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 Jamie Lareau practises measuring muskox horns during a Level 2 big game hunting course in Baker Lake this past month. - photo courtesy of Wes Werbowy |
Course graduates were Susan Toolooktook, Norman Angrnasungaaq, Terrance Niego, Harold Putumiraqtuq, Mark Nukik, Roy Avaala, Jamie Lareau, William Scottie, Gabriel Joedee, Keith Avaala and Elijah Amarook.
Chief economic development officer Tara Fesyk teamed with the Baker HTO and Kivalliq Partners in Development to sponsor the course, which focused on muskox hunts.
Five course graduates were immediately hired to guide a group of Americans on a muskox hunt.
Werbowy likes to use role playing in his course to help new guides gain confidence and knowledge.
He says the exercises help them deal with their first clients.
"There's a danger the visiting hunter might take control and tell the guide how he wants things done," says Werbowy.
"In other words, the first client becomes the teacher.
"That can undermine the guide's confidence and lead to disaster."
Course graduate Roy Avaala learned that clients have no idea as to what life is like in the North.
"The course taught me to have a lot of things in mind and be ready for the unexpected," says Avaala.
The program included learning the proper way to conduct a one-mile walk (stalk), which, says graduate Keith Avaala, provided training in a number of areas.
"When you do the stalk right, there is more time to choose which muskox to shoot," says Keith.
"I also learned a lot about taking photos, like getting low to the ground and using the background."
Happy with trip
The Americans were happy with their trip to Baker.
Matt McNeil of Phoenix, Arizona, has hunted with guides from Alaska to the Colorado mountains.
"I always thought I could have hunted just as successfully without the guide, but not in Baker," says McNeil.
"I understood if something happened to my guide, I was a dead man. I realized how important this trained professional was to my life while out there."
