Part 5

The following day was nearly cloudless; wind moderate, westerly; temperature, 37.5° to 66°--high enough to bring out the black flies (but extremely few mosquitoes) after several days of virtual freedom from these scourges. Between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least 500 Caribou, coming from the east, must have passed the mouth of Little River, some swimming across at that point (figs. 9, 12), and others proceeding various distances upstream before undertaking the passage. A few of the larger bands numbered approximately 30, 40, and 75 individuals. Some consisted largely of does and fawns, some of big bucks. One of the larger bands approached the river on the run, plunged in recklessly, and landed on the western shore some 30 feet directly in front of my battery of cameras. Most of the animals on this and similar occasions were remarkably indifferent to me as I operated the cameras in full view of them. Some among them would approach within a rod or less and stare me in the face without alarm (figs. 11, 14).

August 29 was a cloudy, nearly calm day, with temperatures ranging from 49.5° to 73°--conditions more propitious for black flies than for their victims. There was comparatively little local movement among the Caribou--in the morning two or three swimming across the bay and a band of 20 (6 old bucks, the rest does and fawns) swimming south across the mouth of Windy River; in mid-afternoon a band of 10 running along the ridge on the eastern side of Little River; and about 100 reported during the day in the vicinity of Windy Bay by Fred Schweder, Jr. The "big movement" had passed its peak.

The next day was largely sunny, with a light easterly or southeasterly wind and temperatures of 50° to 68°. There were comparatively few black flies and fewer mosquitoes. During a five-hour vigil near the mouth of Little River I noticed only about 50 Caribou, most of them passing westward by ones, twos, and intermediate numbers up to 17 (does and fawns) in a band. Mike Schweder reported a total of about 200 animals seen within a few miles of camp.

The morning of August 31 was dismal and overcast, with a heavy shower; in the afternoon the sky cleared; wind brisk, south to west; temperature, 47° to 74.5°. Several Caribou passed along the eastern side of Little River, and Fred Schweder, Jr., reported about 300 some miles north of camp, moving in a southwesterly direction.

Clouds and rain ushered in the morning of September 1; the afternoon was sunny; wind light to strong, west to northwest; temperature, 48° to 60°. The next day was partly cloudy, with a mist squall or two; wind light to brisk, northwesterly; temperature, 38° to 51.5°. No Caribou were reported on either day.

September 3 was largely cloudy, with some mist squalls; wind light to moderate, northerly to easterly; temperature, 40° to 51°. There were enough black flies to be slightly troublesome. Two bucks, two does, and a fawn were noted at Bear Slough.

September 4 was partly cloudy, with drizzling rain; wind light, east to south and southwest; temperature, 43° to 58°. I saw about 22 Caribou (largely does and fawns), in several different groups, at Bear Slough and vicinity, and Fred Schweder, Jr., reported about 200 in the same area. Two were noted swimming to the south side of Windy Bay.

September 5 was marked by a driving, day-long rainstorm; wind brisk, easterly; temperature, 43° to 50°. A band of about 20 Caribou (mostly does and fawns, with several middle-aged bucks), besides one or two single animals, were encountered at Bear Slough.

September 6 was a cloudy, raw day, with several snow flurries; wind brisk, northerly; temperature, 33° to 35°. Not a fly was abroad. Two Caribou moved northwest along Little River Ridge; a band of about 75 (mainly does and fawns, but with a fair number of big bucks) passed in the same direction along the Middle Ridge; and about 25 others grazed along the eastern side of Little River. Later about 15-20 more were seen about the mouth of Little River and on a near-by island, and eight swam across Windy Bay to the south side. Fred reported seeing about 300 during the day north and west of camp; they were moving in a northerly direction.

It was cloudy nearly all day on September 7; wind moderate, northerly; temperature, 33° to 40°. No black flies were in evidence. A dozen or more Caribou took to the water from an island in Windy Bay and made for the north shore. A band of about 25 passed along Little River Ridge toward the river's mouth.

September 8 was mostly cloudy; wind moderate to strong, southeasterly; temperature, 37° to 42°. Fred reported a band of about 100 Caribou crossing the mouth of Little River toward the west. A dozen or more swam southward over Windy Bay at the usual crossing-place. Anoteelik brought in 13 tongues from that many freshly killed Caribou; he had secured them with a .22 rifle.

A driving gale from the east, with rain and sleet, continued through the day on September 9; temperature, 36° to 37°. A solitary buck inspected our camp from the south side of Windy River, then retreated.

An overcast sky, with some drizzle and sleet, prevailed on September 10; wind light, east to northeast; temperature, 35.5° to 42.5°. No flies present for some days past. Fred reported about 20 Caribou moving westward in the vicinity of Little River.

On September 11 clouds and mist squalls in the morning gave way to sunshine in the afternoon; wind light, easterly; temperature, 37° to 45.5°. Caribou were noted as follows: five on the east side of Little River; two does and a fawn on an island in Windy Bay; a doe and a fawn swimming northward across this bay; half a dozen on Josie's Hill. During a flight from Churchill to Nueltin Lake on this day, Charles Schweder detected no Caribou at all, and concluded that the bulk of the migrating herds had by this time passed to the southward of his course. During the latter part of August, while descending the Thlewiaza River from Nueltin Lake to Hudson Bay, he had seen thousands of the animals--as many as 5,000 in a single day, although no more than 500 in a single herd.

Sun, clouds, and rain marked September 12; wind moderate to light, south to west; temperature, 48° to 60°. Only two Caribou were reported.

September 13 was cloudy, with intermittent mist squalls and a little sun; wind light to brisk, northerly; temperature, 34° to about 44°. Two bands of Caribou (of four and five animals) appeared near the mouth of Windy River.

It was generally cloudy, with a snow squall, on September 14; wind brisk to light, northerly; temperature, 33° to 41°. A doe and a fawn, proceeding northward, and four or five other Caribou appeared on the near-by ridges.

The weather was clear on the 15th, with a moderate to brisk north wind and temperatures of 29° to 48°; ice at edge of the river. Fred reported about 100 Caribou (none of them bucks) north of camp, and Anoteelik secured 13 east of Little River.

On the morning of the 16th intermittent snow flurries left a thin cover on the ground, but it was practically dissipated by the afternoon sun; wind brisk, northerly; temperature, 30° to 39°. Fred reported three old does without fawns, and no bucks.

September 17 was mostly cloudy, with a little sun; wind light, northwest and west; temperature, 30° to 43°. A single Caribou was seen on the south side of Windy River.

Clear skies prevailed on September 18; wind brisk, westerly; temperature, 35° to 53.5°; ice at edge of the river. A solitary black fly appeared. No Caribou reported.

September 19 was another clear day; wind moderate to brisk, west-southwest; temperature, 42° to 60°. Anoteelik, camping on the Barrens about 2 miles to the north of camp for the past couple of days, reports having killed 20 Caribou (only one of them a buck).

Light rain, soon changing to sleet, and then frequent snow squalls, provided the principal weather elements on September 20; wind light to strong, west to north; temperature, 27° to 43.5°. The ground became partly covered with snow. A big buck, followed several hours later by a doe and a fawn, swam across to the north side of Windy River at its mouth. Ten more Caribou were taken by Anoteelik. Charles considered that the retrograde movement to the north was definitely under way. There had been indications of it on various days from September 6 on.

Except for a few snow flurries, it was largely sunny on the 21st; wind brisk to moderate, north to northwest; temperature, 26° to 34°. About a quarter of an inch of snow remained in sheltered places. A doe and a fawn appeared near camp.

There was considerable snowfall on the 22nd; wind light to moderate, westerly; temperature, 30° to 33°; ice in edge of the river. A large buck left tracks in the snow along the Windy River.

September 23 was partly cloudy; wind brisk, north-northwest; temperature, 21° to 32°; about a quarter of an inch of snow on the ground, and a tundra pond mostly frozen over. Several small groups of Caribou (a doe and a fawn; three does and two fawns; and three others) appeared on the near-by ridges.

September 24 was mostly cloudy; wind moderate to brisk, northerly; temperature, 26° to 41°; nearly an inch of fresh snow on the ground. About 15 does and fawns were resting or feeding quietly on the east side of Little River, and tracks of about half a dozen were noted on Camp Ridge. Charles Schweder reported about 50 Caribou, in three slightly separated bands, appearing during the evening on the south side of Windy River about 2 miles above its mouth, as if contemplating a crossing. He thought they may have been alarmed by Wolves.

September 25 was a cloudy day; wind moderate to light, northerly to westerly; temperature, 31° to 36°; open ground largely bare by afternoon; ice forming on Windy Bay. Some Caribou tracks were noted on the north side of Windy River.