Good year for Eabametoong hunter, shoots four moose

While two Eabametoong women were unsuccessful so far this fall on their moose hunt, a band councillor managed to get four during the first three weeks of October.
“We didn’t kill nothing,” said Charlotte Baxter, about her moose-hunting trip 77 miles north of Eabametoong on the Attawapiskat River. “We saw three moose when we landed and that was the only time we saw moose. But the guys got a cow, so they gave us half of that moose.”
Baxter hasn’t shot a moose for some time, but her hunting partner shot one six years ago near the community with her son.
“It’s been a while,” Baxter said.
Eabametoong Coun. Colin Shawinimash shot one of his moose about an hour’s boat ride from the community near Frenchman’s Rapids and three further away from the community.
“I was by myself, actually,” Shawinimash said about the moose he shot near Frenchman’s Rapids. “It’s quite a bit of work when you are by yourself. I just kept one quarter for myself and I did feed a lot of Elders.”
Shawinimash came across the moose at Frenchman’s Rapids while travelling to a hunting area about two-and-a-half hours north of Eabametoong.
“It was on my route to where I wanted to go,” Shawinimash said. “Before I hit this major rapids, there were four moose standing there. Because I was alone, I decided to take one only.”
Gutting and quartering the moose on his own was “a task itself,” Shawinimash said.
“There are times when I just go to enjoy what is out there by myself,” Shawinimash said. “This was the one time I decided to go by myself. Sure enough, it was a great hunt again.”
Shawinimash has been hunting for about eight years, ever since he discovered the joys of being out on the land and hunting. 
The 34-year-old hunter moved back to Eabametoong about 13 years ago, but it took him a few years to learn about travelling on the land, the rivers and the snowmobile trails.
“I was born and raised from here, but I never enjoyed really going into the bush,” said Shawinimash. “I was blinded by other things, but when the door opened for me to see what was out there, I can’t get enough now. There are so many things to enjoy and see out there. I’ve been blessed with a lot of moose throughout my hunts.”
Shawinimash usually shares the moose he shoots with people who are not able to go out hunting on the land.
“I’ve been blessed with four moose,” Shawinimash said about this fall’s hunt. “I usually share what I’m given. Any moose I do get, I do not keep half even.”
Shawinimash and his brother shot the first two moose while hunting together, and shared both with family members.
“It’s a way of life,” Shawinimash said. “For some, it’s also getting through the winter still. Even for myself, (I need) enough to carry my family through.”