Hunter harvests summer polar bear at Woolley Lagoon

Hunter harvests summer polar bear at Woolley Lagoon

By Sarah Manriquez When Jared Wiggins saw a polar bear walking toward him near his camp by Woolley Lagoon last week, he knew what was at stake. “It was either him or me,” Wiggins said. “And it wasn’t gonna be me. Not that day, anyways.” Wiggins, 30, is a lifelong Nome resident and a descendant of King Islanders—an Iñupiat community that once lived on King Island in the Bering Sea about 40 miles offshore. For generations, King Islanders were kno…

Rare polar bear hunt sparks celebration in King Island community - KNOM Radio Mission

A successful polar bear hunt north of Nome this week sparked celebration among King Island descendants. Jared Wiggins harvested the bear while camping near Cape Woolley, about 40 miles west of Nome, with help from relatives who say the hunt was challenging but deeply meaningful. Wiggins’ aunt, Caroline Brown, said the bear wasn’t easy to catch. “They end up getting it, shooting it. And it wasn't the first shot that got it, but his cousin Jeff wa…