MUSKOX HUNTS

Musk ox from Alaska, Canada, and Greenland are all eligible for entry into the single category recognized today.

There are two commonly recognized subspecies of musk ox: Barren Ground Ovibos moschatus moschatus, and Greenland O. moschatus wardi (also referred to as ‘white face’ musk ox). By the 1920s, muskox had disappeared from Europe, Asia, and Alaska. The only remaining muskox were in Greenland and Arctic Canada. International concern over impending extinction of this animal led to an effort to restore a population in Alaska.

For hunters after their North America 29, these two  categories of musk ox (Greenland and barren ground) were combined into a single category. Musk ox from Alaska, Canada, and Greenland are all eligible for entry into this single category recognized today.

Barren Ground Muskox

An adult Barren Ground bull stands about six feet tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 1,000 pounds.

• Mainland hunts for Barren-Ground muskox take place in the province of Nunavut,  between the villages of Cambridge Bay and Umingmaktok. High scoring bulls come out of this area every year. There is a good possibility to take an Arctic wolf on these hunts.

Greenland Muskox

The smaller Greenland musk ox bull stands four and a half to five feet tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 800 pounds. Cows are smaller than bulls in both subspecies.

• The region around Kangerlussuaq, Greenland has the largest herds of musk ox in the world. Kangerlussuaq has an ”inland” climate with warm summers and cold winters. It is located above the polar circle and has an arctic climate. Winter and Spring/Summer hunts are available here, and you can combo with caribou (reindeer), or choose to hunt the “Arctic Five”.
• Cambridge Bay is on the southeastern end of Victoria Island, and is home to the introduced Greenland subspecies of muskox. SCI does recognize them as “Greenland” muskox and this region has over 200 entries in the record book. Our outfitter holds the current number two, and is tied for number three in the record books. Fall, spring, and summer muskox hunts are available here. *Fall hunts can be combined with Arctic Island Caribou.
• In 1930, conservation groups in Alaska captured 34 Greenland muskox and relocated them to Nunivak Island, a large island in the Bering Sea. Luckily, they thrived there, and by 1968, the herd had grown to 750 animals. They were later trans-located to establish new herds on the Seward Peninsula, on Cape Thompson and Nelson Islands, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and on Wrangel Island and the Taimyr Peninsula in Russia. By 2000, almost 4,000 muskoxen existed in Alaska. In recent years, the herds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and adjoining areas have declined slightly.