Hunting & Fishing Well, you only live once! Booked Arctic Muskox hunt!

[sirhrmechanic]

So I have a love affair with the far Arctic... and since Africa has just gotten stupid in terms of costs and safety... I decided that I'd look North instead of South.

Pulled the trigger officially today. April, 2022... heading to Edmonton then Nunavut... well above the Arctic Circle... to hunt Muskox.

Going to be an amazing trip! I have friends counting the minute until their next tropical cruise where they can sit with 5,000 people on a floating bar... No thanks! Counting the days for what should be a hell of an adventure!

Now let's hope that the Gerbil Prime Minister Justin Bieber -- er -- Trudeau... doesn't ban Muskox or something.

@Sean the Nailer ... what should I wear in April in Nunavut? Guessing Hawaiian shirt and Vans are not recommended?

Cheers,

SIrhr

 

[vetski]

Any ideas on what you might shoot? How about an old-school .45-70? Be like a hippy buffalo hunt. Super jealous, congrats and please keep us updated on details!

 

[Firedude]

Wow! That sounds like quite the adventure! What rifle will you be taking?

 

[isofahunter]

Excellent!!!

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Any ideas on what you might shoot? How about an old-school .45-70? Be like a hippy buffalo hunt. Super jealous, congrats and please keep us updated on details!

No question... it will be my .416 Taylor... the same gun has already taken a cape buffalo and a bison. Needs the whole set.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[SkyScrapin]

I’m ultra envious. You gotta document this like you did your trips through Europe. Obviously after the fact unless you find LTE up yander

 

[Coffee_and_Pipes]

No question... it will be my .416 Taylor... the same gun has already taken a cape buffalo and a bison. Needs the whole set.

Cheers,

SirhrView attachment 7331716

Nice bison, beautiful rifle!

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

No question... it will be my .416 Taylor... the same gun has already taken a cape buffalo and a bison. Needs the whole set.

Cheers,

SirhrView attachment 7331716

oh man is that a Weaver K scope? Talk about a classic piece of kit. Very cool to get all the big bovines with a rig like that.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

oh man is that a Weaver K scope? Talk about a classic piece of kit. Very cool to get all the big bovines with a rig like that.

It's more classic than that... German Pre-war on QD mounts. Returns to zero every time.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[MtnCreek]

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[Ram4402]

Thats Awesome!

 

[brianf]

need more info!!!!!

i was between a musk ox hunt and a Wyoming hunt for antelope and mule deer

i was swayed to Wyoming by the outfitter i was talking to...got canceled this year, so im looking for 2022 or 2023 (have black bear lined up spring 2021)

what type of transportation, dog sled or ATV

at you going to camps or bring your gear on the sled and eat kibble

from what i have learned, the natives are not the most talkative bunch so better bring a really good book

so jealous...good for you

 

[1typical1]

So I have a love affair with the far Arctic... and since Africa has just gotten stupid in terms of costs and safety... I decided that I'd look North instead of South.

Pulled the trigger officially today. April, 2022... heading to Edmonton then Nunavut... well above the Arctic Circle... to hunt Muskox.

Going to be an amazing trip! I have friends counting the minute until their next tropical cruise where they can sit with 5,000 people on a floating bar... No thanks! Counting the days for what should be a hell of an adventure!

Now let's hope that the Gerbil Prime Minister Justin Bieber -- er -- Trudeau... doesn't ban Muskox or something.

@Sean the Nailer ... what should I wear in April in Nunavut? Guessing Hawaiian shirt and Vans are not recommended?

Cheers,

SIrhr

Been there twice, my gear never showed on the 1st trip, used a smokeless muzzleloader. Good luck. Was -35 Farenheit in April when I was there.

 

[Geeb]

That sounds like an Awesome trip

 

[buffalowinter]

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Been there twice, my gear never showed on the 1st trip, used a smokeless muzzleloader. Good luck. Was -35 Farenheit in April when I was there. View attachment 7337085

Awesome... So how did your gear get separated? And what did you take for clothing, etc.? Not many people have done this hunt, so will be nice to get advice from someone who has BTDT!!!

Awesome picture!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[1typical1]

Awesome... So how did your gear get separated? And what did you take for clothing, etc.? Not many people have done this hunt, so will be nice to get advice from someone who has BTDT!!!

Awesome picture!

Cheers,

Sirhr

Alot to text, call me sometime. Text ahead of the call. I flew into Ukaluktut NWT. Use to be called Holman NWT. 5 plane flights to get there, very easy for luggage to be lost~
641 202 0360 Iowa

 

[brianf]

Sirh..after the call post the goods.

If I go up there it will save me the search

 

[458win]

You will have fun. They are like rodents up here... everywhere. Not sure what this one old boy did to bust off his entire horn.

 

[TACC]

Looks like an amazing experience

 

[1typical1]

You will have fun. They are like rodents up here... everywhere. Not sure what this one old boy did to bust off his entire horn.

Not really my friend, there in pockets, being chased and killed daily by large wolf packs. I traveled over 100 miles one way in this komatec sled during my second visit.

 

[1typical1]

I'm a full time taxidermist specializing in life size and big game. This is him along with a few of my other harvest. All mounted by myself, Jeff Haugland Taxidermy/Iowa~

LIKE YOU SAID, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE~

 

[brianf]

Not really my friend, there in pockets, being chased and killed daily by large wolf packs. I traveled over 100 miles one way in this komatec sled during my second visit.View attachment 7337833

on the gear side what were you wearing, full arctic gear

camo isnt needed from what i understand

how did you camp at night, or you went out on patrol and returned.

guys are KILLING me with pics and trips and no one is filling in the info worth a damn

 

[458win]

I’m up in Nome. They are all over the place. Anytime you want to come up I can show you several herds by town. Looks like you went on a pretty epic trip. I live up here and get tired of seeing them.

 

[1typical1]

Camo is not needed as you mentioned. Here was my wear~
All gear was Cabela's gear~
Double insulated long johns
2 pair wool socks [ take 5 pair ]
Artic pac boots
Insulated blue jean's
Wool pants
Insulated underwear top with thumb hole
Insulated flannel shirt with hood
Fall hunting deer hunting coat with hood
Wool coat that matched the bottoms with hood
Insulated pac coveralls with hood
Wool finger gloves
Artic mittens
Full face mask
Neck warmer pull over
Face goggles
Hand warmers for boots and mittens take 2 dozen
I wore all of this every day, we were 90+ miles north of Ukaluktut NWT in a trappers cabin on the shore of the Beaufort sea. It was mid April daytime temps averaging -35
Farenheit without calculating wind chill or being pulled in the kometec sled. My hunt was extreme. They wanted to chase it with the snowmobile, I opted to walk directly at the 9 cows and two bulls which were head butting like bighorns. The dominant bull charged me , he stopped at 75 yards and quarted, my muzzleloader barked. The Inuets faces and hands are frostbitten black at early ages, without many luxury items. I left alot a gear with them. Any exposed skin will frostbite in under 5 minutes.I don't know much on the Nunavet hunts. I got 3 to 6 photos with warm batteries, keep extras in a bag with handwarmers.Take the best sleeping bag you can afford! Gets colder at night. This should give you some insight. Jeff~

 

[458win]

No camo is needed, if your hunting in the winter dress for warmth. Icy cold wind will find any exposed skin when it’s 10-20 below and your traveling on a sled or snow mobile. They generally will circle up when you get close. Finding a good respectable bull isn’t difficult, getting a clear shot of one is. They are not difficult to kill, any good bullet in 270 on up will be fine (locals have no problem using 223s but if your on a once in a lifetime hunt I’d bring something bigger) 200yrds and less will be shot distance. Once hide comes off they are like a Pomeranian, all hair. Good luck

 

[1typical1]

I’m up in Nome. They are all over the place. Anytime you want to come up I can show you several herds by town. Looks like you went on a pretty epic trip. I live up here and get tired of seeing them.

Is that still a draw hunt?

 

[brianf]

When I went wolf hunting a few years ago

Same type of weather /transportation but more sitting that riding

Bottom:
Base layer merino
Cabalas extreme base layer
Fleece sweats
Puffy insulated pants
Gray wolf woolens insulated bibs

Top
Base layer Marino
Cabela’s extreme base layer
Polar tech hoodie
Something else I forget lol
Gray wolf insulated parka

Heavy gaiter
Heavy hat
Googles (guide said take them off because the wolf will see them)

Baffin pak boots

Gloves were my weak point.

The hunt was a opportunity shot hunt, so you had to stay still near a trail.

So I couldn’t wear my heavy mittens because I couldn’t get them off fast enough. But my finger gloves underneath weren’t warm enough.

Trying it all one to see if I could move before I went. Kids were dying.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

It’s a dry cold…

 

[264win]

Looking forward to updates

 

[SkyScrapin]

Living vicariously. Good luck @sirhrmechanic

 

[Simonsza1]

What ever happened with this hunt? Or you there now?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Not really my friend, there in pockets, being chased and killed daily by large wolf packs. I traveled over 100 miles one way in this komatec sled during my second visit.View attachment 7337833

This is the part they don’t tell you about in the brochure.

We did hundreds of miles. 35 hours being smashed in one of these sleds.

There is nothing fun or rewarding about the sleds. I will have a much longer write up later!

Cheers.

 

[brianf]

This is the part they don’t tell you about in the brochure.

We did hundreds of miles. 35 hours being smashed in one of these sleds.

There is nothing fun or rewarding about the sleds. I will have a much longer write up later!

Cheers.

Are you in one of the plywood “shack” sleds or out in the open

Fucking jealous

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Well, I survived it!

Much longer write up coming. Because it was an ordeal, not a hunt! Not the fault of our guides who were two of the most amazing people I ever met.

But how the outfitter described the hunt and the actual reality of how the Inuit hunt and how Muskox have to be hunted especially as Pressure has increased and herds have decreased… are totally different things. And honestly, I’d have walked away from my deposit if the outfitter had been up front.

My experience may be isolated to this area… the guides said that further south there are more animals. And Alaska and Greenland may be totally different. But that is going to be part of my admonition to those who want to do this hunt…. Ask a lot of questions.

As I get on keyboard not phone… I’ll give a PhD education on the questions to ask!!!

Was it worth it? Honestly, no. But that Is for a much longer post!

Cheers, Sirhr

PS. Yes I managed to scope myself which is a bit of a tradition with my .416. Did it on my bison, too. Heavy coat, snap shot at a running/crossing muskox and on the first shot I just didn’t have a Good cheek/shoulder weld. I will tell the more gullible that the band-aid is an old Inuit trick To keep goggles From fogging! Keep that among us, m-Kay?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Are you in one of the plywood “shack” sleds or out in the open

Fucking jealous

Shack… Very comfy!

Sirhr

 

[264win]

Looking forward to hearing more once you have a chance to defrost

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Looking forward to hearing more once you have a chance to defrost

Cold was not an issue! Gear was so good I could have worn a Hawaiian shirt, PJ bottoms and flip flops and been warm!

Weather was also spectacular! Cold… but bright sun. Moderate windy days and calm days. Could not have asked for better!

I just can’t type multiple pages with my thumbs under the best circumstances!

Cheers!

Sirhr

 

[Pre64]

In for the story.

 

[PJC]

I just can’t type multiple pages with my thumbs under the best circumstances!

Speech to text is your friend.

Keenly interested in hearing the story.

Thank you.