# It's Sometimes All In Who You Know



## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

One of our greatest concerns in Prepping is food procurement. I had great plans this fall in finally getting the time and opportunity to do some fishing and hunting, which were blown out of the water when I had my heart attack. So next year it is. 

As many of you know, I am a part time Police Officer with a tribal police department and also the head of security at a medium sized high school. I live in the Pacific NW on a peninsula surrounded by the Puget Sound. And that means SALMON!!!! As a tribal employee, I am eligible to get salmon from our hatchery. I haven't been in in awhile, and given new shift assignments, promotions, hiring and purchasing now that the COPS Grant came in, craziness at the high school, my heart attack, I pretty much have avoided the place. Which means no Salmon. So next year it is.

Or this coming week. One of my students that I have a great relationship with (his mom is also a district employee who I'm friends with), works at the hatchery for the tribe just down the road from the tribe I work with. This kid loves to fish and hunt. I give him crap for going over his limit on a duck hunt. He shot at one, took down that one and the one behind he didn't see. 

Anyway, we were talking about how I didn't get to go fishing this year or hunting and he says "Big Dog. Do you have a freezer?" "Yep."..."Sweet. I have to work this weekend so I'm going to grab you a COOLER FULL, I repeat, a COOLER FULL, of fresh salmon from the hatchery. I'll clean them, freeze wrap them and have my mom bring them to school." 

:-o...what?

"You like eggs? I have ten laying hens and more eggs than I know what to do with. I'll load a couple dozen with the Salmon."

...what?

I spent today defrosting the freezer, cleaning my smoker, and getting ready for a little slice of heaven. The tribal hatcheries around here try to give the fish away rather than waste them. Once the eggs or sperm are harvested, they either go in coolers for the public (tribal members first) or they are turned into Eagle food/fertilizer. And because they are tribal hatcheries as opposed to state hatcheries, and Sovereign Nations, there is nothing the state can do. So we will see how that turns out. I know that he has every square inch of his parents freezers full of fresh salmon, even some cutthroats. I told him that I would give him a very special, and LARGE bowie, in trade for his efforts.

As we talked about hunting, he asked if I had a spare rifle and if I would take him hunting next year. I assured him that I would have a spare rifle for him to borrow. 

What he doesn't know is that "spare rifle" will ultimately be his. His simple, unselfish act of kindness, earned it. And it earned my admiration.

Sometimes it's all in who you know.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Really good stuff! Nothing as good as fresh salmon.


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

Wow. We need more people like him around, even if fecal matter does not hit the rotary device. 

What tribe? 

I just learned through my dads mom, that I have choctaw ancestry. Do you know how I would go about researching farther?


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

That is GREAT! I feel like the rest of us should be talking about you in terms of: "we know he when..."  Washington Salmon is the BEST!


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

kevincali said:


> Wow. We need more people like him around, even if fecal matter does not hit the rotary device.
> 
> What tribe?
> 
> I just learned through my dads mom, that I have choctaw ancestry. Do you know how I would go about researching farther?


Researching your native history can get dicey. Not the best of ancestry records. It was the government's intent to not have to deal with the Indians any longer than they had too.

Blood Quantum is a big deal. I remember the line in Braveheart where Long Shanks said "The trouble with Scotland is it's full of Scot's. If we can't weed them out, we'll breed them out."

The government feels the same way about Indians. Now they're just waiting for the blood quantum to fall so low tribes won't count you as Native American. This is wholly up to the tribe at this point and they determine who has enough blood (degree) to be enrolled as a member. Many tribes circumvented this with a lineal descent requirement because if you wait long enough, you "breed them out". The Choctaw, even my tribe, the Shawnee, do not have a blood quantum requirement, only a lineal descent requirement, usually based upon proof of enrollment of an ancestor (in my case would be a great grandparent) through Census Records (usually late 19th/early 20th century). Keep in mind that your Eastern Tribes (say Shawnee for instance) were being ****ed with by the white man and the government, long before the Western Coastal Tribes, so the blood quantum is not lowered to the extent of the Eastern Tribes.

Most of the tribes in and around my area have a pretty high blood quantum requirement of 1/8th or greater for membership. So you have parents who are enrolled members but their children are not eligible for tribal benefits or services. Many of the Puget Sound tribes are trying to promote ancestoral health if you will, encouraging marriage between tribal members so that blood quantum is not lowered. You'll will see higher blood quantum among smaller, wealthier tribes as well. This keeps from having to take care of and provide money to "members" who don't even LOOK native. Your poorer tribes will lower blood quantum in order to see increased enrollment numbers for more money from the government. If business enterprises take off and they start making money, the tribal councils will raise the blood quantum, cutting off services and financial support.

It's basically a numbers game.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

bigdogbuc said:


> Researching your native history can get dicey. Not the best of ancestry records. It was the government's intent to not have to deal with the Indians any longer than they had too.
> 
> Blood Quantum is a big deal. I remember the line in Braveheart where Long Shanks said "The trouble with Scotland is it's full of Scot's. If we can't weed them out, we'll breed them out."
> 
> ...


In other words: "If you like your land you can keep it"...


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

Thanks for the tips bd


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## retired guard (Mar 7, 2013)

Just when you think the next generation is to far gone folks like your young man come around. The bad ones get the press but the good ones are out there. We have a responsibility to them and you sound like your fulfilling yours and then some. Good going BD!


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## Mic (Jul 19, 2012)

That is great! Good for you. Glad to hear that there are some good kiddos out there.


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Love salmon


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## sparkyprep (Jul 5, 2013)

So glad to hear about a young man with morals like his. Hats off to both of you.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

Great story, thanks for posting, sounds like your young friend is quite a good person.


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## scramble4a5 (Nov 1, 2012)

Good people make and keep good friends. That's what makes life so nice.


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