Introduction
Sporting travel to Greenland has surged in popularity. Worldwide Trophy Adventures (WTA) is always on the lookout for the latest and greatest hunting and fishing trips to offer to our clients. Our team has forged strong relationships with key outfitters in Greenland over the past few years.
The first step in taking on any new destination is to get boots on the ground and perform an onsite inspection. We need to be able to represent the outfitter well and paint the best picture for our valued customers. Often, we’ll even have adventurous clients join us on these adventures. The WTA Hosted Trips program is a fantastic way to connect with our clients. If you’ve ever hesitated to travel, a group trip is the ideal solution, ensuring everything runs smoothly under the watchful eye of a WTA staff member. Spending a week outdoors pursuing hunting and fishing builds memories that last a lifetime. In 2022 I was able to do just that, traveling to Greenland for the trip of a lifetime.
Getting to Greenland
Contrary to what you might think, reaching Greenland (especially the southern region) is relatively easy, especially compared to flying to northern Alaska from the East Coast. This region, known for its remarkable reindeer hunting and world-class arctic char fishing, is reached through Iceland. IcelandAir offers a bunch of direct flights to Reykjavik from across the U.S. My trip began with a smooth seven-hour red-eye flight from Denver to Iceland where I met my clients, Matt and Kemal. We spent a day exploring the sights and sounds of Reykjavik and stayed overnight before our two-hour flight to Greenland the next day, followed by a three-hour boat ride to our camp. The weather was perfect, making the boat ride enjoyable.
Luxurious Camp and Thrilling Hunts
Our caribou camp in Greenland was the most comfortable one I’ve experienced. Forget tents. We stayed in modern guest cabins equipped with electric heating, cozy beds, and all the amenities. The camp even had bathrooms with hot water, flush toilets, and a sauna! The chef was amazing, cooking us caribou (they call them reindeer in this part of the world) backstraps and freshly caught cod and arctic char for dinner. Each day began with freshly brewed coffee and a hearty breakfast, along with a selection of breads and lunch meats for hunters to pack their lunches.
Greenland’s Natural Beauty and Wildlife
Greenland is an outdoorsman’s paradise. While it’s officially the world’s largest island that isn’t a continent, its population is only 56,000. This expansive island is beautiful and boasts diverse wildlife, birdlife, marine life, rocky coastlines, mountains, glaciers, rivers, and streams. Reindeer were introduced from Scandinavia in 1952 and have thrived ever since. Greenland offers a fantastic alternative to caribou hunting in Alaska and Canada, where seasons have been limited and numbers have dwindled. It’s also an incredible value—you can book a two-reindeer hunt for much less than a single caribou hunt in Alaska or Canada.
Hunting Adventures
Day 1: Matt’s Success
After zeroing in the Gunwerks 6.5 PRC, we set out for our first hunting day. Matt, Kemal, and I decided to hunt together, with four tags between us. Each morning, hunters and their local guides would set off in their boats, slowly cruising the inside protected waterways and glassing the surrounding islands and hillsides for reindeer. It’s wise to have two tags in your pocket as the abundance of animals here is remarkable. We’d see reindeer in pairs up to herds as large as 40 animals. After looking over several that morning, Matt spotted a promising bull among five bedded on a bluff. We had to approach from a small neighboring island, keeping the wind in our face. The plan worked to perfection, and we set up just across the bay from the group of reindeer. After an hour of waiting, they finally stood up. Matt made a great shot, and our first bull of the trip was down.
Day 2: Kemal’s Turn
Kemal had his chance to fill his tag on the second day. With favorable weather, we quickly found more reindeer. After covering a lot of ground, we finally encountered a small group with a big bull. The group was moving but we were able to get in a good position for a shot. Kemal made a perfect shot from a prone position across a large rock, dropping the impressive reindeer in its tracks. The bull had long points on top and double shovels. That night we celebrated with a delicious meal of reindeer backstraps back at camp.
Day 3: My Hunt
My turn came on the third day, starting with excellent conditions that soon turned foggy. Glassing from the boat became impossible, so our guide, Peter, led us on a hike into an area he thought could hold reindeer. Boy, was he right! The valley was teeming with reindeer but the dense fog made identifying mature bulls tough. We waited it out and the fog finally lifted by late morning. On our way back to camp, we spotted two bulls on a hillside. One was noticeably bigger than the other, with good mass and long tines. Keeping the wind in our faces, we boated around its position without being detected. After a careful stalk, I made a lethal shot on the larger bull, adding to our tally.
Day 4: Matt’s Second Reindeer
The weather was still in our favor and Matt had another reindeer tag to fill. Peter took us to one of his favorite spots, his honey hole known for holding larger bulls. It wasn’t long before we located three bulls in a secluded canyon. After a tough climb, Matt was in position to make a shot. Matt flipped off the safety on his Gunwerks Clymr and touched off a shot as the largest bull was quartering away. The 6.5 PRC did its job and the bull went down quickly. You couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque backdrop, in one of the most remote places on the planet, to fill the final tag. We took pictures and celebrated. We were only three days into the hunt and had much more to do!
Incredible Fishing Experience
Arctic char fishing in Greenland is incredible. These anadromous fish spend most of their lives in saltwater, returning to their natal rivers to spawn. For the next three days, we fished in a nearby lake filled with char in full spawning colors. Our group also enjoyed a morning of Atlantic cod fishing in the bay, feeding the camp for the next two days. We fished until our arms were truly sore!
Greenland’s outdoor activities extend beyond hunting—from world-class fishing and hiking to photography and witnessing glaciers, icebergs, and northern lights. The excellent accommodations and food make it a perfect destination for families and friends, even if they don’t hunt.
Join Us on Our Next Adventure
To learn more about this incredible Greenland hunting and fishing adventure, visit Worldwide Trophy Adventures. Check out the videos from my hosted trip, and don’t miss out on the few remaining spots available from September 14–21, 2024 at significant savings. Call our office at 1-800-346-8747 now to secure your spot!
