Bowhunting Greenland?!

American Archer® co-host Joe Thomas was scheduled to travel to Greenland this year, but the trip fell victim to COVID-19. Since we won’t be able to share this year’s Greenland hunt with you on a future episode, Joe has a story about the first time he hunted there.

My Greenland Muskox Adventure

By Joe Thomas

“So where the heck exactly is Greenland?” That was the first words out of my mouth last March, after watching a show on Outdoor Channel about a group of hunters who had traveled to what is the world’s largest island situated far to the northeast of Canada, to take advantage of the recent legalization of archery hunting for Muskox and Caribou. I was so intrigued, that paused the DVR to make sure I took note of the Outfitter, Frank Feldmann and his Bowhunting Greenland web site. Thirty minutes later I was browsing the web site and emailing questions to Frank.

Now, I’ve always wanted to hunt Muskox with my bow, and it is one of the animals needed to complete my North American 29.  Even though I am getting very close to that goal, the thought of hunting them in temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees did not thrill me at all, which is why I had always kept it on the back burner. Until now that is. From the video I watched, to the photos on his web site, it looked like a true adventure. The deal closer was when Frank said we can hunt them in the Summer when average daytime temps in Southern Greenland average nearly 60 degrees. I was in!

Fast forward to the first week in August and I’m stepping off a plane in Narsarsuak Greenland where Frank loaded me and the rest of the hunters and all our gear into his custom 26 foot inflatable boat with an enclosed cab and 300hp diesel engine, for the 4 hour ride to base camp.  The scenery was absolutely spectacular! From its crystal blue ocean covered in giant icebergs, to the lush green mountain slopes, this place was breathtaking. Even better, the Muskox were everywhere!

Each hunting day, Frank, his native guide Knut and our hunting party worked as a team to spot the Muskox from the boat, judge the size, strategize the stalks and pack the giant animals off the slopes once they were down. It was teamwork at its best.

After getting to watch two great stalks in which giant Muskox hit the ground, the morning of day three, I was at bat. It was around 10 AM and we had looked over several very respectable bulls, when I spotted one high above the fjord, feeding in the shadow of a large cliff. Even at the distance of nearly half a mile, Frank judged him to be a definite shooter. Even better, he was in a perfect position to stalk in for a bow shot. Frank, Knut and I made a wide sweeping stalk to make sure the wind would be in our favor and used a large ravine to remain hidden while we gained the elevation necessary to get above him for the shot. If it worked out, it was gonna be a close shot. Most likely it would be inside 20 yards.

The stalk took over an hour but everything went according to plan. When I finally peeked over the cliff, there he was, standing broadside and relaxed. The rangefinder said 15 yards!  I have to admit that being that close such an amazing animal took me off my game for a minute. I was just kinda frozen there, taking it all in, when Frank whispered to make sure to stay back off the shoulder with my shot. His advice quickly snapped me back to reality and I knew it was time to do what I had traveled so far for. I drew and anchored the Mathews Creed, settled the pin, and planted the arrow right where it needed to be. A full pass through!

Upon impact the big bull ran about 20 yards and stopped. I waited for him to buckle, but he showed no sign of falling. He then simply turned and trotted across the valley and climbed to a flat bench, where he stood motionless looking like nothing ever happened. At this point I’m thinking, “No way this is happening…” I had center punched him and he took it like the Terminator! Finally, through my binos I could start to see some significant blood beginning to appear on his white front legs, at which point he bedded down.

We watched the old bull lay nearly motionless for about 45 minutes before deciding to slip in to make a finishing shot if necessary. As we approached from below him he was completely obscured by the lip of the bench he was bedded on. Frank and I knew it was going to be scary close before we would actually be able to see him. Once we knew we were within 30 yards, Frank dropped two 12-gauge slugs into his double barrel and gently closed the action. It was starting to get very real to me at this point. All wounded animals can be dangerous and something as large as a Muskox could definitely do serious damage with those sharp horn tips, so my I had total respect for the situation we were in. Just then, as we began to crest the ridge the bull jumped from his bed and charged to within 10 yards, snorting, shaking his horns and pawing the ground. In that same instant, I heard the safety click on the double gun, and could see the barrel tip off to my left in my peripheral vision. We held our ground!

Now, I have taken dangerous game from the ground with my bow at close range before, including a Cape Buffalo, but I had never had an animal get the drop on me. This one had! As a hunter, you always wonder how you will handle something like this, and a lot of thoughts were definitely running through my mind. The thought that spoke loudest to me, was “CALM” remain calm, and that’s exactly what I did! Since he was face on with his head low I had no shot. So we waited.  It seemed like forever as we watched him continue his display his dominance. Finally, without warning he turned and made a break for it. At that same moment, I drew my bow and followed him. He was fully broadside at 30 yards when he paused to navigate a large boulder and I hit the trigger on the release. The arrow flew like it had eyes and it planted to the fletch perfectly behind the shoulder. The old warrior continued on for about 60 yards before tipping over in a patch of thick green brush.

We had done it! Frank and I were both shaking as we exchanged hugs and sat down to reflect on what had just happened and the amazing animal we had just taken in such a pristine place.

In skinning the Muskox we found that the first shot, taken at that downward angle had glanced off his massive ribcage and slid around the body cavity without ever entering it. The thick hair had given the appearance of a mortal shot, when in fact it was really only a flesh wound. We were very, very fortunate to stalk in and get that anchoring shot without having to use the gun, or even worse him getting us.

Of the four hunters in our group, all killed Muskox that far exceeded the minimum for Pope & Young and most likely all will make the B&C record book as well!

Many thanks to Frank Feldmann, Knut  and everyone at Bowhunting Greenland for making this adventure possible and to God for giving me the physical ability and resources  to chase my hunting dreams!

Joe Thomas with his musk ox in Greenland

Where Can I Even Hunt Anymore?

Where Can I Even Hunt Anymore?

By Tom Nelson

This is a common question I hear among my bowhunting buddies, and it’s a very real concern for all of us these days. In a recent survey conducted by the National Deer Alliance, hunters were asked what they perceived as the biggest obstacles facing them today. Not surprising, having access to property they can hunt was one of the main issues. Urban sprawl with its subdivisions and shopping malls are sprouting up in areas that once grew soybeans and corn. Small farmers are selling out as the price of property skyrockets. Moving out into the country seems to be the rage these days as more and more people want a piece of the country life.

One of my favorite bowhunting spots as a young novice bowhunter back in the mid 1970’s is unrecognizable today. Once rural farmland and woods, now there are large homes with extensive yards that stretch as far as the eye can see. The woodlot I arrowed my first buck in is now full of homes, black top roads and streetlights. The field I used to hunt pheasants with my dog is now a grocery store. Times have changed for sure and as a bowhunter I have had to make some changes also.

Forty years ago I had access to hundreds of acres of good hunting ground. Seldom was I turned down when I knocked on a door and requested permission to bowhunt. Perhaps it was the fact I was bowhunting and most landowners likely thought I was crazy and would be of no real threat to the local deer population with my 45-pound recurve and feather fletched cedar arrows. More than once I had a landowner or farmer help me gain access to another acreage without me even asking. They just did it. Looking back, I realize now just how blessed to have that kind of access. It was more land than I could personally hunt in a season. My life as a bowhunter couldn’t have been better.

Things began to change In 1980. First, one of my favorite small farms sold out to a big corporate farm that allowed no hunting, period. Only a few short years later, another great piece of my hunting access was sold to a developer. That property soon became a subdivision as did most of the adjoining farmland. I was slowly but surely being squeezed out of my hunting areas. Life as a bowhunter was changing forever, and not in a good way.

These days I have access to a few small local parcels, one as little as 7 acres, but I am still bowhunting and tagging whitetails every fall. I just adapted to the times, learned to hunt smaller parcels and hunt smarter. The same can be said regarding our local whitetail population. They too had to adapt and change as their habitat was altered and adapt, they did. With little effort whitetails quickly learned to live right alongside humans in what had become by far, a more confined area.

Gaining access to these small parcels of land that are often surrounded by homes and businesses takes a bit of time and some different techniques when asking permission to hunt. I have found that many of these small landowners are on the fence as far as hunting is concerned. They do not hunt and they do not know much, if anything, about hunting. In my opinion, it is far easier to get permission to bowhunt than to gun hunt. To the landowner it is perceived as far less intrusive having someone bowhunt on their property than gun hunting. I always try and keep a low profile and be sure to not be any sort of burden to the landowner.

When seeking permission to hunt, I generally have my wife come along. I do not wear any camo clothing or attire that marks me as a hunter. I wear normal street clothes and present myself as a normal, respectful guy. Having my wife along has always helped as I explain that the two of us bowhunt together. Honestly, I believe that its harder to turn down our request to hunt when you have your wife with you. The same can be said for children. Bring along your kids when asking for permission. Let the landowner see that you’re a good family man.

Gaining access is one thing and maintaining it is quite another. Keep in mind that the land you may have permission to hunt right now is being sought after by others. One landowner who granted my wife and I permission to bowhunt has told me that he is approached at least 2-3 times a year for permission to hunt his small woodlot. I make sure that every Christmas I take him and his wife a gift of some sort to thank them and to let them know how appreciative we are to hunt their property. Be sure and take the time to do this every year. Never take it for granted that you will have access next year.

I have found that it is best to not wait until the week before deer season to seek permission, so start knocking on doors in the spring or early summer. If you don’t have much luck, do get discouraged and keep searching for other potential spots. Personal, face-to-face meetings are best as it is far harder to turn someone down in person than over the phone. Even the smallest parcels of land can be gold mines for bowhunting if it is the right piece of land.  Many parcels are overlooked as they appear small and yet they can be productive when it comes to hunting. Because these small parcels are often overlooked, they can be perfect for gaining access to.

Most important is that you are always respectful of the landowner and that you care for the land he allows you to hunt. Never cut trees or limbs without first seeking permission. If you are fortunate to tag a whitetail, extract it without the landowner having to witness the gory details.

Even though it’s mid-September, you might still find a decent spot to hunt if you stick with the game plan and keep a friendly and positive attitude. Take some time from your schedule and seek out some new hunting spots. One just never knows how long permission to hunt will last. Having multiple sites to hunt, albeit small ones, guarantees hunting access in the future.

Good luck this season and let’s be safe out there.

-Tom

Tom Nelson sets up a stand on a new hunting spot.

Load 'em up easy.

February 26, 2020

Author-American Archer Editorial Staff

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