I booked two hunts in Canada for two different species of bighorns. The first one was the California Bighorn. I’d got it near the town Kelowna. We arrived to the place a day before the hunting season would be opened, checked the surroundings and detected three males. Two out of three had trophy sizes. Next morning I got up on the sunrise and we went for the hunt. We easily found the group and I took the biggest one. It wasn’t’ difficult. Then we moved to Alberta and rode by horses to the Rocky mountains. Those mountains is called The Rocky Mountains but in reality they all are covered by the thick forests and It’s difficult to find and to approach the animal. We spent 4 days trying to spot the good male and when found the legal one I didn’t hesitate any second and got it.
I’ve heard a lot that hunters have difficulties with hunting for that trophy. I was lucky. We arrived to Istanbul and spent a day sightseeing. Next morning we flew to Konya, drove to the hunting area and went to the hunt at the same day. I didn’t take much time to find and to take the trophy. In the evening I flew back to Istanbul and then to Moscow.
My ambitious plan was to take all three turs during one trip to the Caucasus. I managed to realize it to 66.66%.About all in order:We solved to start from the Dagestan Tur and drove to Dovgaz. After arrival we had dinner, very tasty Ossetia cakes and went to bed. Wake-up was appointed for 2am . We drove to the mountains and began to climb. It took us 4 hours to ascend from the altitude 1700 masl to 3200 masl. And telling the truth it was one of the serious challenges in my hunting caree. We were going up without light and keeping silence. it was not in vain. We found animals at first light but I couldn’t take the trophy that time. I shot but missed. We descended and I checked optics. There was smth wrong though I tested it before. Thus I had to use the spare sight and tested it. The guides advised not to bother the animals and come back later. We informed the outfitter about our plans and moved to another hunting area. After arrival to the place we began to climb. It took us 3 hours to reach the camp but it was much easier than the first time. That night we spent in the tent with three young guides. The morning started with the thick fog. The visibility was less thatn 30-40 meters and we waited when it’d change. The first clear happened at noon and we went for the hunt. The good weather didn’t last long but it was enough to find the males near the tent. I shot to the vague silhouette and hit it. We made pictures in the milky fog. Next day we went back to the road and went for next hunt. The third trip was the epic failure. I wounded the Kuban and we spent the whole day trying to find it but couldn’t do it. I had to be back to Ossetia with the one trophy. There we waited two more days when the weather would become better. On the third day I was lucky enough to get the trophy of the Dagestan tur. The guides detected the herd on the slope when the animals were moving up and we needn’t climb. I visited that area once again in a year and took the Kuban tur.
I was going to get two trophies in Mongolia because had the negative experience when planned to take three trophies in the one time in the Caucasus. By the local outfitter made me the offer concerning the Altai Argali and I couldn’t refuse. The trip was very active. We spent four day until we got the Hangay Argali but all other hunts were much shorter and took one day each. I was sorry that all so quickly ended. But we need to use all opportunities as we have.
I tried to get all three Caucasian turs in 2009 but failed. Thus I came back to the Caucasus in a year to take the Kuban Tur. The hunt was organized in the very peculiar place, in the deep canyon which was covered by the thick forest. We had to go down, not to climb when looked for the animals. The terrain was rugged and visibility wasn’t well in such conditions. It was very untypical hunt. On the second day we detected the group of three turs which grazed on the opposite slope. One of them was trophy size male but the guides suggested to look for a bigger one. The reason why I decided to take that animal was that the weather forecast promised to change and would be bad all next days. I didn’t want to fly there once again. I waited for a long time when it would stand up and then fired from the distance 600 meters. The male fall to the bottom of the gorge and we had to go down to take it. We made pictures with the trophy siting on the shore of the mountain river among the real jungles. We just brought it to the top and was goint back to the camp when the storm had started. It was the pouring rain with strong gusty wind. It was a good decision to take that male. Probably I’d come back and try to get the bigger one.
The way to the habitat of the sheep took us the whole day of drive from Teheran. We spent 3 days of driving and looking for a good trophy. Once I tried to approach the group of males but the shooting position wasn’t’ good and I refused. The distance was far and I had to lay on the stones which were sharp as coral. On the fourth day we climbed to the mountains by foot and began to examine the surroundings when noticed the herd. I could come close to it and got the trophy. Then we moved to the habitat of the Esfahan mouflon. The hunt there was much easier. We spotted the trophy, approached and got it. That hunt took us a half of a day.
That hunt in Iran is very difficult because the density of those animals isn’t high. At first we bought the hunting license for three days but then prolonged it to the full 5 days. I got the trophy at the curtain call.That day we chased the other group but it moved fast and there wasn’t any possibility to shoot. Fortunately Ilya detected the another herd which moved up by the vertical slope. I lay down, aimed and shot not even waiting for the permission from the guide. I fired from the bottom-up. We all noticed how the dust rose above the sheep and the male disappeared behind the ridge. The first reaction was that I missed it but we insisted on checking. The sheep lay in 50 meters from the ledge. The outlet in its breast was the size of saucer but it had enough force to jump up to the top. It was very strong and endurance animal.
It wasn’t the easy hunt. Unfortunately we made a noisy while approaching the herd, they heard us and began to run away. I fired to the running aim and wounded it. We found the bloody track and followed it. There was much blood at first by than less and less. Sometimes we couldn’t find the track. We detected it in 6 hours and the male moved all that time. Later we found that It was wounded twice before but was very strong. Fortunately it made the circle while running from us and we got it not far from the place where left cars.
I fired to the running aim, being on the mountain range while the male was on another one. The shooting position wasn’t comfortable and the bullet hit to its hip. The mouflon had run to the top of the hill and we followed it. It took us an hour and was dangerous. There we found it and I had to make the kill shot.
It was my first Iranian trophy. First two day there was rain and low fog, so we couldn’t hunt. When it became better we went to the mountains and found the needed trophy in a few hours. I shot from above to the laying male. The bullet went it through and damaged the horn.
It was the first sheep which I took as the member of GSCO. It was a long way to the hunting area. We changed 3 flights, 2 hydroplanes, then sailed by boat and drove by ATV “ARGO”. After arriving to the place we all moved scouting mission and detected the nice male. The PH wouldn’t allow to shoot until we approached 550 meters and he was sure that it suited. I got it by the first accurate shot. It was 14 years old sheep.
When the first hunting day, which we spent close to the base camp, was over our guide concluded that we wouldn’t get anything there and suggested to take tent and all necessary equipment and to move to the mountains. Next day we loaded what we needed for 2-3 days, including food and the tent, and went to another place. We hiked all day and arrived to the place toward the end of the day but had enough force to climb on the nearest slope and detected the group of males there. I fired from that place, the shooting distance was 600 meters. We went back to the camp in the late night after we had made pictures and cut meat. It took us all next day to go back to the main camp. The weather was nice and the chopper arrived on time, on the fourth day.
It wasn’t the easy hunt though the mountains there weren’t high. We spent five days of walking and looking for the good male and was awarded. I got my trophy. Accommodation and food was super. I used my own gun but the procedure of taking it in and out of the country was tough. The Mexican officers did everything as if they hadn’t done it before. They called to other departments and asked for instructions. There was a real chance to be late for the flight back to Moscow because the clearance took us 2.5 hours.
I got two sheep during two days: multi horns Jacob sheep and Stone sheep. Despite the result it wasn’t the easy hunt. The density of the animals isn’t high though the hunting area was huge. I used the rented gun. The hunt was organized by Ilya Dmitriev.
It was the only snow sheep which I could get in the first day. The guided did the reconnaissance before and it helped. The approach and the shot were tough. I had to note the beauty of the local Nature. I hadn’t seen so picturesque mountains which were so close to the sea.
The only difficulty was in the altitude. I didn’t feel well. Everything was organized on the high level. I got nice trophy in the first day. The shooting distance was 566 and I fired to the running animal. It had horns 51 and 53 inches.
I arrived to Ulan-Bator by plane, waited at the airport for the transit local flight and then flew two more hours to Uliastai. After arrival we drove about 5 hours to the base camp.The guides made scouting before my arrival and we knew where to look for a trophy. We found it on the third day. I shot from AWM 38 Lapua Mag from the distance 370m. I did it without any support because there wasn’t any possibility to lean on the smth. I don’t know how I hit the target! But the argali lay before me.
I still remember my first hunt in Mongolia. It was in August 2012, and this first one was then followed by a series of trips collecting Mongolian trophies. The plan was to start with Gobi Argali and Gobi Ibex. We arrived to Ulan Baatar and took a domestic flight to Dalanzagdad (1 hour 40 minutes). It took us about 2-hour drive to get to the hunting camp by Toyota Land Cruiser. We spent that evening at the camp, resting. On the second day, we checked our guns for the long distance shots and scouted around at the afternoon.Local hunting has its specific character. If Mongolians organize the hunt, then one needs to supervise them all the time to make them do the work. It was a good camp with shower etc., but the people needed to be controlled to keep on going: cook the food, clean up etc. The camp was located over 100 kilometers away from the hunting area. It is impossible to understand why anybody would put up a camp so far away from the mountains and make the hunters to cover such distance each day. It would be a lot better to put up a camp closer to the hunting region, without causing any damage to the area or the hunting process. In addition, the hunters almost always experience intoxication because of the local food. Antibioticshelp.The local guides knew the area well; however, they were unable to show the spot where they had seen the sheep during the pre-scouting. I have ordered the pre-scouting in advance… They said they located 2 groups, one of which had a 43 incher. However even without any experience in Mongolian steppes, I could tell that the area was empty. Most probably, it was heavy raided by the local poachers. During 7 days spent in the area, we saw only three rams; all of them were 3-4 years old. As a result, in despair to get a sheep, we decided to hunt Ibex. Next 3 days we spent trying to find Gobi Ibex: each day we got up at 4 a.m. and then there was about an hour drive to the hunting area. The average size seen was about 31-34 inches, which is enough minimum for SCI. We met a group of 4-9 billies, and several loners. Also seen large groups of females with youngsters. Average shooting distance was 300-400 meters. We decided to stop searching and get the largest one. Ishotthebiggestoneseen– 34 inches. We moved to another area, Hangai, to find the Argali. Crossed Gobi from the south to the north. We were told that it would take about 6 hours, however we spent about 12 hours in the car.I have to say that we had only 2 hunting days left out of nine.We got up at 5 a.m. and went to the area, where the guides had located a group of nice Argali. Saw a group of sheep (about 10 males). The largest one was estimated to be about 50 inches or even more. Completed the stalking and got 44/45 inches ram. Good enough. We went back to the camp for overnight.On the 8th day, we went back to Ulan Baator (4-5 hour drive on a pretty good road). Has some sightseeing during the trip. Next day I flew back home. The trophies arrived at the end of the season.In 2014, I went to get Altai Argali and Altai Ibex. Had the same troubles with locals: the guides did not accept responsibility for judging the size of the animal and mistaked the wish for the reality. I have to say, those were not the easy hunts, however very memorable.
