
Figure 7.--A completed mungona, or meatball, ready for storage in 
underground meat hole. (Photo by Thayer) 
animals estimated by Fay must be added the annual kill in Siberia. 
Krypton (1956) states that the annual harvest in Siberia is 4,000 to 
6,000. Assuming 5,000 to be the average, and applying the 60 percent 
figure derived for Gambell (assuming complete utilization of calves), 
the total loss in Siberian waters is approximately 3,300 and the total 
annual kill then becomes 8,300. Thus, the total annual kill of Pacific 
walruses in both Alaskan and Siberian waters is estimated at 10,500 plus 
or minus about 2,000. 
It will be noted that the estimated total kill for Alaska is 
2,200 but that only 1,100, or 50 percent, of those killed were retrieved. 
The factors that are involved in this phenomenal waste are the substance 
of the following paragraphs. 
Hunting Methods and Equipment 
The great bulk of walrus harvest in Alaska takes place during 
the spring, although a few animals are killed in every month of the year. 
The preponderance of the harvest is made by the people of St. Lawrence 
Island, King Island, and Little Diomede Island during March, April, May, 
and June. At this time the walruses are on their northward migration 
and are closely associated with floating ice. Herds vary from two or 
three individuals to groups of 100 or more on an individual floe. 
During the period that the walruses are available one or more 
boats from each village pursue the animals on every day when the weather 
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