'Like her mom': Cree 13-year-old develops passion for moose hunting

Trinity Bosum was so excited at the thought of harvesting her first moose that she did it without her boots on.

It was Thanksgiving weekend and the 13-year-old from the Quebec Cree community of Ouj-Bougoumou was at the family's hunting ground on her mom's side near Winneway, Que., about 100 kilometres southwest of Val d'Or.

Bosum had been sleeping in the truck, when her dad woke her up with news there was a moose ahead on the logging road they were travelling on to get to their camp.

She jumped out of the truck without bootson and fired five shots with the small rifle she'd been given as a gift just a few months before.

I feel very proud and happy.- Trinity Bosum, Ouj-Bougoumou

"I was happy because it was my first moose, but I also felt my adrenaline kick in and I started ... like ... twitching," she said. "I feel very proud and happy."

According to her dad, Thomas Bosum, Trinity's passion for moose hunting started three years ago, when she saw her mom, Jennifer Thivierge, kill a moose.

"She was ten...that's when the excitement started. And then ever since that she always wanted to hop on and come with us,"said Bosum who is also an officer with the Eeyou Eenou Police Force in Ouj-Bougoumou.

"She really loves moose hunting," he said, adding he's very proud his daughter loves to hunt.

"She's just like her mom. Her mom loves hunting and that's where she picked it up."

Trinity said she loves being on the land with her parents and her grandparents.

"It's part of our culture and I enjoy doing it with my family. My grandpa was very happy," said Bosum, who is a Secondary two (grade 8) student at MacLean Memorial School in the nearby non-Cree community of Chibougamau.

About 60 per cent of the students who attend the school are from the Cree Nation. Trinity said her classmates were impressed when she shared the news.

"They were very surprised," said Trinity. "Most of my friends haven'tkilled their first moose yet. They were happy for me."

It is a tradition in Cree territory to have a special meal or a feast with a hunter's first kill, something that hasn't happened yet with Trinity's moose.

The meat is frozen and some will be prepared in a special meal at a later date, according to her dad.

The 13-year old said with her next moose, she hopes to learn how to clean it and prepare the meat.