The task, to visit Sayan and to get the Siberian Ibex, didn’t look difficult. But I had to take into account the unpredictable local weather and the long and complex way from Minsk to Khakassia. It could make my mission impossible.
I’ve heard that some scientists want to add the Siberian Ibex to the local Red Book tat's why it I’d be unreasanobly to postpne this hunt further. I had very busy business schedule and it was one of the reason why the coordination of hunting terms between the outfitter and me took so much time. At last we negotiated on going there at the beginning of November. It was the rut time and we could get the big trophy. I was confused by the only thingn the part of the way we had to boat but nobody guaranteed that we could do it because of weather at that time. The river could be covered by ice and we had to look for another way in that case.
It wasn’t the only variant how to reach the hunting area but all other ways looked less attractive.
I add this trip to the schedule and started to train.
I didn’t have bad feelings or had fatal forebodings or pessimism before the departure but the circumstances were so that I thought about bad luck streak from the very begining. It started not well and became worse an worse. I thought it’d never end. At first our flight to Moscow was delayed because the plane had arrived yet. I’d checked it the luggage and the rifle already and had to change the tickets to the nearest flight. Only masochists could like it. The flight could be comfortable and calm if not the company of five young moms with suckling who cried all the way to Moscow. When the neighbor spilt a cup of tea on my legs I was almost calm and treated it like the God’s sign. I could take good trophy if was patience and bearded it all without a murmur. That’s why I didn’t complain when had to run with all ammunitions, the heavy backpack and the gun form one terminal to another. I kept silence when saw the line to the security department and wasted time staying there. I managed to board the plane to Abakan in five minutes before they closed the gate. The only thought followed me all the way. Was that all or were the trials just beginning?
Valera whom I knew in absentia met me in Khakassia. My bad luck ended when I saw him but the way to the hunt was going on. We would have to drive about three hours and to float by boat about 200 km. Valera said that we would arrive to the place before the darkness and there was no time to have rest. Telling the truth I had rest while we were driving because the car was very comfortable and the road was flat. We took our future cook Vasily in Sayangorsk. Vasily and I became friends forever when he suggest to have breakfast before the long road. We had time limits but It would be unforgivable not to make picture on the background of Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. Then we circumnavigated it and arrived to the base located on the reservoir’s shore. We quickly loaded our luggage to the boat and pushed off. It took us four hours to float and all the way to the base I sat on the stern and couldn’t tear myself from watching the beauty of rocks, Yenisei and nature. Those views could captivate everyones's heart and even the hearts of people who can’t live without cities. What I could say about hunters who fell happiness only in unity with wild nature!
One more Vasily met us in the hunting camp. The pathfinder and the guide who spent all his life hunting in those area. He suggested to wake up early, to climb the mountain and to check all splits behind the mountain range. If we didn’t find animals there It’d be better to go up the river about 20km and to try to look there.
The day ended with the hot bath and fancy dinner (my low bow to our cook). I slept as if dead. it happens very rare with me on the new place. Usually I suffer from insomnia and think a lot about future.
It was chilly in the morning. The outside temperature was -3ºC. It was sunny, a faint wind blew.
I was surprised when saw Russian jeep Niva and aske guys why we floated if it was possible to drive there. They replied that the car drove to the base in the last winter, when the river was frozen and they could drive. It was the only way to get there.
We got in the car and drove up along the north slope, then left it on the mid of the mountain and began to climb. Hiking was difficult. The thickness of the snow cover was about 15-20 sm and it was fresh. It could be much easier to go if there didn’t snow at all. It took us two hours to reach the top.
Vasily went last meters, peered over the rock and sat down quickly. The heart beated with anticipation
-Ibexes! – he whispered.
I crawled to him very carefully and saw the group of young males and females. In a moment I detected the trophy size male which was moving from the herd. The rangefinder showed 260 m distance. But the goal was moving and it made the task more difficult. But then the hunting luck smiled to me. It stopped and turned to the group. I could aimed to its side and pushed the trigger. The struck male fell and rolled down the slope. The herd disappeared and I felt how my blood surged with adrenaline.
Was it all? Was the hunt over? I took the trophy!
We discussed it and not once later. What was the reason of such short hunt? Was I lucky or lucky coincidence of weather, outfitter’s and guide’s professionalism or Artemida and St. Guber decided to help me? May be it was simply our day.
Then Vasyli’s time came! Valera was absolutely right when told me about professional skills of our cook. He didn’t repeat any of the dish which we tried while hunted together.
It was time to leave Friends. I had to go home. Now I know that unlucky beginning doesn’t mean anything.
