I leave this Saturday for Victoria Island for a musk ox hunt. Looking forward to it as I've never been north of the Arctic Circle.
Question?

For those who have been up and back, how did you bring back your musk ox? Ourfitter Canada Norht states to wrap skull and hide up in nylon tarp and secure it with 1/4' rope. Make certain it doesn't leak and put it on the plane. Travels as excess baggage on Firt Air. I'm not certain about United back from Edmonton. The Ramada in Edmonton apparently has cold storage for my overnight before reboarding to Montana. O.K. fine so far, BUT is one of these critters of the size that I can place the skull and hide within a hockey gear bag? Jerome says they're too big to slide into a duffel bag.
I'd also like to bring back some of the meat so I assume the same sort of wrapping for transport. Might not be worth the cost, but I hate to waste anything I put on the gound. Yep, I've eaten some "different" things.

What hockey team's gear bag do you Canadians think I should buy to stick an old dead ox in? Oilers? Bruins? Stampeders?

quote:

Stampeders?

Stampeders are a football team Flames are hockey

The actual best method I've seen is stuffing everything into a large plastic garbage can, taped and tied. For the meat, we suggest to our clients that they purchase a Too-Kool- Meat Bag, 48 pack size, from 1-800-336-5208 ($69.00).

The best alternative is the tarp to Yellowknife and be met by Robinson's Taxidermy (867-873-6018) at the airport, give it to them with instructions, and receive it in 8-10 months completed. And yes, they are good!

Getting anything beyond Edmonton is a real pain and it must best treated to specs and crated.

~Arctic~

Arctic,
Thanks very much for the information. I've got a couple of days to work this out, so I'll get right on it. I was advised about Robinson's before so I may give them a call, SOON. It's no big deal to drive up from Billings to pick it up. Gives me a good excuse to spend some time along the front range.
Jack,
Sorry about that. I know the Stampeders are football. Just a senior moment on part,

I hunted Musk ox in the fall of 2004. Combo Musk ox/Caribou hunt. I drove to Edmonton then flew to Inuvik.

I shot 2 Caribou and a Musk ox. I took a medium size cooler for the meat, brought 50 lbs home. I like both Musk ox and Caribou meat. I brought the whole Musk ox skin out and had a full mount of it. The two Caribou capes and the Musk ox skin were frozen in plastic bags and packed in one large and heavy box. We cut as much bone as we could off the musk ox and cleaned as much meat, brains, etc from the skull and packed it in salt. The Musk ox skull was wrapped in plastic and packed in a duffle bag for the flight to Edmunton.

I was fine until I got to US Customs at Sweetgrass. No problem with the antlers (and skull caps), hides, and meat, but the US Customs agent almost didn't let the Musk ox skull across because it hadn't been boiled clean. It can't be boiled, it has to be cleaned by bugs.

You might want to check with your taxidermist and US Customs BEFORE you go to ask if there will be a problem bringing the skull back into the US.

You also should bring a roll of Duct tape and 50' of parachute cord for tying things together.

Carrying my Musk ox up the stairs.


Getting through a 30" door.


The guys in camp talked me into getting a full mount. I'm glad I did.


Good luck!

Nice musk ox! And I appreciate you guy's input. AR is the best place I know of to exchange information. It's where the world's hunters gather.
I AM READY TO GO!!!

I want one like yours,nice!

buffybr,How much did your mount weigh,it looks heavy?Also how long does a hunt like that take and did you have a cabin to stay at or did you tent camp,please tell us the story...which rifle caliber? I would have mounted it whole also & i once saw a whole mount stone sheep with full curl i would have loved to own,full mounts are awsome,would love to have a wolvarine also...congratulations on your musk ox!

blackbearhunter,

The finished Musk ox mount with base is 250-300 lbs. The hunt was 7 days, combination two Caribou and a Musk Ox, with a day or so of fishing at the end. Stayed in a "cabin" complete with running water, generated electricity, and satelite TV. I used a 7mm Rem mag with 160 gr Accubonds. A great hunt.

You also mentioned a full Wolverine mount. Here's a couple pics of mine from another trip in the Mackenzie Mountains.

buffybr,
You just cost me a lot more money. Ha! It would seem to truly be a shame not to do a full body mount on my muskox. Since my inquiry on AR I found a guy here in Billings that just returned last week from Cambridge Bay. Although he drove to and from Edmonton, on the First Air flight back from the arctic he and his son had wrapped the hides and skulls in 8 x10 nylon tarps with 1/4" poly rope, then stuffed them in contractor grade clean up bags, 55 gal drum liner size and heavy mil thickness, secured them and away they went. I guess I will do the same, and will just have to see what transpires at the United counter in Edmonton. I want to bring this thing home with me and not leave it behind. Also, intend to bring back some meat in separate packaging. This is gonna be fun!
Nice trophy room!

Yellowstone- That life size muskox mount is going to look GREAT next to your cape buffalo
I can't wait to see your wife's face!!!

Best of luck on your hunt! Stay warm!

yellowstone,

Looks like you've got things figgured out. I used my cooler (with a canvas duffle bag inside)as my primary bag for the trip up, then coming home I had the cooler full of meat and the duffle for my gear.

If possible, freeze the meat and capes before you fly home.

Have a good one...

buffybr,Thanks for sharing,you have a great trophy collection!Your hunt sounded fun as well and i liked the staying in a cabin part!i would love to do a hunt like that some day and also collect a black wolf,all life size mounts of course!
You have a very good taxidermist,those mounts are perfect!I really love the sheep and goat,mule deer & wolverine too...