By

James A. Fall, Janet C. Schichnes, Molly Chythlook, and Robert J. Walker

Excerpted from Alaska Department of Fish and Game Technical Paper No. 135, December 1986.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESOURCE USE

SEASONAL ROUND

During the early and mid 1980's, the hunting, fishing and gathering activities of Dillingham residents followed a seasonal round. The timing of harvests was generally conditioned by resource availability, resource abundance, and hunting and fishing regulations. Most of the following information about seasonal activities in Dillingham is from Wright et al. (1985:42-45).

The annual cycle began with break-up in late April and May as a few hunters took waterfowl around Nushagak Bay and along the rivers and lakes. Also, a few seal were taken in spring by Dillingham residents. Some families traveled to the Kulukak and Togiak areas to harvest herring, herring roe-on-kelp, clams, marine mammals, and bird eggs, often in conjunction with commercial herring fishing.

The arrival of king salmon in Nushagak Bay in late May marked the beginning of subsistence gill net fishing. Kings were available through June and July, with reds running from late June through late July. Chum and pink salmon were also taken in the summer months, while silvers were present in August and September. Trout, Dolly Varden, and grayling were harvested in lakes and rivers with rod and reel throughout the summer. Late summer and early fall were the major berry harvesting periods.

Caribou and moose hunting were the dominant resource activities in late August and September. Waterfowl hunting and marine mammal hunting also occurred in the fall. In addition, some families harvested spawned-out salmon from the Wood River Lakes and Snake Lake.

When ice formed in rivers and lakes, Dillingham residents set nets for whitefish. Smelt were taken with dip nets and by jigging in Nushagak Bay. After freeze-up, residents jigged for Dolly Varden, lake trout, and pike in the Wood River Lakes area.

Caribou hunting was a major resource activity during the winter months of December, January, February, and March. A second moose hunting season occurred in December as well. In addition, people trapped furbearers, especially beaver, land otter, and red fox. Ptarmigan were another important resource as they formed large flocks in late winter and early spring.

Some resources were harvested throughout much of the year, especially small game such as porcupine and hares, as well as spruce grouse. Firewood for heating homes and steam baths was also gathered year round.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND EXCHANGE

In 1984 Dillingham households received many fish and wildlife resources from other harvesters. While much of this sharing occurred between Dillingham households and those of other Bristol Bay communities. During the 1985 research, interviewed households were asked about their sharing of 16 kinds of resources from other communities. The results show an imbalance in the exchange of resources between Dillingham, the regional center, and other communities. For all resources, the percentage of the sample receiving the resource from other communities was at least double the percentage that sent resources to other communities. The difference was especially high for two big game species, caribou and moose, which were the resources most commonly received form other communities. Only six percent of the sampled Dillingham households sent caribou meat to friends and relatives living outside Dillingham, but 25 percent received caribou meat from other communities. The pattern was similar for moose: five percent sent moose meat outside Dillingham, and 21 percent received moose meat from households living in other communities. Seal oil is a third example of this apparent imbalance. Only three percent of the Dillingham households sent this resource outside the community, but 18 percent received seal oil from non-Dillingham households.

Dillingham households which received resources from friends and relatives reciprocated in several ways. Residents of other villages regularly visit the regional center for a variety of reasons, including shopping, medical care, and attending festivals such as Beaver Round-Up and the BBNA convention. During these visits, they usually find lodging with friends and relatives in Dillingham. For example, 54 percent of the interviewed Dillingham households reported that they had house guests from other Bristol Bay communities either "regularly" or "sometimes" during the year. Gifts of resources from villages occurred during these visits. Reciprocity could also take the form of providing transportation to village visitors, cash loans, or running errands in Dillingham for people living elsewhere.

Survey respondents were also asked to name the villages with which they shared four resources: moose, caribou, salmon, and marine mammals. The results show that exchange occurred most frequently with Nushagak River villages, and secondarily with Togiak and Manokotak. For example, of the 75 cases of receiving either moose or caribou, 50 (67 percent) involved the Nushagak River villages of Portage Creek, Ekwok, New Stuyahok, or Koliganek. Eight (11 percent) involved Aleknagik, and 7 (9 percent) involved Togiak or Manokotak. Other communities mentioned were Levelock (four cases), Pilot Point (two cases), Kenai Peninsula (two cases), Ekuk (one case), and Clark's Point (one case).

Not surprisingly, coastal villages played a prominent role as a source of marine mammal products for Dillingham residents. Of 24 cases of receiving marine mammal products form outside Dillingham, 17 involved Togiak, Clark's Point, Manokotak, or Twin Hills.

The sample reported 49 cases of sharing salmon with households from other communities. Unlike big game and marine mammals, the majority (51 percent) of these involved Dillingham households sending the resource outside the community. The most common recipients of salmon from Dillingham were people living "outside" (40 percent) and in Anchorage (36 percent).