Muskox Hunts
Arctic Adventures Hunts

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In Canada's Far North

Two Different Hunting Areas

Spring And Fall Hunts

Prices and Information

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info@genehuntfish.com

Greenland Musk Ox

General Characteristics

Body Length: 200-245 cm / 6.6-8.1 ft.
Shoulder Height: 125-135 cm / 4.1-4.5 ft.
Tail Length: 10-14 cm / 4-5.6 in.
Weight: 180-380 kg / 396-836 lb.

The long, shaggy guard hairs are dark brown in colour, and, at nearly 60 cm / 2 feet in length, may almost reach the ground.

Hidden beneath these guard hairs is an insulating layer of light gray underwool. The lower legs are pale, as is a patch in the centre of the back. The body is

massive - and seems even more so due to the long hair and short legs. There is a hump on the shoulders, and the head is carried low with no neck to speak of.

The hook-like horns are found in both sexes, and almost resemble an old-fashioned women's hairstyle. Pale yellow in colour, they form a large boss on the skull,

thinning as they sweep down and away from the head, ending with the sharp tips curving upwards.

The horns are significantly thicker and form a larger boss in males.

Here Is One Hunt For Muskox

The Mainland Muskox hunts have become famous for producing trophy bulls, many of which score over 120 Boone and Crockett points.

This includes several animals that are contenders for the new world record. The animals at McNaughton River are part of this Mainland population,

but they have been virtually untouched by trophy hunters.

The hunt begins in Gjoa Haven and Can Go All Across The Arctic to Nunavut, where the famous Arctic explorer Ronald Amundson wintered when h

first navigated the Northwest Passage.

What is not included in this Hunt:

* Hunting license and tags.
* Export permits/trophy fees.
* Gratuities to staff.
* Accommodation and meals while in Yellowknife and Gjoa Haven before and after the hunt, if applicable.
* Taxidermy fees.
* Overweight baggage fees.
* Expenses incurred due to delays, caused by bad weather, mechanical problems, or other factors beyond our control.
* Canadian Goods and Services Tax. (GST)

HUNT CONDITIONS

You may hunt the Barren Ground Muskox in the Fall or Spring.

Fall hunts are harder and you will only see ten percent of themuskox you may see on a spring hunt.

You will go by boat to Simpson Straight to the mainland. You will then go inland by ATV to find your muskox.

On a spring hunt you will be transported by snow machine from Gjoa Haven across the sea ice to the mainland where we hunt the mainland or

barren ground muskox. This trip can take 3-6 hours depending on snow and ice conditions. Snowmobiles provide a great deal of mobility, allowing the

hunters to cover a lot of ground and providing an opportunity to look over a good number of muskox. We anticipate 100 percent success on this hunt.

Hunting by dog team is also an option. Accommodation is in wall tents with heaters. Foam mattresses and caribou or muskox skin sleeping mats will

be provided. Hunters must bring their own sleeping bags.

There are some Central Canadian Barren Ground Caribou in the area.

You may opt to buy a caribou tag on the fall hunt.

vibos moschatus
Muskox

General Characteristics

Body Length: 200-245 cm / 6.6-8.1 ft.
Shoulder Height: 125-135 cm / 4.1-4.5 ft.
Tail Length: 10-14 cm / 4-5.6 in.
Weight: 180-380 kg / 396-836 lb. The long, shaggy guard hairs are dark brown in colour, and, at nearly

60 cm / 2 feet in length, may almost reach the ground.

Hidden beneath these guard hairs is an insulating layer of light gray underwool. The lower legs are pale, as is a patch in the centre of the back.

The body is massive - and seems even more so due to the long hair and short legs. There is a hump on the shoulders, and the head is carried low with

no neck to speak of. The hook-like horns are found in both sexes, and almost resemble an old-fashioned women's

hairstyle. Pale yellow in colour, they form a large boss on the skull, thinning as they sweep down and away from the head,

ending with the sharp tips curving upwards. The horns are significantly thicker and form a larger boss in males.

Ontogeny and Reproduction

Gestation Period: 8.5 months.
Young per Birth: 1, rarely twins.
Weaning: At 10-18 months.
Sexual Maturity: Females at 3-4 years, males at 5-6 years.
Life span: 20-24 years. Females give birth between April and June, and do so amongst the herd.

Ecology and Behavior

A nomadic species, the musk ox perpetually wanders the Arctic tundra, moving an average of 2 kilometers / 1 mile daily between feeding sites.

Periods of grazing are alternated with rest periods, each about 2.5 hours long. Contrary to many species, the musk ox migrates from sheltered,

moist lowlands in the summer to higher, barren plateaus in winter. The primary reason for this is food - the exposed plateaus do not accumulate now due to the high winds, therefore making food easier to find. The distance travelled between summer and winter areas generally does not

exceed 80 kilometers / 48 miles. The characteristic defence pattern of this species is a ring, with the young hidden in the centre and the adults facing outward.

While this is extremely effective against wolf attacks, it has made them very easy targets for human hunters with high powered rifles. Conflicts

between males occur throughout the year, although the frequency is expectedly higher during the breeding season. Confrontations generally consist

of two rivals rushing towards each other at up to 40 kmph / 24 mph, clashing their horns together. This may occur up to 20 times in a row over a course

of 50 minutes. Accompanied by these charges are lion-like roars. These fights merely determine dominance, with the loser remaining part of the herd

Population densities vary from 0.3-0.45 animals per square kilometer. Family group: Herds of 10-20 animals with an adult male and several females

with their offspring. Bulls not belonging to one of these herds may form bachelor groups.

Not All Areas that the Muskox lives qualify as prime territory.

Both cows and bulls have impressive horns. The horns curve downward toward the face, then out and up at the slender tips. On the bulls, the base of

each horn extends across the forehead to meet as a solid " boss" of horn and bone up to 10 cm thick. A patch of fur on the forehead separates the

less massive but equally sharp horns of the cow. Almost hidden in the wool in front of the eyes is a small scent-producing, pre-orbital gland.

The muskox owes its ability to function normally in temperatures of -40°C in high winds and blowing snow, in large measure, to its amazing coat.

The coat has both a woolly layer and a hairy layer. The insulating woolly layer is next to the skin. The wool, or " qiviut," is stronger than

sheep’s wool, eight times warmer, and finer than cashmere. The coarser hairy layer that covers and protects the wool grows to be the longest hair of any

mammal in North America. The Inuit name for muskox is omingmak, "the animal with skin like a beard."

In midsummer, muskoxen lose their woolly undercoats. The long guard hairs are not shed at the same time. The animals become shaggy and

ragged-looking for a few weeks. Many adult bulls have clumps of old wool clinging to their "skirts" and manes throughout the year.

The musk oxen’s rounded hooves are another physical adaptation to its environment. They spread enough to help prevent the animal

sinking into soft snow, although they are not as broad as those of caribou. The front hooves are larger than the hind hooves and enable the

muskox to dig through the snow for food.

Diet: Grasses, sedges, flowering plants, leaves of shrubs.

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NWT Spring Polar Bear Hunt ( Non Importable into USA)

Nunavut Atlantic Walrus Hunt (Non Importable into USA)

NWT Mainland Barren Ground Muskox Hunt

NWT Arctic Island (Greenland) Muskox Hunt

E-Mail Me At: info@genehuntfish.com

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