article

Muskox and man in the central Canadian Subarctic 1689-1974

Arctic30 (3) • Published In 1977 • Pages: 134-154

By: Burch, Ernest S..

Abstract
Based extensive archival research, Burch studies the distribution and harvest of muskoxen in northern Manitoba and southern Nunavut from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth centuries. The muskoxen were abundant in the region at the time of European contact, however, by 1900 they were nearly extinct. Burch attributes this demise to overhunting by Eskimo and Chipewyan hunters. He discovers that muskoxen were always an important food source for both groups, albeit second to the caribou. Burch suggests possible reasons for the near extinction of muskoxen in the region, including the decline in the caribou population, use of firearms, a market for both muskoxen flesh and hides, and an adaptation- of a more sedentary lifestyle by both groups.
Subjects
Fauna
Hunting and trapping
External trade
culture
Chipewyans
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Arctic and Subarctic
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Archaeologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ;1999
Field Date
1968-1971
Coverage Date
1689-1900
Coverage Place
Manitoba and Nunavut, Canada
Notes
Ernest S. Burch, Jr.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-154)
LCCN
gs 50000281
LCSH
Chipewyan Indians