LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Setting marten traps, skinning beavers, driving and maintaining snowmobiles and hunting for moose has all been part of the required class work for students in a unique course.

Thomas Simpson School students Ariel Sanguez, left, Jared Kotchea, Brandon Deneyoua, traditional knowledge instructor Raymond Horassi and Leanna Sanguez pose for a picture after setting a marten trap as part of the curriculum for a specialized wildlife course. - photo courtesy of Kelly Pennycook

At Thomas Simpson School in Fort Simpson, nine students are taking a course pairing both practical and book learning about wildlife. The wildlife course was a joint initiative between the school and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR).

Normally a handful of students every year spend three days with ENR staff doing the Take a Kid Trapping or Take a Kid Harvesting Programs. This year when principal Freda Blyth was approached, she worked with Kelly Pennycook, a renewable resource officer, to develop a semester long accredited course that combined both programs.

Pennycook instructed the first portion of the course, which has been running since Jan. 21. Every second day for half the day, Pennycook taught the students about setting marten traps and snares and helped them establish a 15 km long trap line.

"They always showed up eager to work," he said.

The students also went on three hunting trips and learned about the best practices for harvesting fur as well as skinning and fur handling techniques.

"They did learn a lot. They didn't realize how hard it was," said Pennycook about running a trap line.

Students also continued their studies indoors, where they learned about the history of the fur industry, the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program and firearms awareness.

For both Brandon Deneyoua and Jared Kotchea the best part of the course so far has been learning to trap.

Deneyoua said he took the course specifically to learn that skill set. His knowledge now includes how to use bait and lure and where to put traps for the best results.

Kotchea, who'd never set a trap before, said he's learned how to set traps and position them on trees.

Although Pennycook's portion of the course, which was funded with a $16,000 grant from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and also approximately $30,000 in kind from ENR in equipment usage and staff, ended on March 31, the learning hasn't stopped.

Under the direction of teacher John Forbes, the students are now rounding out their course work with more scientific information about wildlife and their ecosystems. When the course ends in June, the nine students will have earned six wildlife credits.

While none of the students are likely to become full-time trappers as a result of the course, it may spark an in interest in careers related to renewable resources, said Blyth.

"The kids who've participated have really enjoyed it," Blyth said.

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