Day 1

It is early February morning and the temperature is -23 degrees below.

-23 degrees Celsius.

Today we; Susanne and Karin (Tannak Ltd.) are going to start collecting the reindeer that will be moved closer to our test area. Our winter group will help us. We load our snowmobiles on to our trailers and drive approximately 18 miles west of Jokkmokk past Gräsviken, an area we have chosen. 

Map of the test area.

We unload our work machines - the snowmobiles - and change into warmer clothes while deciding which animals out of the herd we shall use for testing purposes.

We also discuss from what direction we will collect the grazing reindeer herd. It requires knowledge and experience to get the reindeer you have chosen out of the herd and move them to the place you want.

Everyone also has to think of being careful not to leave unnecessary tracks from the snowmobiles in the snow because the remaining reindeer have a tendency to follow snowmobile tracks. That can later mean problems. If the reindeer follow our tracks they will get away from grazing area that we earlier have brought them to. Then our work and aim at keeping the remaining herd intact is ruined.

That must not happen!
In the afternoon our planning and strategy is ready. It has started to get dark. 

The snow is deep in the area... 

..This is not good for the snowmobiles! 

 The difficulties for the snowmobiles and the soon approaching darkness will cause us problems. 

 Here above the Arctic Circle the days are short and the nights are long during the winter months. It will soon be dark. We decide to wait until next morning when it is light before we start to arrnage the test and grazing corrals. We leave the reindeer in winter grazing land and drive down to our cars to take us home to Jokkmokk.