:04:09,314 Chris: It is very important to catch fresh food out here. 83 00:04:09,350 --> 00:04:11,083 We're always low. 84 00:04:11,118 --> 00:04:13,352 And this is gonna be a way to get ahead. 85 00:04:16,757 --> 00:04:18,957 Michael: This asphalt that we put down; 86 00:04:18,993 --> 00:04:21,526 this is just a little blip in the history of humans. 87 00:04:21,962 --> 00:04:23,729 You know, these liquid roads? 88 00:04:23,764 --> 00:04:25,797 These are the realest road around. 89 00:04:30,738 --> 00:04:33,772 Michael: The crisp part of fall is finally kicking in. 90 00:04:34,942 --> 00:04:37,209 Frost every night. 91 00:04:37,645 --> 00:04:40,078 This is prime time for moose. 92 00:04:44,718 --> 00:04:46,385 I'm moving with a purpose. 93 00:04:46,420 --> 00:04:48,153 My heart is just pumping hard. 94 00:04:48,188 --> 00:04:49,888 I'm in the hunt mode. 95 00:04:49,923 --> 00:04:53,125 And this right here, this frosty, freezing cold, 96 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,461 this is what gets them big bulls moving down here 97 00:04:56,497 --> 00:04:58,363 to the river. 98 00:04:58,399 --> 00:05:00,565 And today's gonna be a good day. 99 00:05:03,003 --> 00:05:05,437 Narrator: With moose hunting season nearing an end, 100 00:05:05,472 --> 00:05:08,373 michael manzo must track down a bull moose to 101 00:05:08,409 --> 00:05:11,910 secure his lifeline of meat for the dark winter ahead. 102 00:05:14,882 --> 00:05:17,883 Michael: My pursuit of new wild river, 103 00:05:17,918 --> 00:05:20,118 this feeds it very well. 104 00:05:20,154 --> 00:05:22,387 This is one of the slimmest rivers I think 105 00:05:22,423 --> 00:05:24,756 I've ever hunted. 106 00:05:25,693 --> 00:05:27,993 And I'm happy to be here, 107 00:05:28,028 --> 00:05:31,029 but I would really like to come out of here with some moose meat. 108 00:05:34,368 --> 00:05:36,735 That is the number one priority. 109 00:05:36,770 --> 00:05:40,605 To subsist for the winter off what I catch in the fall. 110 00:05:42,343 --> 00:05:44,343 The fog's starting to clear and I see a big bluff 111 00:05:44,378 --> 00:05:47,212 relatively close to the river. 112 00:05:47,247 --> 00:05:49,581 So, I'm gonna hike up there. 113 00:05:50,384 --> 00:05:54,252 Get to sendin' some calls out and try to get on a moose. 114 00:05:59,827 --> 00:06:01,860 A couple more hard frosts, 115 00:06:01,895 --> 00:06:05,063 these leaves will drop off these trees. 116 00:06:05,332 --> 00:06:08,600 I might be able to see another twenty yards in 117 00:06:08,669 --> 00:06:11,703 and catch a moose that I otherwise wouldn't have seen. 118 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:14,773 Moose tracks. 119 00:06:14,808 --> 00:06:16,675 They're here. 120 00:06:16,944 --> 00:06:19,745 There's a lot of activity here. 121 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,848 This is a highway. 122 00:06:23,317 --> 00:06:26,318 This is what I'm looking for. 123 00:06:29,656 --> 00:06:32,791 The anticipation builds as this fog is set in. 124 00:06:33,660 --> 00:06:36,428 You couldn't even cut that with a knife. 125 00:06:36,864 --> 00:06:39,197 I just really want to see this landscape, 126 00:06:39,233 --> 00:06:42,267 get my bearings and get my moose calls up above the 127 00:06:42,302 --> 00:06:44,436 sounds of the water. 128 00:06:47,274 --> 00:06:48,707 If I see a moose. 129 00:06:48,742 --> 00:06:52,644 It's gonna be a safe but mad dash down this mountaintop. 130 00:06:55,382 --> 00:06:59,785 As this fog recedes back from the cold frosty night, 131 00:07:00,687 --> 00:07:04,055 all the peaks should be exposed. 132 00:07:05,426 --> 00:07:07,959 I'll get my call up. 133 00:07:10,564 --> 00:07:16,802 (imitating moose call) 134 00:07:19,106 --> 00:07:21,773 I might keep my eyes peeled on this little creek here. 135 00:07:21,809 --> 00:07:25,710 I can see good depth a couple, three miles up. 136 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,382 Looks like it's got some good flow to it. 137 00:07:30,818 --> 00:07:34,219 I'm gonna get down to the boat and motor down here, 138 00:07:35,622 --> 00:07:38,323 check out this creek. 139 00:07:40,727 --> 00:07:43,495 Brittany: Living out here in mccarthy it's not super easy 140 00:07:43,530 --> 00:07:47,132 to just run to the grocery store any time you need meat. 141 00:07:50,938 --> 00:07:53,672 Brittany: Ahh, what do you hear? 142 00:07:53,707 --> 00:07:55,807 What do you hear? 143 00:07:55,843 --> 00:07:57,075 Look at that. 144 00:07:57,110 --> 00:07:58,743 What do you think's in the cages? 145 00:07:58,779 --> 00:07:59,744 Elovie: Bunnies. 146 00:07:59,780 --> 00:08:00,946 Brittany: Bunnies? 147 00:08:00,981 --> 00:08:03,782 Yay! You got us bunnies. 148 00:08:04,218 --> 00:08:05,617 How'd they do on the four-wheeler? 149 00:08:05,652 --> 00:08:06,885 Kaleb: Oh, they did great. 150 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,286 Brittany: Yeah? 151 00:08:08,322 --> 00:08:10,989 So, normally in the winter, we have about 30 people here. 152 00:08:11,024 --> 00:08:13,525 This last winter when covid started, 153 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,293 there were around 100 people, 154 00:08:15,329 --> 00:08:19,130 which is a big deal when thinking about the fall hunts. 155 00:08:19,166 --> 00:08:24,336 We may not have enough big game animals to feed that many people, 156 00:08:24,605 --> 00:08:27,506 so I decided to start raising some of our own meat. 157 00:08:27,541 --> 00:08:29,341 All right, you can open it. 158 00:08:29,376 --> 00:08:32,344 Elovie: So pretty and nice. 159 00:08:32,379 --> 00:08:34,579 Not even biting. 160 00:08:34,615 --> 00:08:35,747 Brittany: Are you excited to see little 161 00:08:35,782 --> 00:08:37,249 baby rabbits sometime? 162 00:08:37,284 --> 00:08:41,186 My children are definitely too young to go out hunting on their own, 163 00:08:41,221 --> 00:08:46,758 however they can begin to learn things like animal husbandry. 164 00:08:47,261 --> 00:08:50,128 I have never built a rabbit cage. 165 00:08:50,163 --> 00:08:51,963 I have never raised rabbits, 166 00:08:51,999 --> 00:08:53,865 but I'm very eager to try both. 167 00:08:54,668 --> 00:08:58,069 I'll be building these hutches with my six year-old, gilbert. 168 00:08:58,105 --> 00:08:59,437 Hold this. 169 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,374 (drill whirring) 170 00:09:02,609 --> 00:09:03,708 look at that. 171 00:09:03,744 --> 00:09:05,110 And my four-year-old, elovie. 172 00:09:05,145 --> 00:09:06,578 You do it. 173 00:09:08,081 --> 00:09:09,681 Elovie: Whoa. 174 00:09:09,917 --> 00:09:13,118 Brittany: Nice. 'kay, can you please not? 175 00:09:14,288 --> 00:09:15,687 Hopefully no one gets hurt. 176 00:09:15,722 --> 00:09:18,089 ♪ I talk it out, talk it out, I talk it out, I talk ♪♪ 177 00:09:18,125 --> 00:09:19,691 brittany: But I think it's going to be a lot of fun. 178 00:09:19,726 --> 00:09:21,426 I don't often get to use power tools, but when I do, 179 00:09:21,461 --> 00:09:23,194 I like it. 180 00:09:23,230 --> 00:09:26,197 This is not a kaleb rowland building. 181 00:09:26,233 --> 00:09:28,533 This is a brittany rowland building. 182 00:09:28,835 --> 00:09:30,735 And that means it will have some beautiful unique 183 00:09:30,771 --> 00:09:34,606 qualities such as not being square. 184 00:09:36,577 --> 00:09:38,410 Elovie: That looks too beautiful. 185 00:09:38,478 --> 00:09:40,512 Brittany: Too beautiful? 186 00:09:43,050 --> 00:09:44,749 There we go. 187 00:09:44,785 --> 00:09:46,751 The frame is done. 188 00:09:46,787 --> 00:09:48,853 The walls are the next phase. 189 00:09:52,159 --> 00:09:56,061 Alex: If I'm not going to buy new technology to solve all of my inconveniences, 190 00:09:56,096 --> 00:09:58,396 then what I have to do is change myself. 191 00:09:58,432 --> 00:09:59,931 It's not really to define myself, 192 00:09:59,967 --> 00:10:01,566 it's more to refine myself. 193 00:10:04,838 --> 00:10:07,238 There's only a few days left of moose season. 194 00:10:07,274 --> 00:10:09,107 After that, moose is off the table, 195 00:10:09,142 --> 00:10:11,476 and I'll have to depend on whatever small game I can hunt. 196 00:10:12,446 --> 00:10:14,813 If I get a moose, that's basically peace of mind for 197 00:10:14,848 --> 00:10:17,415 the entire winter. 198 00:10:17,618 --> 00:10:19,651 To do my moose calling, 199 00:10:19,886 --> 00:10:21,820 it's a little better to have a megaphone. 200 00:10:21,855 --> 00:10:23,288 Of course, you can, you know, 201 00:10:23,323 --> 00:10:24,656 buy plastic ones at the store. 202 00:10:24,691 --> 00:10:27,926 I don't have access to that, so, uh, birch bark will do. 203 00:10:27,961 --> 00:10:29,127 Think that's good. 204 00:10:29,162 --> 00:10:30,595 I've never done this before, 205 00:10:30,631 --> 00:10:33,064 but it's always fun to try something new. 206 00:10:34,735 --> 00:10:37,235 No matter, like, how tough you are, how smart you are. 207 00:10:37,270 --> 00:10:39,137 This is working real good, I think. 208 00:10:39,706 --> 00:10:41,406 You have to be ready to reinvent yourself. 209 00:10:41,975 --> 00:10:43,341 Pull it tight. 210 00:10:45,779 --> 00:10:48,880 My name is alex javor and we're in bear creek, alaska. 211 00:10:50,851 --> 00:10:52,550 There's not too many places left in the world 212 00:10:52,586 --> 00:10:54,986 where you can be free. 213 00:10:55,022 --> 00:10:57,489 Living a really soft lifestyle in the city, 214 00:10:57,524 --> 00:10:59,658 I wanted to see if I could just move out into the 215 00:10:59,693 --> 00:11:01,793 wilderness and make it. 216 00:11:02,696 --> 00:11:04,763 I could've lived off-grid in tennessee, 217 00:11:04,798 --> 00:11:07,165 but I chose alaska for the challenge. 218 00:11:09,136 --> 00:11:13,438 My main goal living out here is to wean myself off the teat of society, 219 00:11:14,474 --> 00:11:19,844 to get all of my meat and a lot of my food in general 220 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,780 just from the land here. 221 00:11:22,849 --> 00:11:25,283 Everything here is more extreme. 222 00:11:27,721 --> 00:11:30,321 And that's what I like. 223 00:11:32,592 --> 00:11:34,125 You also have to remember, 224 00:11:34,161 --> 00:11:36,327 this place is always bigger than you. 225 00:11:37,297 --> 00:11:40,131 Yeah, just like that. 226 00:11:40,167 --> 00:11:41,833 Perfect. 227 00:11:42,069 --> 00:11:44,369 I got a new tool I can take with me for the hunt. 228 00:11:44,404 --> 00:11:47,539 Hopefully it'll, uh, be worth the time it took to make. 229 00:11:50,210 --> 00:11:51,276 (animal call) 230 00:11:51,311 --> 00:11:52,544 (clears throat) 231 00:11:52,579 --> 00:11:53,778 ah, it's more like. 232 00:11:53,814 --> 00:11:56,147 (animal call) 233 00:11:57,050 --> 00:11:59,551 (animal call) 234 00:11:59,586 --> 00:12:00,952 sipsey! 235 00:12:01,321 --> 00:12:04,622 Hey. Hey. Sipsey! 236 00:12:06,860 --> 00:12:09,260 For moose hunting, it's kind of a tough balance. 237 00:12:09,296 --> 00:12:11,730 I'm walking a long ways, and then I also have to be 238 00:12:11,765 --> 00:12:14,999 prepared to carry back thousands of pounds of meat if 239 00:12:15,035 --> 00:12:18,803 I'm successful, so I need to travel light and fast 240 00:12:18,839 --> 00:12:20,405 at the same time. 241 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,174 I need to make sure I have everything that I need. 242 00:12:24,878 --> 00:12:27,479 One last thing, gotta make sure sipsey, hey, 243 00:12:27,514 --> 00:12:28,613 look at him ready to go. 244 00:12:28,648 --> 00:12:29,647 Sipsey. 245 00:12:29,683 --> 00:12:31,916 Come here. 246 00:12:31,952 --> 00:12:34,252 For the moose hunt, I think it's best if 247 00:12:34,287 --> 00:12:35,920 I don't take sipsey. 248 00:12:35,956 --> 00:12:37,889 See you soon, buddy, okay? 249 00:12:37,924 --> 00:12:40,125 Sipsey might chase after it, rile it up. 250 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:41,893 It's just kind of unpredictable what a 251 00:12:41,928 --> 00:12:44,229 dog might do. 252 00:12:44,264 --> 00:12:47,165 But, it's kind of scary walking around without him. 253 00:12:47,768 --> 00:12:50,935 Even with a shotgun or a rifle. 254 00:12:51,438 --> 00:12:53,571 Come out here unprepared and at best, 255 00:12:53,607 --> 00:12:55,540 you're probably going to have a really bad day. 256 00:12:55,575 --> 00:12:58,610 At worst, you could end up dead out here, 257 00:12:58,645 --> 00:13:01,146 and you're really never completely in control, 258 00:13:01,915 --> 00:13:04,115 so you have to keep the faith. 259 00:13:07,154 --> 00:13:10,555 Jessi: In town, social media or tv or whoever are telling you, 260 00:13:10,590 --> 00:13:12,457 you need to do these certain things, like, 261 00:13:12,492 --> 00:13:14,859 I don't have that type of pressure out here. 262 00:13:14,895 --> 00:13:16,961 I have more dangerous pressures, 263 00:13:16,997 --> 00:13:20,899 but I will take that every day over the dangers of being in town. 264 00:13:24,805 --> 00:13:27,372 Chris: Whoa. Jessi: Oh, man. 265 00:13:29,009 --> 00:13:32,076 Chris: Look how much this river's come overnight. 266 00:13:32,112 --> 00:13:35,213 Chris: I'm thinking at least five feet since last night. 267 00:13:35,248 --> 00:13:38,283 God, I bet the net is underwater. 268 00:13:38,919 --> 00:13:41,786 Jessi: Holy smokes. I mean, everything's gone. 269 00:13:41,822 --> 00:13:43,655 The bank's gone, where we were standing is gone. 270 00:13:43,690 --> 00:13:46,191 I don't know how we're going to be able to find the fyke net. 271 00:13:55,535 --> 00:13:56,901 Jessi: As the minutes tick by, 272 00:13:56,937 --> 00:13:59,604 this river takes all of the bank away. 273 00:13:59,639 --> 00:14:02,307 We need to find our, our net. 274 00:14:02,342 --> 00:14:04,242 Chris: It's a constant battle with this river. 275 00:14:04,277 --> 00:14:06,578 The cosna's fed by rainwater way upriver. 276 00:14:06,613 --> 00:14:08,413 We're talking 50 to 100 miles. 277 00:14:08,481 --> 00:14:09,480 Aw, man, love. 278 00:14:09,516 --> 00:14:11,049 I don't know if we can get down there. 279 00:14:11,084 --> 00:14:12,884 So, if it rained heavy three days ago, 280 00:14:12,919 --> 00:14:14,552 this water's going up. 281 00:14:14,588 --> 00:14:16,387 Okay. 282 00:14:16,423 --> 00:14:17,822 Jessi: What am I gonna do if you go into the water? 283 00:14:17,858 --> 00:14:19,757 Chris: Just stay put. 284 00:14:25,098 --> 00:14:27,866 Whoa! That's deep. 285 00:14:28,969 --> 00:14:31,002 Okay. 286 00:14:31,037 --> 00:14:33,738 Just hoping I can feel the line. 287 00:14:33,773 --> 00:14:34,839 But. 288 00:14:34,875 --> 00:14:36,307 Jessi: Be careful, love. 289 00:14:36,343 --> 00:14:38,509 Chris: Love, I feel like we lost it. 290 00:14:38,545 --> 00:14:40,144 I found my line. 291 00:14:40,180 --> 00:14:42,080 Jessi: Did you? Chris: Yeah. Jessi: Okay. 292 00:14:42,115 --> 00:14:43,815 I'm mean, if the line's there, then it's likely there's still 293 00:14:43,850 --> 00:14:45,083 a net there, right? 294 00:14:45,118 --> 00:14:47,619 Chris: Yeah. I gotta get this net before we lose it. 295 00:14:47,654 --> 00:14:49,387 Whew! Holy (bleep)! 296 00:14:49,456 --> 00:14:51,990 That's cold. 297 00:14:53,159 --> 00:14:55,493 Jessi: Big log coming your way. 298 00:14:55,528 --> 00:14:56,861 Chris: I got it. Jessi: You go it? 299 00:14:56,897 --> 00:14:58,529 Chris: Let's see if I can get it outta here. 300 00:14:58,565 --> 00:15:01,733 All right. 301 00:15:03,737 --> 00:15:05,036 Jessi: Well? Chris: Nothing. 302 00:15:05,071 --> 00:15:07,071 Jessi: Nada. 303 00:15:07,107 --> 00:15:09,607 Chris: Look where it's tied. Jessi: Way down there? 304 00:15:09,643 --> 00:15:13,211 Chris: Yeah. I was worried we lost the net. 305 00:15:13,246 --> 00:15:15,113 I'm not so bummed I didn't catch a fish. 306 00:15:15,148 --> 00:15:17,415 I mean, I would love to catch a fish but losing the net 307 00:15:17,450 --> 00:15:20,051 would have really sucked. 308 00:15:20,086 --> 00:15:21,953 Just cause the fyke net didn't work today, 309 00:15:21,988 --> 00:15:23,888 doesn't mean we're giving up. 310 00:15:23,924 --> 00:15:26,424 Jessi: I got it. It's in my hands. 311 00:15:26,459 --> 00:15:28,660 Chris: We gotta get fish for this winter. 312 00:15:32,565 --> 00:15:34,399 Alex: I don't like depending on a complex system, 313 00:15:34,434 --> 00:15:37,368 it's like if someone else fails on the other side of the world, 314 00:15:37,404 --> 00:15:40,405 it'll make it hard for me to live. 315 00:15:41,174 --> 00:15:42,974 Self-reliance is one of the most important values we 316 00:15:43,009 --> 00:15:44,809 should try to honor. 317 00:15:44,844 --> 00:15:46,277 I'm not trying to die out here, 318 00:15:46,313 --> 00:15:49,147 I'm trying to stay alive. 319 00:15:50,784 --> 00:15:53,184 Today I'm doing a reconnaissance of the north area. 320 00:15:53,219 --> 00:15:56,287 For a new place to hunt moose. 321 00:15:56,323 --> 00:15:58,923 This is as far as I've been to the north. 322 00:16:02,562 --> 00:16:05,396 Before I left, I studied a topographic map. 323 00:16:05,432 --> 00:16:08,499 Found some satellite photos of the area, 324 00:16:08,535 --> 00:16:10,001 you know, you should have a big, nice, 325 00:16:10,036 --> 00:16:12,136 open clearing up here, where I can see for 326 00:16:12,172 --> 00:16:15,139 potentially hundreds of miles. 327 00:16:15,175 --> 00:16:18,276 But this kind of forest, it's kind of the toughest (bleep) 328 00:16:18,311 --> 00:16:20,411 alaska has to offer. 329 00:16:20,447 --> 00:16:22,480 It's a doozy. 330 00:16:22,515 --> 00:16:25,683 But I just gotta trust my compass. 331 00:16:26,386 --> 00:16:28,319 I know that if I head 280 degrees, 332 00:16:28,355 --> 00:16:31,656 I'm going to be heading the right direction. 333 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:38,997 Hmm. I don't know. 334 00:16:40,166 --> 00:16:42,934 It's no country for a bull moose. 335 00:16:42,969 --> 00:16:46,571 It looks like there was an apocalypse here. 336 00:16:46,606 --> 00:16:49,307 I think this is maybe what I thought was the clearing on 337 00:16:49,342 --> 00:16:52,410 the satellite images. 338 00:16:52,445 --> 00:16:55,213 I thought that was tundra. 339 00:16:55,248 --> 00:17:00,551 This is the remains of a forest fire. 340 00:17:01,421 --> 00:17:05,156 This is the opposite of what I wanted to find. 341 00:17:05,191 --> 00:17:06,924 As far as I can see, there's just these dead, 342 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,161 kinda gnarled trees. 343 00:17:11,498 --> 00:17:15,099 So, you can see here the ash on the trees where they burned. 344 00:17:15,135 --> 00:17:18,703 So, the forest fire, you know, obviously destroyed everything. 345 00:17:18,738 --> 00:17:23,107 But it created just the right conditions for these blueberries. 346 00:17:23,143 --> 00:17:27,011 Um, and they're really good. 347 00:17:27,047 --> 00:17:32,350 So, I'm glad I wasn't here when there was a forest fire. 348 00:17:32,385 --> 00:17:34,685 That was probably pretty terrifying, 349 00:17:34,721 --> 00:17:38,222 but it created something new and good. 350 00:17:39,426 --> 00:17:43,327 This is the kind of thing that I really enjoy about being out here. 351 00:17:43,363 --> 00:17:45,863 The simple pleasures. 352 00:17:45,899 --> 00:17:48,299 They're good, but there's really no point to try and 353 00:17:48,334 --> 00:17:50,234 hunt up here. 354 00:17:50,270 --> 00:17:51,803 I don't think animals like to come through this 355 00:17:51,838 --> 00:17:55,239 any more than I do. 356 00:17:57,010 --> 00:18:00,411 Is that a sandhill crane yakking? 357 00:18:00,447 --> 00:18:02,013 Oh, yeah, look, look, look, look! 358 00:18:02,048 --> 00:18:04,615 They're really close. 359 00:18:04,651 --> 00:18:07,418 Tomorrow, I've only got one place left to hunt. 360 00:18:07,454 --> 00:18:11,322 It's not a great spot, but it's pretty much my last shot. 361 00:18:11,858 --> 00:18:13,224 That's pretty cool. 362 00:18:13,259 --> 00:18:14,759 I've never seen them so low down. 363 00:18:14,794 --> 00:18:16,828 Usually, they're really high. 364 00:18:16,863 --> 00:18:18,096 They should be going south for the winter, 365 00:18:18,131 --> 00:18:19,530 they're kind of heading east right now, 366 00:18:19,566 --> 00:18:22,700 but I'm sure they know where they're going. 367 00:18:23,470 --> 00:18:26,771 It's gonna be a lot of work to find a moose. 368 00:18:30,009 --> 00:18:31,876 (imitating moose call). 369 00:18:31,911 --> 00:18:33,778 Michael: Just like the river of life, 370 00:18:33,813 --> 00:18:36,781 you never know what's around the bend. 371 00:18:36,816 --> 00:18:40,118 And that to me is an addictive thing. 372 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:48,893 Your ears are stinging. 373 00:18:48,928 --> 00:18:51,796 And the wind's going through whatever you're wearing, 374 00:18:51,831 --> 00:18:53,798 your nose starts running. 375 00:18:53,833 --> 00:18:56,400 Just deal with it. 376 00:18:56,769 --> 00:18:58,903 My, oh my. 377 00:18:58,938 --> 00:19:01,839 It's a bit on the noisy side, this river. 378 00:19:01,875 --> 00:19:03,908 I'm not seeing a lot of moose tracks, so. 379 00:19:03,943 --> 00:19:07,979 I think these moose stay up right near the major creek. 380 00:19:08,014 --> 00:19:11,516 Hard luck creek. 381 00:19:11,551 --> 00:19:14,218 It's quieter and they find little kettle ponds, 382 00:19:14,254 --> 00:19:17,288 and little moose pastures where they can hang out. 383 00:19:17,323 --> 00:19:20,124 I just have to see new rivers all the time. 384 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,093 I can't stop. 385 00:19:22,128 --> 00:19:24,929 This ain't even a river, this is a creek. 386 00:19:24,964 --> 00:19:27,598 Getting shallow. 387 00:19:27,634 --> 00:19:31,302 Gonna go ahead and jump out right here. 388 00:19:37,744 --> 00:19:39,510 This is in my blood. 389 00:19:39,546 --> 00:19:43,281 Challenging. 390 00:19:47,554 --> 00:19:51,055 Let's get it on. 391 00:19:51,090 --> 00:19:52,957 And maybe a moose as well. 392 00:19:57,797 --> 00:20:01,899 That what's around the bend mentality is kicking in. 393 00:20:02,702 --> 00:20:06,804 But I don't want to push my luck too much on a creek named 394 00:20:06,839 --> 00:20:10,541 "hard luck." 395 00:20:10,577 --> 00:20:13,844 and I think I've gone far enough. 396 00:20:28,161 --> 00:20:31,896 This river valley is a corridor for moose. 397 00:20:34,867 --> 00:20:37,201 So, what I'd like to do, is I like to throw out a cow call 398 00:20:37,237 --> 00:20:38,536 in one direction. 399 00:20:38,571 --> 00:20:44,709 (imitating moose call). 400 00:20:45,845 --> 00:20:49,046 And I like to throw out a bull tending run in a different direction. 401 00:20:49,082 --> 00:20:55,319 (imitating moose call). 402 00:20:59,592 --> 00:21:03,628 Everything increases your odds when you're throwing out calls. 403 00:21:03,663 --> 00:21:06,397 But look at that sun. 404 00:21:06,432 --> 00:21:09,000 Low in the sky. 405 00:21:09,035 --> 00:21:12,203 Time to get home. It's been a long day. 406 00:21:17,210 --> 00:21:20,645 Going downstream with the current pushing you, 407 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:26,150 sometimes it pushes you into something that you don't want to go down. 408 00:21:26,185 --> 00:21:30,087 And it's harder to judge where the rocks are. 409 00:21:36,863 --> 00:21:41,666 Gotta really be on your game when you're going down river. 410 00:21:43,169 --> 00:21:45,936 As good as you can be, anyways. 411 00:21:49,075 --> 00:21:51,909 I didn't even see that. 412 00:21:55,381 --> 00:21:58,783 Yup. 413 00:22:03,790 --> 00:22:06,290 Whew. 414 00:22:07,860 --> 00:22:11,062 (bleep) this creek. 415 00:22:12,799 --> 00:22:15,132 Jesus (bleep). 416 00:22:30,483 --> 00:22:34,418 Too much of a turn with a 22-foot boat. 417 00:22:36,989 --> 00:22:39,857 Every day that I stay out here later into the season, 418 00:22:39,892 --> 00:22:43,027 it's quite the risk pushing moose meat. 419 00:22:43,062 --> 00:22:46,764 These motors don't like running around in really cold weather. 420 00:22:47,467 --> 00:22:49,934 I'm gonna feel that. 421 00:22:51,671 --> 00:22:54,538 Hard luck. 422 00:22:55,942 --> 00:22:59,777 So, I've got maybe at most two days of hunting left, 423 00:22:59,812 --> 00:23:02,580 and then I gotta get off this river. 424 00:23:09,188 --> 00:23:12,223 Brittany: I refer to my children as free-range children. 425 00:23:12,258 --> 00:23:14,492 Elovie: Ahh! 426 00:23:14,527 --> 00:23:16,193 Brittany: It's exactly how that sounds. 427 00:23:16,229 --> 00:23:18,629 I let them roam around our property, 428 00:23:18,664 --> 00:23:21,265 as opposed to if we lived in the city. 429 00:23:24,937 --> 00:23:26,170 All right, little ones. 430 00:23:26,205 --> 00:23:29,340 We need to decide how big the hole should be for the rabbits 431 00:23:29,375 --> 00:23:32,610 to hop through to their nesting box. 432 00:23:32,645 --> 00:23:35,780 If I lift this up, this is how tall it is. 433 00:23:35,815 --> 00:23:36,881 This is two feet. 434 00:23:36,916 --> 00:23:38,315 Elovie: Yeah. Uh-huh. 435 00:23:38,351 --> 00:23:39,717 Brittany: Like. 436 00:23:39,752 --> 00:23:41,752 Gilbert: No, that, no, that's too small. 437 00:23:41,788 --> 00:23:43,287 Brittany: Maybe up to this one? 438 00:23:43,322 --> 00:23:44,889 Gilbert: Yeah, up there. 439 00:23:44,924 --> 00:23:46,190 Brittany: All right, you have to come over here, 440 00:23:46,225 --> 00:23:48,793 and I need you guys to sit on these. 441 00:23:48,828 --> 00:23:49,994 You guys are my helpers. 442 00:23:50,029 --> 00:23:51,262 Hold your ears. 443 00:23:51,297 --> 00:23:52,396 Elovie: Like this? 444 00:23:52,432 --> 00:23:53,664 Brittany: Yeah. Both hands. 445 00:23:53,699 --> 00:23:56,667 Gilbert. Both hands. 446 00:23:57,303 --> 00:23:59,537 It's a lot of fun to have the kids around. 447 00:23:59,572 --> 00:24:02,173 I really do love them, and I really do enjoy it. 448 00:24:02,208 --> 00:24:05,075 And I love that they are capable of helping me, 449 00:24:05,111 --> 00:24:08,512 even if it's not exactly how I want it to go. 450 00:24:09,248 --> 00:24:12,383 Elovie: Yay! A little door! 451 00:24:13,653 --> 00:24:16,053 Brittany: Ellie, can you hold that end? 452 00:24:16,088 --> 00:24:19,356 I'm trying to push it, can you pull it? 453 00:24:19,392 --> 00:24:22,126 There we go. That's not too bad. 454 00:24:22,161 --> 00:24:23,894 Elovie: Not too bad! 455 00:24:23,930 --> 00:24:26,230 Brittany: As any mother knows, it is really hard to get 456 00:24:26,265 --> 00:24:28,499 anything done with the children. 457 00:24:28,534 --> 00:24:30,134 Gilbert: Drill holes! 458 00:24:30,169 --> 00:24:31,902 Brittany: No. You may not drill holes. 459 00:24:31,938 --> 00:24:34,138 Hand me the screws. 460 00:24:35,074 --> 00:24:37,475 Even if they sometimes actually hinders things. 461 00:24:37,510 --> 00:24:40,978 Elovie: Yay! Brittany: Too loud. 462 00:24:41,013 --> 00:24:43,881 It's a lot of fun to have them help. 463 00:24:43,916 --> 00:24:47,051 This is how you get projects done as a mother. 464 00:24:47,086 --> 00:24:49,653 A little bit of time here, and I little bit of time there, and 465 00:24:49,689 --> 00:24:51,956 "oh, they're hungry again?" 466 00:24:51,991 --> 00:24:53,924 kaleb: Do you need a hand? 467 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:55,993 Brittany: So, this is just shimmied a little bit, 468 00:24:56,028 --> 00:24:57,728 can you square it up there so that. 469 00:24:57,763 --> 00:25:00,097 Kaleb: Yup. 470 00:25:00,132 --> 00:25:01,265 Brittany: Excellent. Tell me when. 471 00:25:01,300 --> 00:25:02,333 Kaleb: Okay, you can screw it in. 472 00:25:02,368 --> 00:25:03,868 Don't hit my fingers. 473 00:25:03,903 --> 00:25:06,403 Brittany: No promises! 474 00:25:06,439 --> 00:25:08,672 I hope these rabbits appreciate everything that 475 00:25:08,708 --> 00:25:10,808 we're doing for them. 476 00:25:10,843 --> 00:25:12,810 And they give us lots and lots of babies! 477 00:25:12,845 --> 00:25:16,780 Elovie: Whee! Brittany: And that is done. 478 00:25:16,816 --> 00:25:18,182 Kaleb: I like it. 479 00:25:18,217 --> 00:25:20,284 Brittany: Thank you. 480 00:25:20,319 --> 00:25:23,087 Kaleb: Gilbert! Brittany: Ugh. 481 00:25:26,559 --> 00:25:30,528 Alex: I know that I really value challenges, even though you totally regret it 482 00:25:30,563 --> 00:25:32,830 and you swear you'll never do it again. 483 00:25:32,865 --> 00:25:35,499 Uh, but somehow I just keep doing stuff like this. 484 00:25:35,535 --> 00:25:37,902 Uh, it's just my life. 485 00:25:43,342 --> 00:25:47,978 Today's my last shot, but I've recon to north, west, east. 486 00:25:48,014 --> 00:25:49,747 No good hunting areas. 487 00:25:49,782 --> 00:25:53,684 And now's my last shot in the south to be able to find moose. 488 00:25:55,521 --> 00:25:57,688 Not too many people do it like this. 489 00:25:57,723 --> 00:25:59,490 I imagine that's why most hunters stick to places they 490 00:25:59,525 --> 00:26:01,792 can get to with the vehicles. 491 00:26:01,827 --> 00:26:03,727 I was really hoping this year I'd find a 492 00:26:03,763 --> 00:26:05,863 better place to hunt. 493 00:26:05,898 --> 00:26:08,999 I was hoping to find some ideal location. 494 00:26:09,035 --> 00:26:11,268 I didn't find anything. 495 00:26:11,304 --> 00:26:15,239 So, best I can do is return to my usual stomping grounds and 496 00:26:15,274 --> 00:26:18,108 give it one last hail mary. 497 00:26:22,882 --> 00:26:25,115 I'm going to leave my backpack here and just basically try to 498 00:26:25,151 --> 00:26:29,153 get up to the top of that hill before I call it quits. 499 00:26:29,188 --> 00:26:31,522 I just want to get a good look down this valley, 500 00:26:31,557 --> 00:26:34,825 make sure that I'm not missing something before I head back. 501 00:26:34,860 --> 00:26:36,994 Once I get into that thick forest, 502 00:26:37,029 --> 00:26:38,562 it's real easy to get turned around, 503 00:26:38,598 --> 00:26:40,831 so I'm just going to hang this coat up. 504 00:26:40,866 --> 00:26:43,334 I don't want to give up yet, I need to be a little bit 505 00:26:43,369 --> 00:26:45,469 stubborn here, and when I come back, 506 00:26:45,504 --> 00:26:48,005 I don't want to waste another hour trying to figure out 507 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:50,207 where I put my stuff, kind of like writing a checklist 508 00:26:50,242 --> 00:26:53,277 before you go to the grocery store. 509 00:26:53,312 --> 00:26:56,080 Something to save you some time. 510 00:26:57,350 --> 00:26:59,316 Of course, you won't get lost for hours in the grocery store 511 00:26:59,352 --> 00:27:04,722 and want to kill yourself, but kinda same idea. 512 00:27:05,858 --> 00:27:07,057 That's about it. 513 00:27:07,093 --> 00:27:09,159 Those trees are kinda in my way. 514 00:27:09,195 --> 00:27:11,762 I'm not gonna climb a tree, that's crazy. 515 00:27:11,797 --> 00:27:15,032 I think this is about the best view I'm gonna get. 516 00:27:17,770 --> 00:27:20,404 This is pretty much the end of the ridgeline. 517 00:27:20,439 --> 00:27:23,474 Take a look on my binoculars to be sure. 518 00:27:25,044 --> 00:27:28,145 As far as I can see, black spruce trees. 519 00:27:28,180 --> 00:27:29,813 Basically, a wasteland. 520 00:27:29,849 --> 00:27:32,082 Moose, they don't like thick woods like this. 521 00:27:32,118 --> 00:27:34,618 It's pretty safe to say this is a place I can 522 00:27:34,654 --> 00:27:37,688 scratch off the list. 523 00:27:37,723 --> 00:27:39,690 That doesn't really bode well for me if I want to kinda 524 00:27:39,725 --> 00:27:41,892 consistently get moose every year. 525 00:27:41,927 --> 00:27:45,095 I might have to look into traveling somewhere else. 526 00:27:45,765 --> 00:27:49,900 I had high hopes, they were shot down. 527 00:27:51,070 --> 00:27:53,570 Of course, even though I don't expect to, 528 00:27:53,606 --> 00:27:55,239 you know, there's some chance I could bump into a moose 529 00:27:55,274 --> 00:27:56,240 along the way. 530 00:27:56,275 --> 00:27:58,509 That's always a possibility. 531 00:27:58,544 --> 00:28:01,779 So, I need to keep my eyes and ears tuned in. 532 00:28:02,682 --> 00:28:05,883 You know, I don't want to just be staring at my feet in front of me. 533 00:28:17,096 --> 00:28:19,396 There's one. 534 00:28:19,432 --> 00:28:21,999 Right in the middle of the tree, about halfway up. 535 00:28:22,034 --> 00:28:24,334 There's a grouse. 536 00:28:26,138 --> 00:28:27,438 Usually, if you see one, there's always going to be a 537 00:28:27,473 --> 00:28:29,740 second one nearby. 538 00:28:29,775 --> 00:28:31,775 So, I'm going to go real quiet. 539 00:28:31,811 --> 00:28:33,077 If I can get a couple of grouse, 540 00:28:33,112 --> 00:28:35,779 tonight won't feel like such a failure. 541 00:28:39,251 --> 00:28:41,051 Threw my earphones off just because I want to hear, 542 00:28:41,087 --> 00:28:44,088 you know, in case they move... 543 00:28:44,123 --> 00:28:45,889 Talking. 544 00:28:54,900 --> 00:28:55,933 (gunshot). 545 00:29:12,752 --> 00:29:16,520 (gunshots). 546 00:29:19,191 --> 00:29:21,325 Ahh, I hope that one didn't get stuck. 547 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,294 But I don't know if the first one came down. 548 00:29:24,330 --> 00:29:25,529 Oh, he did. 549 00:29:25,564 --> 00:29:28,432 They're both down. Okay. Nice. 550 00:29:29,602 --> 00:29:31,301 It's no moose, but, you know, it still kind of gives you a 551 00:29:31,337 --> 00:29:33,137 little dopamine kick. 552 00:29:33,172 --> 00:29:35,606 A lot of high-quality protein there. 553 00:29:36,308 --> 00:29:39,543 They were relying on the camouflage so I wouldn't see them. 554 00:29:39,578 --> 00:29:41,879 You know, their camouflage works great for other predators, 555 00:29:41,914 --> 00:29:45,616 it's not much use against a man with a shotgun, of course. 556 00:29:46,619 --> 00:29:48,619 This is, kind of on a larger scale, 557 00:29:48,654 --> 00:29:51,155 a little bit disappointing, because I came out here 558 00:29:51,190 --> 00:29:54,358 looking for an entire winter's worth of meat. 559 00:29:54,393 --> 00:29:56,960 More importantly, I didn't find a good moose hunting area. 560 00:29:57,897 --> 00:30:03,133 But, one night of dinner is better than zero nights. 561 00:30:05,037 --> 00:30:07,938 Mostly, I'm just thinking about putting on some dry socks. 562 00:30:12,778 --> 00:30:16,079 (imitating moose call). 563 00:30:16,115 --> 00:30:17,981 Michael: If I come out of here empty-handed, 564 00:30:18,017 --> 00:30:20,017 I won't regret it. 565 00:30:20,052 --> 00:30:21,785 I'm here for the challenge. 566 00:30:21,821 --> 00:30:24,388 I'm not here for an easy way. 567 00:30:26,792 --> 00:30:30,093 My last day of the hunt is tomorrow. 568 00:30:30,129 --> 00:30:32,796 I've been going at this for a good long while. 569 00:30:32,832 --> 00:30:35,499 I've put away a lot of moose in my time and I've hunted a 570 00:30:35,534 --> 00:30:39,136 lot of places, but this is the most sparse I've ever hunted. 571 00:31:02,862 --> 00:31:05,295 It's one of the biggest-bodied cows I've ever seen. 572 00:31:05,331 --> 00:31:08,565 Literally looked like a bull moose with no antlers. 573 00:31:14,373 --> 00:31:16,573 That's a big hoof for a cow. 574 00:31:16,609 --> 00:31:18,508 Look! 575 00:31:18,544 --> 00:31:22,079 There's the bed right here. 576 00:31:22,114 --> 00:31:25,449 Where there's a cow, there could be a bull. 577 00:31:25,951 --> 00:31:28,752 It's where they bed down. 578 00:31:28,787 --> 00:31:32,022 They're in estrus right now, it'll drive bulls to them. 579 00:31:32,057 --> 00:31:34,625 So, I'm gonna camp here. 580 00:31:35,661 --> 00:31:38,662 (imitating moose call). 581 00:31:38,697 --> 00:31:42,966 Just below this bend right here is the bedding area for 582 00:31:43,002 --> 00:31:46,603 the first moose I've seen all trip long. 583 00:31:47,039 --> 00:31:51,141 A lot of tracks through here, cows with calves. 584 00:31:51,176 --> 00:31:54,778 That tells me there's a bull close by. 585 00:31:56,482 --> 00:31:58,248 I'm gonna stay right on a cot. 586 00:31:58,284 --> 00:32:00,350 I'm not even gonna sleep in a tent. 587 00:32:00,386 --> 00:32:02,152 Don't even wanna have a tarp. 588 00:32:02,187 --> 00:32:04,821 I just wanna be dialed into my surroundings. 589 00:32:04,857 --> 00:32:09,593 If something comes in, I got my rifle right here. 590 00:32:10,362 --> 00:32:13,163 If it rains tonight, I don't give a crap. 591 00:32:13,198 --> 00:32:16,867 I'm as close as I'm ever gonna get. 592 00:32:17,469 --> 00:32:20,771 (imitating moose call). 593 00:32:20,806 --> 00:32:24,608 To be sleeping here, stopped at many place as I have, 594 00:32:24,643 --> 00:32:29,179 hiked as many miles as I have, without seeing a bull moose, 595 00:32:29,214 --> 00:32:32,316 kind of makes me question myself. 596 00:32:33,752 --> 00:32:37,287 Am I crazy? What am I doing? 597 00:32:37,323 --> 00:32:39,423 I'm getting down to the crunch time here. 598 00:32:39,458 --> 00:32:42,759 Tomorrow's gonna be big time, my last-ditch effort to come 599 00:32:42,795 --> 00:32:45,762 out of here with a moose. 600 00:32:54,707 --> 00:32:56,807 Chris: You're always fighting against mother nature. 601 00:32:56,842 --> 00:33:00,077 And honestly, mother nature always wins. 602 00:33:01,213 --> 00:33:03,981 So, we just have to find our niche and chase after it. 603 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,354 That's perfect. 604 00:33:10,389 --> 00:33:13,390 Currently the river is down, so we think it's a good time 605 00:33:13,425 --> 00:33:15,359 to get the net in the water. 606 00:33:15,394 --> 00:33:16,460 Look at that. 607 00:33:16,495 --> 00:33:18,328 We got a slow-moving eddy that goes through here, 608 00:33:18,364 --> 00:33:20,564 so hopefully we get this set out just right and we can 609 00:33:20,599 --> 00:33:22,699 catch some fish with it. 610 00:33:22,735 --> 00:33:26,103 Jessi: All right, well, we're gonna have to do something here, love. 611 00:33:26,138 --> 00:33:28,438 Chris: Yeah, fishing's just been a bust. 612 00:33:28,474 --> 00:33:32,242 But cosna has different plans for us this year. 613 00:33:32,277 --> 00:33:34,478 We got a long winter ahead of us. 614 00:33:34,513 --> 00:33:36,313 Right now, I wanna focus on grouse. 615 00:33:36,348 --> 00:33:38,015 I've been hearing 'em. 616 00:33:38,050 --> 00:33:40,684 Let's get em! 617 00:33:40,719 --> 00:33:42,786 The cosna river really hasn't been generous with giving us 618 00:33:42,821 --> 00:33:44,421 fish this year. 619 00:33:44,456 --> 00:33:46,723 But luckily the grouse are back in full force. 620 00:33:46,759 --> 00:33:49,393 I love this little spot across the river. 621 00:33:49,428 --> 00:33:51,328 There's just little tiny pebbles and sand, 622 00:33:51,363 --> 00:33:53,363 and those birds love munching down on it. 623 00:33:53,399 --> 00:33:56,700 Helps them digest their food. 624 00:33:56,735 --> 00:33:58,568 Jessi: There's six grouse are across the river. 625 00:33:58,604 --> 00:34:01,405 You can throw something or shoot over there. 626 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,574 And they'll usually fly over the river towards you. 627 00:34:16,155 --> 00:34:19,089 They're in the tree. They're over. 628 00:34:19,124 --> 00:34:21,925 Jessi: Four grouse just flew over the river and they're 629 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,394 right up here in these trees. 630 00:34:25,531 --> 00:34:26,830 Chris: I see one. 631 00:34:26,865 --> 00:34:28,999 Right here on this branch sticking out between the two birch. 632 00:34:29,034 --> 00:34:32,402 He's kinda hidden. 633 00:34:32,438 --> 00:34:34,037 (gunshot). 634 00:34:34,073 --> 00:34:36,840 Get 'em, jess! 635 00:34:37,443 --> 00:34:38,408 Jessi: No, don't go in the river! 636 00:34:38,444 --> 00:34:40,877 Don't go in the river! 637 00:34:40,913 --> 00:34:43,680 Damn it! 638 00:34:43,715 --> 00:34:45,849 What am I gonna do, chris? 639 00:34:49,922 --> 00:34:53,056 Chris: (bleep). (bleep). 640 00:34:54,126 --> 00:34:55,859 Get me a stick. 641 00:34:55,894 --> 00:34:57,461 Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick! I'm gonna lose him! 642 00:34:57,496 --> 00:34:58,728 Jessi: I can't get down there, chris. 643 00:34:58,764 --> 00:35:00,697 Chris: I can. 644 00:35:00,732 --> 00:35:03,733 Come on, buddy. Come on, buddy. 645 00:35:04,636 --> 00:35:07,337 I got him. I got him. 646 00:35:10,709 --> 00:35:13,376 Jessi: Holy smokes! 647 00:35:13,412 --> 00:35:15,946 Chris: There's nothing worse than killing a grouse and 648 00:35:15,981 --> 00:35:18,048 watching it float down river. 649 00:35:18,083 --> 00:35:19,649 Jessi: I'm right here. I'll help you up. 650 00:35:19,685 --> 00:35:21,618 Chris: We're real big into "if you kill something or you 651 00:35:21,653 --> 00:35:23,820 wound something you have to do everything in your power to 652 00:35:23,856 --> 00:35:26,089 harvest that animal." 653 00:35:26,125 --> 00:35:28,892 just take the grouse so it doesn't fall. 654 00:35:30,762 --> 00:35:32,262 I'll work my way up down-river. 655 00:35:32,297 --> 00:35:35,065 Give me a second. 656 00:35:35,467 --> 00:35:37,934 Jessi: That was a difficult grouse, man. 657 00:35:37,970 --> 00:35:40,270 Try to go get some more. 658 00:35:47,246 --> 00:35:49,813 Chris: Did they all fly off? Jessi: I'm looking. 659 00:35:49,848 --> 00:35:51,214 I don't think. 660 00:35:51,250 --> 00:35:52,415 Chris: I bet they're still in the tree. 661 00:35:52,451 --> 00:35:54,484 Jessi: I bet they're still here. 662 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:56,586 Chris: Oh, that feels good to get a grouse. 663 00:35:56,622 --> 00:36:00,157 We've been having such a hard time with fish. 664 00:36:00,192 --> 00:36:01,458 Jessi: Oh! Right here, chris. 665 00:36:01,493 --> 00:36:03,894 Come here! Come here! Come here! 666 00:36:03,929 --> 00:36:08,098 There's a spruce and he's almost at the top. 667 00:36:08,767 --> 00:36:10,267 Chris: Okay, I see him. 668 00:36:10,302 --> 00:36:13,737 Jessi: Okay, I'm gonna get ready so this doesn't happen again. 669 00:36:16,542 --> 00:36:18,675 (gunshot). 670 00:36:18,844 --> 00:36:20,343 Chris: Pop in the wide clearing. 671 00:36:20,379 --> 00:36:23,013 Make sure this goes in nice and tight. 672 00:36:24,216 --> 00:36:26,683 Jessi: Thank you so much. 673 00:36:29,888 --> 00:36:30,954 Thank you, grouse. 674 00:36:30,989 --> 00:36:33,957 Thank you. That's a big grouse. 675 00:36:33,992 --> 00:36:37,227 That is a huge grouse, man. 676 00:36:37,262 --> 00:36:38,562 Chris: Awesome. 677 00:36:38,597 --> 00:36:40,397 If we can eat one grouse a day, 678 00:36:40,432 --> 00:36:41,631 and we're only bringing one or two home, 679 00:36:41,667 --> 00:36:43,500 we're not stocking up much. 680 00:36:43,535 --> 00:36:46,803 We gotta come out morning and night and get as many as we can. 681 00:36:46,805 --> 00:36:48,405 Jessi: Try to get a couple more? 682 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:50,941 Chris: Yeah, that'd be great if we get a couple more. 683 00:36:50,976 --> 00:36:53,543 Jessi: Out here, it does seem like we have to work a lot 684 00:36:53,579 --> 00:36:55,845 harder for our dinner. 685 00:36:55,881 --> 00:36:58,014 But do I want to pay the price in town? 686 00:36:58,050 --> 00:36:59,649 No. 687 00:36:59,685 --> 00:37:01,551 Do I wanna pay the price out here? 688 00:37:01,587 --> 00:37:03,019 Absolutely. 689 00:37:03,055 --> 00:37:04,821 There's a grouse, right over there. 690 00:37:04,856 --> 00:37:06,489 Him go left and me go right. 691 00:37:06,525 --> 00:37:08,091 We gotta do everything that we can... 692 00:37:08,126 --> 00:37:09,826 Gosh darn it! 693 00:37:09,861 --> 00:37:12,395 To get as many grouse as possible to sustain us through 694 00:37:12,431 --> 00:37:14,464 this winter. 695 00:37:14,499 --> 00:37:17,067 Chris: Here, grouse, grouse! 696 00:37:19,705 --> 00:37:20,971 (gunshot). 697 00:37:25,944 --> 00:37:27,644 Michael: This has been one of the most challenging moose 698 00:37:27,713 --> 00:37:30,380 hunts I've ever gone on. 699 00:37:30,415 --> 00:37:32,983 This is the last day of the hunt. 700 00:37:33,018 --> 00:37:36,119 First time I've ever got this nervous about filling my food 701 00:37:36,154 --> 00:37:38,989 cache for the season. 702 00:37:46,865 --> 00:37:50,500 Woke up all night from a cold rain. 703 00:37:50,535 --> 00:37:54,571 I sent out calls every hour or so. 704 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,842 Before first light. 705 00:37:58,877 --> 00:38:02,012 Just right there in the landscape, 706 00:38:02,047 --> 00:38:04,648 with my rifle right next to me. 707 00:38:05,550 --> 00:38:11,154 (imitating moose call). 708 00:38:15,427 --> 00:38:18,695 I can't tell if my ears are playing tricks on me or not. 709 00:38:20,832 --> 00:38:24,067 And then finally, the moose I had been waiting for. 710 00:38:27,272 --> 00:38:30,073 Tricked this big fighter into a fight. 711 00:38:30,108 --> 00:38:33,343 (imitating moose call). 712 00:38:33,378 --> 00:38:36,780 Try to bring him right to the river's edge. 713 00:38:49,861 --> 00:38:54,531 (imitating moose call). 714 00:39:04,276 --> 00:39:06,976 Shh. 715 00:39:11,283 --> 00:39:12,215 (gunshot). 716 00:39:26,932 --> 00:39:28,798 (gunshot). 717 00:39:40,946 --> 00:39:47,550 ♪ ♪ 718 00:40:03,268 --> 00:40:06,836 ♪ ♪ 719 00:40:06,872 --> 00:40:11,141 it's so dark out, I could barely make out his body. 720 00:40:20,752 --> 00:40:22,485 Strong bull. 721 00:40:22,521 --> 00:40:23,887 (imitating moose call). 722 00:40:23,922 --> 00:40:25,422 A big warrior. 723 00:40:25,457 --> 00:40:26,823 Put him down with the first shot, 724 00:40:26,858 --> 00:40:29,793 it's been about three, four minutes. 725 00:40:29,828 --> 00:40:32,829 He's still struggling to get his feeting underneath him. 726 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,800 (gunshot). 727 00:40:38,336 --> 00:40:41,304 Just to be on the safe side. 728 00:40:41,339 --> 00:40:45,642 I've seen a big bull moose get hit in the neck and jump right 729 00:40:45,677 --> 00:40:49,679 back up five minutes later, run for miles. 730 00:40:51,650 --> 00:40:55,018 I don't want an animal to suffer. 731 00:41:03,862 --> 00:41:06,429 I'm not really here to hunt antlers. 732 00:41:06,465 --> 00:41:10,233 I'm here to hunt whatever comes in the call. 733 00:41:11,336 --> 00:41:13,837 But, now walking up onto it. 734 00:41:13,872 --> 00:41:18,475 I then realize how big this moose was. 735 00:41:19,945 --> 00:41:23,179 The size of a dinosaur. 736 00:41:24,449 --> 00:41:27,450 Biggest bull moose I've ever shot. 737 00:41:27,486 --> 00:41:30,053 Remarkable. 738 00:41:31,256 --> 00:41:33,456 He's bigger than I thought he was! 739 00:41:33,492 --> 00:41:36,659 Couldn't quite tell 'cause it was so dark. 740 00:41:36,695 --> 00:41:39,662 First light, comes barreling in here, 741 00:41:39,698 --> 00:41:42,098 scraping brush. 742 00:41:42,133 --> 00:41:43,967 He's definitely in full rut. 743 00:41:44,002 --> 00:41:45,702 His eyeballs popped out of his head; 744 00:41:45,737 --> 00:41:48,471 he's looking for a fight. 745 00:41:48,907 --> 00:41:50,473 I gotta get to processing. 746 00:41:50,509 --> 00:41:53,710 It's gonna be a long day. 747 00:42:01,453 --> 00:42:02,886 Alex: Come on. 748 00:42:02,921 --> 00:42:05,555 Yeah, I got food in my hands. 749 00:42:06,124 --> 00:42:09,926 In parts of the world that humans really should be living, 750 00:42:09,961 --> 00:42:12,695 there's food growing on trees, right? 751 00:42:12,731 --> 00:42:14,063 Here you go, sips. 752 00:42:14,099 --> 00:42:16,466 You're used to getting everything you want. 753 00:42:16,501 --> 00:42:19,235 I was a city person too, but after you've been kinda out 754 00:42:19,271 --> 00:42:22,138 here for a while, you can't afford to be picky. 755 00:42:22,173 --> 00:42:26,276 ♪ I see the clouds start rolling in ♪ 756 00:42:26,311 --> 00:42:29,012 alex: I wanted a moose, but I didn't get a moose. 757 00:42:29,047 --> 00:42:31,514 I got grouse instead. 758 00:42:31,550 --> 00:42:34,884 I can be upset about that or I can appreciate it for what it is. 759 00:42:35,153 --> 00:42:38,454 Chris: One. Two. And. 760 00:42:38,490 --> 00:42:41,624 Jessi: Oh my gosh! 761 00:42:41,660 --> 00:42:44,360 I don't have to be successful in a large hunt. 762 00:42:44,396 --> 00:42:46,095 Look at that thing! 763 00:42:46,131 --> 00:42:48,398 Some of the smallest things that I've succeeded out here 764 00:42:48,433 --> 00:42:50,033 have meant the most. 765 00:42:50,068 --> 00:42:51,434 Chris: The fyke net works! 766 00:42:51,469 --> 00:42:54,003 Jessi: Holy smokes. 767 00:42:54,039 --> 00:42:57,674 There's something incredibly special about being able to 768 00:42:57,709 --> 00:43:01,844 just go out into the forest to provide for your family. 769 00:43:01,879 --> 00:43:04,981 These are the moments that I wait for. 770 00:43:05,584 --> 00:43:08,651 Gilbert: Can I? Brittany: Mm-hm. Yeah! 771 00:43:08,687 --> 00:43:11,254 This is a fancy hutch! 772 00:43:11,289 --> 00:43:13,756 I really appreciate kaleb's expertise. 773 00:43:13,792 --> 00:43:16,092 In high school, I wouldn't really build things. 774 00:43:16,127 --> 00:43:17,961 Kaleb: Oh, boy. 775 00:43:17,996 --> 00:43:20,163 Brittany: Now, eight years into my marriage, 776 00:43:20,198 --> 00:43:23,666 I know I can do it, and that's very exciting. 777 00:43:23,702 --> 00:43:25,268 Does he like it? 778 00:43:25,303 --> 00:43:27,437 Elovie: He love it. 779 00:43:28,273 --> 00:43:31,074 Michael: You know, some folks, they're born on a certain river, 780 00:43:31,109 --> 00:43:34,477 and they stay on that river. 781 00:43:35,447 --> 00:43:37,914 They have a campsite, an established moose camp. 782 00:43:37,949 --> 00:43:40,516 They go back to it every year. 783 00:43:40,552 --> 00:43:42,952 But what's the challenge in that? 784 00:43:42,988 --> 00:43:45,622 I follow my principles, and this was no easy hunt, 785 00:43:45,657 --> 00:43:47,957 but it paid off. 786 00:43:55,166 --> 00:43:56,933 Oh, man, I'm gonna feel that in the morning, 787 00:43:56,968 --> 00:43:59,802 but I am done. 788 00:44:00,772 --> 00:44:06,309 ♪ ♪ 789 00:44:10,248 --> 00:44:12,849 (imitating moose call). 790 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:17,854 Alex: There's some quote from a book I read once. 791 00:44:17,889 --> 00:44:21,124 You know, when a man has food in his mouth, all questions are answered. 792 00:44:21,159 --> 00:44:22,258 Captioned by cotter captioning services.