CANADA: NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - BARREN GROUND MUSK OX HUNT

The window for fairweather Musk Ox hunting in Canada is short, and only two hunt rotations occur before freeze-up. These specific Musk Ox hunts in the Northwest Territories occur from mid-late Aug until early Sept, when the animals are in prime rut.

-No other game animals are available or legal to combine with on this Musk Ox hunt.
-Fishing (lodge-based): Included at no additional price once tagged out. Primarily trophy Lake Trout, Arctic Grayling, and occasionally Northern Pike can all be targeted from the lodge. Boat, motor, guide, and all fishing tackle provided.
-Fishing (fly-outs): Can, at times, be added once tagged out. Most desired are the Arctic Char options near the coast, as well as the specialty Lake Trout or Grayling fishing across the countless lakes.

Depart the lodge by float plane each morning and continue by boat or on foot. Use the coastal lake dunes to traverse the landscape in search of trophy Musk Ox, which often hug the shore. Plan for classic, long-range spot, and stalk hunting tactics. The peak rut has the bulls quite aggressive, emitting low guttural roars, and they can, at times, be caught cruising between herds and challenging rival males. Most scenarios have a herd of roughly a dozen or more animals. A regressing, non-breeding bull past his prime will score the highest and is the perfect no-net-loss animal to take from a conservation perspective. The guides take the judging process very seriously. At the end of each day, head back to the lodge for dinner, drinks, and story-telling. Two meat packers accompany each hunter, and once a Musk Ox is taken, the plane is brought as close as possible for the pack out. Once successful, enjoy some of the finest guided trophy Lake Trout and Arctic Grayling fishing on the planet at no additional cost!

Clients tend to bring their own firearms for most Musk Ox hunts in Canada, and this hunt is no exception. Lodge rifles can be made available at no extra cost, provided advanced warning is given. Shooting distance can range between 50 to 350 yards in most cases. Popular calibers include .300 and .338 Win Mag, and .375 H&H. Muzzleloader hunting is also possible.

Archery gear is also welcomed by anyone wishing to bring it. Compound, traditional, or crossbow archery is all legal and acceptable, and it certainly makes for a challenge.

While Musk Ox hunting in Canada’s southwestern Arctic, witness some of the most remote areas of the nation's mainland in this seemingly endless and mysteriously beautiful landscape. It’s vast, sprawling, and expansive and is best appreciated during the low-flying charter flights. Here, the boreal forest and tundra clash together to form the Taiga biome, best identified by sparse, stunted black spruce and tamarack trees. Low-lying areas are comprised of peat bogs and marshy, willow-choked river valleys, while the high ground exposes the rugged granite bedrock of the Canadian Shield. Pitcher plants, sphagnum, sedges, cotton grass and blueberry bushes make up the understory, which provides for hosts of other wildlife such as Barren ground Grizzlies and Caribou, huge Moose, Wolves, Wolverines, Foxes, Eagles, Loons and Ptarmigan.

This is a fair-weather Musk Ox hunt in Canada’s southwestern Arctic, with pleasant early fall hunting conditions. Don’t expect to see any snow or frigid temperatures. The weather is generally mild during these Musk Ox hunts in the Northwest Territories, with temperatures hovering above the freezing mark. Mornings can be frosty but warm up throughout the day. High wind can be prevalent up north, while some sunny, sheltered, and wet areas may still have the odd insects buzzing around. However, bug season is certainly over with winter approaching. Some light rain can blow through at times, but heavy rain is not typical.

The lodge servicing these Musk Ox hunts in Canada’s Arctic is a 5-star luxury, considering how far north and remote it is!! Enjoy private lakeside cabins with separate bedrooms and three-piece bathrooms heated by wood stoves or baseboard heaters. The main lodge is connected by a wrap-around wooden walking path and is complete with a large stone fireplace, recliners, couches, Wi-Fi, a full bar, and a billiards table adjoining a large dining room. The camp store is nearby and has all the local fishing gear, another bar, and a gift shop. It’s a great place to grab a drink, hang out, and chat with all the guides and hunters about the day.

The meals are fabulous during these Musk Ox hunts in Canada’s Arctic. A chef is hired each season to create incredible gourmet meals. Enjoy a full breakfast with all the popular menu items. Bagged and boxed lunches are usually taken in the field for the day, complete with hearty sandwiches, freshly baked goods, fruits and soft drinks. Once back in camp for the day, enjoy cocktail hour with delicious hors d’oeuvres as dinner receives its final touches. With a constantly changing menu of both imported and locally foraged goods, hunters are sure to leave each meal both impressed and satiated.

Destination City: Hunters are asked to arrive in Yellowknife, NWT, where the outfitter helps arrange corporate rates in an overnight hotel, giving clients the evening to enjoy Yellowknife. Bright and early the next day, hunters are greeted at the hotel lobby and ushered to the charter plane base and flown directly to the main lodge to commence Musk Ox hunting in Canada.

Travel Suggestions: Yellowknife is best reached from connections at select Canadian hub airports either in Ottawa (via Air North), Calgary or Edmonton (via West Jet and Air Canada servicing Yellowknife daily). There is also an all-season road, uniquely allowing some hunters to drive to Yellowknife and return home directly with their meat and trophies simply with a valid export permit.

A small percentage of clients Musk Ox hunting in the Northwest Territories drive to Yellowknife, and return home with their meat and trophies directly. For those leaving meat and trophies with the outfitter - capes are carefully skinned, trimmed, labeled, and frozen. Similar for skulls. At the end of the season, the outfitter delivers all trophies to a capable taxidermist in Western Canada who can do the complete work or prep, certify, crate, and deliver trophies to a local shipping agent or expeditor to be shipped. Turnaround time ranges from 6-9 months.

Meat is very neatly deboned, trimmed, wrapped, and frozen in camp and can be taken home as checked bags or left with the outfitter to be donated to locals and First Nation Communities.

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