musk ox hunts

03 August 2003, 05:22

<socal hunter>

musk ox hunts

I am looking into a musk ox hunt in 1 1/2-2 years. anyone done this? Where is the best place to go? Outfitter? Any combo with wolf/cariboo?

03 August 2003, 07:25

kudu56

Check out Fred Webb and sons! First class and he has been doing this for a long time.

03 August 2003, 18:03

BOWHUNR

socal,

I did mine in 1988 with Guided Arctic Expeditions out of Inuvik, N.W.T. It was a fall hunt, and the hunt date was approximatly Oct. 1st. I had a great hunt, and took a nice bull. My very good friend hunted with Fred Webb in April of 2002. Not only did he get a great Muskox, but the hair on the animals from spring to fall amost makes them look like two differant species! My advice is to hunt them in the spring. If you want a great Muskox, use Fred Webb, but be prepared to pay an extra 2-3K.

BOWHUNR

07 August 2003, 06:21

mho

quote:
Originally posted by socal hunter:
I am looking into a musk ox hunt in 1 1/2-2 years. anyone done this? Where is the best place to go? Outfitter? Any combo with wolf/cariboo?

Don't overlook Greenland! I know an outfitter up there who books both summer and winter hunts. Winter hunts is with dog-sleds only! (In Canada, I think the standard is to use snow mobiles?).

The hunting area has WAY too many musk-ox, in fact I think it has increased from something like 3000 to 7000 within just 5-7 years. In any event, the greatest worry of the Greenland authorities is that not enough musk-ox is shot every year.

I don't think *any* hunter during the last 5-7 years has had to leave the camp without the number of bulls he/she booked. (I know you can book at least 2 bulls, maybe more should you wish to do so, provided you book far enough in advance)

Prices: in general I'd say more reasonable than in the NWT.

Organization: 1'st rate - on par with the best I have seen around the world. It is really the wife of the outfitter (Malene) who is the organizer, and she is a natural at it. When you leave the country with your musk-ox, all papers are ready for you etc etc. (just one example of how good she is, other include camp organization, food etc etc).

Temperatures: can be pretty cold in Winter (March), but they'll rent you sealskin clothing, and that stuff is just marvellous. I don't know of anybody who was cold wearing this stuff - even sitting on the dog-sleds.

Most of these hunts are booked in Europe, somehow the US market seems to have been directed at NWT until now. I'm not sure that is not a mistake. In any event, these hunts are quite amazing in terms of success rate, organization and ambiance (in particular the dogsleds!).

Look at some of the pictures on this web-site - the text is in German, so that may not be too helpful, but at least there are quite a few pictures... There are some prices in there as well, although you have to scroll back and forth a bit to find them

Greenland Hunting (in German)

- mike

P.S. I'm not selling these hunts, nor am I making any cash recommending them. Just thought I'd mention something which I have found to be 1st rate.

10 August 2003, 08:59

arty

How much is a muskox hunt in North America?

12 August 2003, 09:05

Arts

mho--You have my attention! Can you tell me about the cost in $US. I'm sure something about cost is in there, but I can't read a word of it.

13 August 2003, 01:39

mho

quote:
Originally posted by Arts:
mho--You have my attention! Can you tell me about the cost in $US. I'm sure something about cost is in there, but I can't read a word of it.

Arts, this business about languages is indeed a bit complicated [Smile]

I'll try to make a partial translation from the website I mentioned above. I'll use an approximate exchange rate of US$1.1 = 1 Euro. This obviously varies... I'll do all conversions in my head, so prices really are approximate.... I'll include my own comments from time to time, and mark them "mho". Please note, that I'm only translating from the website, and although I'll do my best, this can hardly be classified as an "official" price list ...

For more specific questions try mail to: roger.joos@freesurf.ch

- mike

Winterhunt: $4100
Non hunting person: $2800

Summerhunt: $3900
Non hunting person: $2800

Included in the price is:
- airfare Copenhagen - Kangerlussuaq - Copenhagen
(from the States/Canada, you'd probably have to arrange your own airfare, but would be reimbursed the flight costs Cph-Greenland-Cph - mho)
- Hotelroom in Kangerlussuaq (double room, incl breakfast). Single room upgrade is extra. 1 night at start and 1 night at end of hunt.
- 5 days/nights in camp, helpful if the guests volunteer their help in camp (normally this amounts to setting the table or some such thing - mho)
- 1 guide and 1 dogsled for 1-2 hunters, depending on the size of the sled.
(normally, you have 2-3 guides available for your hunt, as success is usually pretty quick, so when the other hunters have shot their bulls, plenty of time remains for you to hunt with 2-3 guides. Personally I think it is a good idea to wait a little, and see what is available and then decide what kind of bull you want: old bull with huge cape, big helmet but worn down horns, or younger bull with long, black horn-ends.- mho)
- hunting in summer is done via boat and on foot
- food and drink (no alcoholic drinks included)
- accommodation (in winter I think they have set up a small cabin for cooking/eating. Alternatively, you get an isolated tent - usually with an oven. They are surprisingly good - mho)
- License and trophy fee for 1 muskox bull
- field preparation and packing of trophies
- export papers for trophy.
(you can also hunt for small game - hares, foxes, ptarmigan - to your hearts delight. Bring a 22Mag or a Hornet - both with solid bullets. In summer, the fishing is supposed to be very good - mho)

NOT included in the price is:
- additional bulls ($1000) if any are available (it seems like at present, extra bulls are not a problem, but they should be booked in advance - mho)
- transport of trophy from Greenland to point of origin. (normally the trophies are just loaded onto the plane as excess luggage. Still cheaper than airfreight - mho).
- sleeping bag and other personal equipment (in winter you need a GOOD sleeping bag [Wink]

- mho)
- alcoholic beverages
- food while in Kangerlussuag (nomally 1-2 dinners - mho)
- import duty for trophy in your home country
- veterinarian fees in your home country for trophy import

If you want a single room in Kangerlussuaq, the additional price is about $200 in winter and about $100 in summer. (I'm not sure if this is the extra price per night. There are not that many options for hotels in Kangerlussuaq! [Smile]

- mho)

Rental of sealskin clothing for winterhunt (well worth it! - mho) about $35 per day. Trousers, anorak, gloves, hat, PAC boots).

13 August 2003, 10:28

Arts

mho--thank you very much!!!

13 August 2003, 11:30

Wendell Reich

I have booked a couple of hunts for Fred Webb. He is something else. Shoot me an e-mail and I will tell you what his hunts go for and what you are in for.

He does run a quality outfitt.

13 August 2003, 12:47

Arts

Yea, but his ain't on a dog sled! Now that adds a whole new wow!!!

13 August 2003, 23:03

mho

... Btw, perhaps one should also mention that the Greenland outfit is starting to branch into "stick hunting" (i.e. crossbows - and I see little reason why it should not be possible to take a bull with a bow as well). There was one hunter up there this summer, who took a bull with a crossbow. He told me he stalked to 35 m (about 40 yds). You can stalk some of these bulls to amazingly close distances, unless they happen to catch onto you, in which case they may run off when they see you a mile away.

I don't throw sticks at animals myself (my recommendation for a good muskox rifle would be a .375 H&H), but it is possible to take them by "alternative" means. A large caliber handgun would probably also work well, although I'm unaware if there are any import issues with handguns in Greenland??

If you don't want the hassle of bringing your own gun, the outfitter of late has acquired a stainless .300 Win Mag (a Ruger I think ??). So a useable firearm is avilable in camp - either as primary or backup weapon.

- mike

[ 08-13-2003, 14:13: Message edited by: mho ]

14 August 2003, 00:56

Bill C

If you want to translate the webpage that is in German, there is a translator (as prev posted by another member) at: http://babelfish.altavista.com/translate.dyn

Just paste the url of the page (http://www.groenlandjagd.ch/) in the appropriate section, click "German to English", and it will do the rest.

Bill

15 August 2003, 09:49

JimR

I hunted Banks Island last year. Cost of hunt was $2850 (US). You can find their ads in the Safari Club publications, or contact me and I will get you the info if you're interested.

16 August 2003, 08:10

solvi

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend of mine and he was telling my of a hunting trip to Greenland that is on its way to hunt Musk ox, and the price including airfare from and to Iceland and trophy was ca. 1.500 usd.
Sï¿½lvi