Last time I hunted in Okhotsk and managed to get the trophy of the Kolyma Snow Sheep but the plan was to take two trophies. I couldn’t take the Okhotsk Snow Sheep. So I returned once again to finish what had started. Next time I visited the Khabarovsk region was October, 2017. I arranged everything with Alexander Malkov and we (I and my cameraman Alexander) arrived to Okhotsk. The weather was good and we could immediately fly to the Base camp. The flight by chopper took us 40 minutes. We spent two day there examining the territory but found just few tracks. It was clear that our chances to find a good trophy at that place were not high. So we asked for the helicopter once again and moved to another region. It happened on the Day #3. We noticed the sign of sheep while flying and decided to make the stop in 60 km from Okhotsk. The first animals were seen in the first day but it was twilight and we decided to start next morning. On the Day#4 we met just some females and young males. Day#5. Our guides found the group of seven males which had trophy size. They called us by radio and our group marched 6 km with the climb 700 meters. We looked for the group about 15 minutes but they were out of our sight but fortunately we did it! The shooting distance was 680m. I got 13 years old male. You could see more details in our video report on the YouTube channel “Mountains Hunting” or click by the link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClM39uFq3aMCmqhWYRWKw6A) on the site.
The second part of my New Year vacations 2017 was free and I devoted it to the hunt in Kirgizstan.I has to mention that 3-4 days is too little for the mountains hunt. But I’d got the offer to hunt in the hunting area where the population density of the Tian Shan Argali (my goal) was very stable. And I decided to risk.On January 5th, I and my cameraman Alexander flew to Bishkek from Ekaterinburg. The direct flight took just 2 hours 20 minutes. The representative of the outfitter Evgeniy and the director of the hunting company met us at the airport.We went through customs and got the guns. There are simplified rules for carriages and goods similar to the Russian ones, because our countries are the members of the Eurasian Customs Union (EACU).After it we all drove to the habitat of sheep. It was the long and exhausting way. First 400 km we drove by the good asphalt road to the small village which was like the transshipment point or the border between two kinds of roads. The asphalt and gravel roads mixed at those winding country lanes. There was the active production quarry, which belong to the Canadian company, not far from the village. The gravel road to the quarry was a good quality and we drove by it to the elevation 4100 masl. But after the pass we started to descend by the snowy gravel road which was the hard test for our Land Cruiser 80. At that moment I’d clearly realized why the additional car UAZ with fuel and food followed us from the village. It was our guarantee in the case of emergency. Our way to the camp took 15 long hours.The chief guide Kulu waited for us in the camp. Next morning on January 6 we got up at 6.30 am, had breakfast and drove to the horses. Our horse ride started from the elevation 2800 masl. We saw several young males while riding but didn’t interested in such trophies.We climbed 3850 masl when Kulu detected the group of males which included one old, big male. He estimated its trophy size and offered me to shoot if I agreed. It was 9.30 am and I had the choice to shoot the first trophy or go on looking for another one.It was nice ram which stood out from the rest by its size and I made the decision to shoot.The distance to the group was about 400 meters but the herd noticed us while I was preparing and ran up to the opposite slope. They lined up in the chain and were climbing when I fired. The distance to them was 525 m. I hit it but the ram ran 30 meters up to the mountain and then fell. I was surprised by its reaction because used 338 cal and saw that it was seriously wounded. Later we appreciated that the sheep ran 30 meters and we didn’t need to move it to the place which had chosen for the photo.Now some analytics. It was 12.30 pm when we went back to the camp after the hunt and cutting meat. Time calculation: the road from the airport to the camp took us 15 hours, then 10 hours for rest, the hunt from the time we left the camp and came back -5 hours. If the flight from Bishkek to Ekaterinburg fly every day, the total time for the hunt from /to home would be 55 hours! 90% of that time was transfers and rest, the hunt took just 10%.Our flight to home was on the next day so the total time was 78 hours or 3 days.It’s the rare luck for the mountain hunts! Thank you very much to the Stalker Group for the excellent organization of this hunt, comfortable accommodation and hospitality.
I planned this trip to the Sajano-Shushenskoe reservoir and hunt for the Siberian Ibex beforehand. On October 28th we arrived. Thank you very much to Valery Dorovsky for the excellent organization of all transfers. From Abakan we drove to the boat station, then sailed four hours to the Base camp through the unique and beautiful places of the Sajano-Shushenskoe reservoir. I noticed several groups of Ibexes on the slopes but some of them were not big, others were unavailable for shooting. According the hunting rules you mustn’t shoot from the moving boat or a car . And there was not any places where we could moor. So we all could just enjoy of watching the potential trophies.Tasty dinner and rest waited for us in the camp.Next morning Vladimir – my guide and I sailed one hour deep into the hunting area and then walked. In two hours of moving we detected the group of males which had rest on the top. We climbed 600 meters and then approached 360 meters to them. I made one but accurate shot and got the trophy. We originally agreed that I try to get the second one if it’d be possible. When the guide was cutting the goat I had some free time and I used it to my advantage. I noticed the huge group of Ibexes, about 80 males, which grazed in 100 meters from us on the opposite slope. It made me to take the decision. I did one more accurate shot from the distance 735 meters and got the second trophy. Both trophies had good trophy features. One of them was 12 years old male, and another one was 13 years old.You can see the video report on our YouTube channel «Mountain Hunting» or click the link on the site.
After the successful hunt for the Koryak Snow Sheep in Kamchatka we waited when we would drive by ATV to the habitat of Koryak Snow Sheep in Chukotka region. In two long days while we were waiting for weather we drove to the new place. It took us 8 hours. I and Alexey Kim arrived to that camp in the second turn. Viktor Kim had arrived earlier and got his trophy of the Koryak Snow sheep already. Alex and I still had to do it. Next morning our team, which included me, the outfitter and guides, went for the hunt. We divided into several groups and each started to examine the definite hill. In 15 minutes one of us had detected the lonely sheep. The only demand to the future trophy was that it had to be not less than 10 years old because we didn’t have much time for the hunt. I and Vladimir (my guide) started to approach the male while another guide monitored it staying in the bed of the river. We climbed 400 meters and I started to look for the comfortable shooting position when the thick fog covered the hills and the rain started. I tried to find the male through the scope but lost it. It moved to three meters aside and we had to go down and ascended to the next hill once again. I approached it 460 meters. It stood near the rock like the aim in the shooting range. The only problem was that its blended with the natural relief thanks to its color. I made one but accurate shot and did the second one just to be sure. Then we made some pictures, took the genetic analyses and went back . You can see the video report on our YouTube channel «Mountain Hunting» or click the link on the site (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClM39uFq3aMCmqhWYRWKw6A)
I got the opportunity to hunt for Mid-Caucasian Tur using the quantity control license. The hunt was organized in the Elbrus region of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. I arrived to Mineralnye Vody and we went to the mountains in the evening. It was a pleasure to spend the night not in the camp but in the nice and warm house. Next morning we started climbing and noticed the group of animal pretty soon. There were two big males. I decided to shoot. The distance was 643m and angle 28 degrees). My trophy became 16 years old Tur. It pretends to be in the top 10 of SCI by the preliminary estimation. Thank you very much to the outfitters who organized this hunt
EpigraphEach hunt is unique. You can’t predict how the trip will finish though you’ve visited the same place several times. I believe that mountains write their own scenario and do what they want and need. They test the limits of the every man who wants to conquer them. Each trip for me has its own associations. On one of the Club’s meeting I got acquaintance with Alexey Kim and he infected me with the idea to get the trophies of Koryak and Chukotka Snow Sheep. It happened in 2016. Viktor Kim joined us and we all together arrived to Petropavlovsk- Kamchatsky in August 13th, 2017. The first night we spent in the hotel in the city because the flight to Tilichiki which we needed would be next day. Then according to the plan we arrived to Tilichiki, reloaded luggage to the helicopter and flew to the habitat of the Koryak Snow Sheep. The second flight ( helicopter) would deliver quad bikes and guides from another camp. Their hunt there was over already. We worried that the chopper could damage the equipment while landing and didn’t camp. We didn’t want to waste time and started to examine surroundings using the binoculars. One of us detected the group of males which grazed on the slope in three km from us. Animals didn’t pay attention to the noise of the helicopter and continued to pasture or had rest. We worried that the second choppers would fright them but it didn’t happened and the group stood on the same place.It was a rare luck and we decided to approach them and tried to get it. We went all together. Each of us wanted to fire and to take the trophy. We all shot. The shooting distance was 670 meters. I clearly saw how my sheep fell after the shot and was absolutely sure that I did it. But it wasn’t so!When everything was finished we went to the trophies to make pictures and cut meat. The first one, which we found, was Alexey’s trophy. I was sure that mine laid in 100 meters from his but we discovered it. We searched the slope but there wasn’t any sign of my sheep. I was surprised.Next morning we examined surroundings one more time but still didn’t find it. Later at home I'd watched video and noticed that the sheep had fallen but in 100 meter it came alive and ran. We analyzed the shot and understood that the bullet passed above. It fell because was stunned by the sonic boom but wasn't hurt. Probably It had to be so. Day #2. Alexey, who had the trophy already, staid in the camp while I, Victor and our guides divided into several groups and inspected the hunting area. In the evening I detected two males but we didn’t’ time to approach them and postponed it to the next day.Day #3. The group, which consisted of me, Alexey- the local outfitter, and two guides went to observe the slopes in front of the camp. It was noon when one of the guide spotted the males which went to the open area from the hideout.We wanted to approach them but the group of females between us, prevented to do it. Fortunately in an hour they went down to drink to the source and we used that opportunity.We went to them on 410 meters and It was a good chance to shoot. The angle was 30 degrees. I estimated the trophy and fired. I hit it and it laid. So I got 15 years old male with good trophy characteristics. We did what was need and went back to the camp. Another hunter was also successful at that day and we prepared to move to the habitat of the Chukotka Snow Sheep. But weather changed our plans and we spent two more days in that place. I’ll tell you that story later.
The hunt lasted 6 days and 4 of them took the way to and from the place. The pure hunt was only 2 days. We began from the Carpathians and spent one night in the midway between them and Rodopi. Both hunts were well organized by the local guides and it wasn’t hard to get the trophies. The only difficulty was in the steepness of the slopes which were also covered by thick forest. The weather also wasn’t well. I used the rented gun and shot from the distances 50 and 70 meters.
At the end of the season I hunted in Caucasus. The hunt took one day. I got the trophy, shooting from the distance 256 meters. Thank you very much for the famous Caucasian hospitality.
I flew from Barcelona to Tehran on November, 17. 2017., cleared customs and checked in to the airport hotel Ibis (good European hotel). Next day we drove to Yazd, the whole way took us 6 hours, I was surprised by the good quality of the roads and good driving manners. We accommodated in the nice local hotel . This hunt was one among the few when I didn’t sleep in the tent and needn’t ride by horse all day along. It takes us just one hour to drive from the hotel to the hunting area. We started at 5 am on November, 19th. I checked the gun and made the correction, probably the settings were reset during transportation. The first day we noticed the male but our main guide didn’t allow to shoot and we spent the whole day waiting for the bigger one which didn’t come. As the result we missed the first and didn’t see another one. On the Day 2 we walked and saw some samples even better than we noticed yesterday but they all moved and we couldn’t approach them. The Day 3 – zero result. We dint’ see any goat. On the Day 4 we seriously talked with our guides and send them to different sides to look for the males. In three hours we drove to the place where one of our guides spotted the males. The goat slept and we waited when it’d wake up and didn’t move. We couldn’t approach it because it was circled by females which guarded the herd. I had the opportunity to shoot just at 2 pm. The distance was about 750m. I wounded it but couldn't make the second shot because it ran and the sun blinded the eyes and I didn’t see anything. We followed the goat and after 15 minutes of the marathon running found it laying on the opposite slope. I shot twice from 300m. There are 11 males registered in the SCI record book, my trophy is the 12th. According the preliminary measure it could be on the 8 or 9th place.It wasn’t an easy hunt because we walked a lot but there were some positive moments.The first one accommodation in the hotel not in the tent. We didn’t drink alcohol and eat healthy food (chicken with rice) and I lost some weight. The hunting area is close to the hotel. The guides helped a lot. Good luck on the hunts.
The hunt was organized on the height 400-4200m. On the fifth day I shot the trophy of the 8 years old bharal. It’s my 30th ram from the Ovisit list and 34th trophy from the MHC list. We trekked two days to the second place where I was going to hunt for a tahr. I saw it at the first day of our arrival and got it. It was 12 years old male.All staff is very professional. Thanks a lot to all team and personally to Vadim Plaksin who helped me in this hunt.
I have been hunting on the lands of Davlethan Muloerov. Raised early in the morning and elevated on the height 1500 m a.s.l. before the sunlight. It took us about an hour and a half. I must note, that 70-years old Davlethan was walking easily and faster than the young rangers. Almost on the sunrise we saw two old goats. I shote the leg of one of them from the distance 630 meters. We thought, that the animal fell in the bushes, but in real, it was imperceptibly walking on the slope. Common knowledge, that the injured animal goes down the slope, it was the same in our case. But it was amazing, what steep rocks our shot animal was moving on. For the long time we were searching him by the bloody trail. After three hours of search Davlethan found the animal almost in the lower part of the gorge. A marvelous male of 10 years old has been taken with the second shot and from 670 meters distance. I want to thank Davlethan and Ayuba Muloerov with a young scientist Halil Karimov and to all the squad, The hunt on the border with Afganistan, very steep mountains, difficult and intense hunt.
At 7 am we left the car on the elevation 2000 masl and started to hike. Pretty soon we detected three chamois which grazed from the left side of us and one male from the right. We decided to go around them ( about 5 km) by the right slope accounting the wind direction. At 10 am we climbed to 2735 masl. We spotted chamois which laid in the grass in 80 m from us. I fired almost vertically, there wasn’t any possibility to put the stock to the shoulder. The deadly wounded goat went few meters and fell into the deep gorge after the shot. It was a real adventure to take it out. Thank you very much to the outfitters for this well-organized and professional hunt.
