So this past weekend (Sept. 28,29 & 30), I was up in Kotlik enjoying riding the sloughs looking for a moose for the winter. We had started out from the village at 0800 and had only stopped twice for the Call of Nature. We had decided to head to his Auntie's fishcamp for lunch when, as we came around a bend, there on the bank of the slough was a seal. It must have been completely asleep as it didn't raise it's head until one of his sons began pointing and shouting "maqlauq", "maqlauq", maqlauq". My friend was just smiling as the throttled the boat to neutral, and as the seal began humping to the water I handed him his AR-15 and asked him "well, are you going to shoot it?" He replied, "no", we'll take it the old way."
I saw his two boys, aged 8 and 9 years, grab from the back of the boat, what looked like giant arrows. They were 3-feet long, and maybe 1/2 inch in diameter. These were placed in throwing sticks (atlatl), and the hunt was on!
We simply sat dead in the water until the seal would poke its head up to see where we were, then we'd idle over towards that location. At a distance of 50-75 feet, the boys would launch the spears on a high trajectory, so the shafts would fall almost vertically to prevent the seal from seeing the incoming spear and dodge them. So close they would come! Missing by only a couple inches for several throws until the older boy dropped a shaft right onto the back of the seal just as it was going under at a distance of about 75 feet.
Idling to the location the seal had gone under, the boys drew out harpoons for the final kill. The harpoons are 4 feet long, about one inch in diameter, with two net floats jammed onto the end of the shaft for floatation. The point is made of bronze, and is shaped to fall off the steel rod on which it sits when it penetrates the skin of the seal.
We twice came close but the animal dove just as we came into range, 20 feet or so, when finally it popped up right next to our boat! The oldest boy instantly slammed the harpoon down for an excellent hit. The animal wasn't going to give up just yet. It took another 15 minutes of carefully watching the water to note the direction the seal swam so we wouldn't lose it. Stuck with both a spear and harpoon, the seal finally swam in towards the bank and shallow water where dad shot it once with a .22 mag through the brain. It was done.
We were all really tickled as we were out for moose and as a bonus we had caught maqlauq bearded seal). My friends auntie had showed up in her boat with her sons and two nephews, so they enjoyed being able to be there for the final chase.
We secured the seal to the boat and drove 20 minutes to the fishcamp while the other boat took a different route. There, my friend opened the seal from neck to tail, and removed the liver, kidneys, some ribs, two large portions of meat, and three blocks of blubber about 4 inches square and one inch thick. The meats were divided and made up into three packages with each having a block of blubber, each then wrapped tightly in foil and placed on a grill over a wood fire.
Just as the meats were placed on the grill, the other boat showed up and we set about making up the camp. Got the woodstove going in the house and made plans for after dinner.
The packages of meat cooked for 30 minutes or so (who cares, we were hungry), then opened and placed on the table with salt and pepper, and whitefish aqutaq with blackberries. MMMmmmmmmm!
The meat was cooked to perfection, wonderfully tender and seasoned with the blubber, tasted out-of-this-world. The liver is salty with a slightly fishey taste, which of course only makes it better. And finally the treat of the aqutaq made for a great meal. I have never eaten so much sealmeat at one sitting! We ended up burping seal until the next day. Phew!
After our meal we went out for a leisurely patrol to look for a moose (our primary reason for being there), and I did end up catching one only 30 minutes later. A nice, tender 3-4 year old. My friend had wanted me to go after a 60 incher he knew of, but I told him "no, I need meat, not a tough, stinky old man", so we went a different direction.
But that is another story.

Very interesting and this thread also needs some photos. I'd also like to see their spears and hunting kit besides the seal and your moose.

Hey, That sounds like a fun hunt. I think I'll try it. I'd like to have a seal hide on the wall and try the meat.

That hunt sounds a lot like a friend of mine up close to circle in northwest AK. He is a subsistance hunter. Has very interesting posts with pics. Glad you got your moose meat for the winter.

Rad

It was a great deal of fun and exciting too. I felt honored to have been there and taken part in the excitement.

I did have a 35mm camera with me, but didn't take any action shots. I did take some photos after we were at the fishcamp. I am rectifying this with the purchase of a quality digital camera.

Enjoyed that. Thanks (and post pics next time!).

KG

Homer Simpson voice ON:

Mmmmmmm. Seal-shimi...

Homer Simpson voice OFF.

KG