How long till we see wide spread Sustenance hunting ?

joe-nwt said:
In an effort to get back on topic, I'll tell you some adventures of amateur net fishers.

Up here in the NWT, anyone can apply for a netting licence for fish for personal consumption. Fee is $10.00 + GST. So far they haven't batted an eye at applying for 250kgs per licence.

Anyway, a group of us got together and bought all the gear we would need to fish both summer and winter. Net, jigger, ice chisel and needle bar, all the various ropes and kit you would need. Made anchors and floats.

After several nights of rookie planning, and phone calls to people with more experience, we made our first attempt last year at the end of March. Picked a spot based on intel and a map of the lake (Great Slave) and off we went.

It was not as difficult as you might think. Scariest part was the prospect to losing the jigger, or taking forever to locate it through 4 feet of ice. And the ice did not freeze nice last year either. The top 8-10 inches was comprised of 3/4" slabs of ice that the wind piled up at a 45deg angle and then re-froze. Couldn't see a damn thing until you augered your way to clear ice.

Long story short, it took us about 3 hours to get the net (100yds x 21ft) strung under the ice. The pros do it in about 45mns.:rolleyes: Came back the next day to pull the net. Ended up with about 100lbs of fish; trouht, burbot, a few whitefish, a jack or two. Not a stellar haul but we were happy with our first attempt.

Last summer we did one set in a different location by boat. Got a good haul of whitefish, about 70, as well as more trout, inconnu, and burbot. 250ish pounds total.

This winter we've set the net twice. Ice is even thicker this year about 4-1/2 feet. The last time we figured we were getting good at setting the net, decided to set Friday night after work. Ran into problems, mostly due to being rookies, and it was well past dark before we got the net in. When we pulled on Sunday, it was mild but a virtual whiteout because of high wind. Neither winter set this year was stellar as far as the haul went but we still averaged close to 200lbs each time. We are still learning depth, bottom profiles etc.

I've had a lot of fun so far doing this. And there's always something in the net when it comes out of the water.

We're planning another trip this weekend as I type this.
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I have heard it said at ice netting insertion points when an inquisitive crown gathers that you don't need a "jigger" ...you just freeze the tow rope in a straight line above the ice, insert in the water and then push like hell...

A tip on your jigger, paint in the brightest fluorescent color you can find. The fluorescent color will reflect up through the shale or 'snow frosted" ice much easier than just a plain red or yellow painted one. One guy should follow the jigger at every stroke, you can hear the faint "click" of the ice pick as it moves along. We considered this an "essential" task when setting nets as jiggers runners will hit a pressure crack in the ice and follow it very much off-course from what you plan (your described "shale ice" would be a very good candidate for directing a jigger off-course).

And for those pike that hit a net & roll up & tangle yards of it, a common kitchen fork with one tine bent around like a fish hook is the best "untangler" we have ever used, otherwise your using bare fingers...not fun when it's 25 below.
 
MiG25 said:
Metis Hunting Rights between 8pm and 4am on private property?
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If it was it does not justify the murdering of two individuals...…..hope this is not another Stanley case but I suspect IF(I'm using IF here) it is a local landowner who decided to take the law into his hands, that's where we're heading.
 
kiimosabe said:
If it was it does not justify the murdering of two individuals...…..hope this is not another Stanley case but I suspect IF(I'm using IF here) it is a local landowner who decided to take the law into his hands, that's where we're heading.
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I'm saying the story is fishy and the media is trying to get ahead of it. I doubt anyone in the article knows what happened, as they weren't there.

All that matters at this point is 2 men found dead north of Glendon, Police investigating, witnesses are asked to come forward.
 
scott_r said:
Or risk being shot dead. I know farmers here in southern sask are armed and ready to shoot. Many are worried about people shooting their cows. This is only the beginning of shootings to happen.
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I'm thinking criminals will use covid 19 as an excuse to steal to feed their families while those families being robbed will use covid 19 and the combined mental stress and lack of food to justify shooting said criminals to defend themselves. I think we'll see many court cases with "covid 19 made me do it" somewhere along the line.

Some of us may be forced to do what we would never consider during normal times. One major reason we need to hit the apex sooner than later.
 
canadian hunter312 said:
I'm thinking criminals will use covid 19 as an excuse to steal to feed their families while those families being robbed will use covid 19 and the combined mental stress and lack of food to justify shooting said criminals to defend themselves. I think we'll see many court cases with "covid 19 made me do it" somewhere along the line.

Some of us may be forced to do what we would never consider during normal times. One major reason we need to hit the apex sooner than later.
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yep, things are gonna change forever. I don't believe we will every see the apex until we see complete societal break down. I'm a pink slip away from going back to the family farm where I may be forced into defending it in the near future.
 
scott_r said:
Or risk being shot dead. I know farmers here in southern sask are armed and ready to shoot. Many are worried about people shooting their cows. This is only the beginning of shootings to happen.
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There's no way in h**l someone should lose their life over simple trespassing or theft of "stuff". We gotta get to the bottom of this and fast.
 
MiG25 said:
I'm saying the story is fishy and the media is trying to get ahead of it. I doubt anyone in the article knows what happened, as they weren't there.

All that matters at this point is 2 men found dead north of Glendon, Police investigating, witnesses are asked to come forward.
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Poke around in the dark in rural Alberta these days and you're putting your life at risk. Tragic, but the rural crime situation has deteriorated to that level. Cops catch people in illegal possession of loaded firearms, with multiple previous charges against them, no fixed address and the courts release them with a promise to appear . :confused:

Grizz
 
Trimmer 905 said:
There's no way in h**l someone should lose their life over simple trespassing or theft of "stuff". We gotta get to the bottom of this and fast.
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Hmm. I think there are a lot of folk who would not agree with your first sentence. I would ask it this way - why would someone risk their life to trespass or to steal "stuff"?
 
I'm not a game hunter; but I have to ask why wouldn't one moose be enough, why would someone go back to kill another? I know its a stupid question. But it stands out to me.
 
tokguy said:
I usually enjoy your posts Superbrad, but the fact that you don't get it speaks legions...and it's not really that any one in particular is to blame. We take care of business at home 1st... so you likely pay little attention to the fact West is pretty P*ssed and feeling alienated.
But we are... not one Liberal seat in the 3 western provinces? This is a bit bigger that gun control out West. The fact that I have to explain it to someone from Ont and another from Van... says a bit, eh?
No offence intended, pls
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Well said!!
 
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