«Per Aspera, ad Astra» says the Latin proverb. What means: “Hitch your wagon to the star”. The sacred “star” in our case was the Ibex trophy but we had to work hard while hitching our wagon to that dream.
I am often asked about which of the hunts can be considered the most difficult? And every time I can't answer this question with full confidence. I’m sure that all hunts, where you have to work hard, are the most difficult. It depends on what feelings the hunter wants to experience on such hunts. And what are his personal ideas about difficult hunting.
Most of mountain hunts can be difficult. Difficulties in the mountains are primarily associated with the rarefaction of the air. This leads to problems with walking by the mountain’s gorges and rocks. Our inseparable assistants- horses help to solve partly this problem. Telling the truths, if there was not the possibility to use horses in the mountain’s hunts, lots of the hunters couldn't take part in them.
But now I'm going to tell you about one of the MOST difficult hunts that my client and I've went through. It will be about ibex hunting in the Sayan Mountains. You will understand why I consider this hunt to be one of the most difficult.
I met at the airport my old fellow and client Witold. He arrived to Sheremetyevo from Poland. We spent few hours at the airport, had lunch and flew to Abakan. I often feel tired after the night flight. It was 7 am when we landed in Abakan and immediately drove to the hunting area. We both tried to sleep while driving to Shushenskoe. My old partner Valery drove calmly by the known way. We passed the majestic Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP and drove down to the pier. The boat had already waited for us. It didn’t take much time to reload the luggage and soon we sailed in the water area of the reservoir.
It was October. The time when nature painted by the variety of fall colors. The bright yellow-orange tones of the local fir trees looked unforgeable on the on the background of the blue sky. It wasn't not my first time there but I was always amazed by the beauty of nature there.
The only dissonance to that palette add the flooded logs and boughs, which we saw in different places in the water. The most of them were near the Hydro station. The far we went the more the water area was clear. It couldn’t but make us pleased. Rocks, overgrown with larch and spruce, grew steeply out of the water and squeezed a huge mass of water from two sides. There was no wind and water as a mirror reflected everything that was on the shores. The mirror landscape added extra charm to the amazing view.
We should boat about 5 hours. It was long enough and we didn’t sleep well and not stop for having lunch. But none of us was used to move in such way in the hunting trips. It was normal.
It was the second part of the day when we arrived to Bazaga. Bazaga was a residential village long time ago. People lived , raised cattle, and children grew up there. At the end of the Soviet period the locals moved to the cities. There are several wooden houses now where the meteorologists and the Sayano-Shushenskoye reserve staff live.
We had to make one stop, while sailing to the Base, to deliver some food and necessary equipment for the guides who worked there.
The friendly and hospitable occupants of the village Bazaga met us on the shore and helped to carry the luggage. We all accommodated in one of the wooden houses. Our team had to spend the rest of the day and the night there. We had light dinner and went to sleep. It was necessary to get a good night's sleep before tomorrow's serious hiking.
Next day we went very early. The first thing, we did, was to separate and pack the equipment, we needed for a few days stay in the mountains.
Soon we were in the boat. We couldn't take much there. We couldn’t take a lot luggage because had to carry heavy backpacks by ourselves. You feel each extra gram when rising and walking in the mountains.
Two guides accompanied us. The owner of the hunting land was Sergey. He was a moderately tall man, strong constitution and with a large receding hairline. He had a very characteristic look that was always directed either through a man or past him , and I had the feeling that he was communicating with someone else who stood behind me, when told a plan of action or something else. Sergey was a very endurance guy and always helped Witold with the his cargo. But at the same time he was not ready for any compromises when we discussed our hunting plans. He thought that he was always right, and it had negative influence to all his human relations. He didn’t admit any mistake even he wasn’t right.
But on the other side he knew the territory well and the animals’ habits that’s why we should have to rely on hunting luck in addition to this knowledge.
The second guide was Ruslan. That guy was fond of talking. His speech was filled with metaphors and exaggerations that's why the locals called him “Russia- TV”. In general, Ruslan was a very open and good-natured person who put part of his soul into the business. Being a very strong guy, he suggested to deliver our provisions to the top. The plan was to leave us and Sergey and continue to boat up to the next place where he would moor and bring up the part of provision. There were three wooden cabins on our way. Ruslan had to bring products to one of them.
The boat was cutting the mirror of the reservoir. The light and fresh wind blew. But everybody realized that the idyll would be over soon and we had to ascend to the mountains. It happened in forty minutes.
Ruslan dropped us off with Witold and Sergey, and went on further. We put rifles and heavy backpacks and set off to the mountains. I had not only things which were needed in the mountains but the camera with several lenses and batteries.
I knew how the Siberians measured time and the distance but asked Sergey, how long should we go. He replied, there were 4- 5 hours walk to the first cabin. In fact, it turned out to be almost one and a half times longer, i.e. more than 6 hours.
The beginning of the day promised it’d be hot. Each hour it became hotter and hotter. It was tough to rise with the heavy backpack especially when the temperature was about 25 C degrees. It was unbearable. But we should have to go.
The additional complexity to the mountain ascends was the absence of the visible finish. We could always see only one ridge and it seemed that our goal was just behind that ridge, just stretched out your hand. But each time when you reached it, you saw another one again and again. So, your ultimate goal was pushed back every time. It morally affected us. It was hard to calculate the strength when we didn't see the visible motivation. The athletes experience such condition in sports such as cross-country skiing, road cycling or cross-country running. But we SHOULD HAVE TO GO.
In two hours, we reached the plateau and could look around. We decided to make a general halt there. The backpacks almost fell from our shoulders. I had a desert in my mouth. I should say that water was a strategic deficit throughout that expedition. Witold drank almost all water we had. Thus, he complicated the process of climbing, because it was better not to drink water at high loads in the mountains. Water influences your feet and makes them weak; each step will be even more difficult.
Sergey and I knew about such effect and realized the large water consumption danger. That's why we limited ourselves to small sips. After the next water stop, we began to think that we wouldn't have enough water if Witold continued to drink so much.
In the future, what we feared happened. We experienced an acute shortage of life-giving moisture throughout the entire hunt.
We were having rest when detected the group of Ibexes. There were several trophy size males. But there was no sense to chase them. They smelled us, crossed the ridge and disappeared.
Our wet T-shirts had completely dried out, while we were sitting and the same steep climb was waiting for us. The sun was baking hotter by every minute, not by the hour. Our path ran along a completely open slope. There was not any tree or a bush which gave the shadow to protect us from the sun. That beginning of October in the Sayans was extremely hot. We moved along the small gorges with no wind which could fresh us. But it was the shortest way and we followed it.
Our caravan was going on. Various grasses and small bushes of barberry grew on the barely noticeable path. Once I lost the balance and kept of one of those shrubs. Everybody, who saw that shrubbery covered by prickly thorns, could imagine what I felt at that moment. I jumped and jerked my hand away. I didn't count how many itchy, insidious thorns were in my palm but I took out these small needles until I arrived home. The palm was swollen, and did not subside until the end of the hunt. But there were not all surprises, prepared by the Sayan.
Six hours later, we had crawled to the first hut, pretty battered and exhausted by the climb. It was located at the very edge of the ridge surrounded by old larches, dressed in the fairy yellow and orange decor.
The cabin was built from the wood boards and covered by polyethylene outside and roofing material inside. It should protect us from wind and rain. Polyethylene was teared in some places and didn’t protect us from the wind, which we felt in the mornings. There were two beds, a stove and a table inside. But the cabin could hide us from the sun and we were happy. We should spend a night there.
We removed the backpacks, boiled tea and began to cook dinner. We spent a huge amount of energy spent on lifting and had to be replenished. Although my body refuses to overload itself with food during such physical exertion, which is quite natural from the point of view of physiology. The best variant in such situation is to drink tea and to have rest. It's better to eat later. I've experienced that more than once and know the best variant for a hunter is to have rest and then to eat. You need to allow our body to relax and to bounce back. Better to eat in one or two hours. Those who rode horses in the mountains noticed the fact that horses also abstain from eating for 1.5-2 hours after heavy crossing!!! And who better than animals feel what physiology dictates at this particular moment?!
I’ll tell you the story from my experience. Once we came back to the camp after a similar difficult crossing in the Altai Mountains with the same weather conditions. There was the same problem with water. We all were physically tired to the point of nausea, none of us simply could not even fall asleep for an hour and a half until the body recovered and came to a more or less natural state. None of us could even think about dinner. We just drank some tea and had food just next day before going to the hunt. I remember this condition from that time and don't eat much. Listen to you body and trust it.
We drank a cup of tea and stretched out on the "wooden beds". It was the sunset - the time when animals were more active. Sergey took to binocular to examine the surroundings. He hoped to detect the trophy Ibexes. Later he came back and said that saw several males but small ones. We ate and were ready to sleep.
But I couldn’t sleep without going outside before going to bed. I went out under the shade of ancient larches and a huge blanket of sky, studded with myriads of stars. You could hardly see such view from any of the skyscrapers. The day was hot and warm air rose along the ridge. I breathed, admired the pristine beauty of Nature and went back to the cabin where my companions had already slept, that's why I laid into the sleeping bag and fell into a deep sleep.
In the morning, everything was as usual, but that was not quite ordinary, mountain hunting. We got up at dawn. So, we went to binoculars as they said in Siberia. It meant to study the nearest slopes looking for the animals. We spotted several groups of female ibexes. The snow partridges shouted somewhere, when move from one place to another. It was an exciting sight, to see these rare birds in the wild and not so far away from us. It was a real miracle. Then we heard a black grouse not far from us. In October they had so called false rut.
Then Sergey went down and waved us. Witold and I went down to him slowly , so as not to make noise. He pointed the direction to the right of us. Two nice males were at odds on the right. They stood on the back legs from time to time and pushed by horns. The horn's tips were polished in more than one clash, shone under the sun. The clash sounds together with the bird's noise pleased the ear and filled the air by the amazing mountain symphony.
Those males didn’t have record size but our hunter didn’t want to haver the record one. We solved to get one of them. The shooting distance was prohibitive in those conditions. There were about 400 meters to them but at large angle and against the sun. Sergei suggested to go around in order to go from the side of the sun and go down lower. We had to climb up, cross the bridge from where we watched the ibexes, then go down and walk through the dense thickets of the Daurian rhododendron (in ordinary speech – the bagulnik). But when we came all that way and looked out to inspect the place where the ibexes were. They were absent. Thus, we went back by the same way to the cabin to pack our things and to go our long and tough journey by the Sayan ridges.
An hour later we were already moving in the direction of the second hut, and inspecting the ridges and gorges on the way. The animals didn't stay long on the places where they grazed at night, it was too hot, and moved to the nearest shadow places.
We were a little lucky that day because moved mainly through a wooded area on the very crest of the ridge. The sun was not yet at its zenith, and we enjoyed the opportunity to move around without languishing from the heat. We didn’t have enough water and that thought disturbed us. We drank just a cup of tea in the morning and it was all. Sergey hoped to find some in the natural water intakes. But we could drink it only after boiling. We all were thirsty due to a large loss of moisture while going. Unfortunately, almost all the places, we checked, were dry. At last, we managed to pour a little muddy water together with small leaves and needles of larch in one place. We decided to boil it later after coming to the cabin.
We’d walked for about an hour and a half them left our backpacks, and went down a small ridge trying to find that herd of ibex that we saw at the very beginning of the ascent on the first day. They disappeared just behind this ridge. We stopped on the small plateau, covered by the brushes of acacia and rhododendrons, and tried to detect them. But all in vain. But there was no sign of them.
I used that stop to dry boots and socks. It is always advisable to do this in order to avoid scuffs. I involuntarily caught Witold's eye when lifted my hunting trousers to untie the laces of my high mountain boots. He stared dumbfounded at my legs, or rather at my shins. I couldn't understand what he was so interested in, but when I looked at them myself, I immediately understood everything. They were all covered in scratches, abrasions and blood. It was an impressive sight. I didn't see my feet until that moment, because we undressed and dressed in the dark, and I had long been used to pain, abrasions and scratches. The problem was that I was wearing a very light hunting suit designed for very hot weather. And I took off my jacket, remaining only in a short-sleeve T-shirt when climbing uphill in such heat. Thin trousers did not protect against the thorns of acacia and barberry, and the open forearms were accessible to the same thorns. There were no chances to dodge the thorns there due to the fact that they were everywhere and we had to go through them. So, in a day of walking through such places, my body resembled the painting of one of the tattoo parlors. An outsider may be thrown into a slight shock, but we have to put up with this and go to our goal. It was possible, to dress like Witold, but I was just sorry to look at him when he was sweating on the crossing in his attire. I always prefer lighter clothes when walking It doesn't need much time to dry.
So, I dried out, we didn't find the ibexes, and we set off again. Thus, we overcame several ridges and gorges and arrived to the second hunting cabin, build from the real wooden logs. It was more spacious and even had the small terrace with a table and benches. There also were two beds, a table and a stove inside. It differed from the previous one in its larger dimensions and the presence of ropes for drying clothes. It was built in the larches and cedars shadow on the edge of the northern slope. Ruslan waited for us there. He rose from the bank of the water reservoir and brought some products. He also delivered some water and we boiled not only tea but cooked soup too. There was no water near the cabin. The regime of water austerity was maintained.
We ate dinner and even drank some cognac, Witold saved for the lucky end of the hunt and discussed our plans.
Next morning, we appreciated the beauty of the surroundings. We all admired the view, the ridges below us and to the water reservoir. It was mesmerizing. I was fascinating to contemplate the ridges and gorges on the opposite shore of the reservoir. We could hardly take a look of the immensity of prospect which started on the opposite bank and went over the horizon admired the variety of colors and tones from blue-black on the shadow slopes to golden- orange on the rocky tops. The morning smog was still somewhere in the gorges and it made that landscape more mythical.
We went to the small rocks on the southern slope and got the binoculars. There were several groups of ibexes but without big males. After a shot discussion we solved to go down a little, hoping to meet “the desirable star”. No result. We noticed females and young males only. Then our team descended a little more. We examined each hole and the slot in the rock but without any result. One more discussion and we moved to the next ridge and the next one. At last, we spotted the group of males but had to descend a little more to consider them better. And the descent was possible so that they would not notice us, only on an extremely steep rocky slope. We looked as Ibexes ourselves or spider when clinging each ledge on the rocks and tried to keep balance. Nobody wanted to fall down with the heavy backpack and the weapon. The special poles helped a lot.The Austrian and the German call them alpenstock or the Alpine sticks and don't go the mountains without them. The trekking poles secure the walker when he needs to jump over the small holes or to push off from soft ground or even to clean the way in the think bushes. We went down with the great difficulty to one of the small rocks. It was possible to look around the opposite slope from there. We got out the binoculars once again and inspected each brush or the cleavage.
There was a small forest from young aspen trees and other deciduous ones. The ground was overgrew with the bushes of acacias and rhododendrons there. Suddenly, we detected the group of males there. They very definitely males but we couldn’t define their size because they laid having rest under the tree's shadow. We couldn’t say so about us. We stood in the sun and it burned us as pancakes.
According to our assumption, there were no good trophy goats in that herd either. The time passed and we had to ascend back by the same the steep route. Again, we got sweat and cut arms and legs while crawling through the brushes. The salted sweat got into wounds and corroded them. But there was not another way and we clung the rocks and scrambled through the bushes losing moisture. We were rising to the top.
So, we spent two more days hiking up and down in the mountains. Ibexes were seen every day and a lot, but there were no worthy trophies in the group, then it was impossible to approach. I made several good shots of females and even made video for the future adventure movie.
There was another hut and little further and lower along the main ridge, and we decided to go to that area and try our luck there. It took us three hours to get there. It seemed that we were on the edge of the universe when we finally got to the hut. It was fitted into the landscape as if it was the natural end of the ridge where we came from. There were steep rocks and canyons around it. The huge canyon started just from the cabin and led to the water reservoir. I managed to see a small herd of females with goats in that herd, and even approached one of the females with her offspring at a distance of about 50 meters, take good pictures and shoot several video. We watched the Urbun river and the endless prospect of the reservoir, surrounded by the mountain’s ridges.
Everyone went about their business to settle the house. It wasn’t so spacious as the previous one but there was enough room to spend night and to dry clothes. A table with benches was outside that was good in our situation. Our company could eat and enjoy the beautiful view of the Sayan mountain landscape from there! Where else can you find this?
Ruslan left in the second cabin to wait us. We agreed to hunt there for a couple days and then to come back to the second hut. After it we were going to descend to the boat even if didn’t get the trophy. The trip was going to the end and we didn’t have time to stay more.
But there still were chances. But we all were exhausted by everyday rising up and down in the rocky ridges and thick bushes. The most difficult problem was heat and the lack of water. I didn’t know how I looked like but Witold looked thin and lost some several kg. We were constantly haunted by an amazing, constantly increasing sensation throughout that hunt. We could see a huge bowl of water below and languished with thirst at the same time. I felt the same during the hunting in Altai before.
The accumulated fatigue during those days left the mark on Witold physical conditions. He weighed more than 100 kg and was a rather dense man in his build and with a height of about 176cm. I could hardly imagine how he carried such weight in such weather conditions, in mountainous terrain, and even with a shortage of water! Those factors had to affect his physical form sooner or later. Witold showed the first signs of fatigue when we went down in the hope of finding a male, immediately after a small snack.
It was much easier for me in that regard. I was in 30 kg lighter than Witold and was in a good physical form and trained all year around. Sergey used to hike in the mountains. It was his job. So, from that time we had to take into account the state of our weak link and choose routes based on the client's capabilities. It made our hunting more difficult. The mountain hunters have to be ready to go a lot if they want to meet their luck.
Our small group moved along the rocky ridge jumping from the one stone to another. The area was clearly visible for many kilometers. There were gorges from both sides of us, which transferred to the ridge. We stayed on the plateau and monitored the surroundings. The heat subsided and animals would go for feeding soon. But we didn’t see any sign of Ibexes. Probably it was too early. But then someone of us noticed the movement. Four males came to the open place just near the ridge foot near Urbun. They grazed on the meadow. But... They were not ours! It was too far to go down to them and it was necessary to think about the ascend, which would be after it. We decided to just keep watching and wait when the ibex, we needed, would go out. It appeared in a half of an hour. Sergey spotted it in 500 meters from us to the right. It was a big male which came from nowhere. It was a worthy trophy with horns not less than a meter or even more with a wide base. The hunter had to take it. But It was exactly not easy in that situation.
Witold had to descend about 300 m to approach it the shooting distance but he had to go down by the steep rocks. Sergey and I easily did it. But not our hunter!
It was the steep descend, so Witold went a few meters and stopped. Obviously, he thought about the fact that later he would also have to climb. We asked him to go down 100 meters more but he refused and decided to shot from the place, he stood.
It was not the most comfortable position. The distance to the trophy was 400- 450 meters and there was no any opportunity to lay down or to seat and to shoot from a knee. We found a small ledge and put my backpack on it. Witold put his BLASER 93 300, 300 WSM on it and began to aim. I sat behind him and prepared the camera. He didn’t shoot for a long. Witold tried to change the position several times. The Ibex was still feeding. At last, the sound of a gunshot broke the evening silence of the mountains and echoed along the nearby ridges. I saw the Ibex shook its head and disappeared in the bushes. We watch video later and concluded that the bullet hit to its horn. That was the only explanation why the male shook the head.
Sergey went down to check if it was wounded or not. We had to chase the wounded animal in such case. He came back in thirty minutes and told that there were not any sign of the ibex or blood. Such a state of affairs was better than chasing down a wounded goat, or even worse, to miss it in the end. So, he missed. Hunting isn't a shop! Then we had to go back up the steep cliffs that we "loved" so much. We climbed, watering them with their sweat, which seemed got thicker due to lack of moisture.
It was twilight when we came back to the cabin. Fire- tea- bed. We were too tired to make plans for tomorrow. Night brings wisdom.
We got up at first light. I was making a fire, while Sergey was watching, examining the side opposite to the reservoir. At last, he arrived, and reported that he had found a large herd of ibex. But there were four wolves, which lay and rested a little lower down the slope. It was very interesting. On the one side we saw Ibexes on the other nobody guaranteed that the wolves wouldn't frighten the herd while we would approach it.
We made a very passable meal and went to the long way through the deep gorge to the opposite ridge. The slope was all covered by the dry grass and our mountain boots slid as on ice. It was hard to go down. One more unpleasant surprise waited for us at the bottom of the gorge. It was overgrowing by the think bushed of young aspen trees and we could hardly go running in those scrubs.
But we couldn’t but be glad when heard the sound of running water. There was a mountain spring below us. Finally, we saw Water. I write it with a capital letter on purpose. It was purely clear mountain spring with fresh and cold water! We all were ready to give up half of Kingdom for a sip of water. We were more than happy. The only one who was indifferent was Sergey.
Witold and I took off clothes while coming close and rushed into water. It was real happiness to drink as much as we wanted and wash ourselves. Last few days we drank just stagnant water and it was also limited.
Occasionally I looked to Sergey. He stood on the ground and looked to us with a certain grin. I asked him why didn't he wash and he answered: “Why?” I froze looking at him. A thought flashed through my mind: "It's either me or him, but one of us is clearly overheated.” He stood in a warm jacked with dirty hands and a face, smeared with soot. How could one not take advantage of such a wonderful opportunity and wash off the dirt, dust and sweat accumulated over all these days? It is still beyond my comprehension.
We refreshed with clean water, quenched our thirst, and set off on our way to the trophies. The long and steep climb started just at the gorge exit. We went one third of the way and were sweat once again. It was the sunny side and the sun was already high enough to burn us with its rays again. I need to remind you that all action has taken place on the heights from 1500 to 2000 masl. Sun radiation level there was higher than in the valley. We were moving up on a tack. But it wasn’t fast.
I would like to say a few words about the ways of movement in the mountains. Sergey walked slowly, made small steps but didn’t stop to have rest. He looked like the caravan camel or a mule and gazed just only under his feet. That was a good tactics which meant the high endurance.
I always go fast when being in the mountains and make large steps. I think that it allows me to cover more distance. But I have to make lots of stops to recover breathe. Witold followed my tactics.
We were close to the top of the ridge when I noticed the movement. I rose the head and saw the herd of Ibexes which ran from the right to the left in relation to our position. Someone scared them and it was not our group. They didn't pay any attention to us. The animals were disturbed by something else. Witold was below me and Sergey was above us. I whistled to Sergey to attract his attention to the goats. He looked at them but said nothing. I run to him and said that they were the goats we saw from the cabin and probably wolves frightened them. I thought that there was no sense to move where we were going. He ignored my words and went on to climb. He intended to go to the place where he planned. It had no sense from my point of view. If such a herd galloped at such a speed from that place, the other goats would still be exposed to the herd instinct and would also rush after the first herd. But Sergey was adamant in his stubbornness and a sense of his rightness, which came out sideways to us later. There was not any sign of the animals when we reached the place. So, we had to return the same thorny ways. There was a long way to the second cabin.
We didn’t need to rise down and up but just to go along the slope. But people who walked along the slopes, know that it can be tired and even dangerous for the ankles. The same muscles and tendons stretch all time while you move in such position. If you have not good boots and don't tie them well your feet will hurt you. That journey was really exhausting, considering the fatigue that had already accumulated. Witold puffed like a locomotive and was ready to give up. We had to wait him from time to time.
Two hours later, we were already approaching the hut after we had had a huge circle . We entered a fairly dense forest. It was twilight and it seemed as if there was an ibex in front of us. But it had small horns. Probably, it could be the young male about 3- 4 years old. I doubted if it was possible to approach the Ibex in 50 meters because we were in the forest, not mountains. But it was so. Soon I detected few more young males.
Sergey and I decided to shoot one for meat. The guys had the license and the season was almost over. I commanded Witold to shoot. That time he hadn’t aim for a long. He shot and suddenly the ibexes startled by a jack-in-the-box. They ran toward us and around us so close that we could touch them.
It was like a "bullfight"! There were about 30 males. They almost trampled us. But our goat stood on the place and we ate it later. Fortunately, the stream gave us enough good drinking water. Freshly brewed golden broth and the most tender juicy meat, and allowed us to taste a full-fledged hot meal and restore the strength that was running out every day. The goats at that time gain a decent fat reserve.
But that shot was not a consolation for the hunter. He wanted to get the trophy. There was one more fighting day left, and we have to work to the last on the hunt. I have seen this more than once before. The Gods of hunting like hard-working people. Next morning we went to try our hunting luck for the last time. Ruslan should go down and wait us on the boat.
Everything was in place- the mountains, the reservoir, the black grouses and the heat. We just needed one more component to make the picture perfect - the Trophy. We saw several males but had no chance to approach them because of the landscape. At last, we made a stop and decided to examine the rest part of the way to the reservoir.
We monitored the surroundings for about the 30 minutes when Sergey detected two, as he called them, retirees. Two old males grazed on a small plateau and merged their strength from time to time, by pushing the horns. We waited them would go to lay down and decide how to approach them. But suddenly they disappeared behind a small ridge and became completely invisible to us. We didn't waste time and ran headlong down.
It took us a half of an hour to reach that ridge. Sergei told us to drop our backpacks and wait, and he went to check where they were. Since we hadn't seen the goats went somewhere, it meant they might be somewhere very close.
I prepared the camera and was ready to make video of hunting. Witold pulled himself up, a serious fighting spirit was visible on his face. The factor of the last day and the last opportunity to get a trophy affected. Soon Sergey waved his hand, beckoning us. We ducked and moved to him along the ridge. He said that two males laid on the plateau through the gorge and he knew the place from where we could fire. The most comfortable shooting distance was about 150- 170 meters.
We slowly wriggle through our “favorite” acacia bushes and went to the small cliff from where Witold had to shoot. It wasn’t the very comfortable position. We could hardly find the place where he sat and leaned on the stone. Sergey stood on the left side of him and pointed the destination where Witold had to spot the goat. There was no place for me but I couldn’t stay aside and didn't make that epic video. I tried to seat on the ledge of the cliff not to disturb the hunter. It was hard to do but I tried to do my best and even found the stone which used as the right foot base. But could hardly find a place for the left one. Nevertheless, I managed to find something with my toe. I had not time to look around because was ready to make video.
Small bushes and grass got in the lens and make the video to be soft. Witold was aiming. We stood opposite to the sun and it was difficult to aim through the sight. I heard Witold kept the breath. It meant he’d fire soon. I gathered all my strength though my right leg was shivering from the tension. The Shot! One of the male jumped up and watched to the opposite side. Probably, the echo went there after the shot. Sergey monitored the situation through the binoculars and insisted on the second shot because the Ibex was still alive. I couldn’t even see the wounded ibex and saw the only one which stood. I thought that Witold missed or it was the wounded one which jumped up. Later I watched the video and found another goat. It was slowly sliding to the ledge of the gorge. The second one was still on its foot. Witold made one more shot to the male and it had somersaulted and fell into the gorge. The second rushed headlong up and immediately disappeared behind a rock.
I made video and I could stand up. My right foot muscles were stiff. But it was not the worst thing that could have happened. I looked down under my feet and was frozen. There was such a chasm with sharp rocks that if I fell suddenly from that cliff, they would surely collect me in parts.
In general, the whole area where we were, was covered with rocks, steep gorges, sharp stones and stone placers. And then another test fell to our lot. But I’ll tell about it later.
Meanwhile, we took a deep breath, straightened up and began to congratulate Witold on his trophy and on the overall success of our such a difficult, but at the same time interesting expedition. The hunter had not yet fully felt the significance of what he did, so he stood more confused and somewhat exhausted from overexertion than satisfied and happy. It often happens on the hard hunts when hunters realize what they have done later.
There was no time to waste, and we moved down to the trophy.
It was not an easy matter to find it. It rolled down into the gorge that covered by the brushes of acacia and rhododendrons. We barely pulled the trophy out of those wilds and began to pull it down a little lower to take photos for memory with a view of the place where Witold got his trophy. It was a hard process because we should walk the stone sea, spread around us. I stood up on flat stone, the stone river carried me further down, and even balance was difficult to maintain. At last we found a small island. Witold put the trophy on the ground and sat near it when the whole composition, he built, began to slide down. It ended as abruptly as it had begun and the happy hunter could seat without moving for few minutes while we made pictures. Only at that moment I saw how Witold's face lit up with a radiant smile. It was seen, he realized what way was over and what challenges he had overtaken. We all were happy like people united by one love and goal. The horns of the ibex were 99cm and it was a really good result for that subspecies. Most of hunters could be proud to have such trophy.
We were surprised that there were just 200 meters to the boat from the place, we sat. The fate favored us because we could hardly imagine how to carry the trophy by those steep slopes especially in such weather. Then we made pictures and dragged the goat to the bank. There we skinned it and cut the meat.
After butchering the boat carried us along the mirrored surface of the water. The wind blew our faces burned and dried by the sun. I wanted to think about something pleasant not about difficulties which were already over. But I'd never forget that expedition despite all the difficulties!
INSTEAD OF AN AFTERWORD.
Many years passed from that time but I still remember each step we did there. still feel dry mouth and the tongue is like the dry leaf when I tell about that trip. My feet and hands twitched in the places where they were wounded by the endless bushes. Fortunately, I’m healing like a dog and almost not haves’ scars. But I’d never forget that thirsty which I didn’t feel anymore from that time. I kept the memory about that barberry which gifted me so many of its thorns. There are two moments from that hunt which I’d hardly forget. The first one is the moment when we came to the stream, where we were able to wash and drink plenty of water, and the second moment when the hunter made a beautiful shot and got a beautiful trophy.
Someone might ask me this question: “Why do you need it?” I guess that the person, who asks such a question, is alien to the feeling that you get from communicating with wildlife, observing animals and birds in their natural habitat. He will never understand the beauty of sunsets and sunrises in the mountains. And he will never agree to experience such difficulties as our team overcame in the Sayan mountains. But you wouldn't be able to increase your level of self-esteem and make sure that you can still do something, without going through all these trials.
I wish all real hunters to go through the trials of their strength and spirit like those described by me in this article and test themselves for strength and for solvency as a man, and a real, not a salon hunter.
Here is one of the episodes from my past, which I've experienced. Well, everyone should judge for himself where and what kind of mountain hunting is the most difficult.
