Opportunities for Musk Ox in unit 22

[martentrapper]

We are approaching the beginning of the winter Musk Ox hunt in unit 22. I want to remind my fellow alaskans that ALL residents are eligible for a registration permit for unit 22 Ox. You must travel to Nome to get a permit. However, this year, permits are available throughout the season. Last year, the Dept. stop issuing permits on Dec. 31. So if you want to come to Nome in Feb. to hunt, permits will be available.
Also, this year, what were 3 seperate hunt areas, 22D Southwest, 22C, and 22D Kuzitrin drainage, have been combined into one registration permit. So the RX 099 permit is now useable in those 3 sub units. This is good as the 22D areas will likely NOT close until the season ending date of Mar 15. 22C will likely only be open for a couple weeks, beginning Jan 1, as local hunters will take the quota in that time.
22B is also open, but you must travel to a 22B village to get the permit.
There are hotels and B&Bs here in Nome, and other services are available for hunters. ADF&G office here in Nome should be able to steer you to whatever services are available.
Subunit 22E is the RX104 registration permit. This is the northern half of the Sew. Pen. There is a guide operating out of Shishmaref, and I believe he also outfits. There is also a snogo rental biz there and lodging is available in Shish.
So to sum it up, a unit 22 Ox hunt is certainly doable for any alaska resident. Like many other hunts, it is just a mattter of economics.
If you can't get enough info from F&G here in Nome, PM me.

[wantj43]

Originally Posted by martentrapper

We are approaching the beginning of the winter Musk Ox hunt in unit 22. I want to remind my fellow alaskans that ALL residents are eligible for a registration permit for unit 22 Ox. You must travel to Nome to get a permit. However, this year, permits are available throughout the season. Last year, the Dept. stop issuing permits on Dec. 31. So if you want to come to Nome in Feb. to hunt, permits will be available.
Also, this year, what were 3 seperate hunt areas, 22D Southwest, 22C, and 22D Kuzitrin drainage, have been combined into one registration permit. So the RX 099 permit is now useable in those 3 sub units. This is good as the 22D areas will likely NOT close until the season ending date of Mar 15. 22C will likely only be open for a couple weeks, beginning Jan 1, as local hunters will take the quota in that time.
22B is also open, but you must travel to a 22B village to get the permit.
There are hotels and B&Bs here in Nome, and other services are available for hunters. ADF&G office here in Nome should be able to steer you to whatever services are available.
Subunit 22E is the RX104 registration permit. This is the northern half of the Sew. Pen. There is a guide operating out of Shishmaref, and I believe he also outfits. There is also a snogo rental biz there and lodging is available in Shish.
So to sum it up, a unit 22 Ox hunt is certainly doable for any alaska resident. Like many other hunts, it is just a mattter of economics.
If you can't get enough info from F&G here in Nome, PM me.

Thanks for the info! Will probably wait until March or April when they are REALLY fat! Well at least that is what I heard.
Right on about the "...matter of economics...".
Joe (Ak)

[Brian M]

One of these days I hope to get up there to do this hunt. It won't happen this year or next, but maybe a couple of years from now. Thanks for sharing.

[AkHunter45]

If I fly up there and get a permit will you take me out to get an ox MT??

[Alaskan22]

I'd also like to remind everyone of the MANDATORY trophy destruction in many (actually I believe all) of these areas mentioned. That is the horn is cut off at or ABOVE the eye level, only leaving the boss for the hunter. This is a "subsistence" hunt, therefore no trophy for the hunter (except picture, meat and a BEAUTIFUL hide). Which is all, we as ethical hunters really need.

[Bighorse]

If the economic situation favored me more I'd be gung-ho. Rep points added for helping out and keeping good info flowing.

Good luck to anyone choosing to do this hunt.

[Brian M]

Originally Posted by Alaskan22

I'd also like to remind everyone of the MANDATORY trophy destruction in many (actually I believe all) of these areas mentioned. That is the horn is cut off at or ABOVE the eye level, only leaving the boss for the hunter. This is a "subsistence" hunt, therefore no trophy for the hunter (except picture, meat and a BEAUTIFUL hide). Which is all, we as ethical hunters really need.

True, but a good taxidermist can recreate the missing part of the horn quite easily. I had a friend show me the work he did on a few musk-ox last year, and you can't tell the difference even with a close-up view.

[yukonmcdade]

Originally Posted by Alaskan22

I'd also like to remind everyone of the MANDATORY trophy destruction in many (actually I believe all) of these areas mentioned. That is the horn is cut off at or ABOVE the eye level, only leaving the boss for the hunter. This is a "subsistence" hunt, therefore no trophy for the hunter (except picture, meat and a BEAUTIFUL hide). Which is all, we as ethical hunters really need.

That hide sure tastes good

[broncoformudv]

Originally Posted by Brian M

True, but a good taxidermist can recreate the missing part of the horn quite easily. I had a friend show me the work he did on a few musk-ox last year, and you can't tell the difference even with a close-up view.

Brian can you post some pics of those recreated horns?

[Alaskan22]

Brian- I've seen lots of horn recreations on the past required horn snippage. And NONE have come out good. They will all "work" but none qualify as good. And all have come from some pretty reputable taxidermists (this excludes my POS mount). They just can't be done well it seems.

The new trophy destruction isn't the tips like before. Page 33 of the regs show the pics of how it will look like after the NEW destruction takes place. If you can find a taxidermist that can fix that..... Yeah, not happening.

Yukonmcdade - you can't eat the picture either. that's why I included "meat" in the list of things you can keep.

[Bullwinkle50]

Like Alaskan22 said, in the years past they cut off 4" of the horn. I think they had too many people getting around the trophy destruction by having the 4" added back on. That will be alot harder and more expensive now that they are cutting off the horn above the eye. My wife did this hunt last year while I was doing my trophy hunt and I didn't think cutting off 4" was much destruction.

Randy

[Brian M]

Originally Posted by broncoformudv

Brian can you post some pics of those recreated horns?

I don't have any, but I'll call and see if he has any in his shop. As soon as I get a chance, I'll take some and post 'em.

[martentrapper]

Alaskan22, my neighbor sorta, is correct. There is a new level of trophy destruction. It will be more expensive and difficult to recreate the horns now. If having the exact same set of horns from your kill is important to you, the best action is to apply for a drawing permit, either here or in unit 18. There are drawing permits available for unit 22, but this years permits have already been drawn.
If you will be satisfied with a challenging hunt, good meat, and memorable pictures (YOU have to take the pics) then the registration hunt is your ticket. I think a resident can do the unit 22 registration hunt somewhat cheaper than the unit 18 drawing hunt. While winter weather is certainly an issue in both places, services available here in Nome and Shish make the overall cost of the unit 22 reg. hunt less than hunting Nunivak.
If your a DOY hunter and want an Ox, and your an Alaskan resident, the unit 22 reg permit is for you. Additionally, I hear that reproduction Ox horns are fairly economical. With half of your horns still on the skull, a repro set of horns would be pretty similiar. Consult your taxidermist.
John, (AK45) PM me and we'll discuss your request.

[Vince]

Originally Posted by martentrapper

Alaskan22, my neighbor sorta, is correct. There is a new level of trophy destruction. It will be more expensive and difficult to recreate the horns now. If having the exact same set of horns from your kill is important to you, the best action is to apply for a drawing permit, either here or in unit 18. There are drawing permits available for unit 22, but this years permits have already been drawn.
If you will be satisfied with a challenging hunt, good meat, and memorable pictures (YOU have to take the pics) then the registration hunt is your ticket. I think a resident can do the unit 22 registration hunt somewhat cheaper than the unit 18 drawing hunt. While winter weather is certainly an issue in both places, services available here in Nome and Shish make the overall cost of the unit 22 reg. hunt less than hunting Nunivak.
If your a DOY hunter and want an Ox, and your an Alaskan resident, the unit 22 reg permit is for you. Additionally, I hear that reproduction Ox horns are fairly economical. With half of your horns still on the skull, a repro set of horns would be pretty similiar. Consult your taxidermist.
John, (AK45) PM me and we'll discuss your request.

MT are you not supposed to leave the destoyed horns in UNit 22?

[Alaskan22]

Here are pics of my tips I had done. These are NOT well done, but are some of the best I've seen. Here in my office my buddy has his shoulder mount (knights did it, mount is good) and the tips are blah. Yeah it can be done, but definately noticeable!!





Bullwinkle- All harvested ox did NOT have to have their horns brought in for MANDATORY destruction in the past. All you had to do was call in and report your harvest. AND IF (and that is a big IF) you were to take your head out of the unit you needed to get the tips snipped. However, you did not HAVE to bring the head in so many "left the head in the field". So, this way they had no trophy to get snipped. One of the tidbits up here, is that you don't have to get "found" heads/horns cut if they are to leave the unit. I'd assume (notice this is my assumption) that they (ADF&G) meant if the animal died of natural cause you didn't have to get the horns snipped. However, it doesn't state that. My assumption is that people "found" heads and then did NOT have to get the horns snipped. Thus allowing for basically a trophy hunt.

Also, the old way made it possible for someone to "oops" in the field and harvest a cow (when they weren't suppossed to) and as long as you got it back to be cleaned no one would know as the head didn't have to be taken to ADF&G.

Now with the mandatory turn in, it reduces many of these incidents (or should).

[Alaskan22]

Vince- you can take the boss (what is left) with you, but the tips are retained by ADF&G.

[Matt]

I applied for the drawing permit due to the fact the registration hunt and the horn destruction is a joke.

Marten, are you a licensed transporter? PM some info.

[Alaskan22]

Originally Posted by Matt

I applied for the drawing permit due to the fact the registration hunt and the horn destruction is a joke.

Yup, and that is what us locals are counting on. Was a coooooooold day last Jan.1. I much prefer taking my time on a nice sunny day in March.

[Milo]

Just got done hanging my mounts tonight from the hunt my son and I did out of Shish last year. The registration hunts up there never hit the quota so you can do it every year if you want. The flavor of the meat is excellent but our bulls were rather tough. I've got a few friends that are applying for the drawing permit and when they get it, I will definitely tag along and get a registration permit. This time I'll shoot a nice young eater.

You can also recoup some of the cost of your hunt by selling your the hide, although they make a hell of a conversation piece hanging on your stairwell.

[martentrapper]

I often hear folks recommend the younger bulls for their meat. Unfortunately, as the current chair of our local Advisory Committee will admit (that is not me) identifying a young bull in a mixed gender herd can be risky. If your hunting in an area with an allowable cow harvest, fine, your likely safe. If your hunting in a bulls only area, recognizing the difference between a cow and a young bull can be difficult.
After digesting the meat, since 2006, of 3 large mature bulls, here's my recommendation for meat care. Cut and keep the ribs, the back straps, the tenderloins, and any other prime cuts you usually like on a game animal. Debone the leg meat and send it to a sausage company. I've enjoyed Ox sausage from Delta meats and Indian Valley. I know the sausage can be spendy, but the different kinds of meat you end up with is outstanding fodder.
I live and hunt in an area with decent opportunities for moose, bou and Ox. Salmon is also quite available. Ox has become my families preferred meat.