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Hunters Activity Group

Hunters Activity Group

One of the two main reasons the Russian American Company (RAC) established Settlement Ross at Metini was to conduct fur trading; this meant hunting sea otters and other marine mammals for their pelts. These valuable pelts could ultimately be traded with China, in exchange for Chinese goods that were desired in Russia and in North America. Trade was frequently conducted via third parties such as the British or American merchants. Russian and Alaska Native hunters roamed over much of Northern California.

Alaska Natives – Some Alaska Natives, such as the Alutiiq people, are incredibly skilled at hunting in the ocean, a cultural tradition and way of life that has sustained them for thousands of years. Because Russians often hunted on land, and not in the ocean, the Russian American Company forced Alaska Native hunters to Settlement Ross to increase their catch of marine mammals for their valuable furs — especially the sea otters who have the most dense fur of any animal on the planet! Since the trading of these furs was one of the RAC’s prime objectives, there were often more Alaska Natives at Settlement Ross than Russians or any other group of people. It is important to remember that because RAC took so many skilled Alaska Native hunters to hunt for them, many Alaska Native families back in Alaska starved because there were not enough hunters back at home to hunt for food.

 

Kashia Pomo  – The Kashia Pomo also have a history of hunting and fishing going back many thousands of years, and have been using these skills since long before the arrival of Russians and Alaska Native peoples to Metini’s shoreline. The Kashia hunting and fishing tools were made with the materials found in their natural environment. According to Herman James, a Kashia elder working with Berkeley anthropologists in the 20th century to record the Kashia way of life, hako traps, paralytics (a substance that causes paralysis in fish), spears, and basket traps were used by the Kashia to obtain catch. Bows and arrows as well as snares, traps, sticks, slings and stones were used for hunting.

Russians  – Traditional Russian fur trapping skills, techniques, and tools have long been recognized in the harsh environments of Siberia and the Pacific Northwest. In Siberia, trappers relied on their deep understanding of the terrain and animal behavior to navigate the vast expanses of frozen tundra. They employed a variety of techniques, including setting traps, tracking, and using dogs to assist in the hunt.

In the Pacific Northwest, which Russia reached in 1741, with its dense forests and rugged coastline, hunters required stealth and patience to obtain their prey. In North America, they used tools such as steel traps, snares, and firearms to capture fur-bearing animals like beavers, foxes, and otters.

In both regions, fur trappers' expertise extended beyond hunting and trapping to include skinning, tanning, and preserving pelts, ensuring their quality for trade and commerce.

At Settlement Ross the hunters’ job was to hunt, fish, and trade in order to gather furs, foods, and other goods.

Hunters Classroom Preparation –

  • Learn about sea otters and other animals hunted by Russians and Alaska Native peoples
  • Research – where can you see a sea otter today?
  • Research - Learn about European and Russian commercial hunting practices, and native Kashia and Alaska Native peoples' subsistence hunting practices. Compare these approaches. What are the positives and drawbacks, if any, to these different approaches?
  • Research - What impacts were there on the wildlife populations (sea otters, fur seal, bears, wolves, etc) after European / Russian commercial practices were introduced to Metini / Fort Ross and California?
  • Learn safety rules in preparation for fishing at Fort Ross Cove. What fishing laws apply to your group?
  • (Optional) Make a group banner

Critical Thinking question - Alaska Native hunters at Metini / Fort Ross were paid a lot less for their skilled labor, then Russian employees of the Russian American Company. Do you think this was fair? Do you think all people are paid fairly today?

Critical Thinking question - Do you think the Russian American Company would have been able to survive and make a profit at Metini / Fort Ross without relying on the hunting skills of the Kashia Pomo and the Alaska Native peoples ?

Hunters Classroom Preparation and Onsite Activities –

Hunters Additional Information –

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