Left to right are: Kim Scruby (Exec. Dir. food bank), Laura Uvery (Op. Manager, food bank), Floyd Cook, Joseph Tsannie, Vince Brittain, Brian Hardlotte and Geoff Despins of the PAGC with about 300 pounds of moose meat. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Food bank donation

PAGC leaders hunt and donate moose meat to foodbank

Jan 24, 2025 | 4:00 PM

Knowing the issues their people are facing with rising prices and food insecurity, six of the leaders of the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) headed out on the land last week and harvested three moose.

Using their knowledge of when the moose move, they waited until it was –40C to load up snowmobiles and the traditional sleds were pulled by dogs in the old days and drove to the Porcupine Forest near Hudson Bay.

“We know there’s a high cost of foods within our city and all over. The rise in food costs are just crazy and we want to make sure that our people, or whoever needs traditional foods, can come to the Food Bank and grab some moose meat to feed their family,” explained Vice Chief Josephe Tsannie.

“That’s what it’s about. We’re so fortunate to have the food bank here and to have the staff here that are committed to supporting the families through hard times, so we wanted to make sure that we provide some quality moose meat for the people that live within the City of Prince Albert.”

Vince Brittain, Director of Education for the PAGC, said that the hunt was good, but they were glad when they were done working in the extreme cold.

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Some of the hunters with the moose harvested. (submitted/Tina Pelletier)

“With the windchill, it probably felt like –40C or –45C. Our people do that, they do a lot of hunting, and they know when it’s a good time and what to do when they’re out on the land. Sometimes you get blessed and you have good hearts, and you put it out there to the universe and lucky we got three moose for the families,” Brittain said.

All of the men who hunted, including Floyd Cook (director of land-based programming), Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte and Geoff Despins (PAGC Urban Services), Brittain and Tsannie, were careful to honour Indigenous traditions to ensure future hunts are also successful.

While the muscles were later cut into stew meat, roasts or ground, everything that could be taken was. Hearts, spleen, liver, tongue, eyes, hide, fat – none was wasted. Instead, those delicacies were taken and shared with elders while the larger portions were prepared for the foodbank and for the Salvation Army which distributes food every day to people via a hot lunch from their downtown building.

Tobacco was placed on the intestines and the spleen was hung for a time as required.

They chose the Porcupine Forest, a 2.5-hour drive away, because it is a safe place to hunt on Crown land. They split into three teams when they were there and headed out in opposite directions to avoid hunting near each other.

Hunting day was about -40C and resulted in three moose being taken. (submitted/Tina Pelletier)

Altogether they saw nine moose and harvested three, leaving the rest to nature and future hunts.

“It was a good day, a cold day. As an Urban, you have to learn how to dress,” laughed Despins.

While they didn’t butcher the entire animal themselves, they did quarter the three animals and pack them to haul out in the dogsleds, which is also part of their traditional methods. It takes and hour to 1.5 hours just to prepare the moose to be hauled.

They left Prince Albert at 5:30 in the morning and were back at 1:30 the following morning.

Indigenous hunting parties do not take personal credit after they find success, they recognize it as a group effort, and all have had a successful hunt.

Kim Scruby, who manages the Food Bank, said the donation came at the right time as their freezers had just been emptied.

As is the case in many communities, food bank use has increased as the cost of food has risen.

Since 2017, the amount of hampers given out have doubled from 700 to almost 1,400 monthly with almost 50 per cent of the users being children.

“This is going to make a huge difference,” Scruby said “This is very significant. It’s going to help a lot of households.”

Many of the users belong to one of the PAGC’s multiple member nations but not all of them are.

One way or another, they know that having the moose is a treat and Scruby said when word of the donation is public, they know they will see people wanting some.

The PAGC said they hope to make the hunt and donation an annual event.

READ MORE: In September, students at the Muskoday First Nation land-based program donated many pounds of potatoes they helped grow.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: @susanmcneil.bsky.social