KANGIQTUGAAPIK/CLYDE RIVER - Lately, hunters in Clyde River don’t have to go far from home to catch big game. In fact, some of them barely have to leave their backyards.

Rebecca Hainnu, the Grade 4 teacher at Quluaq School in Clyde River, threw on outdoor clothes over her pajamas to hunt a polar bear she found in her backyard early one morning. - photo courtesy of Deborah Tobin

Around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 9, Rebecca Hainnu was on her back step taking out her dog. The 4 foot 11 Grade 4 teacher at Quluaq School had planned to take the day off to go hunting with her brother since her name had been drawn for a polar bear tag the night before. She had only two days to hunt a bear, or lose the tag.

She said she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw a large bear not 20 feet from her house.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing; it was like a dream," said Hainnu.

She was, after all, still wearing her pajamas.

"I ran into the house and went crazy, trying to find my camera, pull on a jacket and snow pants over my pajamas and call my brother all at the same time."

Her brother arrived, straight from bed, in less than three minutes.

By this time, the bear was moving away from the house. So they jumped on the Ski-Doo and within minutes, Rebecca had her bear. Once word of the hunt spread, family members gathered to skin the bear and cut up the meat.

Since she had the hunt over and done with before school even started for the day, she got dressed and went to work. Students in the school were immensely proud of their teacher and many took the time to make cards and letters of congratulations.

A week later, another polar bear was spotted in the same area, very close to the houses, around midnight. A young hunter named Michael Angutikjuak followed the bear to the sled dog compound, just on the edge of town. He was also successful in shooting his bear. Many residents have been enjoying the bear meat, and skins can be seen on racks around town.

A tusked narwhal was added to the bounty of country food being hunted close to home on Oct. 20. David Iqarialu captured the whale in a net in the harbour at Clyde River.