One evening out for a walk past the Eureka, NU runway I spotted a couple of Muskox. I didn't have the time to follow them that evening so snapped a couple of valley pictures with Black Top Ridge in the background.
The next afternoon, although with the 24 hour sunlight it could have been anytime, I headed back out on my own to the end of the runway again. I thought I had missed the Muskox until all of a sudden several of them were running in the creek just below me. I followed them over the ridge and was greeted with a full herd walking along.
I watched them for a bit and figured they were walking the creek so I went back up over the ridge and out of sight then quickly went to get in front of them. I found a great little hiding spot tucked along the bank of the creek. Settled in and watched as the herd walked towards me in the valley. I even got to see some power dynamics in the herd.
Everything was as I imagined, until ... instead of continuing to walk in the river valley some members of the herd started walking up the bank right towards me. I stayed still for a brief time but then decided I really didn't want a Muskox herd right over top of me. I shifted and slowly stood up. The Muskox, thankfully, ran up the bank to higher ground (away from me). The rest of the herd soon followed and presented me with their full standing defensive line.
I gave them a good wide berth on my walk back to the station :)
