Star’s first moose hunt ends after 11 days of rain and waiting

Star killed her first bull moose three days before the season ended. The animal fell into the river near the family camp where she had been hunting with her father, known as Uncle G, for over a week.

The two had spent months preparing for the trip. They traveled upriver in an open skiff powered by a 50-horsepower Suzuki Spirit motor. The boat had been in use since the 1980s. Uncle G stopped halfway to repair the engine, jumping into the water in winter boots and a sweater. They drove to camp in a spray-painted vehicle filled with tools, canned food, and gas containers.

The family home had not been occupied for 15 years. The interior was covered in dust, with uneven floors and shelves leaning at odd angles. Squirrels chattered from the roof, and mouse nests remained on the bottom shelves. Uncle G laid a plank across the outhouse floor so it could be used safely. He cooked fried grayling and spam for the group.

For 11 days, the hunters saw no live bulls. They found one carcass rotting beside the river, but only the antlers had been taken. Rain had risen the river level, forcing them to jump a beaver dam to reach deeper sloughs. White hunters threatened to trespass on the Native allotment during this time.

On the final morning, Uncle G woke the group at 6 a.m. They drank coffee until the light was sufficient to see across the river. They traveled to the usual hunting spots but ventured farther into a slough due to the high water.

Star spotted the bull and took aim after wiping rain from her glasses. Her first shot hit the animal, but it continued to move. She reported that the chamber was jammed. She fired a second shot, and the moose fell into the water.

Uncle G yelled that his daughter had gotten her first moose. He said he did not care about the difficulty of retrieving the animal from the river.