by Peyton Merideth, CEO, Shoshone Adventure Consulting
For many hunters, Alaska represents the final frontier, and bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island stands among the rarest and most remote experiences imaginable. Defined by patience, isolation, and Ice Age wildlife, this Arctic adventure delivers a hunt unlike any other in North America.
Drawing a tag for bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island is exceptionally rare. Alaska operates on a pure lottery system with no preference points, meaning every applicant has equal odds each year.
Alaska’s Final Frontier for Bowhunting Musk Ox
This journey began with nearly ten years of applications. Alaska provides no advantage for repeat applicants, making the draw for bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island a true test of patience.
When the notification finally arrived, it confirmed a tag for Nunivak Island—home to the Cup’ik Eskimo people and one of the most unique subsistence-based hunts in Alaska.
Bowhunting Musk Ox on Nunivak Island: Extreme Arctic Remoteness
Nunivak Island lies in the Bering Sea off western Alaska. Windswept, treeless, and isolated, it remains remote even by Alaskan standards, reinforcing the challenge of bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island.
Spanning roughly 1,600 square miles, the island consists of tundra, volcanic hills, frozen ponds, and coastal flats. Mekoryuk is the island’s only permanent village and the gateway for visiting hunters.
The History of Musk Ox on Nunivak Island
Musk ox were transplanted to Nunivak Island in 1935 from Greenland after disappearing from much of Alaska. With limited predation and vast tundra, the population flourished.
Today, the herd supports carefully managed subsistence hunts and a limited number of draw tags, making bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island both sustainable and highly exclusive.
A Shared Bowhunting Musk Ox Experience
I shared this hunt with my close friend Dustin. Though we have hunted together worldwide, this Arctic bowhunt felt different—like the culmination of years of shared effort and passion.
Traveling to Nunivak Island
Travel began in Bethel, Alaska, the regional hub for western Alaska. Weather delays reinforced a familiar truth: Alaska operates on its own schedule.
When conditions cleared, a small aircraft carried us across the Bering Sea to Nunivak Island, officially beginning our bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island adventure.
First-Day Success on Nunivak Island
Within hours of arrival, we located a herd just outside Mekoryuk. Dustin made a perfect shot on a mature bull, marking a remarkable first day of bowhunting musk ox in Alaska.
My Turn: Bowhunting Musk Ox on the Tundra
The following morning, we stalked another herd on foot across rolling tundra. Using terrain for cover, I released an arrow into a massive bull, completing my own bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island experience.
Life, Culture, and Respect in Mekoryuk
Time spent in Mekoryuk offered insight into Cup’ik culture, where hunting is not recreation but survival and tradition. Being welcomed into that world was a humbling privilege.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Arctic Bowhunt
Bowhunting musk ox on Nunivak Island is rare, demanding, and transformative. From the long lottery wait to the unforgiving beauty of the Bering Sea, this Arctic hunt stands alone as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
