GREENLAND: Greenland Muskox Hunt With Traditional Gear

[Tom Leoni]

I've always had a longing for remote and deserted places. Modern Western Man, living in congested, overcrowded spaces and complacent with all the conveniences that civilization and technology bring, can sometimes envy Natural Man, with his feeling of isolation and awe of nature--a nature that overwhelms him and that can be both a nurturing mother and a merciless enemy. In the Summer of last year, I was feeling this duality in a particularly strong way and decided to do something about it. But where does one go to at least have the illusion of how small we truly are compared to the world we live in? Without breaking the bank, that is.

I've also had a lifelong attraction for the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the Earth. This started when I was a kid, looking at the globe that my parents bought me, and invariably turning it so that I could see those sections that somehow weren't colored like the others, but where all white and sparsely lettered. So one evening I decided to hop on bookyourhunt and find a Greenland outfitter for a muskox hunt, a hunt that I would do in the cold months to get the full effect of what it feels like to be in the Arctic circle. I found Trophy Hunting Greenland. The price was right, they had one spot available for March 2024 and, after getting a reference from a gentleman here on Africa Hunting, I booked.

Northern lights seen from Kangerlussuaq on my first night in Greenland.

Upon researching the conditions, I knew I had to be prepared for some rather low temperatures. In that period, the mercury can hover around zero at night and stay well below freezing during the day. So the fun started when I began assembling my gear. Save for the boots (as I like to say, the ladies love a man with all ten toes), I decided to do this hunt in 100% natural and traditional gear. I settled for merino base layer and long johns, wool breeks, US model 1885 wool shirt, a thick Tyrolean wool vest and a wonderful, truly toasty hooded anorak from Boreal Mountain in Canada. Thin wool goves and a pair of long-cuffed beaver mittens strapped around my neck for easy on/off would take care of my hands, while a visored beaver hat over a merino beanie would keep my noggin nice and toasty. The boots? A pair of Muck Arctic Sport rated for minus 40 and with a nice aggressive sole for hiking on snow and rock.

Which rifle to take was a no-brainer. My Holland & Holland singe shot .375 Flanged is turning 99 this year, and everything I've ever hit with it falls and dies, so I saw no reason to even give it a second thought.

My rifle and backpack as I took a break during a hike in the hills near the fjord.

Importing the rifle to Greenland was not a problem. All I needed was my stamped 4457 form as proof of ownership, which took care of the formalities both in Denmark (the layover country) and Greenland. With me also came 40 rounds of .375 loaded with 270gr Speer boat-tail spitzers atop 68 grains of RL 15--a load that is both mild and deadly and that has given me excellent results on three continents.

PART 1 - TRAVEL AND READYING FOR THE HUNT
Getting there was uneventful. An evening flight from Washington Dulles to Copenhagen landed me in Denmark in the early morning of March 26, and I had a whole day to visit that interesting city and take a boat tour of its historic center.

Copenhagen's picturesque Nyhavn quarter and canals.

The day after, a big, and unexpectedly full plane took me to Kangerlussuaq, in the center-West part of Greenland. Upon arrival, the weather was cold and overcast, giving me a first dramatic impression of the new environment. Empty, frozen spaces as far as the eye can see--just like I had imagined them!

A first-day hike in Kangerlussuaq, shortly after arriving.

I spent a couple pre-hunt days acclimating, hunting for Northern lights and hiking Black Ridge mountain, atop of which I got a good bird's-eye view of the "metropolis" below, which consists mainly of the airport and Denmark's Arctic military commando post.

The town of Kangerlussuaq as seen from the top of Black Ridge mountain. Yep, that's it: that's the whole town.

Finally, on Friday I met my host and the rest of the hunting party. It felt like the beginning of a joke: a German, an Irishman and a guy from Seattle walk into a hunting lodge... As it turned out, Oliver, Brian and Josh were a pleasure to hunt and hang out with and conversation in the remote hunting cabin was interesting and never flagged. Also there were the two guides--Martin (from the Czech Republic) and Rasmus, from Denmark, whom we nicknamed "The Codfather" after the large fish tattooed on his forearm. Naturally, Erik the outfitter was also there, to ensure that the whole experience would be run like a tight ship. We took several sleds to the launching spot, hooked them to ATVs and off we went for a 30-mile ride on the Fjord towards the remote hunting cabin.

The rest of the party (mostly): Martin, Erik, Brian, Rasmus and Josh around the ATVs and sleds that brought us from town to camp.

The 1-hour ATV ride from town to camp, over the frozen Kangerlussuaq Fjord.

The last order of business was to sight in the rifles. I was the only one who brought his own--the other hunters used Erik's Tikka T3 Synthetic rifles in .30-06, loaded with 150gr Hornady Superformance. The targets consisted of two small pieces of plywood with drawn-on crosses, placed on the ice at 200 yards. We shot from a rock, to mimic the most likely conditions we would find on the hunt. As I had expected, my .375 didn't require any adjustments--which is reason number 1,000 why I simply love that rifle.

"The Codfather" after setting up the targets.

Oliver, our German buddy, driving tacks at 200 yards while sighting in the Tikka.

End of part 1--next part, the hunt!

 

[KJE81]

Great intro!

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Look forward to the whole report.
I'll be there the first hunt of 25

 

[Neil Molendyk]

This should be an interesting hunt, the use of old style clothing has also intrigued me as opposed to the use of modern synthetic wears.

 

[chonk34]

Looking forward to the rest of your report. This is a hunt my dad and I are looking at doing in the next couple of years.

 

[Tom Leoni]

PART 2 - THE HUNT
Base-camp for the hunt was a prefabricated cabin built around 50 years ago as a recreational hunting/fishing getaway for US servicemen working in the nearby base (since closed). Quarters were spartan but comfortable, with gas-powered cooking stoves, kerosene heaters and battery-powered light for the evening. Because of its remoteness, no electricity or running water.

The hunting cabin.

On the first day of hunting, we all hopped on ATVs and sleds and rode for about 90 minutes to one of the spots where muskox may be. The rest was all on foot. Interestingly, the coldest experience of this trip was given by these rides: wind chill factor in the morning air can reach brutally low levels, which is why we all wore balaclavas under motorcycle helmets to protect our face and eyes against these conditions.

Once arrived to the hunting spot, Martin pulled out a deck of cards; we drew lots for the order in which each of the four of us would attempt a shot at muskox, if and when we found some. Brian and Josh drew the high cards, so off we went with only them carrying rifles. We stayed in single file to form a less-conspicuous profile to our quarry, and we walked uphill for a while until the guides spotted a group of muskox near the ridge.

The stalk: Brian and Josh carrying Tikka T3s as we walked in single file towards the muskox. The animals can be seen as black dots just short of the ridge in the center of the image.

As we approached, the animals spotted us and began moving away, which prompted some sense of urgency on the part of Brian and Josh. Two old bulls, in particular, revealed themselves as good shooters and time was therefore of the essence. After more brisk walking, the guides placed their backpacks on rocks at about 200 yards from the muskox for the two hunters to attempt their shots. The tricky part was that the shots had to be taken simultaneously, or else the first shot would cause the second animal to spook and bolt. One... two... three... B-BANG went the two Tikkas!

And? The animals merely turned around and ran off! Were these misses? Had the muskox been hit too far back, too high, or too low? No time to speculate: on the urging of Martin and Rasmus, the two hunters started operating the bolts and reloading like frenzied workers on a Model T assembly line, and it took almost a whole box of .30-06 for the two animals to finally give up. As it turned out, most shots were well-placed--only, these old warriors take a spectacular amount of killing. Never in my life had I seen such resilience, and I quietly thanked Providence for my .375 being a .375!

The party's first trophy: from L to R, Oliver, me, and Brian with his muskox!

An elated Brian reveling in his success: "sooo close from a perfect shot!"

After field-dressing the two animals and loading them on sleds, we made our way back to camp, where the two trophies were skinned and butchered. In the evening, we feasted on muskox goulash from the backstraps of Josh's. The meat is so tender you don't even need a knife to cut it--it gently pulls apart with a spoon. Taste was truly delicious--without a doubt, the best goulash I've had in my life.

That night, I decided to venture out after dark (meaning: after 11 PM, since it stays light very late at those latitudes). Perhaps I could get lucky and see more Northern lights? While I didn't see any and it was way too cold to stick around and wait, I looked up and saw the stars with a clarity I'd never experienced before.

The Big Dipper as seen from the crystal-clear, uncontaminated skies of Greenland.

On the following day, it was Oliver's and my turn to have a go at muskox. After coffee and breakfast, again we hopped on ATVs and sleds and rode an hour and a half to a likely spot where muskox may be found, stopped, and uncased our rifles. The mere sight of my .375 gave me all the confidence in the world that today would be my day. As Martin started pulling out the card-deck, I offered that first choice be given to Oliver, who gladly accepted.

Instead of all of us going together, as we had done the day before, the party split up with Josh and Brian going with Martin, Oliver and me with Rasmus. Josh had expressed the desire to maybe bag a second trophy, so his little group headed in the opposite direction than Oliver's and mine. Weidmannsheils were given all around, and off we went.

Oliver and I, elated with the experience we knew we were about to have!

A short pause in the long uphill hike. Coffee from our thermos and a little glassing...

Finally, we spotted two lone old bulls milling about on our side of a ridge about 3-400 yards away. Rasmus evaluated them and decided that they were good shooters. Up we went at a brisk pace, trying to shorten the distance between us and the animals and find a good spot from which to attempt our shots.

The animals were moving up. Just when it seemed like we'd never catch up, Rasmus told us to drop to the prone position and shoot. Oliver would take the bull on the left, while mine would be that on the right. Bang! went Oliver's Tikka... Rasmus turned to me "why don't you shoot?" Too much of my bull was obscured by a small knoll between him and us and I have a downright phobia of wounding my animals. Oliver's bull was down, so Rasmus and I followed mine at a run. Up and up the hill he trotted, and up and up we followed at a brisk jog, my chest heaving under the weight of my 20lb backpack, as I thanked my lucky stars that I'm somewhat fit! Finally, we arrived at a spot where a dip separated us from my muskox: he was running away from us trying to gain a ridge about 30 yards away from him, which would place him out of sight and out of range. What to do?

Here's where the beauty of the .375 comes into play. Even knowing how much punishment these animals are capable of taking, I was confident that a Texas heart shot would anchor him: I dropped down to a prone position with the Holland's forend resting on the backpack, and settled the crosshairs of the classic Zeiss Diatal 6x42 on his, um... derrière. Boom went the rifle and the muskox froze where he stood, incapacitated by the shot; with some difficulty, he started turning around and offered me the broadside shot that would put him down for good. I had my muskox!

My muskox. I took the shot from the hillock visible just behind the barrel of my rifle. Distance was about 150-175 yards. Since the animal was moving fast, we didn't have time to range him before the shot.

Another shot of the muskox. Although only my boots were made of modern materials, my traditional wool and fur gear kept me absolutely warm, dry and comfortable.

After Erik was able to come up with the ATV and sled to take the animals, we rode farther into the wilderness for Josh to possibly take a crack at a second muskox. Some of us stayed behind to enjoy the beautiful sunny day (although temperatures stayed well below freezing) and to follow Josh's movements from afar with our binoculars. I rewarded myself with a little slumber in one of the sleds, with the Greenland sun keeping my face from freezing! Josh was eventually able to get his second muskox, and we made it back to camp in the early evening--dog-tired but amply satisfied.

The next day was spent as we wished. Some of us went ice-fishing, others went hunting for foxes and snow-hares, while I opted for a hike and one last look at the Greenlandic wilderness. It truly is a tough environment, and does feel like it is the very edge of the world.

White death: the skull of a muskox rests partially buried in the snow and ice, picked clean by eagles, ravens and foxes.

CONCLUSION
This trip was all that I had hoped for and more. Besides yielding a beautiful trophy, it enabled me to experience a place that very few have seen, with all its harshness, mysteries, and merciless beauty. I had a chance to interact with the Inuit, who make up 95% of Greenland's population, as well as to take home memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Now that I'm home, safe, sound and warm, I look at my .375 rifle, sitting on a shelf after my wiping it down with Ballistol. When I bought it, it was supposed to be my "excuse" to visit wild and exotic places that I may otherwise never see: besides being an absolutely reliable hunting companion, it is turning out to be just that. Life is beautiful.

Two sweethearts hiking near town, rifle in tow. This shot well represents the sense of freedom that such a remote place exudes.

 

[GKNOX]

Looking forward to the rest of this report. I am booked in with Erik for next March.

 

[Tom Leoni]

@GKNOX - you'll enjoy it!

 

[Nyati]

Congrats, that was a great hunt !

Is that an old Leica you are carrying ?

 

[Troubleshooter]

Weidmannsheil and congratulations on your muskox; taken in a classic (and classy) manner. You will relive the exciting memories of that experience every time you handle that old H&H or look at the photographs of that trip. You might consider converting that photo of you alone with the muskox to B&W or even sepia-tone, and hang it in some prominent place at your home.

What are your plans for the hide and horns?

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Did you go early just to look around? Or to prevent possible delays. That's been a concern of mine.
Also where did you stay along the way

 

[Tom Leoni]

@Nyati - Yes. It is my small and trusted iiia, my favorite camera, with a 35mm Summaron lens. I thought I'd bring it just in case my phone would completely run out of battery, as I had no way to charge it while in camp. Loaded it with ISO 200 film, set it on f/22 and 1/200, locked the focus ring on infinity and had an absolute ball using it.

@Troubleshooter - great minds think alike. I did that shortly after the picture was taken:

The hide and horns are being processed by a taxidermist in Copenhagen. I'm going European with the skull. I am having different ideas for the hide--so for now I'm just having it tanned hair-on, then I'll decide!

@Wade J VanGinkel - Yes and no. The Greenland flight I found that was closest to the actual beginning of the hunt was for two days before. I was glad about that because it gave me the chance to acclimate and look around. I recommend doing it that way.

While not in camp, I stayed at the Arctic Lodge hotel, which is no farther than 100 yards door-to-door from the small airport and the few conveniences in Kangerlussuaq. Erik offers free stay at his hostel on the other side of the airport. I opted for the hotel because I knew I'd want a bit of privacy and quiet after spending four days in a small cabin with six other guys. That's as close to "spoiling oneself" as someone can do in Kangerlussuaq!

 

[BourbonTrail]

Classy as always, Tom. Congratulations on your muskox.

Ps. I really like that anorak.

 

[Tucketed]

Thanks for the report. Never thought of a Muskox hunt but you have wetted my appetite. Congratulations and thanks for taking me along!

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Interestingly, due to the new airport opening in Nuuk the end of this year I'm no longer seeing direct flights in from Copenhagen at the time I'm going.
Copenhagen to nuuk to kangerlussuaq for a total of 24 hours and double the price.
Return is direct though.
I'll be checking with an agent on the newer routes and see what's available.
I did want to see Copenhagen though.

 

[WAB]

What a great adventure Tom! Congratulations!

 

[Sarg]

Great write up & report, thank you for sharing .

I have a pic from when I was there, I have Polar Bear pants, Boots & Seal skin gloves, with Fur hat & my Inuit buds jumper on that his Mum knitted lol

We had Dog Sled first day but it wasn't economical for the outfitter to provide this as I was the only hunter as the others had canceled from Covid, was - 53 with chill factor, which was scary cold but awesome adventure.

I flew with Qatar & risked I could run from incoming Copenhagen to departures to Kangerlussuaq & I made it, got a bit of a fright when check in girl asked for my Visa !!
But her Boss came over & sorted it, no Visa needed .