Beluga hunting

Most important is to get the shot set up so the bullet doesn't have to go through water. You don't want a bullet that is likely to fragment getting through the skin and fat. In the Western Arctic, the routine is to harpoon the whale to get a line and float on it, then shoot it. In the East, it is more common to shoot the whale, and then try to get a harpoon in before the whale sinks. Struck and lost rate in the East can exceed 50%. Research being done in Baffin Region suggests .338 with Barnes solids is superior. Pointed fmj bullets tend not to penetrate in a staight line, blunt nosed ones are much better. As far as beluga harvest goes, so many have been taken on the east coast of Hudson's Bay that the folks there were asking to come over to the west coast, where whales are more plentiful. I've never had fresh whale meat, although I've had smoked whale and whale sausage from Greenland, and it is good. Mattaq - the skin and fat layer is a delicacy; some folks prefer narwhal to beluga or vice versa. Often served with soya sauce. Chewy, crunchy, bit of a fish taste, hint of a coconut flavour - at least I think so. In some places it is only the mattaq that is eaten, the carcass is abandoned, unless there is a need for dogfood.
 
^^^
Good point about the water factor. If you saw that mythbusters, even a .50BMG is useless if it has to pass through as little as 18" of water.

Also, be sure to take a camera along and post pics when you get back.
 
Well the whales here are usually shot at when they surface so shooting through the water won't be that big of an issue. I know some guys will fix their sights on the head of the whale while it is swimming under the water and then as soon as the head comes up above the water they will shoot.
As for the pics, I promise as a fellow gunnut that I will try my absolute best ;)
 
A friend killed a whale with a .17 Rem. Whale had been herded into shallow water, it dove under the canoe. Rifle was thrust down into the water as the whale passed under. Almost a contact shot. Barrel had three distinct rings in the bore afterwards, but the whale was killed.
 
I'm not recommending the technique, just passing on the story. Belugas have been shot at with everything from .22Mag. through .375. You need something that can penetrate, and not just blow out chunks of mattaq with a grazing shot.
 
I know that large animals can be killed with smaller cals. I remember making a post last fall I think about a friend of mine who killed a full grown male moose with a 22mag. Just because it can be done doesn't mean that it should be done. I'm just trying to decide, given my choices, which is the better cal for this job.
 
.243 would work, varmint type bullets would not be a good choice. If you use the .243, can you get 100 gr. bullets? Obviously, the .458 would work. Caliber preferences can depend on community opinion. In one Baffin community .338 is preferred. In another, .375, .416 and .458 are used.
 
Sadly the only 243 ammo that I have available to me is Winchester. It's old too (the red and white box). No idea on the gr though. I would have to check on that one.
 
I would suspect a 458 with 250 GR solids. My freind hunts walrus and they use solids as you should take a brain shot
 
Jeremy... This thread is gonna rock when you post pics!!! 3000 lb animal... I might lean towards the 458... As long as you can handle the recoil and put the shot on target. After all, "how" many shots will you have to take, it's not like your gonna need boxes and boxes of ammo, I doubt they take that many whales... Also, you'll be standing for the shot, so the recoil should be manageable...

Cheers and Have Fun!!!
Jay
 
Shooting a beluga is like shooting a tire - I'd go with the .458 solids. Another bullet to try is the Game Ranger 600 gr - this is an inexpensive bullet that has a FMJ flat nosed profile, but the jacket over the nose is thin, and should still allow some upset. The way the Inuit hunt is by firing lots of rounds, your .458 should prove superior to their light rifles. The 12 ga slug I think is totally inappropriate as is has poor penetration properties. Shooting off hand from a pitching boat at an animal that is only in view for a few seconds would be quite a challenge. My wife lived here when the whale factory was still in operation, she said beluga meat is very good, but muktuk is just terrible.
 
Jeremy, you say they shoot and then try to harpoon the qinalugaaq(beluga) in Nunavik? Here on the West coast of Hudson's Bay we tend to harpoon the animal 1st ... then shoot it just below the blow-hole if you get close enough ... every calibre from old 303 British to .243 and up ... most here own Ruger Stainless barrels if they're not using their old 303 British ... ;)

Otokiak ... :cool:
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA

p.s. I'm hoping to harpoon ... then shoot my 1st qinalugaaq this summer ... should be a blast ... I'll be going with my FR-8 spanish ... ;)
 
Well Jay, I do agree that the 458 might be a better choice but I'm also a bit hesitant about shooting it from a moving and rocking boat. With the recoil I might fall over and bash my head on the side :redface:
As for the harpooning, I actually don't know if the shoot or harpoon first here. I've only been told about the shooting with 303s. As soon as word got around that I had the 458 I was offered the chance to go out on the hunt.
 
+1 on what tiriaq said... YOU got invited for a "reason"... 458 all the way!!! Just be super careful!

Cheers
Jay
 
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