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Mountain Men Season 14 Episode 06
#Cineva USA
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#Cineva USA
https://www.dailymotion.com/Cineva
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FunTranscript
00:00:00I'm very soon here. We really need to make sure our livestock is safe.
00:00:06I see one.
00:00:14Down these big rivers, you gotta be cautious.
00:00:17Hey, hey, hey, the easiest.
00:00:20You can see open leads.
00:00:22If I fall in the ice, that's it. You know, you're not getting out.
00:00:30Before Montana's hunting season begins,
00:00:37the deadliest predators on the mountain stalk their prey in darkness,
00:00:43free to rule the peaks of the tobacco roots and terrorize the town below.
00:00:48Mardell.
00:00:49But once mountain lion season opens,
00:00:51Good girl.
00:00:53Here you go, Mardell.
00:00:54the Ruby Valley's busiest big cat chaser stands ready to fight back.
00:00:58All right, got the dogs loaded.
00:01:02Time to hit the road.
00:01:04I got a short window to push these cats back.
00:01:08I've got fresh snow on the ground, so right now it's go time.
00:01:13It's 4.30 a.m. on day one.
00:01:16And Jake Herrick's got a plan to seize the advantage back from the big cats that have been left undisturbed for months.
00:01:21Coming out here at night and running these roads definitely makes it visually, for a human eye, a lot easier to find a track.
00:01:30That's why I do my patrols in the nighttime.
00:01:33I've got big bright lights that shine out in front of me, and it actually casts shadows,
00:01:39and it makes the fresh tracks actually stick out really, really well.
00:01:43I've done this long enough that I know exactly what a mountain lion track looks like,
00:01:48so I don't have to stop for deer, elk, and animal tracks like that.
00:01:51I just keep going, and the second my lights hit them tracks, they really pop.
00:01:56So even though I'm out here looking for tracks all night long,
00:02:02mountain lion is considered a big-game species,
00:02:05so we're not allowed to turn loose on them until a half hour before sunrise.
00:02:11So when I'm out here finding these tracks, if I'm able to turn one up,
00:02:15I'll just mark it on my GPS, and I'll just keep patrolling the roads.
00:02:20Come on, doggos!
00:02:21When Jake does turn loose on a track...
00:02:23Here it is. I'm on. I'm on.
00:02:24The hounds lock onto the scent and chase it until they find the cat,
00:02:29pushing it high into the hills, far away from people and livestock.
00:02:35When it comes to my job, it definitely is important for me
00:02:39to push these cats back onto the mountain.
00:02:41These ranchers rely on this livestock to keep their families fed
00:02:44and keep their business flowing.
00:02:52I've got a lion track right here.
00:02:54Oh, yeah, that's exactly what we've got here.
00:03:03We've got a cat that came from the uphill side of the road here,
00:03:06and it's dumping down into the creek.
00:03:08The snow's so deep, it's kind of just dragging its tail and ruffling up snow,
00:03:13but it's definitely heading down into the creek and heading down country towards the valley.
00:03:18So this is definitely a cat that I need to turn loose on and get pushed back today.
00:03:22I'm going to mark this on my GPS, and I'll be back here at daylight.
00:03:26Across the Great Alaska Range,
00:03:44the signs of winter setting in are impossible to miss,
00:03:47from the first dusting of snow on the ground
00:03:50to the sharpening bite of cold in the air.
00:03:53Oh, yeah, nice and boiling.
00:03:56For homesteaders in this territory, it means the work is just beginning.
00:04:00As the lake's freezing up, this is the time of the year
00:04:03that we start prepping for our long trapping season.
00:04:07We'll let this wax melt in here.
00:04:09There's a lot of preparation that goes into trapping before the season starts,
00:04:13especially this year.
00:04:14These are a big drag hook on 10-foot chain.
00:04:18This will be the first time we're trapping at the outpost.
00:04:21Two years ago, in a major expansion of their operation...
00:04:26Keep going.
00:04:28...Brett Bond and Ivy O'Gwen acquired a trapping cabin
00:04:3150 miles from their home base.
00:04:35I'll start cutting these.
00:04:37Yeah.
00:04:37See what we got.
00:04:40But it's taken two winters to cut a trail linking one side to the other.
00:04:45Wow.
00:04:46Look how much snow there is.
00:04:48And now that the hard work is finally done,
00:04:51they're ready to reap its long-awaited rewards.
00:04:57We've got a direct line now, so we're going to be able to trap the main,
00:05:00trap along the direct line straight to the outpost,
00:05:03and test that area up.
00:05:05There you go.
00:05:06You ready to boil?
00:05:07Yep.
00:05:08Let me start boiling these wolf traps.
00:05:10You going to go out and get us some grouse?
00:05:11Yeah, I'm ready to go.
00:05:13I'm going to hop on the four-wheeler
00:05:14and just get away from the house a little bit.
00:05:16Take Bridger.
00:05:17Okay.
00:05:18See if we can get some birds.
00:05:19All right.
00:05:20Take your time.
00:05:20Use your ears.
00:05:21Come on, buddy.
00:05:25Brett and I are both very independent people,
00:05:28so it's really nice to be able to divide and conquer certain tasks.
00:05:34He has a full day's work around the cabin here,
00:05:38and I get to go do something that I really enjoy,
00:05:40which is grouse hunting.
00:05:42The grouse is one of the most common game birds in Alaska.
00:05:46It feeds on insects, berries, and aspen buds,
00:05:51so it's often found in areas where young trees are just starting to grow.
00:05:55Grouse are a multi-purpose wild game food for us.
00:05:58We eat it, and stuff that we can't eat is used for our traplines,
00:06:03so I'm going out every day and trying to get as many as I can before trapping season starts.
00:06:10These are what all these grouse are in here eating.
00:06:14It's starting to freeze up and get snowy on the ground,
00:06:17and they're eating all these highbush cranberries,
00:06:20so I know they're in here eating.
00:06:22I just got to walk around and fluster some up.
00:06:27Come on, Bridge.
00:06:39The woods are so quiet.
00:06:42If you listen, you can hear their stories.
00:06:52There's one on the ground right there.
00:06:59Right there by the tree.
00:07:00Right there by the tree.
00:07:22North of Denali's snow-capped peak,
00:07:34the village of Manly is a gateway to Alaska's frozen interior.
00:07:39Come on, Galbraith.
00:07:40Come on, Dum-Dum.
00:07:41And for Laurel Eklund and his team of ten huskies,
00:07:44You guys getting ready?
00:07:46You guys getting ready?
00:07:47It's where dog sledding boot camp always begins.
00:07:52Come on, guys.
00:07:53Killick.
00:07:55You guys about seven yearlings.
00:07:57Their first big trip.
00:07:58It's really nice to get these guys' experience here.
00:08:01They got to start out somewhere.
00:08:04The 14-month-old pups have learned the basic mushing commands
00:08:07and how to pull the sled together.
00:08:09Okay, we got to go on here.
00:08:12But they've never attempted an all-terrain, long-haul trail
00:08:15like the one they're tackling today.
00:08:18A 65-mile trek over hard-packed ice and fresh powder.
00:08:22This right here is the type of stuff
00:08:28that's going to gain them experience for their life.
00:08:30And I'm not just talking about just for a race like the Iditarod.
00:08:34Whether it's to check traps, whether it's to go travel,
00:08:37they need to learn the little tricks of the trade
00:08:40by coming out here, breaking trail, being patient,
00:08:43stopping and going, waiting for me.
00:08:45Warmed up, aren't we, guys?
00:08:48This winter, Lauro's gunning hard to get ready for a second shot
00:08:51at the legendary Iditarod.
00:08:53But as a musher with 31 dogs in his kennel,
00:08:56he has to think long-term, too.
00:08:58You know, all the stuff they do is going to be muscle memory
00:09:01when they get older.
00:09:02Training his varsity and JV squads at the same time.
00:09:05And luckily, he has some help.
00:09:08The only adults I have in this team are three of my main team dogs.
00:09:12The old reliable four-mirror over here,
00:09:15the mirror, the ochre, and the control are the moms of these yearlings.
00:09:18The moms are anchored in key positions to lead the way
00:09:21and teach the young ones to follow.
00:09:24All righty, guys.
00:09:25Time to rumble.
00:09:28Partner, you ready?
00:09:30Hey!
00:09:30Takes about two to three years to develop and train a dog.
00:09:40Hey, pressure!
00:09:42Looks like your dad.
00:09:44They got to prove themselves, you know, their mental toughness.
00:09:48But these yearlings still, you know, they're still learning the basics.
00:09:51All right, guys.
00:09:51Cheek!
00:09:53Cheek!
00:09:54Cheek!
00:09:57Today's run should put the dogs through a gauntlet of challenges.
00:10:00But the course isn't designed just for practice.
00:10:04All done.
00:10:05That's it.
00:10:05That's it.
00:10:07Lauro's father, Neil, has been camping deep in the bush for several weeks.
00:10:11Fish here.
00:10:13Aim up.
00:10:15Last fall, I dropped off my dad at Tolva on a river
00:10:18to trap for fish and beaver for trail snacks for my dogs.
00:10:21Get this rack full of fish.
00:10:23That'll be good.
00:10:23Yeah.
00:10:24Now that Neil's ready to come home,
00:10:29Lauro's turning the extraction into a team-building mission.
00:10:33We are on the telegraph line trail here.
00:10:38This is kind of like a communal trail to Child's Peak, Manly, and Burbank.
00:10:42This historic trail once linked the Gold Rush outpost of Manly,
00:10:48including its U.S. Army telegraph office, to the outside world.
00:10:53Today, it cuts through sprawling wetlands that are nearly impassable in the summer months,
00:10:58but hardened into a sled trail during the deep freeze.
00:11:04Cheek!
00:11:04So, we got this nice kind of bus-brush area to open up on.
00:11:10So, we're going to do some off-trail training here.
00:11:12So, we'll get the team kind of navigating through this open stuff here.
00:11:17And it'll get rolling.
00:11:18All right, guys.
00:11:18Oh, got you.
00:11:19Oh, oh, oh, oh.
00:11:21Yep, yep.
00:11:22No, no, no.
00:11:24No.
00:11:26Ah.
00:11:28Well.
00:11:30No, Laura.
00:11:31I just up.
00:11:34Surviving in the remote Alaska wilderness requires grit, guts.
00:11:48Got it.
00:11:49And great aim.
00:11:50Oh, good.
00:11:52That one snuck up on me.
00:11:54Oh, let's go up there and get it.
00:11:57Come on, Bridger.
00:11:58Having this first grass is great.
00:12:03All right.
00:12:04Nice one.
00:12:11Bridger, come here.
00:12:12I want you to come see.
00:12:14I think maybe the shot kind of scared him.
00:12:17Good boy.
00:12:18It's your first bird.
00:12:20Sit.
00:12:21I know.
00:12:21That was really exciting.
00:12:23You're going to learn.
00:12:24Oh, there's a feather.
00:12:25This is a grouse.
00:12:27These pretty wings.
00:12:29They're going to be used at our trapping sites.
00:12:32And then this is fresh meat for us tonight.
00:12:34And you get to have some, too.
00:12:37And let's go find some more.
00:12:38Come on, let's go.
00:12:41Good boy, buddy.
00:12:43While Ivy's rustling up their next meal.
00:12:45I'm going to drop these in.
00:12:49Brett's readying the tools of the trade.
00:12:51So right now, I'm boiling my canine traps.
00:12:54This is a logwood dye.
00:12:58We're desensitizing them, boiling them, getting a coating of dye on them.
00:13:03Got a little bit of mixture of wax in this batch here.
00:13:07It'll make the trap fire off quicker.
00:13:09And then as these are boiling, I'm going to make a couple of wolverine boxes.
00:13:15Unlike the wolf and coyote, a wolverine's thick, oily coat evolved to shed frost easily
00:13:22without absorbing moisture, making it some of the most sought-after and valuable fur on the market.
00:13:29But also, this one on the angle so it doesn't stick through, one of the most difficult animals to trap.
00:13:37Wolverines are pretty elusive.
00:13:39This is supposed to be the outside of my box.
00:13:42They isolate themselves from humans.
00:13:44They're pretty smart.
00:13:46My wolverine hat, actually, the one that I wear.
00:13:48It took me six weeks to catch that wolverine in particular.
00:13:51He was smart.
00:13:53He'd come back every, like, 10 to 14 days.
00:13:56And I had a trail camera on it, and he'd work this natural set.
00:14:00And somehow was smart enough to set it off.
00:14:05So I threw one of these boxes.
00:14:07And he'd never seen one of these before.
00:14:11The advantage of using a box is that it both attracts the curious creature and hides the trap.
00:14:18All right, I'm going to switch out these traps here real quick.
00:14:21And then finish off that box.
00:14:24From its mighty mountain peaks to its wide and wild tundra,
00:14:41Alaska is a land of ice, forged by fire.
00:14:48Off the mainland's southern coast, Kodiak is still just as rugged as it was more than 100 years ago,
00:14:54when a massive volcanic eruption buried the island in ash more than a foot deep.
00:15:00Not many places can you live where there's still ground that's undisturbed from the last volcano.
00:15:11You can see all the volcanic gas.
00:15:13The raw and untouched wilderness once drew Mike Horstman here as a young big game hunter.
00:15:22A little bit more.
00:15:24Now, he's spent nearly four decades hand-building a life.
00:15:28And a homestead.
00:15:29Where the work is never done, and the next project is always waiting.
00:15:33Today, I'm going to dig a root cellar.
00:15:37Temperature of the ground down here is going to keep it insulated, which is what I really need.
00:15:44Root cellars are primitive pre-refrigeration tech that preserve food and crops at stable, cool temperatures by storing them underground.
00:15:54See, all that material right there, that's all good stuff to put on the roof.
00:15:59You'll keep it from freezing tight in the winter, and keep it probably 40 degrees in the summer.
00:16:08Having this root cellar is definitely going to be an improvement.
00:16:12It's something that I've been thinking about for years.
00:16:15I finally decided that I'm just going to get this done.
00:16:19I got everything plugged in.
00:16:21Got it set on the 60 volts.
00:16:23In the last two years, with the price of fuel, and everything else, steadily rising.
00:16:30You can see it. It's just making that meter go now.
00:16:33Mike supercharged his efforts to make his property energy independent.
00:16:38Basically, I have free power.
00:16:41And all I got to do is wait for the wind.
00:16:43Adding a wind turbine and solar panels.
00:16:47My merciful heavens, look at that.
00:16:50We've got voltage.
00:16:51To save money and time.
00:16:54I don't have to go to town near as much.
00:16:57The upgrades have been a game changer.
00:17:00That's monumental.
00:17:01In one day, I went from caveman with a candle to the 21st century.
00:17:07But Mike still relies on a generator to power his hunting guide business.
00:17:11And the season is about to kick off in a big way.
00:17:15This fall, I've got some pretty big hunts planned.
00:17:18I've got a permit for a bison.
00:17:19I've got a goat tag.
00:17:22And I've got some deer tags.
00:17:23And once I get this done, I'm going to be able to hang anything that I kill.
00:17:27If all goes to plan, the root cellar will store several months' worth of food in any big game bagged by his bear hunting clients.
00:17:38All without using a single watt of electricity.
00:17:40See how the hole's coming along.
00:17:49Got nine foot there.
00:17:58It's going to be eight foot, so we've got plenty of room for it.
00:18:02This hole's going to be eight by eight with a seven foot ceiling.
00:18:06And I'll cover the top of it up with the material that I dug up, so it'll be insulated from all angles.
00:18:11I think that the hole's going to be perfect.
00:18:16I can see in my mind what I want to do, but I've got to put it in action now.
00:18:20With all the dangers and difficulties of the Alaskan winter,
00:18:35small missteps can lead to big messes.
00:18:46It's kind of ridiculous to get tangled in the one tree in this open area,
00:18:50but, you know, the dog is just being a dog, really.
00:18:53You know, they don't understand about the whole lines and this and that.
00:18:59This is how it goes sometimes.
00:19:01The team's running at a good clip,
00:19:26covering ten miles so far
00:19:27and leaving the flats in its rear view.
00:19:31But they've still got another 55 miles to go to reach Neal's camp.
00:19:36Whew!
00:19:36All righty.
00:19:38Now we're making our way through the Dugan Hill Pass right here.
00:19:44The Dugan Hills are kind of like one of the bigger landmark hills.
00:19:47You can see the dogs, man.
00:19:49They're kicking into low gear.
00:19:51Helping them out a little bit by running.
00:19:53One nice thing about doing this type of work on a trail,
00:19:57you know, I've been trying to get back,
00:19:59getting as good a shape as I can for the race.
00:20:04You know, I got to be in shape during Iditarod.
00:20:08You know, we're the 17th dog on the line.
00:20:11You know, these guys deserve me to be at a peak physical, physical shape, you know.
00:20:19And that's going to improve me as a racer and as a woodsman as well.
00:20:24The Iditarod covers an epic 1,000 miles.
00:20:30More than 10 times the distance Laro is traveling today.
00:20:34It takes time and a lot of hard work to build up the conditioning
00:20:37that the dogs will need to succeed.
00:20:40So every run counts.
00:20:43Trail breaking can be a lot of tough work.
00:20:45It's one of those things,
00:20:47you can see how these guys are really digging in there.
00:20:51Way up front, you know, they're almost swimming.
00:20:53They're making like a swim motion.
00:20:55It's a movement that takes some practice for dogs to make.
00:20:58But these guys, these guys are,
00:21:00they're all trotting, pacing real nice.
00:21:03You know, looking like professionals.
00:21:06Future looks bright for the kennel.
00:21:09You got the Tanana River right here.
00:21:12So we're going to keep cruising.
00:21:15The vast, wide-open Tanana River
00:21:19leads directly to Neil's camp.
00:21:21But right now it's about 20 degrees,
00:21:23so it's a really warm day.
00:21:2520 degrees is well below freezing.
00:21:31Hey, hey, hey, easy.
00:21:33But that doesn't guarantee the safety of river ice.
00:21:39You can see open leads.
00:21:45There may be snow on the ground in central Alaska,
00:21:51but until the winter goes sub-zero,
00:21:55Hey, hey, hey, easy.
00:21:57Getting around on the Tanana River can be a deadly gamble.
00:22:01You can see open leads.
00:22:03That stuff right there,
00:22:05you might have risk of breaking through that.
00:22:07Lately, with the warmer winter we've had,
00:22:15it's been tough to really tell about the ice.
00:22:18Traveling these big rivers,
00:22:19you got to be cautious.
00:22:20You know, they can sneak up on you.
00:22:22Hold on, boop, and they're going in.
00:22:23Guys have lost dog teams,
00:22:25and hopefully that's not me.
00:22:27So right now I'm just taking a quick look
00:22:29at the ice depth.
00:22:31So I'm just going to cut a good-sized hole here
00:22:33and see roughly, you know,
00:22:35that's roughly three inches right there.
00:22:39So like, right now,
00:22:42this is super safe.
00:22:43You know, we got almost some of our wrists and ice.
00:22:46This is great for a dog sled.
00:22:47Yeah, holy cow.
00:22:51This is a lot of ice, actually, right here.
00:22:53But again, just because it's good here,
00:22:56I bet if I got closer to that lead,
00:22:58you can see the current coming out of that water.
00:23:01You definitely don't want to be crossing
00:23:03right beside this thing.
00:23:07Where the trail is at at the moment,
00:23:09that's safe.
00:23:11But you still got to be on the ball.
00:23:13If I fall in the ice,
00:23:14and especially the Tanana,
00:23:16that's it.
00:23:16You know, you're not getting out.
00:23:18We look like we're safe for a while,
00:23:21but you never know.
00:23:22Keep on traveling.
00:23:24Hey, gang!
00:23:26Ha!
00:23:28Hey, hup, hup!
00:23:31Hey, hey!
00:23:43In the Alaskan interior,
00:23:45known as the Yukon Koyakuk,
00:23:47winter is knocking.
00:23:50Come on.
00:23:51Come on, Nabi.
00:23:52Come on, Nabi.
00:23:53And for homesteaders Chance and Soraya Painter
00:23:56and their two young boys,
00:23:58the time to protect their precious livestock
00:24:00from the coming freeze is now.
00:24:05Here, come on.
00:24:06Yeah, Nabi.
00:24:07We're going to build a barn.
00:24:08Today we're going to go and get Timbers
00:24:10to build a barn.
00:24:12Why don't we make like a frame here
00:24:14so we could figure out sides
00:24:16and maybe where the door is going to be?
00:24:18The reason we're building this is because
00:24:20it's going to be cold very soon here.
00:24:23We really need to make sure our livestock is safe
00:24:25because we rely on them as a source of food
00:24:28and other natural materials.
00:24:29The livestock that we have are goats and sheep
00:24:32and then we also have some chickens
00:24:33and we also have two pigs.
00:24:35As of right now,
00:24:36the structure is just basic livestock holding areas,
00:24:40mostly just rough cut lumber
00:24:42that is fencing in just small areas.
00:24:47Living 65 miles from the nearest grocery store
00:24:50puts a premium on the meat the painters raise at home.
00:24:53And the makeshift livestock shelters
00:24:55just won't cut it when the brutal cold returns.
00:24:59After last winter,
00:25:00we realized that we're definitely going to need
00:25:03to build a bigger, more insulated area
00:25:06for the animals so that it's easier on them
00:25:08while it's minus 50 degrees outside.
00:25:10Let's see what 16 by 16 looks like
00:25:13and then we'll pretend that we are
00:25:15sheep, goats, and a pig, yeah?
00:25:18Okay.
00:25:19It's not necessarily just the cold.
00:25:21Last winter we had a lot of wolves coming around
00:25:24and kind of circling around our area.
00:25:27We do have livestock dogs to protect them,
00:25:29but things still happen.
00:25:3316, right there.
00:25:36All right.
00:25:38Beautiful.
00:25:39Which side did you want to put the door?
00:25:41I definitely want to put the door on this side
00:25:42since all the wind comes from this way.
00:25:45Okay.
00:25:45So door.
00:25:47Maybe we'll lay some sticks out
00:25:50acting as like the corridor.
00:25:51So as we're laying down the sticks,
00:25:54I'm just kind of imagining myself or Soraya
00:25:57pushing a wheelbarrow through
00:25:58and just picturing the animals
00:26:00like in their own little stalls.
00:26:02Because thinking about the pig area now,
00:26:03that's probably pretty good.
00:26:05Yeah.
00:26:06Just trying to make sure
00:26:07that they have enough space
00:26:09to stretch their legs
00:26:10and be happy
00:26:12because you don't want them
00:26:12being too cramped
00:26:13inside of the cabin.
00:26:15The pigs can basically have one side
00:26:17because Gus is going to get huge.
00:26:19So Gus and Maggie...
00:26:20If he gets too big,
00:26:21we're just going to eat him.
00:26:22He's looking super delicious.
00:26:26How's that look?
00:26:27It looks good.
00:26:28We should start hauling.
00:26:29We're losing daylight.
00:26:30So the plan is to
00:26:31go out to the logging trail
00:26:33and then go and start looking
00:26:35for our sill logs and wall logs.
00:26:38What trail are you going to head up?
00:26:39I'm going to go to the far trail.
00:26:41There's pretty tough woods out there.
00:26:43We need to harvest four sill logs.
00:26:47A sill log is what
00:26:47the entire cabin rests on.
00:26:50And then we're hoping to be able
00:26:51to get the sill logs down
00:26:53at the end of the day.
00:26:54Is that everything you need?
00:26:55I think that's everything.
00:26:57All right.
00:26:58I'll be back in a little bit.
00:26:59All right.
00:26:59Bye-bye.
00:27:00All right.
00:27:00Bye-bye.
00:27:02Bye-bye.
00:27:02Bye-bye.
00:27:03Bye-bye.
00:27:13Up in the Tobacco Root Mountains
00:27:20the sun's finally caught up
00:27:23to Jake and his pack
00:27:24and they're ready to roll.
00:27:27All right.
00:27:28So I found this track
00:27:30early this morning in the dark
00:27:31and I wasn't able
00:27:33to turn up another one
00:27:34which is a good thing.
00:27:36So we've only got one job
00:27:37to do today.
00:27:39We'll see if the dogs
00:27:40can't get this kitty
00:27:42pushed back up on the mountain.
00:27:46Marlene.
00:27:47Here it is.
00:27:48Here it is.
00:27:49Here it is.
00:27:50Good dog.
00:27:51Good dog.
00:27:53Good dog.
00:27:56Well, just like that
00:27:57we're off to the races.
00:27:59On the cat's scent
00:28:01and kicking off
00:28:02the first hunt of the season
00:28:03are Marlene, Mardell, and Blue.
00:28:07Three of Jake's
00:28:08most seasoned trackers.
00:28:09Coming into the season
00:28:10this year is a little different
00:28:12than all the ones in the past.
00:28:13We don't have any
00:28:14pups anymore.
00:28:16Everybody's fully trained.
00:28:17Everybody I would consider
00:28:18to be a veteran this year.
00:28:20So I'm hoping that this year
00:28:22I can put out less dogs.
00:28:23I'm going to do
00:28:24two to three at a time
00:28:25instead of letting go
00:28:26half a pack.
00:28:27I rely on these dogs
00:28:28each and every day
00:28:29so it's going to be nice
00:28:30to run smaller packs
00:28:32and be able to have
00:28:33extra dogs at home
00:28:34that are ready to go
00:28:35for the next day.
00:28:39Let's see where
00:28:43these dogs are.
00:28:46They're covering some country.
00:28:49At top speed
00:28:50the dogs are running
00:28:51as fast as 15 miles per hour
00:28:53leaving Jake in the dust.
00:28:56They went over top
00:28:57of this ridge
00:28:58and they're dropping down
00:28:59so I need to get up
00:29:01to the top here
00:29:02and see if I can't
00:29:04catch up to them.
00:29:04He'll track them on GPS
00:29:08while he closes the gap.
00:29:11A trek that can take hours
00:29:12in this treacherous terrain.
00:29:22You can't quite hear
00:29:23these dogs yet.
00:29:24I should be getting close enough
00:29:26to where I should be hearing them.
00:29:27They're across the canyon here
00:29:28in a patch of timber
00:29:29and it looks like they're
00:29:32yeah
00:29:32they're just a little
00:29:34over a half mile right now
00:29:35so
00:29:35I should start hearing them
00:29:37here pretty soon.
00:29:38It's definitely nice
00:29:39to have snow on the ground
00:29:40but
00:29:41tough, tough snow conditions.
00:29:43I'm slipping and sliding
00:29:44and I'm using
00:29:45a lot more energy
00:29:46but
00:29:46either way
00:29:47I've got to keep pushing.
00:29:49The dogs are trained
00:29:50to stay on target
00:29:51until Jake arrives
00:29:52no matter how long it takes.
00:29:59Alright, I can really
00:30:02hear those dogs now.
00:30:05They can't be far.
00:30:07Oh.
00:30:09Oh, that's not good.
00:30:10I've definitely got
00:30:11something funky
00:30:12going on here.
00:30:13The dogs were
00:30:13peeling up the creek here
00:30:14and Marlene just took
00:30:17went about 100 yards
00:30:18and pulled up treed
00:30:19and she's down here
00:30:20treeing by herself.
00:30:22I'm going to get up here
00:30:22and see what the heck
00:30:23they got going over.
00:30:29What do you got here?
00:30:42Holy cow.
00:30:51In the dense woods
00:30:52of the Alaskan interior
00:30:53Chance has a plan
00:30:56for his barn build.
00:30:57All he needs now
00:30:58is the heavy timber
00:30:59which is a daunting
00:31:01one-man task
00:31:02in these parts.
00:31:04Alright, I'm going to have
00:31:04to try and
00:31:04move some of this stuff
00:31:06and make a trail
00:31:07right through here.
00:31:14The plan for right now
00:31:15is I'm going to
00:31:16cut this in.
00:31:18This is going to be
00:31:18my chute
00:31:19to drag logs through.
00:31:22I'm just going to
00:31:22open up the trail
00:31:23a little bit first
00:31:24and just kind of
00:31:24inch my way in here.
00:31:25I've chosen this area
00:31:29to make trail into
00:31:30because I've seen
00:31:31lots of nice trees
00:31:32while I was walking
00:31:33around trapping
00:31:34lynx and beaver
00:31:35in here last winter.
00:31:38So I'm just trying
00:31:39to make sure
00:31:39that the trail
00:31:40is clear
00:31:41and wide enough
00:31:42to get a four-wheeler
00:31:43through.
00:31:45I also want to make
00:31:46sure as I'm dragging
00:31:47the logs through
00:31:48that there's not
00:31:49any big logs
00:31:51to get hung up on.
00:31:57So I've cut a good
00:31:5910 feet of trail
00:32:0110 foot wide here
00:32:02and my four-wheeler
00:32:04can really easily
00:32:05get through here
00:32:06without any problems.
00:32:07So I'm going to
00:32:08start looking
00:32:08for some timbers.
00:32:09So this is a nice
00:32:15looking tree.
00:32:16This one looks
00:32:17really good.
00:32:17It's not too big
00:32:18so I'll be able
00:32:19to actually drag
00:32:20it out of here.
00:32:22It looks like
00:32:22it's about
00:32:23a 10 inch base
00:32:24which is basically
00:32:26what I'm kind
00:32:27of shooting for.
00:32:28So this tree
00:32:29would make a really
00:32:30good sill log
00:32:31I'm thinking
00:32:32which is the log
00:32:34at the very bottom
00:32:35of the cabin.
00:32:36It's basically
00:32:37the structural
00:32:39integrity
00:32:39of the whole
00:32:40foundation.
00:32:41We need
00:32:41four sill logs
00:32:43and luckily
00:32:44there's two
00:32:46more nice ones
00:32:47right here
00:32:48and from the
00:32:48looks of it
00:32:49we might be able
00:32:49to actually get
00:32:50two logs
00:32:51out of the
00:32:52third tree.
00:32:53These trees
00:32:54look great
00:32:55so I'm going
00:32:55to go grab
00:32:55my saw
00:32:56and start
00:32:56cutting them
00:32:57down.
00:33:01So the way
00:33:01I'm going
00:33:02to cut this
00:33:02tree down
00:33:03is I'm going
00:33:03to limb up
00:33:04all of these
00:33:05branches on the
00:33:06bottom here
00:33:07and then I'm
00:33:08going to do
00:33:08what's called
00:33:09a face cut
00:33:09and I'm going
00:33:10to cut a wedge
00:33:11into the bottom
00:33:12and I'm going
00:33:14to take that
00:33:14wedge out
00:33:15and then make
00:33:16another cut
00:33:17on the back
00:33:17side at an
00:33:19angle.
00:33:19Tension from
00:33:21this releasing
00:33:21will shift the
00:33:22weight of the
00:33:22tree towards
00:33:24the face cut
00:33:24and it'll end
00:33:25up fouling the
00:33:26tree uphill
00:33:27here.
00:33:29So the tree
00:33:30fell exactly
00:33:30where I was
00:33:31wanting it to.
00:33:32We'll be able
00:33:32to limb it up
00:33:33now and once
00:33:34the log is on
00:33:35the ground
00:33:35I'll be able
00:33:36to attach a
00:33:36rope onto
00:33:37the butt
00:33:37here and
00:33:38I'll be able
00:33:38to swing
00:33:39it around
00:33:39with the
00:33:40wheeler
00:33:40and start
00:33:41dragging it
00:33:42up the
00:33:42hill.
00:33:43I'm feeling
00:33:44pretty good
00:33:44about getting
00:33:45the first
00:33:45tree down.
00:33:46I got a
00:33:47whole lot
00:33:48more logs
00:33:48than I
00:33:49gotta cut.
00:33:49on Kodiak
00:34:01on Kodiak Island,
00:34:02Alaska.
00:34:03The big dig
00:34:04is complete.
00:34:05Okay.
00:34:06And a construction
00:34:07project that's
00:34:08taken months to
00:34:08plan is finally
00:34:10getting underway.
00:34:10now I'm gonna
00:34:13fab my root
00:34:14cellar right
00:34:15here in the
00:34:15yard and
00:34:16I'm gonna
00:34:17carry it
00:34:17over there
00:34:17and set
00:34:18it in
00:34:18position.
00:34:19I think
00:34:19it'll be
00:34:20a lot
00:34:20easier to
00:34:20build it
00:34:21on flat
00:34:21ground
00:34:21than down
00:34:22in the
00:34:22hole.
00:34:23Each of
00:34:25the beams
00:34:25that Mike's
00:34:26using to
00:34:26build the
00:34:27root cellar
00:34:27I can see
00:34:29it from
00:34:29right here
00:34:30has been
00:34:31plucked
00:34:31one by one
00:34:32from the
00:34:32shores of
00:34:33Eagle Harbor.
00:34:35I think
00:34:35this is one
00:34:36right here
00:34:36in the
00:34:37grass.
00:34:38The salvage
00:34:39mission's
00:34:39taken all
00:34:40summer.
00:34:42Kind of
00:34:42like going
00:34:43shopping.
00:34:44But its
00:34:45price tag
00:34:45can't be
00:34:46beat.
00:34:47Yeah.
00:34:48Perfect.
00:34:50A lot of
00:34:50people,
00:34:51myself included,
00:34:52leave stuff
00:34:52too close
00:34:53to the
00:34:54beach.
00:34:54A lot
00:34:54of this
00:34:55stuff floats
00:34:55out in
00:34:56the bay
00:34:56and a few
00:34:57days later,
00:34:58a week,
00:34:59a month,
00:35:00it'll end
00:35:00up on
00:35:02somebody's
00:35:02beach.
00:35:05You know,
00:35:05the way
00:35:06I'm exposed
00:35:07here to
00:35:07the Gulf,
00:35:09a lot of
00:35:09it comes
00:35:10to me.
00:35:12The
00:35:12dimensional
00:35:13lumber is
00:35:13free and
00:35:15that's not
00:35:16the only
00:35:16savings Mike's
00:35:17eking out
00:35:17of the
00:35:18land.
00:35:19These
00:35:19panels have
00:35:20been here
00:35:20at least
00:35:21ten years.
00:35:23They were
00:35:24the leftovers
00:35:24from a
00:35:25hangar that
00:35:25got built
00:35:26in town.
00:35:27And I
00:35:27knew the
00:35:28guy that
00:35:28built it.
00:35:29Between the
00:35:30lumber and
00:35:30the panels,
00:35:31this build
00:35:32is low
00:35:32cost but
00:35:33high quality.
00:35:35The beauty
00:35:35of these is
00:35:36that they're
00:35:36going to be
00:35:37insulated like
00:35:37I've done with
00:35:38them.
00:35:39For the
00:35:39walls,
00:35:40this is
00:35:40probably as
00:35:42good a
00:35:42material as
00:35:42I could
00:35:43use.
00:35:43They're
00:35:43two and a
00:35:44half inches
00:35:44of foam
00:35:45interlocking
00:35:46joints with
00:35:47metal on
00:35:48both sides,
00:35:48baked enamel
00:35:51paint and
00:35:52they'll
00:35:53completely
00:35:54insulate
00:35:54the word
00:35:55cellar.
00:35:58Okay.
00:36:00The
00:36:00material's
00:36:01going to
00:36:01run all
00:36:02the way
00:36:02to here
00:36:03but I
00:36:04need to
00:36:04put a
00:36:06beam
00:36:07across so
00:36:09that I
00:36:09can hang
00:36:10a hindquarter
00:36:10or a
00:36:11deer or
00:36:12something
00:36:12inside.
00:36:13Once this
00:36:14side wall
00:36:15is standing
00:36:15upright,
00:36:16the notch
00:36:17in the
00:36:17stud will
00:36:18make room
00:36:18for a
00:36:18crossbeam
00:36:19that'll
00:36:19span the
00:36:20length of
00:36:20the cellar
00:36:21and be
00:36:22strong enough
00:36:22to hold
00:36:22the weight
00:36:23of big
00:36:23game carcasses.
00:36:26Look at
00:36:27that.
00:36:28Oh baby,
00:36:28oh baby.
00:36:31It'd be
00:36:31perfect.
00:36:32Good.
00:36:33Now I got
00:36:33one more
00:36:34panel to
00:36:34do.
00:36:3518 inches.
00:36:37Another
00:36:37precision fit.
00:36:39I've been
00:36:40thinking about
00:36:40building a
00:36:40root cellar
00:36:41for years
00:36:41but I just
00:36:42haven't had
00:36:43the time
00:36:43out here.
00:36:44There's always
00:36:45a lot of
00:36:45work to
00:36:45do to
00:36:46be able to
00:36:47put something
00:36:48together like
00:36:48this at
00:36:49this time
00:36:49of my
00:36:50life.
00:36:50It's very
00:36:51self-satisfying
00:36:52just a real
00:36:53sense of
00:36:54accomplishment
00:36:54to be able
00:36:55to live
00:36:56like this.
00:36:57Okay,
00:36:57I got this
00:36:58one done.
00:36:59I'm going
00:36:59to build
00:36:59one more.
00:37:00I'm just
00:37:00going to
00:37:00build it
00:37:00right on
00:37:01top of
00:37:01here and
00:37:02then I'll
00:37:02put them
00:37:03in place
00:37:03with the
00:37:04forklift.
00:37:05We'll see
00:37:05what happens.
00:37:12it's day
00:37:19one of
00:37:19lion season
00:37:20and high
00:37:23up in the
00:37:24tobacco
00:37:24roots.
00:37:25Holy cow,
00:37:27you gotta push
00:37:28way up in
00:37:29that tree.
00:37:30Jake's
00:37:31first shot
00:37:31on target
00:37:32is a
00:37:36misfire.
00:37:38It's
00:37:38definitely
00:37:39a big
00:37:40old bobcat
00:37:40but it's
00:37:41not what
00:37:41we're after
00:37:41and I've
00:37:42got Blue
00:37:43and Mardell
00:37:43heading up
00:37:44the drainage
00:37:44here on
00:37:45the creek
00:37:45so I'm
00:37:46just going
00:37:47to pull
00:37:47Marlene
00:37:47off and
00:37:48get her
00:37:49line back
00:37:49out with
00:37:50those other
00:37:50two and
00:37:50hopefully she
00:37:52catches up
00:37:52to the rest
00:37:52of the pack
00:37:53and catches
00:37:53that lion.
00:37:55Good girl,
00:37:55Marlene!
00:37:56I'm not
00:37:56going to tell
00:37:57Marlene
00:37:57she did a
00:37:58bad job.
00:37:58She caught
00:37:59a cat.
00:38:00Good girl!
00:38:01Marlene,
00:38:02let's go!
00:38:04Mama,
00:38:04here,
00:38:05come on!
00:38:06Let's go!
00:38:06You did good!
00:38:08Catch you
00:38:08up with
00:38:08the rest
00:38:09of them.
00:38:17The detour
00:38:18puts Jake
00:38:19even farther
00:38:19behind
00:38:20but making
00:38:21up time
00:38:22on the
00:38:22steep cliffs
00:38:23is a
00:38:24tall order
00:38:25with fresh
00:38:25powder
00:38:26on the
00:38:26ground.
00:38:28Holy
00:38:28crap!
00:38:29The snow
00:38:30is really
00:38:30starting to
00:38:31pick up.
00:38:32Kind of
00:38:33let up
00:38:33there for
00:38:33a minute
00:38:34and now
00:38:34it's really
00:38:34starting to
00:38:35come down
00:38:35again.
00:38:38All right.
00:38:40I've got
00:38:40dogs starting
00:38:41to tree
00:38:41way down
00:38:42here below
00:38:43me.
00:38:44Looks like
00:38:44they're all
00:38:45barking pretty
00:38:47good right
00:38:47now and
00:38:48they're staying
00:38:49put so I
00:38:49think they
00:38:50got it
00:38:50treed.
00:38:51I just
00:38:52got to
00:38:52cover about
00:38:53three-quarters
00:38:53of a mile
00:38:53to get to
00:38:54them.
00:38:55Hopefully
00:38:55they got
00:38:56me a
00:38:56cat caught.
00:38:56mardell
00:39:14mardell
00:39:15mardell
00:39:17decided to
00:39:17climb the
00:39:18tree
00:39:18so I've got
00:39:19to get up
00:39:19there and
00:39:20help her
00:39:20down
00:39:21as quickly
00:39:22as I can.
00:39:23we've got
00:39:24a cat
00:39:25up the
00:39:25top of
00:39:25the tree
00:39:25and mardell
00:39:26is about
00:39:26halfway up.
00:39:27Mardell
00:39:28climbing a
00:39:28tree it's a
00:39:29disastrous deal
00:39:30because if that
00:39:31mountain lion
00:39:31decides it wants
00:39:32to attack her
00:39:33she's going to
00:39:34be pretty well
00:39:35helpless up
00:39:35there.
00:39:39That cat
00:39:41only knows
00:39:42two ways
00:39:43down the
00:39:43tree and
00:39:44that's to
00:39:44climb down
00:39:44it or jump
00:39:45out of
00:39:45it.
00:39:46One of
00:39:51those options
00:39:52is going
00:39:52to be right
00:39:53over top
00:39:53of me and
00:39:53the dog
00:39:54so if this
00:39:55cat comes
00:39:55down right
00:39:56now me
00:39:57and the
00:39:57cat are
00:39:57going to
00:39:57end up
00:39:58in hand
00:39:58to hand
00:39:59combat
00:39:59which is
00:39:59the last
00:40:00thing I
00:40:00need.
00:40:09Way up
00:40:10above the
00:40:10valley floor
00:40:11the lion
00:40:13is king
00:40:14of the
00:40:14mountain.
00:40:15Good
00:40:15girl.
00:40:16And when
00:40:17a lion
00:40:17is threatened
00:40:18its
00:40:18instinct
00:40:19is to
00:40:19strike.
00:40:22Mardell
00:40:23climbing a
00:40:23tree is
00:40:24definitely
00:40:24a life
00:40:25or death
00:40:25situation.
00:40:26Come on
00:40:27down
00:40:27Eve.
00:40:28Come on.
00:40:30Mardell's
00:40:30bad habits
00:40:31landed Jake
00:40:3240 feet
00:40:32above the
00:40:33ground
00:40:33and out
00:40:34on a
00:40:34limb
00:40:34with a
00:40:35big cat
00:40:36right
00:40:36overhead.
00:40:38Come on
00:40:38Mardell.
00:40:38These dogs
00:40:39can climb
00:40:40these trees
00:40:40really well
00:40:41and really
00:40:42easily but
00:40:42they cannot
00:40:43climb down
00:40:44them.
00:40:45Come on
00:40:45if that
00:40:46dog comes
00:40:46out on
00:40:47its own
00:40:47it might
00:40:48end up
00:40:48breaking
00:40:49its jaw
00:40:49its leg
00:40:50or its
00:40:51back.
00:40:51Come on
00:40:52Dilly.
00:40:53come Dilly.
00:41:06Dilly.
00:41:12She did?
00:41:13Got it?
00:41:15Hold on
00:41:16baby
00:41:16you're out.
00:41:18Hang on.
00:41:19Are you good?
00:41:20Are you good?
00:41:20Come on.
00:41:21All right.
00:41:37All right.
00:41:37Holy crap.
00:41:39So I've been
00:41:40having that problem
00:41:41with Mardell
00:41:43and Manny.
00:41:44They're the two
00:41:44dogs that have
00:41:45really been
00:41:45climbing trees
00:41:46on me.
00:41:46And as you
00:41:48can see
00:41:48that's not
00:41:49ideal at all.
00:41:50It's not a safe
00:41:51thing for the
00:41:51dog.
00:41:52It's not safe
00:41:52for me.
00:41:53So they'll get
00:41:54to a tree
00:41:55like that
00:41:55covered by
00:41:56Mardell
00:41:56and get her
00:41:57down
00:41:57off of that.
00:41:59And now
00:42:00we've got a cat
00:42:00in the tree
00:42:01that did
00:42:01their job.
00:42:02Definitely
00:42:03not.
00:42:03I'd like to
00:42:04see it.
00:42:04But we'll
00:42:06take it.
00:42:06Bend down!
00:42:10Got this
00:42:10mountain lion
00:42:11pushed back
00:42:12and it's time
00:42:12to get my butt
00:42:13off the mountain
00:42:14and get these
00:42:14dogs fed
00:42:15and we'll be
00:42:15right back
00:42:16at it again
00:42:16tomorrow.
00:42:17Here's the
00:42:18dogs!
00:42:20Good dogs!
00:42:31Back on
00:42:32Kodiak
00:42:32with the
00:42:33mega machines
00:42:34doing the
00:42:35heavy lifting.
00:42:39Okay,
00:42:39now
00:42:40I think
00:42:41the tricky
00:42:41part is going
00:42:42to be to
00:42:42get the
00:42:43first panels
00:42:44up
00:42:45and square.
00:42:47Mike's
00:42:47making fast
00:42:48work of his
00:42:48long-awaited
00:42:49root cellar.
00:42:50Because I'm
00:42:51all by myself
00:42:51it's a little
00:42:52awkward.
00:42:52I'm going to
00:42:53try and stand
00:42:54him up
00:42:54with the
00:42:55forklift and
00:42:55then I'll
00:42:56just put him
00:42:56in place
00:42:57and hopefully
00:42:58I'll be able
00:42:58to balance
00:42:59him without
00:43:00any mishaps.
00:43:02Each sidewall
00:43:03clocks in at
00:43:04300 pounds
00:43:05which is easy
00:43:06for a forklift
00:43:07to pick up
00:43:08but not to
00:43:09hold on edge.
00:43:12This is the
00:43:13sketchy part.
00:43:13Now we're going
00:43:14to stand it
00:43:14up and I'll
00:43:15block it from
00:43:16behind with a
00:43:17pole or
00:43:17something and
00:43:18then I've got
00:43:19to pick this
00:43:20one up this
00:43:21way.
00:43:22Maybe I'll do
00:43:23that with a
00:43:23piece of line
00:43:24if I don't
00:43:26drop it on
00:43:26myself.
00:43:35That will hold
00:43:36it for now.
00:43:42I think this
00:43:43is going to
00:43:43dig in but
00:43:44not a hundred
00:43:45percent.
00:43:53Okay.
00:43:54I think that's
00:43:55good enough.
00:43:58Now that I've
00:43:58got the walls
00:43:59standing upright
00:44:00and they seem
00:44:01like they're going
00:44:01to stay there
00:44:02for a few minutes
00:44:03I'm going to
00:44:03start putting
00:44:04the panels
00:44:04in and make
00:44:06the attachment
00:44:06on the
00:44:07back side.
00:44:14I'll just
00:44:14continue to put
00:44:15these panels
00:44:15on here
00:44:16all the way
00:44:17to the top
00:44:17and then I'll
00:44:18have it.
00:44:23Look at that.
00:44:25It's going
00:44:26together a lot
00:44:26nicer than I
00:44:27thought it
00:44:28would.
00:44:28Yeah.
00:44:33That'll hold
00:44:39a hindquarter
00:44:39of a buffalo
00:44:40or a deer.
00:44:41At this juncture
00:44:42it's looking
00:44:43good but I
00:44:45still got to
00:44:45inch it back
00:44:46into the hole
00:44:47where it needs
00:44:48to set so my
00:44:50idea is to
00:44:50tie a line to
00:44:51it and try
00:44:52and pull it
00:44:53with the
00:44:53excavator so
00:44:54I can get
00:44:54it in place.
00:44:58Now this is
00:44:58the part that
00:45:00I'm not sure
00:45:00of.
00:45:01Hopefully the
00:45:03bank doesn't
00:45:03cave away.
00:45:05We'll see.
00:45:15Living alone
00:45:16in the Alaskan
00:45:17bush requires
00:45:18a lot of
00:45:18heavy lifting.
00:45:20Okay, here
00:45:20we go.
00:45:21And some
00:45:22crafty
00:45:22improvisation.
00:45:25Hopefully I
00:45:26can pick up
00:45:26my line.
00:45:28We'll see
00:45:28what happens.
00:45:31So far
00:45:31we got
00:45:32that.
00:45:33Mike's
00:45:34root cellar
00:45:34structure
00:45:35is taking
00:45:35shape but
00:45:36it needs
00:45:37to be
00:45:37tucked into
00:45:38the earth
00:45:38nice and
00:45:39tight if
00:45:39the soil
00:45:40is going
00:45:40to keep
00:45:41it cool.
00:45:42This is
00:45:43the tricky
00:45:43part.
00:45:47There we
00:45:48go.
00:45:48a little
00:45:55juice.
00:45:57Oh yeah.
00:46:03We got
00:46:04it.
00:46:05I guess
00:46:05I'll get
00:46:06down there
00:46:06and level
00:46:07it.
00:46:08From up
00:46:09here sitting
00:46:09in the seat
00:46:10it looks like
00:46:10a million
00:46:10bucks but
00:46:11I'm going
00:46:11to have to
00:46:12make sure
00:46:12before I go
00:46:13any further
00:46:13that it's
00:46:14level,
00:46:14true,
00:46:15and square
00:46:15before I
00:46:16put the
00:46:16roof on
00:46:17and cover
00:46:18it up.
00:46:20Well,
00:46:21that's right
00:46:21in the middle
00:46:21right where
00:46:22look at that.
00:46:23That's on
00:46:23the money.
00:46:25As it
00:46:25turns out
00:46:25it's on
00:46:26my first
00:46:27shot.
00:46:27It was
00:46:28miracle of
00:46:29miracles.
00:46:29It's
00:46:29perfect.
00:46:30I won't
00:46:31be able to
00:46:31make it
00:46:31any better.
00:46:33Okay.
00:46:34Now
00:46:34I'm going
00:46:35to put
00:46:36these panels
00:46:36on here.
00:46:40Put the
00:46:40roof on
00:46:41and it'll
00:46:44be done
00:46:45like dinner.
00:46:46Once I
00:46:46get all
00:46:46those panels
00:46:47on, I
00:46:48cover it
00:46:48up with
00:46:49a tarp
00:46:49and now
00:46:50I'm going
00:46:50to pick
00:46:51up all
00:46:51this tundra
00:46:52and sod
00:46:53that I
00:46:54initially
00:46:54took off
00:46:55the surface.
00:46:56It'll
00:46:56absorb the
00:46:57moisture from
00:46:58all the
00:46:58rainwater and
00:46:59provide all
00:47:00the insulation
00:47:00that I
00:47:01need.
00:47:02Now
00:47:03we got
00:47:03it.
00:47:05Ahead
00:47:05of schedule
00:47:06and under
00:47:06budget.
00:47:08So I
00:47:10finished
00:47:10covering it
00:47:10around from
00:47:11the backside
00:47:12and now
00:47:13I have to
00:47:13cut the
00:47:13door out
00:47:14and put
00:47:15a wood
00:47:16framework
00:47:16on the
00:47:17edges of
00:47:17it and
00:47:18have the
00:47:18panels be
00:47:19the actual
00:47:19door.
00:47:22And that's
00:47:22how that's
00:47:23done.
00:47:25Now
00:47:25I'm going
00:47:26to lag
00:47:26a winch
00:47:27off of a
00:47:28boat trailer
00:47:29to one of
00:47:29these timbers
00:47:30on the
00:47:30side and
00:47:31that's what
00:47:32I'm going
00:47:32to use to
00:47:33adjust the
00:47:34height of
00:47:35my quarters
00:47:36while they're
00:47:37hanging in
00:47:37here.
00:47:39I had a
00:47:39deer out
00:47:40inside the
00:47:41door.
00:47:42I could
00:47:42have it
00:47:42on the
00:47:43gambrel
00:47:43on his
00:47:43hind legs
00:47:44bring the
00:47:44line out
00:47:45through the
00:47:46door and
00:47:47then just
00:47:48crank it
00:47:48up.
00:47:52And it'll
00:47:53just hang
00:47:53here and
00:47:54chill.
00:47:55It's going
00:47:55to be
00:47:55perfect.
00:47:58All in
00:47:59all I'm
00:47:59pretty tickled
00:48:00with the way
00:48:00this came
00:48:01out.
00:48:01I was able
00:48:01to use all
00:48:02available
00:48:03material from
00:48:03right here
00:48:04on the
00:48:04place and
00:48:06another job
00:48:06is done.
00:48:07Life is
00:48:08good.
00:48:10deep in
00:48:25the
00:48:25Yukon
00:48:25Koyukuk.
00:48:27After some
00:48:28felling,
00:48:29limbing,
00:48:29and trimming,
00:48:31the first
00:48:32sill log of
00:48:33the painter's
00:48:33new barn build
00:48:34is ready to
00:48:35hit the
00:48:35trail.
00:48:36All right,
00:48:37I'm going to
00:48:37hitch her up,
00:48:38see if I can
00:48:38get her
00:48:39through.
00:49:01All right,
00:49:01well that was
00:49:01the hard part,
00:49:02getting this
00:49:03thing actually
00:49:03up out of
00:49:04there back
00:49:04onto the
00:49:05trail.
00:49:05It should be
00:49:06pretty easy
00:49:06from here
00:49:07on out.
00:49:07I'm going
00:49:08to drag
00:49:08it through
00:49:08the log
00:49:09yard now
00:49:09and go
00:49:11back and
00:49:11get another
00:49:11one.
00:49:16While Chance
00:49:16shuttles timber
00:49:17back at the
00:49:19homestead,
00:49:20let's get
00:49:21some for
00:49:21Gus and
00:49:23Maggie and
00:49:25the chicken.
00:49:26Soraya is
00:49:27giving her
00:49:27sons Otter
00:49:28and Oma
00:49:28show a
00:49:29hands-on
00:49:30lesson in
00:49:31animal
00:49:31husbandry.
00:49:33While Chance
00:49:33is out
00:49:34logging,
00:49:34I'm going
00:49:35to stay
00:49:35back
00:49:36and take
00:49:36care
00:49:36of the
00:49:37animals,
00:49:37feed them,
00:49:38water them.
00:49:39We'll feed
00:49:40Gus first.
00:49:42Hi,
00:49:42guys.
00:49:44Are you
00:49:44hungry?
00:49:46Mmm,
00:49:47beans.
00:49:49There you go,
00:49:50Gus.
00:49:50He's getting
00:49:51so big,
00:49:51hey,
00:49:51Nubby?
00:49:53Otter is
00:49:53my three-year-old
00:49:54son.
00:49:55His nickname
00:49:56is Nubby.
00:49:57Who are we
00:49:57going to feed
00:49:57next?
00:49:58Nubby?
00:49:58Chicken?
00:49:59Otter loves
00:49:59all the animals.
00:50:00They are his
00:50:01actual best
00:50:02friends.
00:50:03Are you
00:50:04ready?
00:50:04Yeah.
00:50:06Chicken?
00:50:07Especially
00:50:07the chickens
00:50:08because those
00:50:08are the animals
00:50:09that we started
00:50:09out with
00:50:10on the homestead
00:50:10so he's
00:50:11really bonded
00:50:11to the chickens.
00:50:12Hi,
00:50:13chicken.
00:50:14Hi,
00:50:15chicken.
00:50:17And Omi
00:50:18is my youngest.
00:50:19We call him
00:50:19Omi.
00:50:20His name's
00:50:20Omisho.
00:50:21He's one
00:50:21and a half
00:50:22almost and
00:50:23he's pretty
00:50:24much my
00:50:24right-hand
00:50:25man.
00:50:26We do
00:50:26everything
00:50:26together,
00:50:27him and
00:50:27I.
00:50:31Every animal
00:50:32we have
00:50:32out here
00:50:33has a
00:50:33purpose.
00:50:33It's not
00:50:34necessarily
00:50:34just a
00:50:35food source.
00:50:36It's kind
00:50:36of like
00:50:36clothing
00:50:37and hides
00:50:38and meat
00:50:39so they
00:50:40really need
00:50:40to be
00:50:41safe
00:50:41and warm.
00:50:43All right.
00:50:46Here,
00:50:47come here,
00:50:47Nubby.
00:50:47Over here.
00:50:51Mr.
00:50:51Mr.
00:50:52Mr.
00:50:52Mr.
00:50:52Pig out.
00:50:53Pig out.
00:50:54Pig out.
00:50:54Pig out.
00:50:55Pig out.
00:50:57Oh, no.
00:50:58Nubby is
00:50:58pig out.
00:51:00Oh, no.
00:51:02Pig.
00:51:04Pig.
00:51:08Deep in
00:51:09Alaska's
00:51:09interior,
00:51:10the painter's
00:51:11livestock are
00:51:12going hard
00:51:12wild.
00:51:13Pig.
00:51:14Pig.
00:51:15Pig.
00:51:17So as we're
00:51:17tending to the
00:51:18livestock,
00:51:19Otter starts
00:51:19yelling,
00:51:20Mama,
00:51:21Gus out.
00:51:22And Gus is
00:51:22our male pig's
00:51:23name,
00:51:23but I turn
00:51:24around and
00:51:24both of the
00:51:25pigs are
00:51:25out.
00:51:26Oh, no.
00:51:29Like it was
00:51:30just chaos.
00:51:31All right.
00:51:32Let's let the
00:51:33sheep out later.
00:51:34We got to take
00:51:35care of these
00:51:36pigs,
00:51:36Nubby.
00:51:37I try not to
00:51:38panic in this
00:51:38situation because
00:51:39the big pig,
00:51:40she's kind of a
00:51:41big pig and she
00:51:42could really ruin
00:51:42a lot quickly.
00:51:43Gus, smell
00:51:45that.
00:51:46You want
00:51:47that?
00:51:48Bet you
00:51:49do.
00:51:52Come on,
00:51:52pigs.
00:51:55You little
00:51:55turkeys.
00:51:56When I get
00:51:56down to the
00:51:57pen, I see
00:51:58that they've
00:51:58pushed the
00:51:59entire back
00:52:00wall off.
00:52:01Here,
00:52:01Maggie.
00:52:01Come this
00:52:02way,
00:52:02Maggie.
00:52:03Come here,
00:52:04girl.
00:52:05I'm a
00:52:05master pig
00:52:06lure.
00:52:09All right.
00:52:10Okay.
00:52:12They're in.
00:52:12They're in.
00:52:13All right.
00:52:19It's going
00:52:19to be really
00:52:20great when we
00:52:20have our barn
00:52:21finally all set
00:52:22up and won't
00:52:23be dealing with
00:52:23this kind of
00:52:24thing all the
00:52:24time.
00:52:25All right.
00:52:26Come here,
00:52:27nub.
00:52:40With trapping
00:52:41season set to
00:52:41kick off soon
00:52:42in Alaska.
00:52:46All right.
00:52:47Let's see what
00:52:48this looks like
00:52:49here.
00:52:51Oh, yeah.
00:52:51Brett's gearing
00:52:52up for the
00:52:53great unknown.
00:52:56Now, I'm going
00:52:58to cut some
00:52:58notches so I
00:53:00can slide in
00:53:01by spring.
00:53:03It's kind of
00:53:04exciting.
00:53:04This year's going
00:53:05to be a little
00:53:05different because
00:53:07now I get to
00:53:08explore the
00:53:09outpost.
00:53:10I haven't been
00:53:11trapping out
00:53:12there, so it's
00:53:13going to be kind
00:53:13of cool to get
00:53:14out there on
00:53:15untouched land
00:53:16and see what's
00:53:17out there for
00:53:17fur.
00:53:18Got to start
00:53:19there.
00:53:20See how this
00:53:21looks.
00:53:22Could be a big
00:53:23year financially
00:53:24because this
00:53:24will be the
00:53:25most traps
00:53:26I'll have
00:53:26out, the
00:53:27most amount
00:53:27of line in
00:53:28a new area.
00:53:30Oh, look at
00:53:31that.
00:53:32That is perfect.
00:53:34It's going to be a
00:53:34lot more work
00:53:35maintaining two
00:53:36places.
00:53:37All right.
00:53:38But it won't be as
00:53:39bad because I got
00:53:39help from Ivy, so it's
00:53:41going to be a pretty
00:53:42exciting year.
00:53:42back in the bush.
00:53:46Ivy's also prepping
00:53:47for the season by
00:53:48hunting grouse.
00:53:50The ground's pretty
00:53:51frozen and crunchy,
00:53:52so my steps are
00:53:53pretty loud today.
00:53:56There's a lot of
00:53:56grouse in this area.
00:53:58We always see them
00:53:59when we're not
00:53:59hunting for them.
00:54:00They're just going
00:54:00to be a little more
00:54:01hunkered down this
00:54:02time of the year.
00:54:03They can be up in
00:54:04the trees, they can
00:54:05be down on the
00:54:05ground, so hopefully
00:54:07I can roust a couple
00:54:08others.
00:54:12Buzzy, what?
00:54:16Right here in a
00:54:17branch.
00:54:18He thinks he's
00:54:18pretty hidden right
00:54:19now.
00:54:24Get ready.
00:54:35Get a better
00:54:36angle.
00:54:41Yeah, mister.
00:54:42Got it.
00:55:02Come on, Bridge.
00:55:03Let's go get this
00:55:04grouse.
00:55:12Nice.
00:55:21Looks like a couple
00:55:22females.
00:55:24The forest provides
00:55:25so much for us and
00:55:26our family that it's
00:55:28really important for
00:55:29both Brett and I to
00:55:30utilize everything that
00:55:31we take from the
00:55:31woods.
00:55:33Save these.
00:55:34I sprinkle them near
00:55:35the set.
00:55:36Makes it look like
00:55:37something just killed
00:55:38a fresh bird.
00:55:38So, when it comes
00:55:41to bird carcasses,
00:55:43feathers, wings,
00:55:44stuff that we
00:55:44can't eat.
00:55:45We'll put guts in
00:55:47this one and then
00:55:48we'll use the main
00:55:49carcass for bait.
00:55:50It's nice that
00:55:52those play such a
00:55:53big part in the
00:55:55success of our
00:55:55trapline and we're
00:55:57utilizing all of
00:55:58the birds instead
00:55:59of any part of it
00:56:00going to waste.
00:56:01Nice meat on that
00:56:02one.
00:56:04Yep.
00:56:05Another good day of
00:56:06chores done.
00:56:07about a quarter,
00:56:10almost a half a bag
00:56:11of meat.
00:56:12Good job getting
00:56:12all your traps
00:56:14boiled.
00:56:14Yeah, I know.
00:56:15Ready to go.
00:56:16Pretty excited.
00:56:17I can't wait to get
00:56:18out there on the
00:56:19line.
00:56:32Daylight burns
00:56:33fast over Alaska
00:56:34at this time of
00:56:35year.
00:56:35Well, we are
00:56:38taking a little
00:56:40longer than I
00:56:41expected.
00:56:42And after 10
00:56:43hours on the
00:56:44trail, Lauro and
00:56:45his pack have used
00:56:46it all up.
00:56:48It's dark now.
00:56:49It's in the evening.
00:56:50But dogs look good
00:56:51though.
00:56:51You're not for all
00:56:52that trail breaking.
00:56:53The dogs look good.
00:56:54But with 16 miles
00:56:56still to go till
00:56:57camp, Lauro knows
00:56:58it's best to break
00:56:59them before exhaustion
00:57:01sets in.
00:57:02Whoa, guys.
00:57:05Whoa.
00:57:06All right.
00:57:07He's ready for a
00:57:08snack.
00:57:09I think it's time
00:57:10we take a little
00:57:11break here, dogs.
00:57:13You know, it gets
00:57:13dark here early in
00:57:15Alaska.
00:57:16But I'm going to
00:57:16stop and give them
00:57:17a nice little quick
00:57:18meal and let that
00:57:19digest.
00:57:20A good size chunk
00:57:20of frozen meat.
00:57:22I've got a little bit
00:57:23of beef brought with
00:57:25me.
00:57:25Just give them a break,
00:57:26keep their spirits up,
00:57:28and just get off
00:57:29the runners for me
00:57:30and myself and enjoy
00:57:31the quick fire.
00:57:33Get a little bit
00:57:33more warmed up.
00:57:35That way, too, you
00:57:36know, I don't go
00:57:37waking my dad up at
00:57:384 a.m. or whatever.
00:57:39He wouldn't mind if I
00:57:40did that, but what's
00:57:42the rush?
00:57:43A good fire going on
00:57:45now.
00:57:45I think we're going
00:57:46to be good here for
00:57:47a little bit.
00:57:48Rest up and be back
00:57:50on the trail soon.
00:57:50As the sun rises
00:57:59over the Tanana
00:57:59River,
00:58:01the final push
00:58:04is underway,
00:58:06and Laro and his
00:58:08team are charging
00:58:09towards the finish
00:58:10line, a makeshift
00:58:12trapping camp where
00:58:13his dad has been
00:58:14posted up for weeks.
00:58:16Hey, Dad!
00:58:18Oh!
00:58:19How was the trip?
00:58:21Yeah, it was good!
00:58:22The trip was good.
00:58:24I'm really pumped to
00:58:24see my dad.
00:58:25It's great that he
00:58:26had a good time out
00:58:27here.
00:58:27Well, how was the
00:58:28trapping, man?
00:58:28How'd to see you in a
00:58:29few months?
00:58:30Yeah, it was good.
00:58:31Good.
00:58:31Oh, I didn't hit
00:58:32real hard.
00:58:33I'm not as young as
00:58:34I used to be.
00:58:35That sounds better
00:58:36than I'm getting old.
00:58:37Yeah!
00:58:38You know, he's in
00:58:39really good shape.
00:58:40He's in better shape
00:58:40than some 20-year-olds
00:58:41I know.
00:58:42Looks like he's had
00:58:43a great time.
00:58:45Neil set out to snare
00:58:46as much meat and fish
00:58:47as he could in order
00:58:48to feed the team
00:58:49through the winter.
00:58:51Well, all right, Dad.
00:58:51Let's see what you got.
00:58:52Okay.
00:58:53And it looks like
00:58:54he's been busy.
00:58:55We got you some beaver.
00:58:57We got fish for you.
00:58:59Yeah, it looks good.
00:59:01We got you some beaver.
00:59:02We got that packed away.
00:59:03We gave you some
00:59:04beaver tails there.
00:59:05The dog will be happy
00:59:06with that.
00:59:06That's their favorite.
00:59:07Yeah.
00:59:08Yeah.
00:59:09That's stuff around.
00:59:10Yeah, Dad.
00:59:11These would be great
00:59:11trail sacks.
00:59:13Yeah.
00:59:13Good.
00:59:14I'll take you up
00:59:15and show you
00:59:15some of the birds we got.
00:59:16Through all these years
00:59:17mushing, my dad's
00:59:18always helped me out.
00:59:19This is his way
00:59:20of helping me get some fish,
00:59:21helping me get some beaver,
00:59:22of, like, support me
00:59:23along my journey
00:59:24of being an Iditarod rusher
00:59:26and helping with my dogs.
00:59:28Well, it looks like
00:59:29you've been having
00:59:29some fun out here.
00:59:30Yeah, I've had a blast
00:59:31out here.
00:59:32Traveling, kind of reliving
00:59:33the old days.
00:59:34I know it's time
00:59:36to head back now
00:59:36so you can get your training
00:59:37in for the Iditarod.
00:59:39Yeah.
00:59:40This journey was awesome.
00:59:42Great bunch of yearlings.
00:59:43You know, they excelled
00:59:44more than I thought
00:59:45they would.
00:59:46I know they'll do good,
00:59:47but it was, wow.
00:59:48You know, I couldn't ask
00:59:49for a better set of dogs
00:59:51that I brought out
00:59:51here today.
00:59:52I'm very excited
00:59:53to see how these guys do.
00:59:55I bet you're ready
00:59:56for a cup of coffee, huh?
00:59:57Oh, yeah.
00:59:58All right.
00:59:58Come on in.
01:00:11Back in the Yukon Koyakuk.
01:00:13Come on, Nubi.
01:00:15The painters are finally ready
01:00:16to lay the foundation
01:00:17for their barn build.
01:00:19And with winter around the corner
01:00:21and more than a dozen animals
01:00:23out in the cold,
01:00:25there's no time to waste.
01:00:28Slowly.
01:00:29Little more.
01:00:31More.
01:00:33Three inches.
01:00:35Then we get to work
01:00:36shifting them around,
01:00:37trying to make sure
01:00:38that each corner
01:00:39and the middle
01:00:39are all just 16 feet apart.
01:00:42How's that?
01:00:43Too far out?
01:00:45Perfectly fine?
01:00:45We're like half an inch off.
01:00:47That's close enough.
01:00:47I think that's close enough, yeah.
01:00:49Man, this one is huge.
01:00:51Oh.
01:00:54Okay.
01:00:56Each log weighs in
01:00:57at 300 pounds
01:00:58and needs to be locked
01:00:59into place
01:01:00with eight-inch
01:01:01heavy timber screws.
01:01:02That's nice.
01:01:11Oh, I like those ones.
01:01:13Constructing the barn's foundation
01:01:14is not the most difficult
01:01:16step of the process,
01:01:18but just about everything
01:01:20is more challenging
01:01:21with young children underfoot.
01:01:23All right, we're going to roll it.
01:01:25Are you ready?
01:01:26Yeah.
01:01:27All right.
01:01:27Good job, ma'am.
01:01:35All right, just wait.
01:01:36Watch out.
01:01:37Yeah, Daddy's lifting it now.
01:01:38Here, watch out.
01:01:40Get away from this side.
01:01:41You go back over here.
01:01:42Go back.
01:01:43Further back.
01:01:43No, back.
01:01:45No, oh, oh, Mama.
01:01:46I'm not trying to hurt you.
01:01:48It's just really dangerous
01:01:49having the kids around.
01:01:50You kind of just always
01:01:51have to remain vigilant.
01:01:52Can't baby-proof the forest.
01:01:57All right.
01:02:01Does it feel sturdy over there?
01:02:03It feels pretty good.
01:02:04This one feels great.
01:02:06With more weight on it,
01:02:08it'll...
01:02:08It'll be crazy strong.
01:02:10Yeah.
01:02:10Yeah.
01:02:10I know, it's not even
01:02:11trying to shift.
01:02:13Do you love it, Ulm?
01:02:17He loves it.
01:02:19I'm feeling pretty confident
01:02:20about the structural integrity
01:02:22of the foundation.
01:02:23I think it's going to be
01:02:24really good,
01:02:25and I think it's going to
01:02:26keep our animals alive.
01:02:27Also, going to the walls
01:02:28tomorrow?
01:02:29Yeah, we'll start
01:02:30doing the walls tomorrow.
01:02:32Well, what do you say
01:02:33to some dinner?
01:02:34Yeah, I'm hungry.
01:02:35Yeah?
01:02:36I butchered the chicken.
01:02:37All right, let's go
01:02:38eat the chicken.
01:02:39And those potatoes.
01:02:40Oh, and our potatoes.
01:02:41Yum.
01:02:46Next time on Mountain Men.
01:02:49I have to get the barn done
01:02:51because winter is coming up quick.
01:02:54I don't want those animals
01:02:55sitting out in the cold.
01:02:57Oh, that hurt.
01:03:02Trapping, you know,
01:03:03you got a lot of respect
01:03:04for these animals.
01:03:05Pretty grateful that,
01:03:06you know, you got that gift
01:03:07from Mother Nature.
01:03:09All right.
01:03:10Let's see what we got.
01:03:12Can there be any other way
01:03:13to do this?
01:03:14I was not preparing to be climbing
01:03:17up and onto the roof
01:03:18because I don't like that
01:03:20kind of height
01:03:21and I could fall to my death.
01:03:23If she gets downwind,
01:03:25that could be a problem.
01:03:27I really don't want to mess with her.
01:03:29That's my job.
01:03:29Amen.
01:03:32Peter.
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