It was definitely a sheep male.
We bended immediately. The male and other animals were very close, just in 100-120 meters from us. From the one side it was good but from the other. The any movement could signal our presence.
Zhaisan, led by Alik, racked the bolt and moved down, bending to the ground as low as it was possible. I followed them like shadow. Got the camera and started to make video our approached to the male.
The herd, consisted of 35-38 individuals, stood beneath us in 100 m. They all were males and most of them had good trophy qualities. We had not to miss the chance. Zhaisan took the comfortable position and prepared to shoot. Alik chose the worthy male and pointed to it. But suddenly the herd discovered our presence and got moving. Alik shouted to Zhaisan: “The last one! The last one! We heard the shot but the sheep kept running. I tried to follow animals through the camera sight though it was difficult. The sun was setting and shined right to the screen from my back. But I still watched them.
Zhaisan missed because didn’t understand what male was the last one and aimed not the right one. The needed ram strayed from the main group but Zhaisan tried to catch the last in the group and it was difficult to do.
We understood what had happened and both (Alik and I) shouted before he fired the second time: “The latest!” He shot once again and I noted a fountain of dust from the other side of the sheep. That male differed from the others by its configuration and the luxury horns. It slowed for a moment but then followed the group.
The hunter fired the third and the fourth times. But he missed as we could judge by the dusty fountains aside the sheep. You need to remember that the hunter has spent walking more then 7 hours on the exorbitant heights till that moment. He couldn't calm the breath before shooting and had to fire by the running aim. The second obstacle was that he needed to choose the right male among the running ones but the sheep ran very fast.
The sheep disappeared behind the ridge. The desired trophy didn’t fall down as we dreamed. But we still had the only and weak hope.
Mansur and Alik followed the herd and found some blood. I was right, he hit it by the second shot. It strengthened our hope.
We watched the video once again. It confirmed our thoughts. The second bullet hit the sheep, we pointed to.
All argali, are known for their endurance. The male was wounded but it ran away. After a shot discussion we decided not to chase it. Moreover, it was getting dark. The sun was setting and soon we wouldn’t see anything.
The way back to the car was not so easy as we wanted. We all were tired but Zhaisan and I could hardly go. The most important thing was that we passed the height test and the hunter could even engaged the goal. Telling the truth, we wanted to have the trophy when coming back to the camp but hunting had always its own scenario. Feeling of uncertainty began to hurt our hunter. He was not sure would we find the trophy next day or not?
We fell like logs to the beds when arrived to the camp. In an hour we both managed to come to the canteen and ate something. None of us had appetite but it was necessary to eat for restoring power. We were not sick or throwing up in spite of the distance we went at that day on such heights. The only unusual thing, we all did, was that we drank 1 L of tea each.
That night didn’t bring us calm. Zhaisan said me later that didn't sleep a wink that night. The real hunters know what must had been going through his mind. I also worried because we did everything, we could but still didn’t get the trophy.
Getting of the wounded sheep.
Next day we all got up before the sunrise. At 5 am everybody was ready to go. Yuri and other guides assured Zhaisan to stay in the camp by many reasons. But he wanted to come. The first one was that it was really dangerous to go back to such altitude. The second was that Zhaisan and I were the encumbrance for the guides who are used to work and to hike on the heights. We both agreed and went to see off our guides. They were the angels who could bring good tidings.
After their leaving the rest of the staff and we began to discuss the chance to find the wounded male. It was the usual behavior of people who could not influence the situation but hoped for the best. Zhaisan could not find a place. I had to calm him from time to time and assured that everything would be good. According to my experience, I worked in the hunting business for a long time, the wounded sheep had passed away at night. It was seriously damaged. I thought it had the internal bleeding and it had not chance to go far.
The only obstacle was to find it first. But the hunters never forget about their natural helpers. I talk about birds - from crows to vultures and other predators. These nature representatives don't give any chance to waste of high-calorie food. They begin to circle over the wounded animal and to wait when it’ll pass away and then landed to feast. It’ obligatory to be in time and not to allow to damage the trophy. Taking into account that we shot in the evening and the guides left the camp before the sunrise, our chances to find the trophy in a right condition was very high.
The sun shone the tops of the mountains and then the valley with the lake.
Zhaisan and I came to the canteen. I dreamed to drink a cup of hot green tea. Each of us drank about a Liter of water during the night but I prefer tea to water. Tea always make me more active and to warm me up. Everything on the East starts and ends with tea. We did not violate local traditions. It was obligatory to restore the water balance when being in the mountains and we regularly did it. We didn’t notice how we ate bacon and eggs while drinking tea.
The first news from our guides arrived. One of the radios stood in the kitchen and we could hear what was going on. We stood and listened to Yuri who coordinated Mansur, Ruslan and Alik. At last he found “our” group of sheep. The night before I told Yuri that our male was different from others in the grey skin color and huge horns. The guides replied that there was not the yesterday’s sheep among the group. We were glad but where was it?
The guys lost the bloody track because the animal crossed the wide part of loose stones and it was problematic to find blood there. But Yuri identified a circle where the ram could lie down. They just needed to find it. It was easy to say: There were lots of deep and different size gorges and it could be a real problem.
But birds helped them, as the guides told us later. The radio battery had been dead and we knew all details later.
The sheep crossed that part with the loose stones and found the place to lay. It couldn't get up and passed away there, then it rolled down to the small gorge where they found it. But they could hardly to find it if the birds didn’t help them. They had already begun to circle above the food and the guides noticed the sign.
The trophy.
You could hardly imagine the hunter's face when he saw his trophy. Zhaisan was shining and his jubilation transferred to all of us.
The length of the horns was 148 and 149 cm. It was a luxury trophy especially for the debutant in those mountains. Some hunters arrived back several times to get such trophy but he got from the first time on the second hunting day. I guess that guy lives in the harmony with nature and don't make harm that's why our Mother Nature decided to award him.
We couldn’t but make the photo session! Thus, we put the trophy on the hill, not far from the lake and did several shots. I tried to make video but it was windy and it hindered a lot.
Everybody in the camp congratulated Zhaisan with the trophy.
It was time to relax. Zhaisan’s eyes shone all the evening and he thanked all team for that great hunt. Especially that they found the sheep. It's a real disgrace to lose the wounded animal. My hunting principals are to get the animal only if you are going to use it as the trophy, for food or for a medicine. Nobody will eat meat of the Kamchatka brown bear because 90% of all animals are infected with Trichinella. But the hunter can take its skin and skull or to use its gallbladder or fat for medical purpose.
Our cook Shot prepared super gala dinner to celebrate the successful end of the hunting. He started to do it after getting news by radio.
The team.
It’s time to tell you about Yuri’s team. I can’t say that they work there. They just live by the atmosphere, which they create during the hunting expeditions. There are not identical people on the Earth. We all are different but it’s great because we become stronger when gathere together. It took him many years to create such cohesive team, - said me Yuri. Lots of people left the company. Only men of spirit and real professionals, who loved their jobs, stayed with him. They are far from the families for the most part of the year. How strong do they love their work to sacrifice the proximity of the most loved people - the wife and kids? It's very difficult to explain the families why do they need to work so long and on such heights. A human being doesn’t adapt to live on such altitudes. The best example is the small mountain town Murgab, located further down the road towards Afghanistan. The most widespread diseases among the locals are problems with hearts and lungs. It is difficult for women to give birth there. But Murgab is located on the altitude 3600 masl, its in 400 meters lower than the base camp. I could hardly imagine what did the guides feel during the year they spent in the mountains, because they all were born and lived on the plains.
I want to say some words about Yuri, whom I know many years but still don’t know well. He is still a mystery man for me. He doesn’t hurry to undress his soul not to the fist comer not to people whom he knows for a long time. His main feature is his love to hunting and Nature. I noticed it and not once when we talked. I’m not sure that have met people who are in love with mountains, mountain hunting and mountain ungulates more than Matison. Now he is more interested in making pictures of mountains animals than hunting and sometimes it’s more difficult than to shoot for a long distance. You need to come close to make a good photo. Moreover, the photo-hunters have to carry the heavy equipment which is heavier than a gun. Yuri showed me his backpack. Its weight, with the camera, lens and a tripod, was 18 kg. And he has to hike dozens of km by the mountain relief, on the heights more than 4000 masl and haul it with him. But the shots, made by Yuri, can win the Grands Prix of any international show. What may be worth the series of pictures devoted to the snow leopard when it hunts for Marco Polo. He managed to approach the predator, hidden behind the rock, within two meters. None of the camera trap can do it. But Yuri succeeded to make several shots. The most interesting thing was that the sheep could slip away.
Yuri went about 50 km per day, crossing the snow passes, from the one camp to another. You needed to see his eyes when he described it. He gave me a quick glance and told:
- Just imagine the White Silence!
He is also very professional and can manage and control all aspects of that business. We all heard his famous phrase: “The East is a delicate matter! ». It characterizes fully the complexity of local interaction in all spheres. Moreover, he pays attention to charitable activities. I can confirm with all responsibility how hard it is to work for the European on the East. It does him much credit that he hasn’t gave up before the eastern bureaucracy. I’m proud to work with him.
Thus we spent that evening with great pleasure. Though we were afraid of consequences of taking alcohol on the altitude but drank a few shots to celebrate the successful hunt. And said several speeches, devoted to our friends. Zhaisan and I are still alive, as you can see! These meetings help to understand each other better and to build new contacts. You can analyze what has happen when the tension is gone. Our guides and Yuri told us about interesting cases from their past. They were very experienced hunters and had lots of stories.
The way back.
All good things must come to an end. The last evening was over and we went to sleep. We all needed to have rest before going home.
Our old friend Said arrived to the base at night. He said that if we wanted to fly home in time it’d be better to drive to Osh as soon as possible.
I woke up at night because somebody knocked to my door. It was strange. I just barely opened my eyes and went to open the door. It was dark and I could hardly recognize Said. He said it was time to leave. Telling the truth, that was the hardest thing which we had to do at that moment. I made myself to move, to pack all luggage, I had, and to load it to the car. The generator didn’t work at night and we did all manipulations, using the headlamps only. But hunters, as the military men, are used to act quickly. It took us just thirty minutes to pack and to load everything.
All camp staff went to see us off. And with a warm and kindly shake of the hand, he left them. I’m sure that will never forget that moment. Our Mother Nature presented us her goodbye gift and allowed to look at her beautiful creatures. Three young kok-mok, as the locals called them, crossed the road in front of the car. They were young males about 2-3 years old. The animals almost flew up the slope and stopped that we could admire them. I made several shots of them.
On the way back we crossed all border points and drove down to the valley. It was filled by OXYGEN and we could take a deep breath! They were inexpressible feelings when you smelt aromas of mountains vegetation and springs! It always reminds me paradise after the dry and thin air on the height.
But that medal has the second side. Your body needs time to adapt to the new conditions. You can feel weakness, headache and even nausea. And if you remember where we have been, on what altitude! I felt consequences the whole week after that trip. Even at home in Vladimir, I tried to understand what was the reason of my discomfort. I was sure that had caught the infection while flew to home. But it didn’t look like virus. I was feeling ache and weakness. But then I noticed that was still drinking lots of liquid and understood what was the reason. That weakness was the result of my being on the 5000 meters above the sea level. I used the veloergometer to train the body and to mobilize the processes which would help me to recover.
Results and conclusions
1. It's better to start training to climb such heights in 2-3 weeks before the trip.
2. The best variant is to adapt 2-3 days in the camp and not to go hunting. Zhaisan and I were well trained before the expedition and it helped us to avoid problems on the altitude.
3. The hunter in the mountains has to be ready to shoot in any moment. The chance to get the worthy trophy can be just once. If you miss it the luck would leave you. I know it from my practice. The highest level of mobilization is the obligatory thing during the trip. I have to note that Zhaisan overcame all difficulties, endured the trials with dignity and managed to gather and to make the accurate shot. This gives him the right to be called the real mountain hunter. Only a few people will be able to pass the test at this height.
Thank you very much to Yuri Matison and his team for their support and professional organization of that hunting adventure.
