Mountain Men Season 14 Episode 07
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Short filmTranscript
00:00:00Oh, whoa!
00:00:01Oh, whoa!
00:00:06Shoot!
00:00:08It looks solid, but it's not.
00:00:10Yep.
00:00:12Ice ain't ready yet.
00:00:16Right there, right there.
00:00:18I'm sure I'm not gonna have to stand up.
00:00:20I'm sure.
00:00:30All across the northern Rockies.
00:00:39The lion is the king of the mountains.
00:00:44Roaming wherever it wants.
00:00:48Unless people like Jake Herrick draw the line.
00:00:52Yesterday I received a phone call while I was out.
00:00:54My local mechanic said that he actually saw a mountain lion at his place.
00:01:00Well, lion season's barely begun, and he's already facing a dangerous breach.
00:01:05He thinks that that mountain lion's coming down,
00:01:08hiding out on the creek and picking off their animals.
00:01:12Not only did this cat already make it through the ranches,
00:01:15but he's actually down here in the subdivision with the people.
00:01:19And he's not after livestock.
00:01:20He's been picking off people's domestic cats,
00:01:23and the last thing you need is a lion starting to mess with humans.
00:01:27I'm just pulling onto the property here,
00:01:31and I came back to see which direction this cat might be heading.
00:01:36The distress call came in late last night.
00:01:38It's actually headed up the creek here.
00:01:41But it was too late to release his dogs.
00:01:44This is definitely not acceptable.
00:01:47Now he's back to get on the scent
00:01:49and close the gap on the predator's 14-hour head start.
00:01:54I want a pack of hounds on him,
00:01:55and I want to make sure he knows that we're coming,
00:01:58and he knows he's not welcome here.
00:02:00But first, he needs to figure out which way it's heading.
00:02:03Back up the mountain?
00:02:05Or deeper into danger?
00:02:09Ooh, that looks like a lion track right there.
00:02:18Yep, this is right where that cat was where Bo saw it.
00:02:22You can actually see the lion's pad and paw there.
00:02:27And he's heading this direction.
00:02:28So this lion actually came across the creek here,
00:02:40and it stepped on a couple rocks.
00:02:43That's absolutely awesome.
00:02:46They're like little black lion tracks
00:02:48right on top of these rocks here.
00:02:50So I'm just going to keep working up the creek here
00:02:52and see what else I can find.
00:02:54Like most predators, lions are territorial
00:02:57and will claim a home turf as their own
00:03:00as long as no one challenges them.
00:03:04This cat's definitely traveled up and down the creek
00:03:06a couple times.
00:03:08He's using this little creek as his playground here.
00:03:12But this creek runs right through
00:03:14a populated stretch of the valley.
00:03:16It's not like the ranch country that they typically invade.
00:03:20So far what I'm seeing is a day-old track.
00:03:22I've got probably 15 to 20 houses
00:03:25in the next three-quarters of a mile here.
00:03:28So I don't really want to let my dogs go here.
00:03:32The last thing I want is to turn my dogs loose
00:03:35and have it running onto people's porches
00:03:36and getting in their dogs as well.
00:03:38So I'm going to try to get it above the houses
00:03:40and then hopefully I can get a good push on it
00:03:42back to the mountain.
00:03:47Jake needs a clean track to drop the hounds on
00:03:49so they'll stay on target without distraction.
00:03:52It looks like I've got a lion right here.
00:04:00Oh yeah.
00:04:02Definitely got the lion right here
00:04:04headed up country
00:04:06which is the direction we want him to head.
00:04:09He can't be sure this track belongs to the same lion
00:04:12but the track is fresh
00:04:14and headed in the right direction.
00:04:17This is exactly what I wanted.
00:04:18I've got this cat still heading up country
00:04:21but we want to make sure that this cat knows
00:04:23that he's unwelcome.
00:04:24Now I just need to get a couple dogs
00:04:26and make sure he gets pushed plenty far up.
00:04:29All right.
00:04:31I'm going to go ahead and just let out Vi and Tripp
00:04:33and just see how these two work together.
00:04:42Good girl, bye-bye.
00:04:44Good girl.
00:04:45Oh, there goes Tripp.
00:04:48So off to the race as we go.
00:04:50For 60 million years
00:05:03Denali has scraped the sky above Alaska's wild interior
00:05:07watching the winters come and go
00:05:10from the age of mammoths
00:05:12to the modern day homesteaders
00:05:15staking their claim on a piece of the great white north.
00:05:18Today is going to be a fun day.
00:05:21The plan is to do some trapping
00:05:23along that direct trail to the outpost.
00:05:26That'll be our first time setting it
00:05:27so it's, you know, kind of exciting.
00:05:30For trappers Brett Bonn and Ivy O'Gwen
00:05:32today marks a major milestone.
00:05:36We made it.
00:05:37As they push to expand their line to an outpost cabin.
00:05:40There's a lot of work it looks like.
00:05:42Yeah, now the work begins.
00:05:44They've spent two years cutting a 50-mile access route.
00:05:48There you go.
00:05:49And today they're hoping to finally open it for business.
00:05:53All right, leg up.
00:05:54As long as the weather cooperates.
00:06:00Setting along this direct line, you know,
00:06:02it hasn't been trapped by me
00:06:03so there's going to be a lot of, you know,
00:06:04first sign out there
00:06:06and I bet we're going to do good.
00:06:07I bet this is going to be a record-breaking year now.
00:06:11The trail to the outpost cuts through
00:06:13a long stretch of dense forest
00:06:14but is by no means perfectly smooth.
00:06:18Conditions are not too favorable.
00:06:20We have low snow this year
00:06:21so it's kind of hard.
00:06:22You're driving on moguls and grass
00:06:24and over trees
00:06:25and a lot of the trees are exposed
00:06:27that you drive over.
00:06:28There's going to be some challenges.
00:06:29Everything's slow going, low gear.
00:06:31Yeah, it's pretty bad.
00:06:39Oh, no.
00:06:44Every tree in the world
00:06:45can tell right here.
00:06:46Now that we've made it through this tree section,
00:06:58we're going to shoot across the swamp
00:07:00and check out the river.
00:07:03The river is the last major obstacle
00:07:05en route to the outpost
00:07:06but crossing it,
00:07:08even in the dead of winter,
00:07:10is never a sure thing.
00:07:14Shoot!
00:07:16This time of year, you know,
00:07:18it's usually kind of a gamble.
00:07:19Some years you can be able to cross
00:07:21and, you know, some years you can't.
00:07:23Conditions can change day by day.
00:07:25It looks solid, but it's not.
00:07:27Yep.
00:07:30Ice ain't ready yet.
00:07:32Well, let's just get off the river then.
00:07:36Our trip to the outpost is on hold for now
00:07:39until we get a little more freeze-up happening.
00:07:43Opening up their new line.
00:07:44We'll have to wait.
00:07:46But in the wild,
00:07:47there's always more work to do.
00:07:49So Brett and Ivy decide to check the traps
00:07:52they set last week
00:07:53in hopes of salvaging the day.
00:07:55We still have a lot of time in the day
00:07:57and we can divide and conquer
00:07:58and see if there's any fur in those lines
00:08:00and meet back at the cabin.
00:08:03I'll run the south line
00:08:04and you can finish up the east
00:08:06and we'll meet back after we're done.
00:08:08Let's try to pull some more fur.
00:08:09Okay, we'll bet.
00:08:10Be safe.
00:08:11In the depths of winter,
00:08:26when the Alaskan interior freezes over,
00:08:29it transforms into a multi-million acre
00:08:32musher's paradise.
00:08:33Go, Dumbz.
00:08:37But a 260-mile run through this untamed backcountry
00:08:42is a grueling challenge,
00:08:43even for an experienced sled team.
00:08:47You guys ready?
00:08:49And that's exactly why
00:08:51Laurel Eklund's brought his top dogs here.
00:08:55With the big race just days away,
00:08:57it's time to put them to the test.
00:09:02I got about 12 of my Adiderot veterans
00:09:04and two dogs
00:09:05that are race veterans of other races.
00:09:08So these are kind of like
00:09:08my main core dogs right here.
00:09:11Up, up, up, up.
00:09:13These runs simulate a race.
00:09:16You know, we're camping out
00:09:17on the trail with the dogs
00:09:18and we're going at a race pace.
00:09:21And just like the Adiderot,
00:09:23Laurel will break up the miles
00:09:24into smaller runs.
00:09:27In Adiderot,
00:09:28we got about 27 runs we got to do.
00:09:31So this is how we prepare
00:09:32for the Adiderot.
00:09:34You know, we're going to do
00:09:34about five runs.
00:09:36The mileage is going to vary
00:09:37from 32 to 70 miles.
00:09:39It's going to take us a couple days,
00:09:41but today we're going to try
00:09:42to get the first two done.
00:09:43I'm super stoked.
00:09:48Dogs are happy to be on a new trail.
00:09:51It's a beautiful run.
00:09:52It's a great trail.
00:09:54It's great for driving a big team on,
00:09:55but with some technical trail situations.
00:09:58So this is going to be like,
00:09:59mimic a lot of what we've seen
00:10:00in Adiderot.
00:10:00If the dogs are on pace,
00:10:05they should cover about 35 miles
00:10:07before the first rest stop.
00:10:08But they'll be fighting
00:10:09the elements all the way.
00:10:15The temps have dramatically dropped.
00:10:18That's why it's important
00:10:19that I got my booties and jackets on
00:10:21to make sure these guys
00:10:24are well protected.
00:10:26But these conditions are perfect.
00:10:28Prime for doing a long run like this.
00:10:43Right now, the strategy is
00:10:45we're simulating being out there
00:10:46on the race, you know.
00:10:47We're getting a dog,
00:10:48it's motion and training.
00:10:51And getting quicker at our routine,
00:10:54our checkpoint routine.
00:10:55This year's Adiderot
00:10:58will have 21 checkpoints.
00:11:00Oh, man.
00:11:02Where the dogs get a vet check,
00:11:03water, food,
00:11:05and sometimes rest.
00:11:09Oh, hey, how was snack break, huh?
00:11:12But it's also where precious time
00:11:13can be lost.
00:11:15So it's important to rehearse the routine.
00:11:19Snacking the dogs
00:11:20kind of gets a little boost of energy.
00:11:22Oh, good dog.
00:11:25Look how you guys go.
00:11:27This gives them a tiny break
00:11:29as well as this,
00:11:30this acts like a granola bar for them.
00:11:33Make sure everybody's
00:11:34feeling good.
00:11:38And also for me,
00:11:39I go through,
00:11:40if I need to replace booties
00:11:41or fix a jacket,
00:11:44stuff like that,
00:11:45or switch dogs around,
00:11:46it helps.
00:11:46All right, you guys.
00:11:47So far, dogs,
00:11:54you know,
00:11:54they're feeling good,
00:11:56they're looking good,
00:11:57and, you know,
00:11:58they want to keep rolling.
00:12:01As a musher,
00:12:03it's good to travel with your dogs
00:12:04to different locations
00:12:05so they can see different terrain.
00:12:07Woo!
00:12:08Woo-hoo!
00:12:09That's it!
00:12:10Woo!
00:12:14You know,
00:12:14woo-woo-woo!
00:12:15Oh, yes!
00:12:16Up, up, up!
00:12:18Up, up!
00:12:19Yeah, hey!
00:12:21Oh, no, no, no, no!
00:12:23Come on!
00:12:24One thing the dogs
00:12:25almost always need to work on...
00:12:27Come on, guys!
00:12:28...and that could really
00:12:29slow them down in a race...
00:12:30Good boy, baby!
00:12:32Yep, yep, yeah!
00:12:34...is navigating open water.
00:12:38Yeah!
00:12:40Woo!
00:12:41Woo!
00:12:42That's so...
00:12:43Ah!
00:12:43Back in Alaska's
00:12:58White Mountains Wilderness,
00:13:00a broken trail
00:13:02has Laro's team
00:13:03all twisted up.
00:13:05The water,
00:13:07she came up super quick.
00:13:09All of a sudden,
00:13:09they're putting the brakes on.
00:13:11Yeah, we got some open water here.
00:13:13Concho and Lance are kind of...
00:13:15We call it parking.
00:13:17They're a little worried,
00:13:18but...
00:13:18So, it's intact.
00:13:19I'm intact.
00:13:20Dogs are all good.
00:13:22We're gonna get these guys
00:13:23kind of...
00:13:24...turned.
00:13:25Learning how to recover
00:13:26from setbacks
00:13:27is all part of the training.
00:13:29Suzie, come on, guys.
00:13:31Let's see you, dude.
00:13:33Woo-hoo.
00:13:33That's all.
00:13:34Come on, dude.
00:13:36Come on, dude.
00:13:37But with 14 dogs on the line,
00:13:40it's easier said than done.
00:13:44Hey.
00:13:45What are you guys doing?
00:13:46Come on, knuckleheads.
00:13:48That kind of stuff happens
00:13:49once in a while,
00:13:50and you just gotta be patient
00:13:51and get back on the right track.
00:13:54All right, you guys ready?
00:13:55Bye, brother.
00:13:57Go, boy, brother.
00:13:58Woo-hoo.
00:14:02That's how we do it, buddy.
00:14:04That's a good dog.
00:14:08You guys are great.
00:14:09Any little challenge like that,
00:14:11you gotta pump up the dogs
00:14:13and feel good about themselves
00:14:15and praising them,
00:14:17and so they have that self-confidence
00:14:20to be ready for when we ask them
00:14:22to do it in a race.
00:14:25Yeah.
00:14:25Good dog.
00:14:27Hi, guys.
00:14:28Hi, Dolby.
00:14:30We're in the heart
00:14:31of the whites right now.
00:14:33We're going right on over
00:14:35to the divide at the moment.
00:14:38Good work out.
00:14:41Hup.
00:14:42Hup.
00:14:44Hup.
00:14:48Well, all the hard work,
00:14:50it all pays off
00:14:51when you get to see these views
00:14:52up these mountains.
00:14:54But now,
00:14:55we hang on
00:14:57and have a wild ride down the middle.
00:14:59Woo!
00:15:01Whoop, whoop.
00:15:02Woo-hoo!
00:15:19A branch of the Rocky Mountains
00:15:20that stretches across
00:15:21more than 4,000 square miles
00:15:23of Montana,
00:15:25the Salish Mountains
00:15:27are not your typical office.
00:15:29Wow, this is beautiful here.
00:15:33And fur trapper
00:15:33Paul Anzachs,
00:15:35not a typical employee.
00:15:37Today is bobcat day.
00:15:39Got to run my cat line,
00:15:41get my traps all fixed up,
00:15:43the breeding season's coming in,
00:15:45and the cats are really
00:15:46starting to move.
00:15:48But just like any business,
00:15:50success depends on hustle,
00:15:52drive.
00:15:53I got a lot of work to do.
00:15:55Get her pattern,
00:15:55let's get at her.
00:15:57And beating the competition
00:15:58to the punch.
00:16:00Cat prices are up
00:16:01a little bit this year.
00:16:03Heck, one cat
00:16:04could reach $1,200
00:16:05in my area.
00:16:07So I need to get really focused
00:16:08on my cats
00:16:09before this quota
00:16:10fills up.
00:16:11I don't want to be leaving money
00:16:13out in the woods.
00:16:15Bobcat pelts are some of the most
00:16:16sought after in the mountains.
00:16:17And to prevent over-hunting,
00:16:22each trapper gets just four tags.
00:16:26I have a limit of four bobcats.
00:16:29So far, I got two cats.
00:16:31I got two more to go.
00:16:32But the total number
00:16:34that can be harvested
00:16:34from the region
00:16:35is also capped.
00:16:36So it's first come,
00:16:37first served.
00:16:39This year's ceiling
00:16:40is set at 225.
00:16:43Once it's reached,
00:16:44the hunt is closed.
00:16:46Whether you've filled
00:16:46all your tags
00:16:47or not.
00:16:50Damn it.
00:16:51And if the competition
00:16:52wasn't hot enough already...
00:16:53I got wolf tracks here.
00:16:55I need to take a look
00:16:55at the camera.
00:16:57The predators
00:16:58are in the game, too.
00:17:00It'll be a head count
00:17:01of how many are here.
00:17:03The wolves have showed up
00:17:04on my bobcat line.
00:17:05Now I'm getting
00:17:06a little bit concerned.
00:17:07Because if I do have
00:17:08cats caught,
00:17:10the wolves will come in
00:17:11and just kill my cat
00:17:12and then ruin my catch.
00:17:14Yesterday,
00:17:15Paul put up a trail cam
00:17:17to get a look
00:17:17at what he's up against.
00:17:19I'm a little bit of a
00:17:20high-tech redneck.
00:17:22I'm really learning
00:17:23about the wolves
00:17:24in my area,
00:17:25what they're doing,
00:17:26how they react
00:17:27in different situations,
00:17:29how many adults
00:17:29and how many pups.
00:17:30what do we got?
00:17:34Oh!
00:17:35That was a big wolf.
00:17:37There's another wolf
00:17:38right there.
00:17:40Look at all the wolves
00:17:41in here.
00:17:41I got one,
00:17:43two,
00:17:43a light gray one,
00:17:45a dark gray one,
00:17:47there's another dark one.
00:17:49So it makes me
00:17:50a little uneasy
00:17:50to see wolves
00:17:51right next to my bobcat sets,
00:17:54especially if I have
00:17:55a cat caught.
00:17:55Boy,
00:17:56they spent some time here.
00:17:57There's a bobcat, too.
00:17:59A bobcat caught in a trap?
00:18:01That's just an easy meal.
00:18:02Look,
00:18:02my bobcat traps
00:18:03are right over here
00:18:04and these wolves
00:18:05are in this drainage
00:18:06right now.
00:18:07So seeing these wolves
00:18:08on the camera,
00:18:09now I'm a little bit nervous.
00:18:10If a wolf poaches a cat
00:18:15from Paul's trap,
00:18:17it's a wasted tag
00:18:18that counts against his limit
00:18:19and the overall quota.
00:18:22So it's a race
00:18:23to run the line
00:18:24and claim any catches
00:18:25before they do.
00:18:34Got a couple wolves
00:18:35that hopped on my trail here
00:18:36and I got a whole bunch
00:18:38of fresh cat sets in here.
00:18:40But wolf season's
00:18:41just open, too.
00:18:42And with so much sign
00:18:43that they're prowling the area,
00:18:45it's time to fight back.
00:18:48I need to protect
00:18:49my investment.
00:18:51So what I'm going to do
00:18:52is what's called
00:18:53a mafia set
00:18:54and it's going to be
00:18:55two traps,
00:18:57lever to lever
00:18:57in the trail.
00:18:58When the wolves
00:18:59walk down that trail,
00:19:00those two wolf traps
00:19:01will be spaced perfectly
00:19:02for their feet.
00:19:04So the thing
00:19:04with making blind sets
00:19:05for wolves,
00:19:06it can't look no different
00:19:07than its surroundings.
00:19:08If there's any difference
00:19:09in it,
00:19:10the wolves are going to
00:19:10notice that
00:19:11and they'll stop
00:19:12and they'll go right
00:19:13around your set.
00:19:14So this foam padding
00:19:16keeps everything
00:19:17from freezing
00:19:18to the ground.
00:19:20That trap goes there
00:19:21and that trap
00:19:23goes right there.
00:19:26And then blend
00:19:27this set in real nicely.
00:19:29Finish it up
00:19:30and then go ahead
00:19:31and check some more traps.
00:19:40To the southeast of Kodiak
00:19:46lies Sitka-Ledak Island
00:19:47and the remote village
00:19:49of Old Harbor,
00:19:51home to 200 Alutik residents
00:19:53where life depends
00:19:55on the land and sea
00:19:56and a rare herd
00:19:58of bison
00:19:59that helps feed
00:19:59the community.
00:20:04These bison,
00:20:05some of them
00:20:06came from
00:20:06Yellowstone Park.
00:20:08They transported them
00:20:09and turned them loose
00:20:10on the Sikoledak Island.
00:20:12And now they're used
00:20:13for a food source
00:20:14for the whole community.
00:20:16Since the village
00:20:19released the original
00:20:20herd of 30,
00:20:21it has grown rapidly,
00:20:24leading them
00:20:25to issue permits
00:20:26to select outsiders
00:20:27to help keep
00:20:27the numbers in check.
00:20:29People like
00:20:30big game hunter
00:20:31Mike Horstman.
00:20:32I'm here in Old Harbor
00:20:34this morning.
00:20:35I'm going to meet up
00:20:36with a guy,
00:20:37one of the locals.
00:20:38And I'm going out
00:20:39on a bison hunt.
00:20:43The repercussions
00:20:44of him not being
00:20:45kept in check
00:20:46could lead to disease
00:20:48and overgrazing
00:20:49on the island.
00:20:51For Mike,
00:20:51the hunt could be
00:20:52a win-win,
00:20:54a chance to help
00:20:54the village,
00:20:55and a shot at expanding
00:20:57his guiding business.
00:21:01If this was to work out,
00:21:02I could help keep
00:21:03the animals in check,
00:21:05I'd make some money,
00:21:06and the meat
00:21:07would go to the community.
00:21:09But unlike the hunts
00:21:10Mike guides into
00:21:11bear country,
00:21:12this is all new terrain,
00:21:14and he's got a lot
00:21:16to learn.
00:21:19Morning, Wes.
00:21:20Morning, Mike.
00:21:22Wes is going to be
00:21:23the guide today.
00:21:24He's lived here
00:21:24his whole life,
00:21:26and he's got
00:21:27intimate knowledge
00:21:28of the entire island.
00:21:30And these bison
00:21:30are not necessarily
00:21:31in one group.
00:21:33The bison roam free
00:21:35and splinter
00:21:35into subgroups
00:21:36all over the island,
00:21:38so the plan
00:21:38is to split up
00:21:39and run two hunts
00:21:41today simultaneously.
00:21:42Wes and I
00:21:44are going to be
00:21:44on one side
00:21:45of the bay,
00:21:46and he's got
00:21:46relatives that are
00:21:47in another boat
00:21:48that are going to be
00:21:49on the other side
00:21:50of the bay.
00:21:51Have you been
00:21:51looking around?
00:21:52Have you got an idea
00:21:52where we're going to go?
00:21:53Yeah, got a pretty
00:21:54good idea where
00:21:55they're at.
00:21:56How many do you
00:21:56figure there's
00:21:57in the herd now?
00:21:58There's got to be
00:21:59at least 180,
00:22:00200,
00:22:01somewhere right around
00:22:01there.
00:22:02Good.
00:22:03There's a lot
00:22:04of potential here.
00:22:05Wes and I
00:22:05are going to hunt
00:22:06from his skiff.
00:22:08Logistically,
00:22:08it's the most successful
00:22:09way to cover
00:22:10a lot of territory.
00:22:11You can glass
00:22:12a lot of hillside,
00:22:14and we're going
00:22:14to hopefully find
00:22:15a group,
00:22:16be able to access
00:22:17them from the beach.
00:22:20All right.
00:22:22Let's see.
00:22:25I'd like to be able
00:22:26to find them down low.
00:22:27Doing this trip
00:22:29is for me to try
00:22:30to get some
00:22:30hands-on knowledge
00:22:31of the weather,
00:22:33the terrain,
00:22:35the bison,
00:22:36their movements,
00:22:37where we can access them,
00:22:39where we can't.
00:22:41Preferably,
00:22:41we want to shoot them
00:22:42as close to the beach
00:22:43as you can,
00:22:44because their recovery
00:22:45is monumental.
00:22:47It's all about the meat
00:22:47and being able
00:22:48to get them out easy.
00:22:50The logistics
00:22:50of me and Wes
00:22:51packing one out
00:22:52that's too far
00:22:54from the beach
00:22:54to access easily,
00:22:56the numbers there,
00:22:57just the sheer weight
00:22:58of it,
00:22:58800,000 pounds of meat,
00:22:59we're not going
00:23:00to be able to do that.
00:23:01Oh, yeah.
00:23:02Right there.
00:23:02We've got some
00:23:03right here on the hill.
00:23:04I don't know
00:23:05if I'm going to be able
00:23:05to get on them,
00:23:06but they're in a decent spot.
00:23:10Hey, hey, hey,
00:23:10don't worry,
00:23:11don't worry.
00:23:12Right now.
00:23:14Don't worry.
00:23:17Right here on the beach.
00:23:20100, 120 yards.
00:23:28On the remote shores
00:23:29of Sitka-Ledak Island.
00:23:31Hey, hey,
00:23:31don't worry.
00:23:33Right here on the beach.
00:23:34Mike's closing in
00:23:37on a herd of bison.
00:23:40But he didn't go undetected.
00:23:58Damn it.
00:23:59They're headed out.
00:24:02Sorry about that.
00:24:17Damn it, I can hit him.
00:24:27What?
00:24:27I don't know.
00:24:29I only got a five-pound
00:24:31scope here.
00:24:33The scope that I'm using,
00:24:34it's a one to five,
00:24:36and even at 200 yards,
00:24:38for me to take a shot
00:24:40and just wound one
00:24:41and it move off
00:24:42with the group,
00:24:43then you get into
00:24:44a situation where
00:24:45it's an extreme hunt
00:24:47to go finish it off,
00:24:48and it's just not worth it.
00:24:53Yeah, that's too far.
00:24:55It just happened
00:25:00too quick.
00:25:02We come up on them
00:25:02and they just,
00:25:04they see me
00:25:04and I see them
00:25:05and it was
00:25:06kind of a show.
00:25:08They're not going to
00:25:09give you much
00:25:10of an opportunity
00:25:10if you,
00:25:11once they see you,
00:25:13they're gone.
00:25:16But there was another group
00:25:18further up off the beach.
00:25:19I'm going to go see
00:25:20if I can get on them.
00:25:21It's pretty tough
00:25:22to have a missed opportunity,
00:25:23but at the end of the day,
00:25:25the most important thing
00:25:26is that when you do find them
00:25:27and they're in a good spot,
00:25:29you want a good clean kill.
00:25:30Wes, those bison,
00:25:32they move way too far
00:25:33back in off the beach.
00:25:34We're not going to be able
00:25:34to get at them.
00:25:35So what do you think
00:25:36I'll go up to the head
00:25:37of the bay here
00:25:38and take a look up there
00:25:39and see if we can find one?
00:25:40Let's do it.
00:25:41Wes and I are going to
00:25:42continue around the bay
00:25:43with the skip
00:25:44and just see
00:25:45if we can find
00:25:46another group
00:25:46that hasn't been
00:25:47disturbed yet.
00:25:49Still quite a bit
00:25:50of daylight left.
00:25:52The conditions are good.
00:25:54It's just a question
00:25:54if we can find some more.
00:26:07On the trail
00:26:08of a mountain lion
00:26:09that's stalking the pets
00:26:10and people
00:26:11too close to town,
00:26:12Jake and two of his
00:26:14best hunting dogs
00:26:15are pushing their limits
00:26:16to get the job done.
00:26:19Man, these dogs
00:26:20are covering some country
00:26:21on me.
00:26:22And five miles up,
00:26:24it's no ordinary grind.
00:26:26So far,
00:26:27we're not really getting
00:26:28these heavy freezes
00:26:29and it's making the footing
00:26:33a little bit difficult.
00:26:34So I got to make sure
00:26:35I ain't slipping and falling
00:26:36and just try to keep up
00:26:37with these dogs.
00:26:42TPS is beeping at me.
00:26:52I wonder if they caught it.
00:26:55Huh.
00:26:56That's really strange.
00:26:58I've got those dogs
00:26:59starting to loop.
00:27:00They went up
00:27:01and over the steep part.
00:27:03Now they're running
00:27:04around in circles.
00:27:05I don't know
00:27:05if they're trying to tree
00:27:06or if they lost it
00:27:07or if they're in a big
00:27:08rock pile
00:27:09Jake relies on GPS
00:27:12to be his eyes and ears
00:27:13on the dog team
00:27:14while he's miles
00:27:15to the rear.
00:27:16It conserves energy
00:27:18by keeping him on target.
00:27:20But it's not perfect
00:27:21because he can see
00:27:23signs of danger
00:27:24but he can't do anything
00:27:26about them
00:27:26until he catches up.
00:27:33Oh, that's not good.
00:27:35Just past where they were
00:27:37doing them circles
00:27:38just over top
00:27:39of this steep base.
00:27:40I've lost the dogs.
00:27:42Oop, I just lost
00:27:43trip too
00:27:43so that's not good.
00:27:45Lost signal
00:27:46on both trip and by.
00:27:47They're over top
00:27:48of this ridge
00:27:49and they're in the next
00:27:50little drainage.
00:27:51There's some mine shafts
00:27:52up here
00:27:53so that's got me nervous.
00:27:54I need to get up here
00:27:54as fast as I can
00:27:55and see what the hell's
00:27:56going on.
00:27:59I've got a lot
00:28:00of steep country
00:28:01in between me and them.
00:28:02I need to get
00:28:03my butt moving.
00:28:04The slow-to-arrive
00:28:19freeze in Alaska's interior
00:28:21has blown up
00:28:22Brett's big plans
00:28:22to start his new
00:28:23trapline today.
00:28:25Almost there.
00:28:27But setbacks or not
00:28:28a trapper's work
00:28:29is never done.
00:28:31We're going to check
00:28:31some lines that
00:28:32you know
00:28:33have been soaking
00:28:33for a while.
00:28:34One of the double-box
00:28:35wolverine sets
00:28:36that I built
00:28:37a few weeks ago
00:28:38I got it down
00:28:38by the creek here
00:28:39so I'm going to
00:28:40go check it out.
00:28:42Oh, nothing yet.
00:28:44I'm going to rebate it
00:28:45and kind of freshen it up
00:28:46with some trapping lure.
00:28:48They got these grouse
00:28:49guts and feathers
00:28:51from one of Ivy's
00:28:52grouse that she got.
00:28:54I'm going to chop this
00:28:55up a little bit here.
00:28:56It doesn't matter if feathers
00:29:00go out in front.
00:29:01That's kind of good.
00:29:02Actually give them
00:29:03a little sample too
00:29:04before they go in.
00:29:07Another thing I like to
00:29:09use on wolverine sets
00:29:10I have Ivy Saver
00:29:12eggshells.
00:29:14Take these like this
00:29:15here.
00:29:16Sprinkle it out in front.
00:29:18You can throw a few
00:29:19inside the box too.
00:29:21Animals like eggs.
00:29:22And then lastly
00:29:25I'm going to
00:29:25kind of freshen it up
00:29:27with some trapping lure
00:29:28and some coffee syrup.
00:29:31Like this.
00:29:33It's all juiced up.
00:29:35Everything looks good.
00:29:37Hopefully Ivy's doing
00:29:38better than I am doing
00:29:39right now.
00:29:43Three miles south
00:29:45the plan to divide
00:29:46and conquer
00:29:47Ooh
00:29:49A martin
00:29:51is starting
00:29:52to pay off.
00:29:54Ooh
00:29:54it's a beautiful
00:29:55one.
00:29:58Looks like a big
00:29:59male.
00:30:00Got this light
00:30:01tail.
00:30:01This one's really
00:30:02really nice.
00:30:04It's great that this
00:30:05line is already
00:30:05producing so early
00:30:06in the season.
00:30:07I'm going to get
00:30:08this guy home
00:30:09and skinned.
00:30:11I got an extra
00:30:12set so I'll get
00:30:12this reset and
00:30:13we'll keep checking
00:30:14the rest of the
00:30:15traps on the line.
00:30:17The line is set
00:30:18to snare small
00:30:19fur bearers.
00:30:21But also the
00:30:22larger more
00:30:23plentiful prize.
00:30:25Beaver.
00:30:26Axe time.
00:30:28And for that
00:30:28Brett's going
00:30:29straight to the
00:30:30source.
00:30:32This beaver house
00:30:33I've been trapping it
00:30:34for over 12 years
00:30:35when it first
00:30:35developed.
00:30:36I'll scoop out
00:30:37these big chunks
00:30:39of ice here.
00:30:40For some reason
00:30:41these beavers
00:30:41have been pretty
00:30:42smart trying to
00:30:43get out of this
00:30:44house but I know
00:30:46they're in there.
00:30:47I usually trap in
00:30:48the early fall
00:30:48when the ice
00:30:49hasn't froze up.
00:30:50This one's
00:30:51really frozen in
00:30:52so I have a lot
00:30:54of time invested
00:30:55in these sets here
00:30:56so I'm hoping
00:30:56that pans out
00:30:58for us.
00:31:02So nothing in those.
00:31:04We'll check this one.
00:31:07See the trap
00:31:07sprung.
00:31:08Huh?
00:31:09Might have
00:31:10something here.
00:31:12Oh yeah!
00:31:12Got a beaver
00:31:13right here.
00:31:14Oh yeah!
00:31:15Nice!
00:31:16Alright, that paid off.
00:31:18I'm going to get
00:31:18this beaver loaded up
00:31:19check a few more
00:31:20traps on the way
00:31:21back and meet
00:31:21Ivy back at the
00:31:22cabin.
00:31:24A lot of effort
00:31:25for one beaver
00:31:25but at least
00:31:26we thought something.
00:31:35The competition
00:31:36is on in
00:31:37Montana's
00:31:38Salish Mountains.
00:31:39I got a couple
00:31:41bobcat sets down
00:31:42here.
00:31:42Got a little bit
00:31:43of a walk
00:31:43back in there.
00:31:44We're Paul
00:31:45Anzac's pushing
00:31:46to bring home
00:31:46the bobcat.
00:31:47Last thing
00:31:48you got to do
00:31:49is get all
00:31:49heated up.
00:31:50Before the wolves
00:31:51and his fellow
00:31:52trappers lock
00:31:54him out of the
00:31:54hunt.
00:31:55I'm halfway
00:31:56to my limit.
00:31:57I got two cats.
00:31:58I got two more
00:31:58to go.
00:31:59Crunch time
00:32:00is basically
00:32:01what it is.
00:32:01It's crunch time.
00:32:02So right now
00:32:03I got to get out
00:32:04there.
00:32:04I got to freshen
00:32:05my sets up,
00:32:05get everything
00:32:06looking good
00:32:07for the next
00:32:08cold front coming
00:32:08through.
00:32:10We got a big
00:32:11cubby right over
00:32:12here and because
00:32:12of the freeze
00:32:13thaw, I think
00:32:13I'm going to hang
00:32:14a snare at it.
00:32:16Snares don't
00:32:17freeze up when
00:32:17the weather changes
00:32:18and they rarely
00:32:20misfire.
00:32:22So what I'm going
00:32:23to do is I'm
00:32:23going to go ahead
00:32:24and just take
00:32:25this foothold trap
00:32:26right out.
00:32:27I'm going to hang
00:32:28a snare in here
00:32:29right at the
00:32:29entrance of the
00:32:31cubby and that
00:32:32way that snare
00:32:33will always be
00:32:33working.
00:32:34I'll connect it
00:32:35right to my cable
00:32:36where I had my
00:32:36trap.
00:32:37You don't want
00:32:38to make it too
00:32:38big because if
00:32:40you go real big
00:32:40like that,
00:32:41then that cat
00:32:41will get his
00:32:42foot through
00:32:42there and then
00:32:43he'll get it
00:32:44around his body
00:32:45and that's not
00:32:45good.
00:32:45You're almost
00:32:46worried that
00:32:46you're not going
00:32:47to catch the
00:32:49cat.
00:32:49That's how small
00:32:50I like to do
00:32:51it.
00:32:52And then I'll
00:32:53block everything
00:32:54off really good.
00:32:56and then another
00:33:01chunk of meat
00:33:02right in there
00:33:03and that one's
00:33:04ready.
00:33:06Got a bunch more
00:33:07up there to go
00:33:07ahead and fix up.
00:33:09I got sets right
00:33:10here with a whole
00:33:11bunch of stinky
00:33:11smell and then I
00:33:13got sets over here
00:33:14and so if any cat
00:33:15avoids anything,
00:33:17they're going to
00:33:17walk right through
00:33:18here.
00:33:18This is the pinch
00:33:19point.
00:33:19That's the funnel
00:33:20right there.
00:33:21Let's go ahead
00:33:21and hang a snare.
00:33:22It's getting to be
00:33:23crunch time now.
00:33:24I looked at that
00:33:26quota the other
00:33:27day and we're
00:33:28pushing it.
00:33:32Set that lock
00:33:33right about one
00:33:34o'clock.
00:33:35They don't want to
00:33:36hit their nose on
00:33:37nothing so we're
00:33:38going to go ahead
00:33:39and just guide them
00:33:40in there and we're
00:33:42good to go.
00:33:54every day on an
00:33:58Alaskan trap line is
00:33:59a crapshoot and so
00:34:01far it's been a
00:34:03mixed bag for Brett
00:34:04and Ivy.
00:34:05One big loss but
00:34:07also some decent
00:34:08wins.
00:34:08Now their good luck
00:34:15might be on the up.
00:34:16First wolverine of the
00:34:17season.
00:34:18Oh yeah.
00:34:19Nice.
00:34:21You can see all the
00:34:21tracks where it worked
00:34:22around.
00:34:23You know, try to look
00:34:24for a back way and
00:34:25it just anchored it on
00:34:26a little short drag
00:34:27there and it just
00:34:27slipped it right off
00:34:28and it was right here
00:34:29three feet away from
00:34:30the box.
00:34:31Catching this
00:34:31wolverine in this
00:34:32double box set is
00:34:34pretty cool for me
00:34:35because I just built
00:34:35this box a couple
00:34:36weeks ago and it
00:34:37already paid dividends.
00:34:37These conibearers,
00:34:39they freeze in on
00:34:41these animals so you
00:34:42got to carry an extra
00:34:43trap.
00:34:43So I'm going to go
00:34:45in here and just
00:34:46reset it with another
00:34:47330.
00:34:47It's real simple.
00:34:49Put it on the drag.
00:34:51Put your drag up
00:34:52here like this.
00:34:54Slip this in the
00:34:55door here.
00:34:58Pretty neat.
00:34:59Always catching the
00:34:59first wolverine of
00:35:00the season.
00:35:01Gets you fired up.
00:35:03Didn't make it to
00:35:04the outpost but got
00:35:06a nice wolverine.
00:35:07Going to continue
00:35:09down the line.
00:35:11Running their
00:35:12southern line.
00:35:13Ivy's looking for
00:35:14another score before
00:35:16the daylight runs out.
00:35:19Look at that.
00:35:21Got a wolverine.
00:35:23So freaking cool.
00:35:25Well, definitely
00:35:26didn't go anywhere.
00:35:28That's the second one
00:35:29I've seen with white
00:35:30toes.
00:35:31So cool.
00:35:32Having a wolverine in
00:35:36this set today is
00:35:37huge.
00:35:38It's one of the
00:35:38species that we
00:35:39target and it happens
00:35:40to be one of our
00:35:41most valuable ones.
00:35:42Grab my setters.
00:35:46Even though I
00:35:47marshal fish and you'd
00:35:49think I have strong
00:35:50hands, I don't.
00:35:52They're pretty beat
00:35:53up.
00:35:54And I got my safety
00:35:55on here.
00:35:57I've watched how
00:35:57Brett does stuff but
00:35:58as a woman out here
00:35:59I operate a little
00:36:00differently because I
00:36:02don't have a lot of
00:36:03the strength that
00:36:04Brett has.
00:36:06He's a professional
00:36:07in this craft and I
00:36:08take what he teaches
00:36:09me and I sometimes
00:36:10have to adapt and
00:36:13I don't mind using
00:36:14the tools that are
00:36:15available to me to
00:36:16set these big traps
00:36:17or a little hard on
00:36:18my body.
00:36:19And I need my hands
00:36:20for fishing season.
00:36:21So, all right.
00:36:22That looks good.
00:36:23Clear this out.
00:36:25Bait looks good.
00:36:26I'm excited to get
00:36:27this one home and
00:36:29show Brett.
00:36:30He'll be super
00:36:30excited to see that.
00:36:32Any day with a
00:36:33wolverine is a big
00:36:34date.
00:36:36Let's check the
00:36:37rest of the line,
00:36:38see what it's got
00:36:38and head on home.
00:36:51Off the shores of
00:36:52Sikolidak Island,
00:36:54today's mission is
00:36:55to cull a herd of
00:36:56bison.
00:36:58But the rugged
00:36:58terrain and sheer
00:37:00size of the animals
00:37:01make it one of the
00:37:02trickiest hunts out
00:37:03there.
00:37:04We're just going to
00:37:05move around in here
00:37:06and see what happens.
00:37:08Mike and his local
00:37:09guide, Wes, have to
00:37:10spot the thousand
00:37:11pound animals close
00:37:12to shore to make an
00:37:14extraction even
00:37:15remotely possible.
00:37:17Oh, yeah.
00:37:18We've got some
00:37:19right here on the
00:37:19hill.
00:37:20They're not very
00:37:21far up from the
00:37:22beach.
00:37:23Hopefully they don't
00:37:23go any further.
00:37:25And finding the herd
00:37:26is just the beginning.
00:37:27The real test is
00:37:28getting close enough
00:37:29to take a shot.
00:37:30What do you got in
00:37:31mind?
00:37:31How do you want to
00:37:32go about this?
00:37:32I think we're going
00:37:33to go down the
00:37:34beach over here and
00:37:35go down the window
00:37:36of them and try to
00:37:38get up tight up
00:37:38against the banks
00:37:39so they can't see
00:37:40us out on the
00:37:40water.
00:37:41Yeah, let's do it.
00:37:43After one failed
00:37:44attempt, they plan
00:37:45their second approach
00:37:46with far more
00:37:47stealth.
00:37:49All right.
00:37:49Very good.
00:37:50Well, let's do this
00:37:51then.
00:37:52That first group I
00:37:52wasn't really ready
00:37:53for and it just
00:37:54didn't work out.
00:37:55But this group, the
00:37:56wind's right and I'm
00:37:58just going to be real
00:37:59careful and make a
00:38:00little bit of a
00:38:00stalk up the hill.
00:38:02Okay, this will
00:38:02work.
00:38:03I'll wave to him if I
00:38:05get one.
00:38:06Wes and I had decided
00:38:07that I'd go up here
00:38:08by myself.
00:38:09One person's going to
00:38:10make less noise than
00:38:11two, so he's going to
00:38:12stay in the boat and
00:38:13I'm going to go up here
00:38:14and see if I can get on
00:38:15him.
00:38:18These things are pretty
00:38:20crafty.
00:38:21They are hard to get up
00:38:22on.
00:38:26They're in a decent
00:38:27they're in a decent
00:38:28spot.
00:38:29If we can get on
00:38:30them, I'm not sure
00:38:31yet.
00:38:38My dad, my dad.
00:38:39I can't see.
00:38:50I've just seen the top
00:38:51of their back.
00:38:52I can't see.
00:38:52They sure are looking
00:38:53up to stand up.
00:38:54I can't see.
00:39:09In the foothills of
00:39:16Sikolidak Island, Mike
00:39:21may have finally landed
00:39:22a shot.
00:39:25I think that one's
00:39:26down.
00:39:28They're going running
00:39:29up the hill.
00:39:29I don't know.
00:39:31I got to get over
00:39:32there and make sure
00:39:33it's down.
00:39:34You want to be
00:39:35careful with these
00:39:35animals.
00:39:36Our 800,000 pound
00:39:37bison, you don't just
00:39:39walk up to them.
00:39:40Sometimes they're
00:39:41stunned.
00:39:42And if they do jump
00:39:42back up, you don't
00:39:43want to be standing
00:39:44right in front of
00:39:45them.
00:39:47Where the hell
00:39:48did they go?
00:39:54Oh, yeah.
00:39:56It's right there.
00:39:57We got them.
00:39:59Let's see.
00:40:03Look at that.
00:40:05The bison's down.
00:40:07And it's down for
00:40:08good.
00:40:08We got a big pile of
00:40:09steaks here now for
00:40:11the entire community.
00:40:13A single bison can
00:40:14yield up to 600 pounds
00:40:16of meat.
00:40:17Enough to feed the
00:40:18villagers for weeks to
00:40:19come.
00:40:20If Mike can get it all
00:40:22off the hill.
00:40:24I'm running out of
00:40:25daylight.
00:40:25I'm running out of
00:40:26time.
00:40:27So I need to get this
00:40:28done.
00:40:29We're about six,
00:40:30seven hundred yards
00:40:31from the beach.
00:40:32At least.
00:40:33So I'm gonna have to
00:40:35get down to the boat
00:40:36and let Wes know
00:40:37and see how we're
00:40:38gonna go about
00:40:39getting it out.
00:40:39We got a cat snare down here.
00:40:57Up in the Salish mountain
00:40:58high country.
00:40:59Trail going off this way
00:41:01here.
00:41:05I see fur.
00:41:07Paul scored a win in the
00:41:08nick of time.
00:41:10Look at that cat.
00:41:12So I got my third cat for
00:41:14the season.
00:41:15Oh man.
00:41:16Just to look at this cat,
00:41:17it's absolutely beautiful.
00:41:20What a nice cat.
00:41:23Got a ton of character.
00:41:25Real dark.
00:41:27That's a paycheck today.
00:41:30The snares are working.
00:41:31That puts me one more
00:41:33closer to my personal
00:41:34limit.
00:41:35Got one more cat to
00:41:36catch and then I'm
00:41:37tagged out.
00:41:38Yeah, let's get this
00:41:39snare out of here.
00:41:41The last thing I want to
00:41:42do is catch too many
00:41:43in one area.
00:41:44It's always a good day
00:41:45when you go to the
00:41:46office and make some
00:41:47money, huh?
00:41:49With a bobcat in the
00:41:51bag, it's job done for
00:41:52the day.
00:41:53And the traps are ready
00:41:55to soak overnight.
00:41:56Today just felt really
00:41:59successful.
00:42:00So I'm going home
00:42:01confident and all my
00:42:02cat sets are going to
00:42:02work and that tomorrow
00:42:04when I show up again,
00:42:05if a cat comes through,
00:42:06I got one caught.
00:42:08Man, there's a lot of
00:42:09wolves here.
00:42:10But the night shift is
00:42:11already moving in.
00:42:12Look at the size of
00:42:13that track.
00:42:16My God, what a monster
00:42:19of a dog.
00:42:21His foot is bigger than
00:42:23my hand.
00:42:24That's his front foot.
00:42:27Look at the amount of
00:42:27wolves that came down
00:42:28this road.
00:42:29They're walking right
00:42:30down the center of my
00:42:31stone bill track right
00:42:32here.
00:42:33A little bit concerned
00:42:34about which way they're
00:42:35going because I got
00:42:36cat cubbies right up
00:42:37here.
00:42:38I better get the wolf
00:42:39trap set right here in
00:42:41the trail.
00:42:42So when there's a wolf
00:42:43sign, you better go
00:42:43ahead and get a trap in
00:42:44the ground.
00:42:45So I'm going to do a
00:42:46blind set in this trail
00:42:47right here.
00:42:47A lot of things have to
00:42:49happen in order to catch
00:42:51a wolf.
00:42:52Sometimes I think it's
00:42:53impossible.
00:42:57That little spot right
00:42:58there, he's got to put
00:42:59his foot in.
00:43:02But the amount of wolf
00:43:03tracks I got out here,
00:43:05I got enough to protect
00:43:07my investment of my
00:43:09bobcats.
00:43:09That's about as natural
00:43:13as I can get it.
00:43:15I'm grateful that I'm
00:43:16one cat away from
00:43:17limiting out.
00:43:19I'll be back out
00:43:20tomorrow to run this
00:43:20bobcat line and hopefully
00:43:22catch a wolf in the
00:43:23meantime.
00:43:39Climbing a mountain is
00:43:40hard on the body.
00:43:42Oh, it's steep.
00:43:46Especially when it's a
00:43:47race up a steep incline
00:43:48and your dogs are facing
00:43:50an unknown danger on the
00:43:52other side.
00:43:59I lost signal on these
00:44:01dogs the second I started
00:44:03climbing up this creek
00:44:04with the last time I had
00:44:05them.
00:44:06It said they were
00:44:07treading on the other
00:44:07side of this ridge here.
00:44:09So, hopefully they're
00:44:11still there and hopefully
00:44:12they caught up to this
00:44:14cat.
00:44:17Oh.
00:44:19Good lord.
00:44:21This is a steep, steep
00:44:22pace.
00:44:24Still got a ways to go.
00:44:37All right.
00:44:39I can't be, uh, I can't
00:44:42be too far from the
00:44:43ridge now.
00:44:44I still can't hear the
00:44:45dogs and I still haven't
00:44:47picked them up, which is
00:44:48really weird.
00:44:52I guess I just need to get
00:44:53up to the top here and get
00:44:56reception on them.
00:44:56All right.
00:44:57Oh, here we go.
00:45:07Got where the dogs came
00:45:08through here on the mountain
00:45:09lion.
00:45:10They tipped right over the
00:45:11top here.
00:45:13So far, this cat's covered a
00:45:15lot of country and what I'm
00:45:17actually very surprised about
00:45:18is it's been in a straight
00:45:20line.
00:45:20He went straight up this
00:45:21creek.
00:45:22Now he's going straight up
00:45:23and over and that's pretty
00:45:24rare for a cat.
00:45:27I can't see him, but I
00:45:28sure can't hear him.
00:45:30Holy cow.
00:45:31I'm pretty sure they've got
00:45:32this cat caught.
00:45:34They're directly below me
00:45:35here in the bottom of this
00:45:37creek here.
00:45:38So you can't really see
00:45:39Mike, but she's on this
00:45:40tree.
00:45:41Trip's about 30 yards away
00:45:42on the second tree.
00:45:44It's kind of weird.
00:45:51Cat's coming down.
00:46:05The road lion is finally up a
00:46:07tree in Montana.
00:46:09Cat's coming down.
00:46:11But not.
00:46:12That cat just bailed, peeled
00:46:19up the mountain, and took
00:46:21off.
00:46:22I've only seen that cat for
00:46:23about a half a second, and
00:46:25it bails out of the tree, and
00:46:26the last thing I see is the
00:46:27two dogs hot on its tail.
00:46:29Made it up the mountain
00:46:30about 150 yards, and the
00:46:31dogs caught it again.
00:46:37All right.
00:46:38I made my way to the tree.
00:46:41See the cat.
00:46:42I just need to be really sneaky
00:46:45and get under that tree before
00:46:46it jumps.
00:46:55Good dog.
00:46:58All right.
00:46:58They got it in the tree for a
00:46:59second time, and this is
00:47:01definitely a younger cat.
00:47:04It's a mature cat, but it's a
00:47:05younger one.
00:47:06It looks to me like a female.
00:47:08It's a good one to teach a lesson
00:47:10and make sure it gets back up
00:47:12here.
00:47:13A cat like this is one that
00:47:14usually does go down and cause
00:47:16problems and end up in people's
00:47:18yards.
00:47:19They're just young, immature, and
00:47:21they don't have the honed hunting
00:47:24skills like a more mature cat
00:47:26does.
00:47:26So that's why they go down and pick
00:47:28off the easier game.
00:47:29And I'm actually very surprised the
00:47:31amount of country it covered.
00:47:34It was literally just a straight line
00:47:35like it was on a mission.
00:47:38Crips tree and this tree over here.
00:47:41Look at that right there.
00:47:43That's why that girl covered so much
00:47:44country.
00:47:45She's got a young kitten in here.
00:47:48That is crazy.
00:47:50That's just a little tiny guy.
00:47:51That's probably a 25, 30-pound kitten.
00:47:55If he rolled up in a ball, he'd
00:47:56probably be smaller around than a
00:47:57basketball.
00:48:01Days like these are hard to beat.
00:48:03Coming out here and having a goal
00:48:05and actually getting the cat pushed
00:48:07off like this.
00:48:09Gotta say, not many people got it
00:48:10better than I do.
00:48:13Ooh, he's snarling.
00:48:14Young cat.
00:48:15We pushed him far enough.
00:48:16I'm going to pull the dogs off and
00:48:18I'm not going to mess with these
00:48:19guys at all.
00:48:19That's too young little cat to be
00:48:21playing with.
00:48:22Good dog.
00:48:24Good dogs.
00:48:26Hey, leave it.
00:48:27You did good.
00:48:28Come on.
00:48:28Let's go.
00:48:31There's the future generation and
00:48:34business for years to come.
00:48:37And hopefully its mom doesn't teach
00:48:39him any bad habits and hopefully
00:48:40she leaves him up here and he learns
00:48:43to do his hunting up here.
00:48:45I'll give Bo a call and he's going
00:48:47to be pretty excited to hear that
00:48:48there's no cat in the neighborhood
00:48:50anymore.
00:48:51Let's go.
00:48:52You did good.
00:48:53Good dogs.
00:48:54With the sun hanging low in the
00:49:08Alaskan skyline.
00:49:11We've got to get a rope on this
00:49:12one.
00:49:13And a thousand pound bison
00:49:14700 yards from shore.
00:49:16It's not that often far from your
00:49:18boat, but it's plenty far enough.
00:49:20Mike and Wes have called in
00:49:22reinforcements to solve a major
00:49:24dilemma.
00:49:25What they do is pretty crafty.
00:49:28Actually, they got a, they had a big
00:49:30coil of purse line, like three
00:49:33quarter inch line on the deck of the
00:49:35boat.
00:49:36And they drag that line up the mountain
00:49:38to where the bison is, get a few half
00:49:40inches around the feet and literally
00:49:43just drag them down through the alders in
00:49:45the grass all the way to the boat.
00:49:47And pretty anxious to see how this is
00:49:49going to work.
00:49:50I've been killing game and packing meat
00:49:52for 40 years.
00:49:54And I've never seen anything done like
00:49:57this before.
00:49:57But that's what we're going to do with
00:49:59this one.
00:50:00Now we're going to take the line that's
00:50:01tied off to the boat.
00:50:03We're just going to rip it right down to
00:50:04the beach.
00:50:05See, it's basically the end of the day.
00:50:07We've got less than probably an hour,
00:50:10hour and a half to get this bison out of
00:50:14here and get it on the back deck of the
00:50:15boat.
00:50:15So we, we want to get this done right
00:50:18now.
00:50:19Okay, here we go.
00:50:21See if we can get this down over the
00:50:22hill.
00:50:23All right, we're ready.
00:50:24Let her fly.
00:50:25So Wes has got the handheld radio.
00:50:27He's talking to him on the, on the boat.
00:50:30And he gives him the signal and you can
00:50:32see the boat chugging away.
00:50:33And we're good to go.
00:50:35I can see it coming tight.
00:50:37Now, here we go.
00:50:43All right, there it goes.
00:50:46They brought it all the way down to the
00:50:48beach in one shot and out into the ocean.
00:50:52No problem.
00:50:54They backed up to it and got the bison
00:50:57winched him up on deck.
00:50:59And they've already got the one that they
00:51:01killed on the back deck of the boat.
00:51:03It's the most incredible thing I've ever
00:51:06seen.
00:51:07There it is.
00:51:08Perfect.
00:51:10I'm, I'm real grateful that I got to go
00:51:12with these guys and, and hunt these
00:51:13bison.
00:51:14We'll get them back to town and, and
00:51:16they'll cut and wrap and everybody will
00:51:18have some.
00:51:18It's just a good, warm, fuzzy feeling
00:51:20knowing that everybody's win-win here.
00:51:22The, the knowledge that I gained while I
00:51:24was here and how these bison move, the
00:51:28terrain that they're in, it's no walk in
00:51:30the park by any means.
00:51:32Not every client is going to be able to
00:51:34do this kind of a hunt, but for the
00:51:36future, I'll be able to represent this
00:51:39hunt accurately.
00:51:41Took us all day, but we got them done.
00:51:44Nothing's ever easy, but we got them.
00:51:47The stark black of night is never more than
00:52:01six hours away during an Alaskan winter.
00:52:05But it never gets in the way of a race.
00:52:11All right, so we're on the trail right now.
00:52:17Get into the night.
00:52:18We're getting close to our, our camp right
00:52:20now.
00:52:22The higher miles we've put on dogs, it's
00:52:24really, you know, making them a better
00:52:26athlete.
00:52:27But, uh, this guy's still trained smart, so
00:52:30it's, it's pretty dang important to give my
00:52:33dogs time off to rest and recover.
00:52:35You know, when we get down to bed on the next
00:52:38camp, I'm looking forward to taking a nap
00:52:40myself, and I know the dogs are, you know,
00:52:42they're, they're moving and grooving,
00:52:43feeling good.
00:52:44But we've still got several hours to go
00:52:47here, and, uh, we're pretty far from where
00:52:50we started.
00:52:51My, uh, my main thing right now is, you
00:52:55know, I'm just watching their date.
00:52:56You know, that's one way you can tell if the
00:52:58dog has some soreness or something going on,
00:53:01or it's not right.
00:53:02You know, looking at their pee, too, that's
00:53:04another indicator.
00:53:05Uh-oh, like, you know, super brown pee can
00:53:08be a sign of what's known as myopathy, where
00:53:12protein gets broken down, protein cells
00:53:15enter into their bloodstream, that's when
00:53:17you need to pull the dog off the line, put
00:53:19him in the sled, and you go to a vet right
00:53:22away.
00:53:23But right now, the run is going beautiful.
00:53:26Training doesn't just build the dog's
00:53:28endurance.
00:53:29All right.
00:53:29It also helps Laurel calibrate the right
00:53:32balance of run versus rest time for his
00:53:34team.
00:53:35All right.
00:53:36All right.
00:53:38Next goal now is to find a good camping
00:53:40spot.
00:53:41I'm going to find, like, just a place to pull
00:53:44off and get to camp.
00:53:46You don't want to ever run your race in
00:53:48training, but we still simulate that on and
00:53:51off the strut.
00:53:54Oh, yeah.
00:53:56And try to get as efficient as possible.
00:54:02All right.
00:54:04We found a good place to camp here.
00:54:06We did great.
00:54:07Dogs and they're all ready to have a nice
00:54:10meal right now.
00:54:15I'm going to go take care of myself, bed down
00:54:18for the night, and then get up and get back
00:54:21out there.
00:54:22What?
00:54:24Yeah.
00:54:34At Brett and Ivy's homestead, it's the end
00:54:36of a two-wolverine day, and then some.
00:54:40I'm in here just getting this martin started.
00:54:43We call them Pine Martin here in Alaska, but
00:54:46they're also known as Sable.
00:54:48They're really cute.
00:54:49They look like little panda bears, but
00:54:52they're pretty vicious.
00:54:54There can be a really good market for mounting
00:54:57them, so I want to take extra good care of
00:55:00this one.
00:55:01Today was a huge day for us and a great start
00:55:04to our season.
00:55:05It's really cool to know that an area of our
00:55:07trapline has already brought home so much fur, and
00:55:11it's put our season off to a great start.
00:55:13We picked up some really great animals today, so
00:55:19early in our season.
00:55:21We didn't make it as far as we wanted to go with
00:55:24the outpost trail today, but it just means we got to
00:55:30wait a little bit for the conditions to change and for
00:55:32the river to freeze up, and then we can be back at it.
00:55:35What's fun about setting a new line together is that
00:55:39Brett isn't established through this area.
00:55:41You know, we're cutting brand new trees.
00:55:43We're setting new traps in an area he's never been before.
00:55:46Okay.
00:55:48We have a good time going out and seeing our hard work
00:55:51produce, and it's always really exciting to see what you
00:55:53catch.
00:55:54Turn them inside out.
00:55:57Spend a little extra time, and you get a really nice product
00:56:01in the end.
00:56:02The fur that we're catching is keeping us warm in the
00:56:04wintertime.
00:56:05It's putting food on our table.
00:56:07They just get a good little brush at the end, and we get to
00:56:12live this amazing lifestyle where every day is a new
00:56:15adventure.
00:56:16Wow, that looks good.
00:56:18Here we go.
00:56:18Isn't it beautiful?
00:56:19Yeah, it is.
00:56:20Good fun.
00:56:21What a great day, huh?
00:56:22It was a super day.
00:56:24One and done.
00:56:25First one of the season.
00:56:31On this frigid, negative 20-degree morning over the
00:56:43White Mountains, the team's rigged up and almost ready to
00:56:51go.
00:56:52All righty.
00:56:53Well, because my guy's got a little bit of looser stools,
00:56:57he might have, like, a little stomach bug and stuff.
00:57:01Stress can cause it.
00:57:03So, let's go get some probiotic here.
00:57:06So, 2G here needs a little bit, so, you know, rub that in
00:57:10there.
00:57:14Keep these guys happy and healthy.
00:57:17You got to be pretty vigilant on what's going on if they
00:57:21have a little bit of injury or soreness somewhere.
00:57:24Of the mushers' time is spent off the runners, you know, this
00:57:28type of dog care for the dogs.
00:57:30You know, giving pills and whatnot.
00:57:33You know?
00:57:34Like, you want to give your kids the best quality food.
00:57:36And just like kids, they know when they're getting their
00:57:39medicine, they don't want it.
00:57:41You know, you got to kind of be always looking at that
00:57:44in monitoring.
00:57:44Looking at their gait, their poop, their pee, their gums,
00:57:49stuff like that.
00:57:50And just their temperament, too.
00:57:52All right.
00:57:52If all goes well on day two of their training run, they'll reach
00:58:02their home base in about 24 hours.
00:58:04All right.
00:58:17Oh, man.
00:58:19Dogs are moving.
00:58:21But look what's right behind me.
00:58:23Right there is the sun.
00:58:25It's been pretty some dark months the past couple months here in
00:58:30Alaska.
00:58:31So seeing that sun makes me feel a heck of a lot warmer.
00:58:36Dogs are rolling.
00:58:38I'm happy.
00:58:39Dogs are happy.
00:58:41And this is why I do what I do.
00:58:44This is awesome.
00:58:55Back in Montana.
00:58:59It's a new day on the mountain.
00:59:02Got a couple wolves here on my track.
00:59:05But the wolves are up to their old tricks.
00:59:07Looks like a pup and a bigger wolf.
00:59:10Yeah, yeah.
00:59:10And they're headed right over towards my cat cubby.
00:59:12As I'm coming to my sweet spot, where the three drainages are
00:59:16coming together, and I got a bunch of bobcat sets in there,
00:59:21I catch a set of wolf tracks heading towards there.
00:59:24So I need to hurry up and get back there and see what's going on.
00:59:27If the wolves poached a cat from Paul's trap, it'll blow his last tag.
00:59:33Damn it.
00:59:35Got two sets in here.
00:59:37No tracks.
00:59:42Yeah, nothing.
00:59:47And...
00:59:48Trap's still here on this one.
00:59:52Go ahead and go up here and check this cubby out now.
00:59:57My cubby looks disturbed.
00:59:58Oh, yeah.
01:00:03I see fur.
01:00:05Oh, nice.
01:00:07Payday.
01:00:09Oh, what a beautiful little cat.
01:00:13Boy, it's good no wolves can't find this cat.
01:00:16It feels so great to catch that last bobcat and limb it out.
01:00:20I'm tagged out for the season.
01:00:23I'll tell you what.
01:00:24It feels really good to go ahead and beat that clock.
01:00:26That quarter clock was ticking.
01:00:29Now I can go ahead and pull my bobcat sets up.
01:00:33Now I can focus on wolf trapping.
01:00:36Another amazing day at the office, and I'm done.
01:00:41Awesome.
01:00:43Tagged out.
01:00:44As the sun sets again over Alaska's White Mountains,
01:01:01the fatigue of a 260-mile trip settles in.
01:01:08But the end is near,
01:01:15as Lauro closes in on the finish line.
01:01:22The old dogs did real well.
01:01:27They did the first big run of the season,
01:01:30and they did great.
01:01:32Well, we, uh...
01:01:34pressed up, and we'll call it good.
01:01:36All right, now after this, you know, of course,
01:01:39we got the Iditarod.
01:01:41Uh, this guy still trains smart,
01:01:43and, uh, work towards keeping the team healthy
01:01:46and running good.
01:01:487,072,000 feet of climbing.
01:01:52That's a lot of climbing.
01:01:53That's pretty good.
01:01:55But I can't be more proud of how they're turning out.
01:01:58More heavier miles that we put on them this season
01:02:01from our summer training to now.
01:02:02They look like a different dog team.
01:02:05Come on, man.
01:02:06Come on, man.
01:02:08These next few days,
01:02:09I just gotta get everything in order,
01:02:12get the gear ready,
01:02:13dogs feeling good and healthy,
01:02:16and then we'll be pretty much ready for Iditarod.
01:02:25Next time on Mountain Man...
01:02:27I'm extending my trapline and going much further than I originally have been able to.
01:02:52Oh, let me hear.
01:03:03Whoa, whoa, whoa.
01:03:06What the hell happened to that?
01:03:10Dammit, Manny.
01:03:14Come on, Manny.
01:03:16Come on.
01:03:17Come on, Manny.
01:03:18Manny!
01:03:20Manny!
01:03:20Hey!
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