Life -60°C In Siberia’s Frozen Villages - Ice Fishing & Wild Duck Hunting

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]To prevent freezing to death in their sleep at night, the man quickly takes out a frozen block of meat. He must prepare food to replenish his family's body heat. However, the current temperature has already dropped to -60° C, and the meat is frozen so incredibly solid that it can only be cut into pieces using an axe and a saw. They live in the northern regions of Siberia, very close to the Arctic, which explains the extreme cold. This blizzard is expected to last for about a week, so they must prepare plenty of firewood and food during this time. Because they live in the remote wilderness, if an emergency occurs, there is absolutely no one to rescue them. The man chops as much firewood as possible. In this land of extreme cold, firewood is their last lifeline. Although the freezing wind rages outside, the inside of the tent is as warm as spring, entirely thanks to this stove. The Nennit people are perfectly capable of cooking their food.

[00:00:52]But they still maintain the habit of eating raw meat. No matter how hardy the meal is, a plate of raw meat is always prepared on the dining table. This is a dietary habit they have passed down for hundreds of years. The blizzard will cover large areas of the pasture, making it impossible for their hundreds of reindeer to forage. To prevent the reindeer from starving to death, the Nanette's people must constantly migrate. The tents they live in are very easy to dismantle. This time they traveled over 100 km and stopped in a dense forest. These trees not only block the cold wind but can also be used as firewood. Every morning the man has to drag out a generator which is mainly used for lighting. Because there are no windows on the tent, it is pitch black inside. The generator is also their only source of electricity. After getting up, the woman is responsible for making breakfast. She goes to her family's sled, which is where they store food and acts as a natural refrigerator. All the reindeer meat is stored here. Before every meal, the woman has to use a saw to cut the meat into small pieces. It is incredibly difficult for the Nanette's people to simply have a meal. Since it is very hard to get access to fruits and vegetables, reindeer meat has become their main food. All three meals a day basically consist entirely of meat. The man's main tasks are hurting and chopping wood. He pours the little gasoline they have left into the chainsaw because their firewood is running low. But fortunately, the nearby trees provide an inexhaustible supply.

[00:02:16]Therefore, they don't have to worry about running out of wood to burn here.

[00:02:20]They saw the feld tree trunks into small sections and then load them onto the sled. The sled is the most commonly used transport tool here. And the Nennets people also have snowmobiles now, which bring them great convenience. They never have to worry about drinking water because pristine white snow is everywhere. Every time the family runs out of fresh water, the woman drags her tools to find a patch of clean snow, packs it into bags, and drags it back home. Because there is absolutely no pollution here, the melted snow is crystal clear, and there is no problem using it for cooking and washing.

[00:02:53]Potatoes and onions are rare vegetables, and they are usually boiled together with reindeer meat. To make the soup look more appetizing, he also added some frozen reindeer blood, then added more wood to the stove and started a roaring fire. This stove is too important to them. They rely on it entirely for cooking and heating. The man chops the logs he brought back into small pieces.

[00:03:13]They cannot afford to lack firewood at any time. Without it, they simply cannot survive. The temperature at night here is practically too low as the Nets man saws wood in the snow atus50°.

[00:03:25]The couple must prepare enough firewood for heating or they will hardly survive the night. Because a blizzard is approaching, the temperature will suddenly drop to over minus60° and the Nets people only live in tents made of reindeer hides. To prevent falling asleep and never waking up again, they even have to wear heavy reindeer skin clothing to sleep. It's especially crucial to wear warm boots. Otherwise, they will lose feeling in their feet upon waking up in the morning. Even the coldresistant sled dogs lie motionless inside the tent. Just how hard is it for the Nets to survive in Siberia? All their domestic water comes from the ice and snow in the wilderness. The woman digs a full basket of white snow to prepare for cooking. In this extremely cold land, they live like primitive people. Even their few pieces of table wear are covered in a thick patina. She heats the little cold water left in the bucket in a kettle, then adds the chopped firewood to the stove. This stove has become their life-saving tool.

[00:04:20]They rely on it entirely for heating and cooking. Because they live in the Siberian wilderness, they basically have no contact with modern society in winter. So, their food variety is very limited, mostly consisting of homemade bread and reindeer meat. Reindeer meat has become the staple food for the nets.

[00:04:37]Besides reindeer meat, they also fish, and these fish do not need to be cooked.

[00:04:41]They can be eaten raw directly. Like the Inuit, they also like to eat raw meat, which is a dietary habit shaped by the extremely cold environment. The Nennets live like this on the snowy plains and all their confidence comes from the reindeer they heard. Whenever the food reserve runs low, the men will take ropes into the middle of the reindeer herd. Waiting for the right opportunity, they throw a rope at a reindeer. When a reindeer is caught by the rope, it means its life has come to an end. The men then bring the reindeer down, tie its feet, load it onto the sled, and drag it back to the camp. Its ultimate fate is to become a delicious dish on the dining table. Moreover, fresh reindeer meat does not need to be cooked. They believe that eating it raw is the only way to preserve its original flavor. The Nets are a nomadic people who make a living by hering reindeer in Siberia, and their herds are massive, with each family owning several hundred. The nearby pastures quickly get eaten bare by them.

[00:05:36]So, the Nets people have to migrate once a week to prevent their reindeer from suffering heavy losses due to starvation. After the blizzard subsides, they must take down the tents they live in. To facilitate frequent migrations, the structure of the Nets tents is very simple, making them incredibly easy to dismantle. Every Nets family has 10 sleds, which are used to transport their tents and daily necessities. They find strong male reindeer to pull the sleds and lead the way. With a lead reindeer guiding, the rest of the herd will obediently follow. A single migration journey covers at least tens of kilome.

[00:06:09]They must find suitable pastures for the reindeer, as well as a location fit for human habitation. After a long trek of 50 kilometers, they finally find a satisfactory place to set up camp. In front of them lies a massive frozen lake, which to the Nets is simply a gift from nature. Knowing there must be many large fish beneath the frozen surface, they are relieved that they won't have to eat reindeer meat everyday. The men immediately take out ice picks and start chiseling holes in the ice. However, a 3-foot freeze does not happen overnight, and it takes immense effort to carve out a square ice hole. They scoop out the crushed ice from the surface, clear the hole, and lower an entire fishing net into the water. The next step is simply to wait for a few hours. Meanwhile, the woman has already caught many small fish using a small fishing rod. Although these fish aren't big, they are enough for their lunch. She brought some bread with her and begins cleaning the small fish. A group of people sits directly on the snow and starts eating them raw. In the icy snowy world at tens of degrees below zero, eating raw meat is a basic survival skill for every Nanette's person. They sprinkle a little salt on the raw fish to make it more flavorful.

[00:07:16]The Nets don't even need to drink hot water. Years of these dietary habits have given them a powerful digestive system, and eating raw meat never causes them any stomach issues. A few hours later, they begin to retrieve the fishing net. Unexpectedly, as soon as it is pulled out of the water, they see a dense swarm of small fish. Although the fish are small, there are so many of them that this single catch will feed them for a long time. The man uses a dip net to scoop the fish out, and soon the snow is covered with a thick layer of them. The Siberian snowy plains are sparssely populated, making the fish resources incredibly abundant. The man scoops for a long time, but the fish below seem endless. Since they have three more fishing nets just like this one, such a harvest ensures they won't have to worry about food for an entire year. Although the living environment of the Nets is harsh, their natural resources are incredibly rich. As long as they overcome the brutality of the natural environment, living here long-term is actually quite pleasant.

[00:08:13]The staple foods of the Nets are reindeer meat and freshwater fish. Like the Inuit, they have a deeprooted habit of eating raw meat. After the man finally manages to chop a plate of reindeer meat, a child picks up a piece and stuffs it directly in his mouth to eat raw. The Nets actually have the means to cook their meat. This stove, fashioned from an oil drum, serves as both their heating tool and cooking stove. The women use pinewood as fuel, and their fresh water comes from melted snow, making their living conditions significantly better than those of the Inuit. The Nennets and the Inuit look extremely similar in appearance, both belonging to the Arctic type of the Mongaloid race. The Nets make a living by hering reindeer in Siberia. They live in tents made of reindeer skins. And every household herds hundreds of reindeer. These reindeer are not only their primary food source, but also their sole means of transportation.

[00:09:04]While reindeer hides are used to make incredibly warm clothing. It can be said that reindeer are the absolute center of the nennett's lives. They live a nomadic life on the snowy plains and when the forage in one area runs low, they must migrate elsewhere to prevent the herd from starving to death. On average, they migrate about three to four times a month. The process begins with dismantling their residential tents. The outermost layer is an insulation layer composed of dozens of reindeer hides.

[00:09:31]The thick fine fur of the reindeer hide is the critical material for keeping the tent warm. Then they take down all the supporting wooden poles and load all their daily necessities onto the sleds.

[00:09:41]The man takes a rope and starts catching reindeer, selecting only the strongest ones to pull the sleds. Three migrating families share 10 sleds, and each sled requires four reindeer. The man must use this lassoing method to catch 40 reindeer and harness all of them. Once preparations are complete, driving the sleds officially marks the beginning of the migration journey, which can span up to a 100 km. The woman drives a sled at the front to lead the way, while the man stays at the back of the procession to drive the herd. Because they have so many reindeer, losing even one is a significant loss. After 8 hours of traveling, they finally find a suitable location. There are many trees around to solve their fuel problem. And beneath the snow lies plenty of moss and grass, enough to feed the reindeer for a while.

[00:10:26]They unload their gear and prepare to set up a brand new tent. First, they use a shovel to level the ground and then lay down a few wooden planks as a base for the stove. The stove is the most important daily necessity. Temperatures here can drop to -60° and survival is impossible without it. The construction of the tent also revolves around the stove. First, wooden planks are laid on the ground as flooring, and rat tan is used to fill in where planks are insufficient. While the man sets up the tent, the woman and children start preparing dinner and hot water. She packs snow into a large pot and places it on the stove to melt, providing their domestic water. The steps to set up the tent are actually quite simple. First, two wooden poles tied together are crossed to form the main beam. Then all the other poles are successively crossed together, ensuring the stove's chimney is placed right in the middle. This upward-facing chimney not only helps with smoke exhaust, but also makes the fire burn more vigorously. Soon, the main framework of the tent is complete.

[00:11:24]The woman begins to arrange daily items on the floor while filling a kettle with snow to heat water. The reindeer have also found plenty of food in the snow banks. They survive by eating the grass buried under the snow. The woman sprinkles some diesel on the firewood, which is their method of kindling, allowing the wood blocks to catch fire as quickly as possible. The men then begin to wrap the tent with its outer layers. The first layer consists of large pieces of canvas. This tightly woven fabric effectively blocks the wind. The second layer is made of reindeer hide, which is the most abundant resource for the nett. Reindeer hide provides excellent insulation.

[00:12:00]Finally, they use snow to bury the edges of the tent to prevent the freezing wind from seeping inside. A Nanette's family's new home is thus built. Next, the man begins to prepare dinner using an axe to chop some reindeer meat. On the freezing snowy plains, they don't have many food choices, but they can change how the reindeer meat is eaten.

[00:12:18]Today, the woman minced the reindeer meat, formed it into meatballs, and pan fried them in a pot, instantly filling the tent with a delicious aroma. At the same time, she also stewed a pot of macaroni with reindeer meat. The spread looks quite hearty, but no matter what, there will always be a plate of raw meat on the table, as raw meat is the absolute favorite of Nennet's men. Late at night, the tent becomes exceptionally cold. Therefore, when sleeping, they not only have to wear thick clothes, but even boots. Otherwise, they can easily suffer from frostbite while asleep.

[00:12:49]Inside the tent, a piece of cloth separates the men and women, and just like that, they fall into a deep sleep in the freezing cold. To avoid starving to death in her sleep, the woman takes out the last piece of reindeer meat in the house. Once this is eaten, there will be no surplus food left. In Siberia, at -60°, how can the nennith survive? The reindeer meat stored outside is already frozen as hard as iron, so the woman can only use a saw to cut it into small pieces and then boil it in a pot. This tent is the Nennett's home. Built from wood and reindeer hide, standing just like this deep within the freezing snowy plains. The stove inside the tent has become their lifeline, serving as both a heater and a cooking stove. Without this stove, they simply couldn't survive. The woman cuts the reindeer meat into small pieces and puts them in a pot to boil. Although her cookware has long been coated in a thick patina, compared to sheer survival, these things no longer matter. After the reindeer meat is cooked, she adds some noodles. Only then is there enough for the whole family to eat. Living in an extremely cold land far from modern civilization, the life of the Nets is undoubtedly difficult. Because food supplies at home are stretched thin, the men must go out onto the snowy plains to hunt. His hunting target today is the wild geese in the sky. Although these geese fly at a high altitude, the Nets have a very unique and highly effective method for catching them. First, he builds a low wall out of snow on the ground to conceal himself. Then he sticks some images of geese into the snow, which look exactly like the real thing from a distance, deceiving the geese flying high above. Following that, he changes into a white camouflage suit, crouches behind the cover, and waits for his prey. Soon, a goose is attracted.

[00:14:29]The hunter thinks his chance has come, but unexpectedly at the last moment, the goose spots the flaw, makes a sharp turn, and flies away. Although the hunter is filled with regret, there is nothing he can do. Hunting on the snowy plains requires immense patience, and the man's hands and feet have grown numb from the cold. Just as he is about to give up, a flock of geese happens to fly over. To lure these prey closer, he takes out a whistle to mimic the call of a goose. This method proves effective.

[00:14:56]The flock of geese continuously circles above him, clearly attracted by the bait, and their flight altitude drops lower and lower. The hunter finally gets his rare opportunity. He aims his shotgun at the geese and pulls the trigger, sending the struck prey plummeting to the ground immediately.

[00:15:12]However, one catch is far from enough to satisfy his appetite. When the flock passes by again, he quickly stands up and starts shooting into the sky, instantly hitting another goose, which plummets head first into the distant grass. Seeing that it is getting late, the hunter retrieves his prey, loads them onto his snowmobile, and heads home. The woman is responsible for cleaning the hunted prey. Such a rare delicacy is something they only get to eat a few times a year. The children nearby are already impatient to take a bite. Netsk children do not need to go to school. They follow their parents from a young age to learn hering and hunting. Free from the temptations of the outside world, their lives can be considered simple and happy. The only thing they don't lack here is fresh water. As boundless white snow covers everything in sight. The woman fills a large bag and brings it back to the tent. Once melted, it can be used for both washing and cooking. She puts the hunted prey into the pot to boil, then brings out a basin of flour to mix into a batter and finally drops the batter into the boiling meat broth. This is a unique Nennit's dish, allowing them to enjoy delicious goose meat while drinking a rich, hearty broth. The food on the table is not particularly lavish.

[00:16:21]Besides the goose meat and broth, there are only a few slices of bread. This Nanette's family has five children in total. So to keep their bellies full, the men must also go ice fishing in addition to hunting. They chisel many ice holes on the surface of the lake, setting up a fishing net in each one, and come here everyday to retrieve the nets once. Although today's catch is not considered massive, they still caught dozens of large fish, which is more than enough to feed the family. It isn't until dark that the man finishes retrieving all the nets. He packs these catches into a sack. Even though their food reserves are far from sufficient, these fish will at least last them a week, preventing the family from going hungry in the tent. In this land of extreme cold, every Nennit's person strives to live. It is precisely their indomitable willpower and resilient character that have allowed them to survive on this snowy plane for so many years. The man brings out a frozen reindeer carcass. In this barren, freezing land where no grass grows, reindeer meat is their ultimate lifeline. The woman cuts a hind leg off the reindeer. Because the temperature is so low, it has long frozen rock solid, so she can only use a small knife to slowly shave the meat into thin slices.

[00:17:29]This unique environment has forged their unique dietary habits. They are close relatives of the Inuit, both living in bitter cold regions at tens of degrees below zero. So, the Nets also have the habit of eating raw meat. Both their reindeer meat and fish can be eaten completely raw. The tents they live in are constructed from reindeer hides, which provide excellent insulation. Even when the outside temperature drops to 50 or 60° below zero, the inside of the tent remains as warm as spring. Reindeer meat is their staple food. And although it looks hearty, there are basically no vegetables on the table. Some frozen berries serve as their only fruit.

[00:18:05]Although they also live in extreme cold, their living conditions are much better than those of the Inuit. The Nets make a living by hurting reindeer in Siberia.

[00:18:13]And basically every family owns hundreds of reindeer. Every day the men ride snowmobiles to herd across the snowy plains. Reindeer are born for the cold.

[00:18:21]They completely dislike heat and even fear it. In winter, reindeer survive by eating moss and small shrubs buried beneath the snow. If the temperature exceeds 20° C, it is very difficult for reindeer to survive. A man wanders through the herd holding a rope. Since the reindeer roam freely on the snowy plains, the only way to catch them is by lassoing their necks. Reindeer are the crucial property of the nanetses. So the men must constantly ensure their health, administering injections periodically to prevent diseases. After all, reindeer are their everything. Without them, they could not survive here. Sarah's family has so many reindeer that they will soon eat the nearby pastures completely bare.

[00:19:01]Therefore, they constantly drive the herd to migrate, covering short distances of a dozen km or long distances of over a 100 km. At this time, the dogs they raise come in handy.

[00:19:11]Because the reindeer population is so large, these dogs help their masters drive the herd and prevent any from getting lost. Since this reindeer has an injured leg and cannot keep up with the herd, the Nets can only handle it separately. The injured reindeer will soon become food. The man loads it onto the sled, which is the last time it gets to enjoy a ride. At night, the man butchers the injured reindeer in the woods. This will serve as the Nette's food for half a month. The woman cleans the reindeer hide to use for making clothes to prevent wild animals from steing the food. The man hangs the cut reindeer meat on trees to air dry, waiting for it to freeze completely solid before storing it. Today, they have moved to a new campus, so they need to rebuild the tent. First, wooden planks are laid on a flat surface to serve as the tent's floor. Next, the stove is placed in the center of the floor. All construction work revolves around this stove because it is the most important piece of furniture in the house. both a cooking stove and a heating tool. Without it, survival in -60° temperatures would be impossible.

[00:20:12]They lean all the wooden poles together to form a cone shape, then pass the stove's chimney straight through the middle, completing the tent's framework.

[00:20:20]Next, they start dressing the tent in its outer layers. They use wooden poles to hang the reindeer hides over the frame. The dense fur of the reindeer hide provides excellent insulation.

[00:20:30]Moreover, to make the tent even warmer, they usually layer it with two sheets of reindeer hide, so they don't have to worry even if the temperature drops to -7°.

[00:20:40]Finally, they use snow to bury the bottom of the tent, making it completely airtight. Once the new home is ready, the first thing to do is start a fire for warmth. The woman takes the children out to find firewood. Ned's children don't attend school. They learn how to survive on the snowy plains from a young age. She digs some logs out of the snowbank. In such a bitter cold place, fortunately, there is an endless supply of wood to burn. As long as they have food and firewood, they can survive no matter how harsh the environment. To prevent starving at night, the woman takes out some raw meat and stuffs it directly into her mouth. In the face of survival, dignity is no longer important. The fresh reindeer meat brings her immense satisfaction. In Siberia, at 50° below zero, the family sits in the tent taking large bites of raw meat. Besides reindeer meat, there is also raw fish. These meats do not need to be cooked at all. They are eaten raw straight away as this is the only way to retain their original flavor.

[00:21:36]Like the Inuit, they live in barren lands. The Nets live almost like in a primitive society, striving for food every single day. The man has piled up some mounds of dirt in an open clearing.

[00:21:46]These are baits he uses to confuse prey.

[00:21:48]On the vast snowy plains, some animals mistake the dirt mounds for their own kind, giving the hunter an opportunity to catch them. Then he digs a large hole in the snow nearby to conceal himself.

[00:21:59]Next, he waits with his shotgun for the prey to approach. Although the waiting time can be long, he never returns empty-handed. Because their daily diet is too monotonous, this is a rare chance for them to improve their meals. The woman is in charge of dragging tools outside to find fresh water. In frozen Siberia, snow provides their domestic water. The woman fills a whole sled with snow using a shovel. She will use this snow to brew some hot tea and then prepare some bread. The freshly caught feeasant is still eaten raw. They believe that only raw meat retains the most primitive flavor of the food. This is a custom passed down from their ancestors. The Nennets live in a type of tent called a chum. Winters in Siberia can reachus 50 or 60° and everything inside the tent freezes at night.

[00:22:42]Therefore, the Nets must sleep with their clothes on, especially reindeer skin boots to protect their feet.

[00:22:48]Otherwise, they would easily suffer frostbite. Although there is a stove inside the tent, the tent is not fully enclosed. Because the stove's chimney must extend outside, freezing wind blows in from here, leaving them shivering with cold every morning. The Nets lead a nomadic lifestyle, relying on hurting reindeer to survive here. They must migrate once a week to find new pastures for the reindeer. If the reindeer suffer masturvation, the Nets will also be unable to survive here because their food, clothing, shelter, and transportation all come from the reindeer. Their residential tents are designed to be dismantled, and they load all their equipment onto sleds. On the Siberian snowy plains, sleds are their most commonly used mode of transportation. Before setting off, the family boils a pot of reindeer blood macaroni on the snow. This food provides the body with immense heat, serving as their final meal before departure. After eating, the family gathers the herd and sets off. Reindeer are highly social animals. As long as the master leads the way in front, all the reindeer will follow neatly behind. The migration journey is at least tens of kilometers long. Because the number of reindeer is so massive, it is inevitable to lose a few during the migration, and the Nets don't even bother looking for them. The new pasture must meet two conditions.

[00:24:03]The snow cannot be too thick, ensuring enough moss for the reindeer to fill their stomachs, and there must be a forest nearby because wood is an indispensable fuel for heating. Only after finding a suitable pasture can they set up tents and build a living area. This time there is actually a river near the campsite which gives the Nets a chance to improve their meals.

[00:24:23]They use fishing nets to catch fish through ice holes. Although the fish caught are not considered large, they are the Net's favorite delicacy. Tender smooth fish meat is the favorite of the Inuit and every time they catch fish, they eat it raw directly on the snow.

[00:24:37]This is both their tradition and dietary habit. Any leftover fish meat is hung outside to dry into jerky. The women slice the bread stored at home. Large Siberian bread is also their staple food. Because they live in the remote wilderness year round, every time they go out to purchase supplies, they trade reindeer for a large amount of bread.

[00:24:55]This bread is usually stored in the sleds. To prevent it from getting moldy and spoiling, the woman slices the bread thin and leaves it outside to air dry.

[00:25:04]Only this way can it be preserved long term. In this extremely cold land, heating is the top priority.

[00:25:10]Fortunately, there is an endless supply of firewood here. The woman chops the wood into small pieces, brings them into the tent, and lights the stove. Next comes preparing dinner. She boils a pot of water using snow, then cuts some raw fish slices. A few slices of bread paired with raw fish meat make up a simple meal for the family. Life is monotonous and harsh, but this is the Nennet's way of life, just as their ancestors survived in Siberia.