Fort Smith (Nov 08/04) - Alex Hall would like to have his missing muskox skull back. The massive skull was stolen this past summer.

"It may easily be the largest in the world," Hall says.

And the Fort Smith man knows a thing or two about muskox skulls. As an outfitter and noted author on the barrenlands, he has come across many of them.

Fort Smith's Alex Hall is missing a muskox skull, similar to this one only much bigger. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

He found this particular skull on the Thelon River in 1982 and carried it back a hundred miles in his canoe.

Although he never had it measured and weighed, he estimates it was probably 35-40 pounds -- 50 per cent bigger than a still-impressive 25-pound muskox skull he still has in his possession. It also spanned about 40 inches between the tips of its horns.

For comparison, he says it would be about three times heavier than a big buffalo skull.

"It was absolutely massive."

Hall kept the skull in his home for a couple of years after finding it. Later he stored it in a garage, part of a property he rents.

The skull was stolen in July. Nothing else was taken from the unlocked garage.

"Whoever took it, they may have it sitting in a house somewhere," he said, noting the person might not even realize how impressive it is.

"It could be that it went out of town, too," he speculated. "It's hard to say."

Recently, Hall advertised a $250 reward for information on the missing skull.

"I'm still hoping to get it back but I don't think I will," Hall says, even though he believes somebody must know where the skull is now.

"It's not something you can hide very easily."

If someone wants to return it, he says it could just be left on his doorstep in the night.

If he does get the skull back, Hall promises to store it in a more secure place.

"I would keep it indoors, that's for sure."