My BS detector is screaming. If the local natives had no intention of using the meat they had no business killing the critters. If the animals were mysteriously exposed to radiation by some government agency, there was no need to do anything at all. Radiation poisoning is not communicable especially when it's totally mythical. The folks in Point Hope just kill things and they don't care whether it's legal or not. If it moves, kill it. If it flies it dies.

 This is very similar to the villagers in Kipnuk who destroyed the entire Kilbuck caribou herd back in the 80s and then killed every single caribou that was transplanted at great cost to Alaska taxpayers, into the area to rebuild the herd. When the troopers tried to arrest one of the villagers for killing caribou out of season and taking more than the limit of caribou, the entire village rallied around the perp and tried to arrest the trooper under village sovereignty. Ignorant, irresponsible fools.