My 1905–06 expedition secured its supply of musk-ox meat chiefly from the drainage basin of Lake Hazen. The northern side of the lake had not been drawn upon for years, and hunting parties in this region, covering the southern slopes of the United States Range, met with great success. Eskimo hunting parties also covered the country from Lake Hazen and Wrangel Bay northward to Clements Markham Inlet with almost as satisfactory results. A few animals were killed on the way north on Bache Peninsula, and if it had not been for the discovery of a few of these animals on my return from 87° 6´ my party would never have reached the ship. Luckily seven musk-oxen were found in Nares Land, and later on my western trip we secured seven more near Cape Columbia.
A MAGNIFICENT BULL MUSK-OX
REINDEER OF 83° N. LAT.
Buck, doe, and young of new species of white reindeer named by Dr. J. A. Allen “Rangifer Pearyii”
The presence of musk-oxen can be detected very quickly by the patches of luxuriant grass which mark all their rendezvous, although along the inhabited parts of the Greenland coast an unusual growth of grass may be a sign of a former igloo. A careful examination of these places will soon show whether musk-oxen have been about, bits of wool and hair shed from their shaggy coats being scattered here and there on the ground, while their tracks show how recent has been their visit. Fresh tracks of musk-oxen being discovered, it does not often mean a great distance to travel before the animals themselves are sighted; and musk-oxen once seen may be considered dead musk-oxen by an experienced hunter with a good dog or two. On approaching to within a mile or so of them, the dogs are let loose, and the hunter can follow at a comfortable pace, knowing that on his arrival the herd will be rounded up. A musk-ox, if alone, will retreat to the nearest cliff and back up against it at the appearance of dogs. A herd, however, will round up anywhere, with their tails together, facing the intruders, while their leader takes his stand on the outskirts of the group and charges the dogs as they come up. As soon as the leader is shot, another steps out from the herd to take his place, and so on. When things begin to look too bad for them, they will sometimes make a wild break to escape, or the whole herd may charge the enemy.
With the musk-ox, as with the walrus, knowing how makes all the difference in the world in the amount of ammunition expended and the amount of meat secured. With the exception of a few months in summer a strong rifle is required, as the pelt of the musk-ox is very thick and heavy. With a suitable rifle and some experience one shot to an animal should be sufficient.
In my 1900 sledge trip round the northern terminus of Greenland I obtained ten musk-oxen and a polar bear with twelve cartridges. Two of these were expended on the bear. In a very successful late September afternoon hunt on the north side of Lake Hazen I secured twenty-five musk-oxen with twenty-six cartridges, two being expended on the bull leader, which my first hurried shot had stopped, but not killed, in a charge on my dogs. At another time, the others of my party being away, I took a solitary scout from camp with only an army Colt 45. With the six shots in this I got five bull musk-oxen.
On the other hand, in the narrative of the Polaris expedition, it is stated that some of the crew expended three hundred shots on one animal, and then, while they went after more ammunition, it left.