CANADA: Off To Nunavut For Arctic Island Caribou & Barren Ground Muskox

This started out to be a hunt report but quickly became a shit show.

I checked in with Air Canada in San Antonio for my flight to Edmonton then on to Taloyoak then next day. Everything went smooth and had a nice flight to Toronto.

Once in Toronto I waited at baggage claim of course my rifle made it but not my duffle with clothes, gear and ammo. No where to be found!

The RCMP that did my rifle permit were beyond courteous. They consistently are the best folks I deal with when traveling abroad with a firearm.

One agent spent the better part of a half hour trying to find my bag to no avail.

Next on to Air Canada to recheck my rifle bag for Edmonton. The customer service lady proceeded to tell me I could not travel any further from that point without my bag! She said since I am transporting ammo I must travel with the bag that they lost it.

She called in a supervisor and he came and made some calls then they rebooked me and my rifle on a later flight to Edmonton. I am holding hope the bag went on my original flight and will be in Edmonton when I get there. Otherwise I will delay my hunt by a day and go to Bass Pro and buy ammo and clothes.

While sitting in the Maple Leaf Lounge enjoying a Crown on the rocks, my neighbor texted me and said my boathouse had broken loose and floating out into the lake I live on!

I scrambled to find help,

Fortunately my son lives an hour away but when I finally reached him he was broke down on the side of the road with a trailer full of equipment!

When it rains it pours.

I started running down my call list and found a friend to go pull the boathouse back and tie it off. The only upside is with daytime temps at 100+ a swim in the lake will be refreshing.

More tomorrow, praying for a positive outcome.

Interesting start so far, hopefully it goes better for you once the hunt starts.

Yeah, that’s a heck a start. Good luck and enjoy the ride.

Sorry to heat of all these mishaps! Hopefully all will be sorted out!

Btw, your hunt is very interesting.

Question:
Hunting at high north in this time of year: what equipment, gear and clothes did you prepare for the trip?.

Temps should be in the 40’s to 50’s with a daily chance is rain.

I packed wool long underwear, basic pant and shirt with Sitka layers and rain gear.

Mid flight I got a text a bag was unloaded in Edmonton. I’m hoping it’s the missing bag that traveled on my original flight.

Here's hoping. Good luck.

Well things took a change for the better, both my bags made it to Edmonton and I got to the hotel by 11.

Up at 5 this morning to get to the airport and check in for my flight to Taloyoak.
Getting to the Arctic takes two days from Texas and today I will have 7+ hours of travel in and out of airports.

I organized the hunt through Canadian High Arctic Adventures. Gary and Dana Adams were helpful and attentive through the process. Once I arrive in Taloyoak I will be met by their local guide and taken to a hotel for the night.

The hunt will start tomorrow and I am anxious to get out on the tundra! The weather forecast is for daytime temps in the 50’s with rain probable.

Good luck, hopefully you haven't gotten all of the mishaps out of the way!!

Your trip will only be better from now on ! Got the bad out of the way !

Glad it worked out with all your gear being in Edmonton. Hope you have a great hunt. I look forward to reading all about it. Thanks for sharing.

I arrived Yellowknife just after 9 and my next flight leaves at 11. A tiny airport with not much to offer I kicked back and did a bit of reading.

My last time through this airport was 2007 when coming tone from my polar bear hunt on Banks Island. This mount was in the airport 19 years ago.


After two more stops in small villages, we finally arrived in Taloyoak. I was seated next to another hunter on the plane named Paul from Iowa. It turns out we’re hunting with the same Outfitter, so most likely will be teamed up with him for the next week.

I walked out the front door of the airport as people approached and a mid 30s gentleman walked up and asked if I was Paul or John. It was David our Guide and his wife Sheila. We exchanged pleasantries and waited for the luggage. David said we would be headed straight to camp today.

After a short stop at his house to change clothes we got on the ATVs for our 1.5 hour trip to camp. We arrived a couple of hours before sunset, settled in and had a Mountain House freeze dried meal for dinner.


Camp was basic, a big tent for me and Paul and a little cabin on skids David and his wife that he uses on Polar Bear hunts.

I turned in around 9:30 and quickly fell asleep.

You made it!

I looked on Google maps where Taloyoak is located, about 750 miles northeast of Yellowknife. That is remote!