Hundreds of caribou passing by Iqaluit

SARA MINOGUE

Several hundred caribou are strolling past Iqaluit, just a few kilometers outside of town.

“We’re in a good path at the moment,” said David Serkoak, the principal of Joamie School and an avid caribou hunter.

Over the weekend, he saw caribou anywhere from “five kilometres out of town or less” in all directions inland, including up the Sylvia Grinnell River, along the Road to Nowhere, on the Upper Base Trail and even in Tar Inlet.

Serkoak, who has been hunting every weekend for at least a month, reports seeing all kinds of caribou, including young cows, cows without any yearlings, young bulls and older bulls.

“In all, I guess I saw several hundreds. Not in a big herd, but several hundreds over the past week.”

Serkoak also saw “lots of other people” out hunting over Thanksgiving weekend, traveling either by foot or by ATV.

He also reports that several boys at Joamie School, from kindergarten on up, got their first caribou last weekend.

“It’s the first weekend when you can see caribou this close,” Serkoak said. “Several kids reported [kills] this morning, but I’m sure tomorrow there’ll be more kids telling me about their first caribou.”

Each child’s first kill is celebrated at a general assembly, held every morning at Joamie School.

Caribou herds travel together every fall across Nunavut, generally using the same migration routes, and Serkoak said this is typical for Iqaluit this time of year.

While the number of animals is impressive, Serkoak is convinced that it’s a sign there is a bigger herd out there somewhere.

In the meantime, he is using this fall to prepare for the winter, by caching three or four caribou in traditional style, buried in rocks, neatly piled so that no mice or ermine can get through. He plans to share the meat with elders, neighbors and Joamie School staff this winter.