by Richard Mickleson
This is a story of a caribou hunt in Greenland, that Richerd Mickleson found and booked on BookYourHunt.com, told in his own words.
My friend and I planned to hunt Quebec-Labrador caribou a few years ago, but the collapse of the herd and the closure of the hunt put an end to that. I did a deep dive into available caribou hunts, and was put off by the costs or lack of availability for the type of hunt that the two of us wanted to do. Then I found this hunt on BookYourHunt.com website, and it was the slew of favorable reviews that prompted me to contact the outfitter. An immediate response with precise answers to all my questions helped to make our decision.
We flew to Greenland through Copenhagen – that is, from North America to Europe, and then back to North America. Counterintuitive, but the outfitter recommended this way because of better flight reliability for similar cost. This may change in the future with the new airport opening in Nuuk, Greenland.
We chose not to fly with our own weapons. The outfitter could offer us a 30-06 Tikka for 150 euros or Blaser for 240 euros. My partner and I went for the Tikka rental since we both would have brought our own Tikkas anyway.
Caribou was our main target species. We also had an option to hunt muskox as an add-on, after we’ve taken our primary animals. That would be priced over the cost of the hunt, plus an additional fee if there was no snow to facilitate meat hauling to camp. In fact, we saw musk ox on the first day and could have taken them if they were our target species.
The caribou were scarce, and we had to work hard to locate the herds. The caribou and musk ox here are hemmed in by the sea, fiord and the Greenland glacier, so they are not migratory. But they do constantly wander around through hundreds of square miles of habitat, so every day is different. It was warmer than average, and this might have affected the caribou’s movements as well.
The caribou were on top of the ridges, which required some long hikes to locate. On the plus side, this allowed for some long distance spotting and exciting stalks. It was cool enough at night, and so the ground was fairly solid to walk on. I shot my bull 5.2 miles from camp, and my partner’s was even farther. I guess that we each walked over 40 miles in the 4 days of hunting.
This hunt was very physically demanding and every step had to be plotted and carefully considered. You should be in a really good shape to enjoy it. But this is not a high mountain hunt, and there was plenty of oxygen, so it was easy in that aspect.
The camp itself was very basic, but it was advertised as such. I have been in much rougher camps of my own making. I think that some would be put off by the basic facilities provided, but if you go into this trip knowing and accepting that, then you also realize that is what makes this hunt affordable.
We ate caribou and musk ox every day, and I never got tired of it. If you are not a carnivore, then you should look elsewhere. Four languages were spoken at the dinner table, and the opportunity to share our experiences with the other hunters from different countries added greatly to the entire venture.
It was something to try and communicate with a 78-year-old Italian who spoke no other language. I can speak some minimal Japanese, recognize some Korean words, and can swear in Spanish and Finnish, but not in Italian. Luckily, all the other hunters spoke English. I was able to pull a few words from some old movies, and the German woman in camp could fill in some gaps. And I don’t know if all Italians can’t have a conversation without using their hands, but for our camp mate it certainly held true!
We also met another incoming hunter who had flown in a couple days early for the next hunt, and if you read his review, you’ll realize how much things can change. The temperatures were about 20 degrees colder, and he saw a lot more caribou and musk ox than we had. He even posted a photo of himself backed up by some magnificent northern lights, something that we didn’t get to see (click here to see it as read his review). Erik is a great guide, but he was unable to use his influence to jump start any solar flares or to dissipate the cloud cover which hung over the camp every day we were there.
The hunt was successful, and everyone in camp killed a caribou bull. The weather was good, no one got sick or injured, and we had the opportunity to have close encounters with a variety of Arctic species that only live in the far, far north: muskox, barren ground caribou, ptarmigan, Arctic hare. The only creature we didn’t see was the Arctic fox, and that would’ve probably been achieved if we left the camp before dawn.
Unfortunately, the US customs don’t allow the importation of meat and restricts the importation of trophies. You can ship the antlers and cape to Denmark, have them processed there, and then import them to the US, but it’s expensive and takes a lot of time. European hunters, by contrast, could take their antlers up to ten kilograms of meat with them.
We had a two-day layover in Kangerlussuaq, staying at the outfitter’s hostel, which was included in the price, along with a restaurant dinner. To pass the time, you can visit the local museum, do a glacier tour, and try the local food called smorgasbord at a fine restaurant. We did the smorgasbord, and it was truly fine.
If you want to do a hunt like that, make sure that you bring clothing that is suitable for a cold environment. Temps can vary, and it is a good idea to look at the long range forecast for the area before your departure.Typically, there is not much rain, but good rain gear that you are able to hike all day in and can serve as a windbreaker is necessary to have along.
I found that hiking poles were helpful to navigate over the varied terrain. A pre-freeze-up hunt may require that you have a plan on battling mosquitos and biting flies. Although if I were to hunt in Greenland again, I would do the winter hunt using snowmobiles. Last but not the least, you must have boots that you can walk all day in, and that are waterproof.
A hunting trip to Greenland would have to be a guided affair, so most of the base camp equipment will not be necessary to bring. When you book your hunt, the outfitter will provide you with a gear list, and you will have plenty of time to ask any questions that you may have.
I have hunted deer and small game in my home state of Minnesota for most of my life, and have participated in 25 western hunts over the last 15 years for elk, deer, and antelope, both guided and DIY. I have also guided wilderness canoe trips in the U.S. and Canada, paddling over 3,500 miles. This Greenland hunt was really different.
Caribou and musk ox were new species for me, the Greenland landscape and glacier was almost like visiting another planet, a part of the world that very few will ever get to see, and being in camp with others who spoke other languages and shared other cultures with me. I wanted to do something different, a bit exotic, and to challenge myself physically in a difficult environment, and this Greenland hunt was all that and more. Mission accomplished.
