Paul Mackenzie, Angus Martin and Noel Doctor.

In late September, on behalf of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN), Callum Thomson joined Noel Doctor, Paul Mackenzie and Angus Martin for seven days of boat-assisted surveys from the MacKay Lake Lodge to Warburton Bay, areas traditionally used by the YKDFN for caribou hunting and trapping.  While we lost a great deal of time to bad weather and a faulty outboard motor which prevented us from visiting many planned target areas, we were able to record 40 new sites, 33 of which contained precontact stone tools and 12 of which contained boulder features such as tent rings and hearths.  Many of the sites were associated with eskers, including three that had been disturbed by runway construction at MacKay Lake Lodge.  During our two days at the Warburton Bay camp, more than 500 caribou, in small herds of 50-200, were seen resting at narrow lake crossings on their way south to the tree line. 

Caribou at Warburton Bay.

This was the first intensive archaeological survey around MacKay Lake since the late1960s, when William Noble recorded several sites, and suggests that many more sites associated with caribou hunting, trapping, fishing and travel on the lake remain to be found.  As at Great Slave Lake (see Permit 2004-955), it is recommended that archaeological surveys and assessments be undertaken prior to any major exploration or development project around MacKay Lake, with the research involving collaboration between experienced archaeologists and aboriginal groups familiar with the local environment and resources.