Ni Hat'ni Dene on Patrol: The Winter Edition

From December to April, Ni Hat’ni Dene travel to hazú (the barrenlands) and along the winter road to observe the land, weather, and animals, but especially ɂetthën (caribou). While on winter patrol, they also monitor hunting practices in Łutsël K’é territory and educate hunters about Dënesųłıné harvesting laws.
 
Ni Hat’ni Dene travel in pairs while on patrol. A typical winter patrol cycle is seven days: one day of pre-trip planning, two days of travel, three days of monitoring, and one day of clean up and debriefing.
 
Follow along as we head out on winter patrol with Ni Hat’ni Dene.

Ni Hat'ni Dene camping on a patrol at Eileen Lake, NT. Ni Hat'ni Dene use Arctic Oven tents purchased from Airframes Alaska.

Pre-Trip Planning
Travel on the land in all seasons requires good preparation. This is especially true for winter travel when temperatures on hazú are often well below -30C.
 
Before they head out on patrol, Ni Hat’ni Dene conduct equipment checks to ensure all of their gear is in good working order. Guardians travel with monitoring equipment, safety gear, and cooking utensils. While Ni Hat’ni Dene practice a subsistence lifestyle when they are on patrol, they also travel with some food, just in case.
 
With their gear packed, the last thing on their pre-trip checklist is a safety meeting with the Ni Hat’ni Dene coordinator or Thaidene Nëné manager.

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Ni Hat'ni Dene stopped on the trail on Pike's Portage while on winter patrol.

Travel
The first day of patrol is spent travelling to their patrol area, which could be anywhere from 150 to 300 kilometres from Łutsël K’é. The trip from Lutsel K’e to the patrol cabin at Ɂedacho Tłaze (Timber Bay) on Ɂedacho Kúe (Artillery Lake), for example, is roughly 250 kilometres. Along the way, the Guardians check on patrol cabins.
 
To ensure they always have a back-up, patrol groups travel with three different types of communication devices: inReach, satellite phone, and CP3s. The guardians use the inReach to check in with Thaidene Nëné staff in Łutsël K’é twice a day, once on the morning and once in the evening. The satellite phone is for emergency situations. The CP3 is a rugged smartphone that is integrated with LKDFN’s traditional archives database. The guardians use the CP3 for data collection, mapping, and field surveys.

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Monitoring
Days three to five (or thereabouts!) of each trip are devoted to monitoring. During this time, Ni Hat’ni Dene travel around the designated patrol area observing caribou and other wildlife. They also monitor environmental conditions such as ice thickness.

Ni Hat'ni Dene check in with local hunters from Łutsël K’é while on patrol on hazú (tundra).

Occasionally, Ni Hat’ni Dene will encounter other people, typically hunters, when they are out on patrol. Ni Hat’ni Dene play an important role in educating hunters about respectful nálze (hunting). 
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At the end of each day, the guardians complete an observation form that includes information about the environmental conditions, the number and type of animals that they saw and their observed health, and any other people or vehicles they saw.

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Unpack and Debrief
Upon returning to the community, Ni Hat’ni Dene unpack their gear, make note of any equipment that needs repair or replacement, and upload their daily observation notes. They also meet with the Ni Hat’ni Dene coordinator and/or the Thaidene Nëné manager and with the next patrol group to discuss their patrol and pass on any information that may be of help.