DIY Musk Ox
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: grizzlyhunter
19-Aug-18
I was lucky enough to draw a non-resident musk ox tag for Nunivak Island Alaska. The season runs through the month of September and I was wondering if anyone had any experience hunting them on the island at this time of year. Really looking forward to this hunt and being able to hunt unguided. Any information would be great.
From: Halibutman
19-Aug-18
I'd contact a transporter with a boat FOR SURE. I used Abe David when I drew the tag in winter.
I'd absolutely add a reindeer if I went in September.
Good luck!
From: fastjamp
19-Aug-18
very informative article website you share with us
From: fastjamp
19-Aug-18
very informative article website you share with us
From: grizzlyhunter
20-Aug-18
Anyone ever hunt Musk Ox in Alaska during September?
From: Shug
21-Aug-18
Good luck
From: Medicinemann
21-Aug-18
I'd reach out to Nick Muche or Steve H. for input….
From: Medicinemann
21-Aug-18
I'd reach out to Nick Muche or Steve H. for input….
From: BullBuster
21-Aug-18
CRAZY
From: Steve H.
21-Aug-18
I know one guy that had a September tag some time ago. I hunted in September in GMU 22E. Its pretty straight forward, glass, spot 'em, stalk 'em. They can get in the folds and be out of sight surprisingly easy. I actually didn't even see one on my September trip so went back in February as mine was a long season.
From: Shug
21-Aug-18
BLG is another person to speak to... Brian lives in Wasilla and did this hunt a few years ago... in fact I believe he posted it on here
From: akbow
21-Aug-18
I'd be wary of trying the hunt without using one of the transporters. I live in AK and had planned on shipping my snowmachines down there until I heard some horror stories about locals messing with your stuff while out hunting. My understanding is the locals view those animals as their own and feel you have to support the local economy by hiring the transporter or guide. I'm not sure if they were all true, but I heard it enough times to take it to heart. Having been there, I would say it would be tough hunting without hiring someone with a boat or some way to get around. They likely won't be within walking distance of the village. Someone may have a story of being able to do it on your own, but I don't know anyone who went without at least a transporter.
From: grizzlyhunter
23-Aug-18
Thank for all the info. I did hire a transporter to take me out.
From: akbow
23-Aug-18
Ahh. Good move on the transporter. As far as advice, I've only done it once--but, they are pretty much out in the open. Not hard to find them. Even if you bump them, they don't seem to go far. They will also bunch up and the bull (usually the big bull) will pace about in front of the rest. Tough part is getting him to hold still in a spot that a pass-through doesn't injure one behind it before they take off. In my opinion, this hunt is more about the experience than the difficulty of hunting them. Enjoy the hunt!
From: grizzlyhunter
26-Aug-18
Well I am going to just do my best to get in bow range and hope I can put it together. Looking forward to the whole experience for sure.
From: Adventurewriter
27-Aug-18
WHHHHATTTT I didn't know you could do a DIY Musk Ox....that sounds wicked cool....
From: Shrewski
27-Aug-18
Adventurewriter, it is the 2nd hardest tag to draw in Alaska according to the biologist I talked to. Good luck Jim!
I wonder what the hardest to draw AK tag is? TOK sheep? Delta Bison?
From: Adventurewriter
28-Aug-18
ohhhh got all excited for a few...but wait it can be another way to be disappointed each year yiiiiipppYyyyy!!!!
From: TEmbry
28-Aug-18
“DIY” musk ox doesn’t really exist on Nunivak as most have eluded to. You will end up hiring a transporter to the tune of a couple grand in exchange for use of one of their sleds and leading you across the island to where the musk ox are typically found. Figure $5k bare minimum costs. Sure you don’t have a guide over your shoulder ranging the animal, but once you hunt them you’ll realize that’s pointless anyway. It’s a cool adventure but certainly not one to be able to pull off solo without a MUCH larger expense. It’s worth applying if you want a musk ox cause it will still be cheaper than Canada, but that can be debatable too. Two friends went to Canada this past winter and killed 4 P&Y animals for $6800 per person plus flights (think they ended around $4k per animal total.
From: Shrewski
28-Aug-18
So getting packed in for elk or dropped off by bush plane for moose would not fit your definition of DIY? Come on. If you are not accompanied by a guide how could it not be DIY???
From: TEmbry
28-Aug-18
Go on one of these hunts and you will see. I went less than 6 months ago.
You stay in their house, eat their food, follow behind them on a snowmachine as they lead you across the island, and once there they can’t legally “guide” you into the kill on literally the easiest animal on the continent to stalk and shoot.
Look it was super cool adventure, and as soon as I can pull the tag for myself I’ll go again. It’s just a little disingenuous to label it as DIY when the only thing you do yourself is close in those last 200 yards.
There’s another hunt up here that is certainly more along the lines of DIY, but it ain’t on Nunivak. I’d rather not draw even more attention to it than it already has as its also on my radar, again if I can acquire a tag.
From: Shrewski
28-Aug-18
Jim is going on the September 1-30 hunt. They drop you off via boat or 4 wheeler and come pick you up 5-7 days later. You couldn’t pay me to go on one of the winter hunts. Not the same.
From: Bou'bound
28-Aug-18
That is RIY hunt. Ride in yourself
From: TEmbry
28-Aug-18
It’s one of dozens of tags up here at or below 1% chance of drawing. Both the September and Winter hunts had 100% success last year. Good luck and shoot straight man. Out of curiosity which transporter did you hire and do they plan on using boat or ATV? Abe was telling us about the boat hunts and the reindeer harvest around that time of year. Would be neat to see if you could line it up to be in town when they round up the reindeer for slaughter. Should be some absolutely killer fishing that time of year on the far end of the island too. I’d plan a week but realistically won’t take that long weather dependent.
From: grizzlyhunter
09-Sep-18
Back from my Musk Ox hunt. My bow hunt turned into a muzzle loader hunt when I upon landing at the island that my bags and take down bow case had been gone through and the ziplock back containing my bow strings ang finder guards had been taken. I made the best of it and had a great hunt. As for what TEmbry is stating about not a DIY not true. On the fall hunt hunters are required to bring all their camping gear and food for their hunt. A transporter then takes the hunter to a spot chosen by the hunter either by boat or 4 wheeler. The hunter is then dropped of an not picked up until their hunt has ended. At that point they call the transporter via satellite phone, which the hunter must bring to be picked up and brought out of the field. Not much different than being dropped off by a Super Cub or float plane. The winter hunts are on snowmobile and you stay at the transporters house and eat their food and most are one day hunts. Not the case in the fall. It was a great adventure and I would recommend it to anyone. Especially in the fall when you are on your own.
From: Kelly0989
26-Sep-18
Oh, this is awful, guys. How can you do that? Hunting animals put the traps for them this is so not humanity. I wish the government to forbid hunting wild animals. https://uberant.com/article/437010-protection-of-endangered-animals/
From: Zbone
26-Sep-18
grizzlyhunter - So did you get your Musk Ox?
Never been north to hunt but always planed on it and although shooting stickbows which are easiest to transport, always planed on taking a backup bow and arrows packed in different luggage... Have lost luggage before (couple times actually) during air transport...
From: Treeline
26-Sep-18
Kelly0989 - So glad that we live in a country where you can voice your opinion.
How can we do that? We are an integral part of our world and choose to take a positive approach to keeping our ecosystems in balance. We take pride in the time and effort it takes to master skills that have been keeping humans fed and alive since day 1 - including your ancestors.
We do not hunt endangered animals. We do provide a very large portion of the funding, through our license fees, to protect and enhance the habitats of endangered species and help increase their numbers to sustainability.
In fact, many governments around the world do forbid the hunting of endangered animals. However, many wild animals require controls to prevent them from impacting other species by totally consuming their food sources. We hunters gladly take on this responsibility.
What have you done to be a part of and improve the world we live in?
From: thedude
27-Sep-18
Don’t feed the trolls. They go back under the bridge when they don’t get attention.
From: Kevin Dill
27-Sep-18
Well done Jim!
From: Feedjake
27-Sep-18
Pictures please?
From: Surfbow
27-Sep-18
Yeah, how about a write-up with some pics??
From: grizzlyhunter
27-Sep-18
Musk Ox herd.
Musk Ox herd.
Hello everyone. Yes I was able to shoot a Musk Ox. After finding my strings and shooting gloves missing I made the decision to hunt with my muzzle loader and to only shoot one if it was in bow range. I had taken the muzzle loader to use as a last resort and had planned on leaving it in town for the first 10 days. This was a once in a lifetime adventure an not many hunters get the chance to go on an unguided Musk Ox hunt so I am lucky I brought it given what had taken place. I was very lucky it all came together and I ended up shooting a great bull at about 25 yards. I brought home all the meat, 335 lbs. and I must say it is delicious and will feed my family for the next few months. I know this is a bow hunting site and I hope it’s ok that I post a couple pictures and no one is bothered by it not being shot with my bow.
From: Bou'bound
27-Sep-18
Nice bull. Well done
From: PushCoArcher
27-Sep-18
That's awesome they are such cool animals definitely a once in a lifetime hunt for sure.
From: Shrewski
27-Sep-18
That’s a great old bull. Those Musk Ox are by far the coolest animal I have ever seen in my binoculars!
From: Treeline
27-Sep-18
Congratulations! Spectacular bull and glad you got the opportunity to hunt such an incredible animal in an amazing part of the world.
From: smarba
28-Sep-18
Congrats! Bummer your gear was apparently stolen/sabotaged, but kudos to you for sticking to your guns (no pun intended) and stalking to archery range given the circumstances.
From: midwest
28-Sep-18
That's great! Thank goodness you brought the smoke pole....congrats!
From: Bowman
22-Oct-18
That's inhuman. I can't stand such way of having fun. Contact me via https://essayswriters.com/discussion-board-post.html, I will covince you to stop killing animals for fun.
From: woodguy65
22-Oct-18
Way to go Grizzly cool story and pics - that's an awesome animal, Ive heard the meat is outstanding.
