Ann’s Eye: Looking for moose with St. Mary's First Nation hunters
2 years ago
Duration 2:46
The 8th annual Chief Harold Sappier Memorial Bull Moose Hunt brought 10 moose for elders and another six for their families this winter.
Social Sharing
Ann Paul had never been hunting before, but last weekend, she woke up at 4:30 a.m., grabbed a coffee from Tim Hortons and hit the road.
CBC hired Paul to gather photos and video of the annual moose hunt competition organized by Sitansisk, St. Mary's First Nation. She joined experienced hunter Brenna Nash, a woman who knows how to gut her own moose and tan its hide.
They spent three days walking through the trees and clearings of Pokiok and Crow Hill, Crown land where they're allowed to hunt. Watch the video above to see them study tracks, peer in between branches and use a horn made of rolled up birch bark to call to the moose.
No, they didn't bring one home — but at the end of the day, Nash said the competition is still fun. Several other hunters brought moose home to the butcher, which were later distributed to the community's elders.
Scroll through the photos below to see what Ann Paul photographed during her first moose hunt.
For this assignment, Ann Paul wanted to photograph an experienced hunter — someone who knows her stuff. Brenna Nash has been hunting since she was a young girl, and she taught Paul the difference between moose and deer tracks, plus how to tell if a moose is nearby. (Ann Paul)
Moose are hunted and given to the community’s elders, Paul said, and eaten in celebration of the moose. (Ann Paul)
Jennifer Davenport of St. Mary’s First Nation reads up on hunting safety ahead of the big day. (Ann Paul)
It might look small, but it’s anything but. The moose track pictured here sits next to the footprint of a women's size 10 boot. (Ann Paul)
Ann Paul said she stumbled across this one day during the hunt. 'I just thought it was beautiful,' she said. 'I said, Look, Brenna! There’s a sign that we were here.' (Ann Paul)
Brenna Nash used this horn made of rolled up birch bark to call to moose. There are different kinds of moose calls that can mimic a young bull, a male grunt or a female response. (Ann Paul)
Autumn was showing its full sleeve of colours in the woods near Crow Hill. (Ann Paul)
Brenna Nash stands in a wide clearing, using binoculars to search for moose on the outskirts of the woods. (Ann Paul)
From left to right: Ann Paul, Trevor Harrison (Brenna’s partner), Brenna Nash, and Jennifer Davenport. (Ann Paul)
Ann Paul is a Wolastoqey woman. Her name is Monoqan, meaning rainbow. She is a grandmother, a mother, a daughter, an auntie, a dancer, a singer and a teacher. Using her camera, she brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick.
