Life Below Zero

IT'S FALL TIME HERE IN THE BROOKS RANGE.

THE FIRST SNOW IS ALREADY ON THE GROUND.

AND IT'S AN EXCITING TIME OF THE YEAR.

WINTER'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

AND THIS TIME OF YEAR IS WHEN I GO OUT AND START

LOOKING FOR A MOOSE.

IT'S MY FIRST DAY MOOSE HUNTING.

I'M LOOKING AROUND, SEE WHAT I CAN FIND.

MOOSE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

200 MILES FROM CIVILIZATION,

GLENN VILLENEUVE RELIES ON THE SURROUNDING WILDLIFE

TO SURVIVE.

BUT WITH LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR MOOSE BEFORE THEY BECOME

SCARCE IN DARK WINTER, GLENN MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

THE BRIEF FALL SEASON AND EMBARK ON HIS MOST CRITICAL

HUNT OF THE YEAR.

WHEN I GET A MOOSE,

THAT MOOSE SEES ME THROUGH A GOOD PART OF THE WINTER.

THERE'S A LOT OF MEAT ON A BIG BULL MOOSE.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT HUNT.

MOST YEARS, I'LL WALK 25 TO 50 MILES TO GET A MOOSE.

IN THIS COUNTRY, THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY MOOSE.

AND THE MOOSE AROUND ARE SPREAD OUT OVER A LOT OF TERRITORY.

LOOK AT THIS.

THAT'S A FRESH MOOSE SCAT.

MOOSE WALKED RIGHT DOWN THROUGH HERE,

DEFECATED RIGHT HERE.

THIS ISN'T VERY OLD.

LISTEN TO THAT.

AND I JUST HEARD A BULL MOOSE GRUNT RIGHT OVER THIS WAY.

I GOTTA TRY AND GET THIS MOOSE.

I JUST HEARD A BULL MOOSE.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS FALL THAT I'VE HEARD A

BULL MOOSE GRUNT.

HE'S OVER THAT WAY.

A LOT OF TIMES, I'LL LOCATE MOOSE BY MY EARS,

LONG BEFORE I CAN SEE HIM.

THAT MOOSE, HE'S PROBABLY A MILE AWAY,

BUT I CAN HEAR HIM.

AND IF I HEAD OVER THERE, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE HE'LL

STILL BE IN THE AREA.

IN ORDER TO INTERCEPT THE FEW ANIMALS THAT LIVE OUT HERE,

I HAVE TO COVER A LOT OF TERRITORY.

IT'S A HARSH COUNTRY AND THE ANIMALS ARE SPREAD OUT

OVER A LOT OF TERRAIN.

THERE'S THE BULL.

THAT'S A BIG BULL MOOSE RIGHT THERE.

YOU SEE, HE'S SNIFFING THE REAR END OF THAT COW RIGHT NOW,

CHECKING HER OUT.

YOU SEE HOW HE'S CURLING HIS LIP?

HOLDING HIS HEAD UP, HE JUST SNIFFED HER.

WE GET LUCKY, WE MIGHT SEE HIM JUMP RIGHT UP ON TOP OF HER.

HUNTING MOOSE, IT'S ALL ABOUT SEX AND DECEPTION.

HE WANTS TO BE THE ONE TO MATE WITH THE COWS.

I'VE GOTTA ACT LIKE ANOTHER BULL MOOSE,

BECAUSE THAT BULL DOESN'T WANT ME AROUND.

THERE'S NO WAY THAT BULL IS GONNA LEAVE THAT

COW RIGHT NOW.

IT'S STARTING TO RAIN.

AND IF I WERE TO KILL A MOOSE REAL LATE,

AND IT STARTED RAINING A LOT TONIGHT,

THAT WOULD BE BAD.

IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE MEAT.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AFTER YOU GET A MOOSE IS TO

KEEP THE MEAT DRY.

SO, RATHER THAN STAY UP REALLY LATE TONIGHT,

I'M GONNA CALL IT A NIGHT NOW.

TOMORROW, I CAN GET UP AND GO OUT REAL EARLY,

HAVE A LOOK AROUND.

MAYBE THE WEATHER WILL BE BETTER.

THERE'S LOTS TO SEE,

THE COUNTRY IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S STILL A FUN RIDE.

IT'S A REAL NICE DAY TO GO FISHING AT CAMP, ALL RIGHT.

KIND OF WINDY, NOT TOO BAD.

SO, TODAY, I'M GOING OUT ON THE BOAT,

AND WE'RE HEADING TO KOOKOOCHIAQ.

I'M TAKING TINMIAQ AND QUTAN WITH ME.

WE'RE GONNA BE SETTING A SALMON NET.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE LAST SALMON FISHING FOR THE SEASON.

WITHOUT YOUR DAD, IT'S GONNA BE AN ADVENTURE IF WE BREAK DOWN,

BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS.

CHIP'S NOT GONNA BE HERE TO DIRECT US OR HELP US

IF WE GET STUCK.

HAVE FUN.

I LOVE YA.

GOODBYE, I'LL SEE YOU.

I LOVE YOU, DAD!

LOVE YOU, BUNS.

LOVE YOU, DAD.

SEE YOU, AGNES.

AGNES HAILSTONE'S HUSBAND AND HUNTING PARTNER,

CHIP, IS SERVING A 15-MONTH SENTENCE IN ANCHORAGE FOR A

NON-VIOLENT MISDEMEANOR, FORCING THE FAMILY TO PROVIDE

FOR THEMSELVES TO SURVIVE THE MONTHS AHEAD IN HIS ABSENCE.

HERE YOU GO, DINNER.

WITH WINTER ON THE HORIZON AND THE SALMON SEASON

COMING TO AN END, THE GIRLS MUST TRAVEL TO THEIR CAMP IN

KOOKOOCHIAQ TO SECURE THE VITAL RESOURCE BEFORE

THE RIVER FREEZES.

KOOKOOCHIAQ IS AN HOUR'S DRIVE AWAY FROM

THE VILLAGE OF NOORVIK.

AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH UP AND AROUND THE AREA.

WE'RE JUST GONNA GO SET A NET AND HOPEFULLY COME BACK WITH

AS MUCH SALMON FISH AS WE CAN.

KOOKOOCHIAQ,

GOOD TO BE BACK TO KOOKOOCHIAQ.

YEAH, OH, YAY,

I'M SO GLAD CAMP IS STILL HERE.

WOW, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT WARM FROM

THE DAYLIGHT STILL.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO COME HERE.

THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, CHIP WAS HERE WITH US.

I'M BEING TAKEN AWAY, DEAR.

NOT NOW, LEAVE ME,

BUT, I MEAN, LIKE, YOU'VE NEVER LEFT ME THAT LONG.

I'LL BE BACK HERE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.

NOW THAT HE'S ACTUALLY GONE,

WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING.

WE NEED FISH.

WE HAVE THE CAMP, MIGHT AS WELL KEEP DOING WHAT WE

USUALLY DO.

WHETHER YOUR DAD'S HERE OR NOT,

WE'RE GONNA GO SET NET AND HOPEFULLY CATCH A

BUNDLE OF FISH.

OKAY, FIRST, THE CINDER BLOCK.

VERY HEAVY.

WHOA.

AND PUT THE NET IN THE BOAT,

THEN YOU TRY AND TIE IT TO THE STUMP OF THIS WILLOW,

SO IT WILL BE TIED DOWN REAL GOOD ON THE SHORE SIDE.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD PLACE FOR A NET.

EVERY TIME I SET MY NET HERE, IT CATCHES SALMON.

WE'RE JUST GONNA GO IN THAT DIRECTION AND FEED THE NET OUT

AS WE GO, AND WE CAN ALL JUST GO IN THE BOAT AND

DO THIS TOGETHER.

OKAY, MOM.

OKAY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS ONCE AND WE'RE

GONNA DO IT RIGHT, GIRLS.

TRY NOT TO GET TOO TANGLED UP, TINMIAQ.

MAN, I CAN SEE YOU JUST TWISTING IT UP, TINMIAQ.

I'M NOT RIPPING IT UP.

TRY NOT TO MESS THIS.

IT TANGLED UP ON ITSELF.

IT'S WORKING?

IT'S GOOD, JUST KEEP GOING BACKWARDS.

I AM GOING BACKWARDS.

LEAD THAT SUCKER OUT AND MAKE SURE IT'S NOT TANGLED.

THROW IT OUT WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, TING.

YEE!

THAT'S A GOOD ANGLE.

MOST FISH COME IN ALONG THIS EDGE.

WE'LL JUST CALL THAT GOOD FOR NOW AND TRY TO GO GET BACK

HOME BEFORE IT GET DARK.

YOU GIRLS READY, THEN?

OKAY.

I LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

I'M SURROUNDED BY AMAZING PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE ME.

AND THESE DOGS INSPIRE ME.

THE SAWMILL DROPPED OFF OVER HERE ON THIS LANDING,

I'M PLANNING ON PUTTING IT ON.

AND I'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO LOGISTICALLY SET IT ALL UP.

IT'S REALLY HEAVY, ABOUT 400 POUNDS, SO.

WHAT I GOTTA DO HERE IS FIGURE OUT WHERE THE

SAWMILL IS GONNA LIVE.

I GOTTA SET IT UP IN AN EFFICIENT WAY THAT I CAN BRING

LOGS IN, BRING LOGS OUT.

ALONG THE NENANA RIVER,

JESSIE HOLMES GATHERS THE AREA'S RESOURCES TO PROVIDE

FOOD AND SHELTER FOR HIMSELF AND HIS TEAM OF SLED DOGS.

TWELVE YEARS AGO,

I JUST COME UP TO ALASKA, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS

GONNA BE LIKE.

I ENVISIONED MYSELF JUST BACKPACKING AND HIKING AROUND.

YOU KNOW, I HAD THIS VAGUE DREAM OF BEING A MOUNTAIN MAN,

RIVER MAN, LIVING OUT IN THE WOODS.

RIGHT AWAY WHEN I GOT HERE, I STARTED FOLLOWING THAT

KIND OF LIFESTYLE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS GENUINE TO MY HEART AND I FELT

PASSIONATE ABOUT.

TO ESCAPE THE FINANCIAL SHACKLES OF TOWN,

JESSIE HAS ACQUIRED A SAWMILL, A KEY PIECE OF MACHINERY FOR

HIM TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN STRUCTURES USING

HARVESTED LUMBER.

BUT FIRST, HE MUST MOVE THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT INTO PLACE.

THIS RIGHT NOW IS IN THE WRONG SPOT HERE.

IT NEEDS TO BE DOWN THERE.

MY IDEA IS TO PUT A ROLLER UNDER THIS,

WHICH IS A LOG THAT'S ROUND WITH NO LIMBS ON IT,

SO IT CAN SMOOTHLY ROLL.

I'M GONNA PUT ONE UP HERE, UNDER HERE,

AND ONE BACK HERE, AND I'M GONNA PULL IT FORWARD ON THE

ROLLERS, AND HOPEFULLY, I CAN DO IT MYSELF.

BUT IF I NEED TO, I GOT A FEW BIG DOGS OVER HERE THAT

LISTEN TO ME WELL.

I CAN USE THEM TO PULL IT.

I'M GONNA NEED THE CHAINSAW.

I'M GONNA HAVE TO CUT SOME ROLLERS.

IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO GET THE DOGS OR HARDER

TO GET THE DOGS.