WILD ANIMALS AND MEN 237 



Gill nets are also used in the winter time. They are strung 

 under the ice beneath a series of holes by means of which the 

 net is passed under the ice with the aid of a pole. The lines 

 being then secured at either end, the net can be readily drawn 

 back and forth for the purpose of emptying and resetting. Of 

 course, floats and sinkers are used to spread the ' net ''and 

 keep it in proper position. In some localities where the 

 water is muddy the nets are occasionally boiled with 

 willow bark to keep them from being destroyed by 

 worms. 



Gill nets, however, are frequently injured by animals, not 

 only amphibious ones such as beaver and otter, but even by 

 such animals as wolverines. Some years ago, a Yellowknife 

 Indian hunting near Fort Resolution had an experience of 

 that kind. He having set a gill net beneath the ice, failed 

 to visit it for several days. When, however, he did arrive, he 

 saw that it had been tampered with, and found no difficulty 

 in reading the story in the snow. A wolverine, happening by 

 on a mild day when the fishing holes were open, began sniffing 

 about one of the poles to which the end lines of the net were 

 secured; then scenting the smell of fish, he began chewing the 

 pole; and incidentally his sharp teeth severed the cords that 

 held the net. Then, for the want of something better to do, 

 he went to the other end, to which were attached the lines 

 of the other end of the net. Again scenting fish, he began to 

 chew the second pole, but this time finding it give way, he 

 hauled it out of the hole; and with the pole came part of the 

 net; and with the net came a few fish. In trying to free the 

 fish from the tangled mesh, he hauled out more net which 

 contained more fish; then, in an effort to feast royally, he ended 

 by hauling out the whole net. The following day the Indian 

 arrived and reading the story in the snow, set a trap for the 

 robber. Again the wolverine came, but so did the hunter, 

 and much to his delight found the wolverine caught in the trap. 



