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Ifwedontifwestopourkidswillprobablygooutbuttherewillbegapsintheteachings.Itsquiteimportantforourkidsourgrandkidsandotheryoungpeople.MarySchaeferFortSmithtrappingcouplebackfrommonth-longhuntSchaeferswanttosetanexampleforyouthinthecommunityNorthernersTrappers11TuesdayJune32014TheSouthSlaveDivisionalEducationCouncilwouldliketoextendoursincerecongratulationstotheBestwishesasyoubegintocreateyourownfuture.Remembergraduationisnottheenditsanewbeginning.2014SouthSlaveHighSchoolGraduatesSouthSlaveDivisionalEducationCouncilwww.ssdec.nt.caByMARIACHURCHAfterspendingamonthinthebushcollectinghundredsofbeaverandmuskratpeltsonecoupleinFortSmithhasreturnedhometosharesto-riesoftheadventurewiththeirfamily.ForMaryandKenSchae-fer45and47thehuntingtripwasnotonlyawaytorecon-nectwithlifeonthelandbutawaytopracticewhattheypreach.ThethoughtoftheirgrandchildrenwasneverfarfromtheirmindstheysharedwithTheJournal.Wehavegrandkidsnowsoitssomethingforthemtoseeusdoing.Whenwecomebacktheyhearhowwespentourdaystheregoingaboutthehunt.TheyrealwaysinterestedandtheylovetohearthestoriesMarysaid.TheSchaefershavebeenmeaningtogoonamonth-longhuntsincetheirlastlengthyoutingin2006butitwasntuntilthisyearthattheyhadtheopportunitytogo.ItalldependsonwhentheriveropensKensaid.TheSchaefersbegantheexcursioninlateAprilcross-ingtheSlaveRiverwithtwofriendsonsnowmobiles-andasleddogteamintow-beforeheadingnortheasttoHangingIceRiverwheretheyhaveacabin.TheirfriendsdroppedthemoffandreturnedtoFortSmithonthesleds.AttheirhomeoffthegridtheSchaefersspentagru-elingyetpeaceful29dayscollectingfursatanaverageof20perday.Eachmorningtheywokeuparound700a.m.tobegineshingtheanimalstheyhadhuntedthedaybefore.Muskratsarerela-tivelyeasytheysaidbutthebeaversareatediousprocess.Wealwaysmakesurewewashallthebeaverhideshangthemupanddrythemandwhenwestarteshingthemthattakesalongtime.TheyresofatitslikeasealskinKensaid.Itslotofwork.Afterthepeltsaretforfreezingandtransportthetwowouldgrabtheirgunsandheadbackontotherivertohuntmorebeaversandmuskrat.Animportantlessonlearnedoveryearsofhunt-ingisnottoshoottoomanyanimalsinonedaybecausethatmeanstoomuchworkthenextdayKensaid.Shesgotanitchytrig-gerngerhesaidwithachucklereferringtohiswife.ShedidtheshootingIdidtheswearing.OnedaywhiletheywereontheboathuntingMaryshotalargebeaverandwhenKenwenttohaulitintotheboatgrabbingitbythehindlegtheanimalfoughtback.QuickthinkingandspeedyreexesallowedKentoreachhisaxeandnishthekilljustbarelyavoidinganastybite.Thecouplesharedanotherstoryofwhentheyluckedoutandstumbleduponanestoffreshgooseeggs.IcookedMaryaMothersDaybreakfastofeggs.OneeachfedustheyrehugeKensaid.Oncetheyweresatis-edwiththeirfurhaultheSchaefersreturnedtoFortSmithonMay24and25byoatplanewhichrequiredmultipletripstotransportthepeltsandthedogteam.IntotaltheSchaefersbroughthomepeltsfrom121Ifwedontifwestopourkidswillprobablygooutbuttherewillbegapsintheteachings.ItsquiteimportantforourkidsourgrandkidsandotheryoungpeopleMarysaid.Shesaidmanyyouthinthecommunityarenolon-gerseekingoutknowledgeoftraditionallifestylesfromeldersorpractitionerspre-ferringtostayindoorsonthecomputerorphoneorwatchingTV.Somethingthatsalwaysinthebackofmymindisouryouth.TheyneedhelpMarysaid.ItsnotjustKenandI.Therearealotofpeopleouttherewithalotofknowledgefortheseyoungpeoplebutnobodyissayinganything.Itsuptothecommunitytobridgethegapbetweentheyouthandtheknowledgekeepersshesaid.Oneideaistoholdshortcampsevenjustforthedayledbyeldersandknowledgeholdersthatwouldbeclosetotownbutstillinthebushtointroducetheyouthtoatraditionallife-styleandopencommunica-tionbetweengenerations.ImsurewewouldallbealotstrongerandalotmoreopenaroundacampfireMarysaid.beavers270muskratsoneotterandabear.Themoneytheywillreceivefromthepeltsaleswillonlyjustbreakevenwiththecostofthetripandthetimeoffworktheysaid.Buttheexperienceispriceless.Itsawayoflife.Wevegrownupdoingthiskindofthing.Ivebeenouttrap-pingfor35yearsandImnotgoingtostopnow.ItsalwaysnicetobeinthebushKensaidwhileMarynoddedinagreement.ReachingyoungearsForoneoftheSchaefersdaughtersFarrahFreund-amotherherselftotwolittleones-havingparentsthatpracticeatraditionallife-styleisanimportantpartofraisingherchildren.ThatshowmyparentsraisedmybrothersisterandI.Theyraisedandfedusonahuntersandtrappersincomeshesaid.Theyrejusttryingtokeepthetraditionalive.Freundsaidherchildrenlovetohearthestoriesfromtheirgrandparentsandinthefutureshehopestheirinter-estwillgrowandeventuallyencouragethemtogointothebushthemselves.AccordingtotheSchaeferssettingtheexamplefortheirgrandchildrenandthecom-munityyouthisoneoftheirmainmotivationstocontinuegoingoutontheland.PhotosMarySchaeferKenSchaeferdisplaysthehaulofbeaversheandhiswifeMaryhuntedonedaywhileoutattheircabin.Schaeferuseshoopstostretchanddrybeaverpelts.