GREENLAND MUSK OX MARCH 2016GREENLAND MARCH 2016 MUSK OX HUNT


With just about a week to mentally prepare and adjust, after hunting buffaloes and other beasties for 6 weeks in the 104 degree heat and dust of West Africa (report to follow)




I was headed to Greenland and -13F temperatures!



Our journey took us from NY to Copenhagen where we spent the night.



The little mermaid

The next morning, we flew 4 hours to Greenland, landing in Kangerlussuaq. Many of you in the past have enquired about this odd routing but there are just no easy connections between North America and Greenland. It is possible to go via Iceland but much more expensive and convoluted!

After suiting up to the cold temperatures we set off on the 1.5 hour, 40km drive to camp following a frozen river and crossing frozen lakes. The weather this year has been mild by local standards with not much snow either. We were told it was the first time in 20 years that they did not have the sled dogs in camp which was a bit of a disappointment, but a good reason to return I guess.
After a quick lunch and briefing our group of 4 hunters split up in to two groups. We had decided up front who was going to shoot first so it was all pretty straightforward. After driving a few miles by 4wd vehicle we met up with the local guide who was on his own ATV. He had driven over some mountains scouting on the way. He reported that he had seen two lots of bulls that warranted a closer look so we decided to go for it!

Note: Since no one seems to know what the rules are for taking guns via Denmark we decided to rent a rifle, especially given that it was a one animal hunt. I was using the guide’s 300 Win Mag in a Remington 700 rifle, loaded with 180 grain Sellier & Bellot ammo.

We crossed a large frozen lake and spotted two bulls grazing on the side of a mountain. The Inuit guide spoke no English but with the help of the outfitter’s wife who was also guiding us we communicated and planned our stalk accordingly. Musk Ox in general are not wary animals to hunt and having no natural predators where we were hunting were pretty calm. Our stalk was perfect, positioning us about 30 yards on top of the two bulls. Both were old bulls well past the 6-year-old mark which we were told that we would be targeting. Mine later turned out to be over 10 years old! One bull’s horn was broken so the choice was simple and an easy shot resulted in my bull dropping within a few feet of where he was standing. The other bull hung around for a bit before slowly moving off.





My bull is down in the foreground.







The guide expertly skinned the bull and quartered it with nothing more than a small Swiss army knife, a testament to his skills. We returned to camp to discover that the other group also had success and taken a Musk Ox.



The next day was to be C’s turn. This time we selected a large herd to approach but with many eyes watching us they moved off. While we were planning our next move we suddenly spotted a lone bull and then another.



Making a decision!

The choice was made and a 120 yard shot anchored C’s Musk Ox, another old bull.






The other hunters were also successful in taking two more bulls, one with the bow. One client shot two Musk Ox to have fully mounted in his new trophy room which is going to house 1500 of his trophies and more on their way!

The next day we visited the start of the Polar Ice cap which is truly an amazing sight given that you are looking at a sheet of ice that goes on for 2400 kms north to south, 1100 kms at its greatest width and over 3km thick at its thickest point! The North Pole was about 1200 kms ahead of us. An interesting fact is that the exact point of the North Pole is not actually on land but on floating artic ice!








Polar Ice Cap - above 3 pics



Coffee and cookies in -15 F on top of the world, well nearly!





Ptarmigan


On the way back we shot some Ptarmigan which are challenging to hunt as they are up on the mountain sides. Climbing in heavy gear and seal skin pants is not so simple but once you got within range it was fairly easy to plink a few with a silenced .22 which was provided for this sport! I did lose one which fell in to a deep crevice among the rocks!

Our small cabin had 4 bedrooms and attached toilet but with no running water as it would freeze up. It was heated by a stove and was very toasty. A pot of water was left on the stove so warm water was always on hand if you wanted to wash up and have a bird bath!



View of the whole camp



Inside of our cabin



We had individual bedrooms, there were 2 beds in each.



Dining room in one of the two cabins. We ate our meals in another cabin which had a dining table and a small kitchen. The food was plentiful and satisfying.

Another highlight of our trip was to awake one night and see the Northern lights!







The trophies are salted and frozen solid in the BIG outdoor freezer!



Making a hole to get water, the ice was over 3 feet thick.


For those looking to hunt Musk Ox in Greenland, they can be hunted in the Spring and Fall. The Spring hunt is only Musk Ox and other small game, whereas the Fall hunt can be combined with Caribou. Caribou hunters should be prepared for a physically tough hunt and to hike up in to the mountains where the Caribou are. Musk Ox are easier to hunt as they can be found grazing along the shores of the many lakes. In the fall you can hunt 2 Musk Ox or a caribou and a Musk Ox. There may also be some opportunities to fish at this time of the year. The hides of the Musk Ox are pretty thick even in the Fall but naturally thicker in the Spring.





Overall I can say that it was a very enjoyable trip to spend time in that icy land and shoot a unique trophy. Combined with a few days sightseeing in Copenhagen which is a very interesting little city it makes for a great trip.

A word about gear – the key is to dress in layers, I wore 4 layers in total on top and 3 layers on the bottom, 2 sets of gloves, socks and head gear. The cost of the hunt will include hire of Sorrel boots and seal skin jacket and pants which is your outermost layer and a great wind barrier.

Other game seen - hare, fox and caribou.

The outfitter is completely booked for 2016 and has limited availability for 2017 hunts. If anyone is interested please get in touch ASAP.

Thanks for coming on the trip.

Arjun Reddy
www.huntersnetworks.com
Tel: 845 259 3628
email: Arjun@huntersnetworks.com

Interesting. I want to do that one year in the fall.

Congrats!

Nice report, photos, and trophies. Congrats!!

The Northern lights are worth the trip!!! The Ox is a Bonus!!! Congrats

Great report and unique trophy Arjun. I, too, would like to do that hunt someday!