DEH CHO - The fall hunt brought mixed success to harvesters in communities across the Deh Cho.

Troy Ruttle poses with the four-year-old bull moose he shot on Sept. 27 near Birch River. Although Ruttle had a successful hunt other harvesters in the Deh Cho are reporting mixed results from this year's fall hunting season. - photo courtesy of Myles Barber

Harvesters in communities including Jean Marie River and Fort Liard are counting the season as a success while those in Trout Lake and Kakisa got fewer moose than normal. Across the region many harvesters have similar reports of later than normal rutting behaviour possibly linked to above average fall temperatures and higher rainfalls and water levels.

Sambaa K'e/Trout Lake

Chief Dolphus Jumbo described this year's fall hunt as "very poor" in Trout Lake.

Normally the majority of community members go out together for the fall hunt. This year the community hunt was cancelled because of concerns about the H1N1 flu virus. The band didn't want people becoming sick and possibly developing complications while in the bush, said Jumbo. For individual harvesters high water levels contributed to a lack of moose and caribou. In total, community members harvested five or six moose and a few caribou.

"We didn't even get half of what we used to get," said Jumbo.

Even during the summer moose were scarce around the community, said Jumbo.

Tthenaago/Nahanni Butte

In Nahanni Butte, Mike Matou, the acting manager of the Tthenaago Development Corporation, said moose were plentiful and the regular hunters got their moose and were satisfied. A number of people shot moose, said Matou. The animals can often be seen on the road outside of the community but not always at opportune times.

"They usually appear when you don't have your rifle with you," he said.

Ka'a'gee Tu/Kakisa

The community of Kakisa continued its tradition of the annual fall hunt this year. More than 21 people went out in two trips to Tathlina Lake during the first three weeks in September.

The purpose of the trips included working on cabins and tent frames in the area, as well as hunting. Some moose were harvested. Even though many were known to be around, the animals weren't moving around much, said Chief Lloyd Chicot.

"It was one of those years where there wasn't too much activity," he said. Despite the lower moose activity Chicot still counts the hunt as a success.

"If we get together and go out it's a good year," he said.

Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard

Hunters and their families who went out along the Liard and Petitot Rivers near Fort Liard this fall reported a good hunt.

"The fall hunt was pretty successful for everyone in the community for sure," said harvester Floyd Bertrand.

Many families from the community go to their cabins along the two rivers to hunt, he said. Bertrand got his own moose, an approximately three-year-old bull, along the Petitot in mid September.

"Nice and fat and juicy," is how Bertrand described the animal.

Using his jet boat Bertrand went along the river stopping at intervals to make moose calls and then waiting a few hours to see if there would be a response. Coming around a bend Bertrand saw a moose standing in the water feeding on grasses and sedges on the bank. Bertrand shot the moose after it walked out of the water.

Some hunters have commented the moose are running late this year, he said. Moose usually move around from the middle to end of September before quieting down. People were still seeing moose moving in mid October, Bertrand said.

Pehdzeh Ki/Wrigley

Harvesters in Wrigley experienced good hunting this fall along the Mackenzie River, said acting Chief Albert Moses.

A number of residents went out on their own to hunt for their families and then went out again to harvest for people who were unable to hunt, Moses said.

"Pretty well every family got lots of meat for the winter," said Moses.

Tthek'ehdeli/Jean Marie River

Harvesters in Jean Marie River took approximately six moose during the fall hunt.

"It's been a fairly good year," said Allan Browning, the community's recreation director.

There were lots of moose around the community and some people from Fort Providence even got a moose while driving out on the Jean Marie River access road, Browning said.

Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence

The fall hunt was unusual in Fort Providence due to a delayed rutting reason.

Harvesters usually go out around Sept. 18 when the rutting seasons starts, said Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge. This year bull moose were not active in the Fort Providence area until around Oct. 2. Bonnetrouge was part of a group of harvesters who went out on and off for 10 days in late September. In that time a young bull was the only moose that the party successfully shot or even seen.

"It was kind of unusual," Bonnetrouge said.

Harvesters and elders said part of the problem was the excess water on the land that made it hard to find the moose in their usual ranges. The weather was also too warm, Bonnetrouge said.

Between 10 to 15 moose, an average amount, were harvested in the Fort Providence area but just later than normal, he said.

Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson

Harvesters also noticed a later than normal start to the rutting season around Fort Simpson.

The warm weather at the end of September may have affected the rut, which started about a week late, said harvester Danny Allaire.

Once people noticed the moose were running, word got around and then most people seemed to get their moose, Allaire said.