by Peter Twitchell
This is a question I ask Moose Hunters: Have you ever butchered a moose with a pocket knife with a blade no longer than 2 inches?
WHAT? The response I usually get.
In 1981 fall I witnessed such a feat on the Yukon tributary up river from Russian Mission, Alaska!! It was a skill, an achievement, endurance. Much to my surprise it was done by Willie Pitka of Russian Mission, Alaska who butchered the moose I caught. In less than two hours, which he quartered and we put in the boat and brought home to Russian Mission.
The real purpose of going up the river from Russian Mission was to get his hunting gear and hunting knives from his fishcamp when the moose emerged from the bush and started running along the slough we were in. When we realized it was a bull moose in the shadow of the trees I had my moose for the season.
When Willie asked me if I had my hunting knife, I told him I had left my hunting gear and knives back in the village. He began cutting up the hide and flesh with a pocket knife with a blade less than 2 inches long with lightning speed. My mouth dropped open with sheer amazement because in my 31 years I’d never seen anyone butcher a moose with a pocket knife that was on a keychain.
Without breaking a blade.
My childhood friend Jack Hopstad had caught his moose the day before and had gone home that day. Jack and I had flown to the Yukon to hunt with his uncle Joe Vaska.
Later in the afternoon the previous day we had seen an old cow moose, which had lived out its life. Jack’s uncle Joe called it, I believe, a latent moose. The Old Cow moose had gray skin and looked as big as an elephant.
That night at our campfire the Old Cow moose came and stood across the slough from our camp observing our campfire. For me it was a welcome sight.
I believe, after talking with Elder Joe Pitka, that I was related to the Pitka Family. My mother’s father was a Peter Pitka. I was treated with upmost respect and felt a kinship to the Pitka Family of Russian Mission.
Following moose season the Kusko Fiddlers Band consisting of the late Jack Hopstad, Joe Woods Jr., Chris Fisher, and Peter Twitchell, began flying to the Yukon as we were invited by the villagers from Emmonak, Kotlik, St. Mary’s, Mountain Village, Pilot Station, Marshall, Russian Mission, and Holy Cross.
From 2001 to 2010 those were wonderful trips to stay at the Homes of Villagers and eating some of the best foods from the land, which often included fish akutaq.
In Holy Cross, Alaska, we were invited by Xenia Peters to eat at her home, and she told me to tell my mother that she sends her love to her and that she would send my mom a 3 pound can of Hills Bros. coffee filled with punk ash. She told me she was related to my mother and her family and called mom her ilungaq.
It was a wonderful feeling to have family with kinship with people on the Yukon River who had moved from the Kuskokwim region in Southwest Alaska and coastal region to the beautiful Yukon River.
