An old dream came true - I drove through the Dzungarian Gate! On the second day, two Goats were hunted, 7.5 and 8.5 years old. I would like to express my gratitude to Asien Tour, Stalker Group and Evgeny Kharitonov for organizing and accompanying this hunt.
My first mountain trophy! I’ve got Siberian Mountain goat in the hunting farm Idzhir, Krasnoyarsk region. The shooting distance was 150m. The length of the left horn is 99.3, with the circle 20.6. The right horn 98.7, the circle 21.2. The beginners are lucky. The trophy was taken in the first day. Thank you very much to my guide Vladimir who detected the male and did his best to approach me to it. We won!
Many people know that the weather in Kamchatka is very changeable. All hunters always hope for luck on the hunt. But when it turns its back on you, difficulties begin. First time I arrived to Kamchatka in 2020. We went up and down all mountain’s gorges six day along, were hit by torrential rains, squally winds. We rose to the dominant height when the rain stopped, and immediately fog covered us. Thus, we overcame 60 km but I returned home without a trophy. This year I went with great determination and with almost no time limit. After arrival the outfiter told me that preliminary exploration was carried out, and the objects of interest to us were available in sufficient quantity. The only thing left to go to them. As usual, the weather immediately deteriorated and we waited 3 days in the base camp for the weather to improve. Then we took everything we’ll need to stay for a night in the mountains and left the camp. Our group consisted of me and two guides. On the third day at noon, we reached the needed area. We set the tent on the height 1750m and the fog covered everything. By evening, heavy wind and rain with snow began. We didn't leave the tent for three days. On the 6th day we ran out of food and had to go back. We went about 40 km and overcame 2000m height. The weather became better while we were going back and had rest in the base camp. As soon as we were going to leave the camp the weather began to deteriorate. Only on the 15th day of hunting I got my Kamchatka snow sheep from a distance of 625 m, the 6th on the CMH list. Many thanks to Sergey Tyutchev, who created excellent hunting conditions for me! Except weather
I’ve got the trophy on the second hunting day. The shooting distance was 260m. I fired and the ram fell but then it tried to ran away when I came close that’s why I needed to shoot twice. I hit to its heart, we determined it when butchered the trophy.
The climb was 1300m vertically, it was hard. We stopped when entered the clouds, it was rain there. In the evening we found the place where turs were grazing. But I couldn’t to measure the distance. The “milk” allowed us to approach animals 100m I aimed to the one, which I could see better. It happened to be 9 years old male. We spent that night on the edges of the Karmadon gorge and went down in the morning. It wasn't the easy hunt. Chamois was found on the height not lower than the ones where I got the tur. You can see glaciers on the picture. We drove a part of the way by car. The shooting distance was 533m.
There was a heavy fog on the day of arrival. The next day in the morning the fog cleared, it was a sunny windy day. The camp was well equipped, there were good tents with stoves. The first hunting day we went hunting with 3 guides and detected three sheep in the first two kilometers. We could approach 400m. I shot and hit to its right shoulder blade. My mistake was that I didn’t take into account the side wind 5-6 m/s. The bullet went 20 cm to the left. The ram jumped down and stood, but it was not visible from my position. The second time I shot from the distance 600m but missed. It took us 6 hours to find the wounded animal but at last we got in at the end of the day. It was the late night when we came back to the camp. We went 27 km at that day. Thanks to Alexey Alekseev for the professional service.
I won this wonderful hunt at an auction at the New Year's meeting of our club. The hunt’s organization was High-Hunt company. My elder son accompanied me as usual. Our group consisted of two more hunters and the director of the High Hunt company Grigoriev Dmitry. The number of Marco Polo sheep and ibexes, we saw there, pleased the hunting soul and eye. Nevertheless, the hunt turned out to be really laborious and emotional. We all, both I and all the other members of our group had to walk pretty much despite the maximum possible use of horses. The height of 4000-4100 already gave the first signs of altitude sickness and difficulty breathing. But the experience of the guides and our perseverance had done the job! The hunting luck was on our side! I got the nice trophy of ibex on the forth hunting day. The shooting distance was 490m at the angle 6 degrees. We rode horses about 10-12 hours each day. It was often rain, plus the accommodation was really ascetic but it all meant nothing in comparison with the trophy. Bishkek pleased us with the warm weather, the gentle sun and a small excursion program just before returning home. It was a wonderful end to hunting with friends! I express my sincere gratitude to Dmitry Grigoriev for comprehensive consultations, solving all issues and personal presence on this hunt!
At last, I used the auction item, which bought on the CMH New Year Party. It was hunting in North Ossetia. I had two days to hunt, to admire the mountain nature, to sleep in a tent and enjoy the hospitality of the Caucasus. I got 7 years old male. We tried to chase the elder ones but didn’t have time. Hunting was organized not far from the Jimara mountain. This trophy became my sixth, which I hunted in the mountains of North Ossetia. Thank you very much to Tsar Sozanov, Kazbek Karayev, Valera and the entire team!!!
Every year I fly to Altai to hunt for a Siberian Ibex. This year I’ve managed to get the trophy in the first hunting day. The route was comfortable: The first day we rode by horses to the base camp, on the second day we started to look for an animal, found it at the end of the day and I got it. We left horses near the mountain’s foot and roamed all day along. We walked a lot. The height difference was 700m. We went about 15km in total. It was the first time when I rubbed calluses during the seven years while I used my mountain boots. I’d stay in the camp to lay and to recover if we didn’t get the trophy in the first day. We saw the group of goats in 600 m from us. Then decided to approach. They were slowly moving away while we were approaching them. At last I decided to fire. The shooting distance was 470m. On the third day we butchered the trophy and had rest. On the day #4 we were driving back to the village. It was the fastest hunt during my hunting career but the most difficult one. On the third day there was rain, hail and wind. Characteristics of the shot:1) Height 2,800 masl. 2) Distance 470 m 3) Angle -6 4) Wind: at the place of the shot 5 m/ s; there was no wind at the target. 5) RWS Evolution 300wm cartridge.
It was the last but very important trophy of snow sheep. I got in 2020 and it took me a week. My friend but not a hunter joined me in that expedition. We arrived to Yakutsk where met old friends. Next morning, we left the hotel early to be in time for a ferry across the river Lena. Then we drove to Magadan side by the famous Kolyma Road. There was one more ferry that we used when crossed Aldan River. The way to the village Khandyga was 410 km but it took us nine hours to get there. We spent a night in the village and left it in early morning. Our next goal was to meet our future guide who waited for us in 370km more. The meet point was on the meteorological station located just on the road. The local staff invited us for tea and we agreed. Soon our guide arrived. He was a very typical representative of the natives – a mid-age man. He rode by horse and took four more for us. Then we changed the car to horses and rode about seven hours. We saw how the landscapes changed from the taiga to the mountains, where there were no trees at all. One more guide waited for us in the camp. That day we had rest but next morning went to the mountains. We hiked there the whole day but didn’t detect any sign of sheep. The second day was the same that’s why we made the decision to take a mobile camp and moved to another place. It was the right decision because just in the next morning we spotted several sheep. The shooting distance was 350m, Blaser 338LM. I got 8 years old male. It’s not outstanding in trophy qualities, but is very hardworking and will certainly take an honorable place in my collection. I have closed all types of snow sheep and, in general, mountain ungulates of Russia, which are allowed for production. Many thanks to everyone who helped me in this.
On August 23rd I arrived to Kamchatka and we drove to the base camp immediately. It took us 3-4 hours drive from the airport. The camp was well organized, the each hunter had its own tent with the cot and a stove. There was a shower tent near the river. The first night I slept well. The next morning we tested our guns and moved to the hunting lands. We had only guns and necessary equipment for few days. The first day we hiked about 8 km and climbed 600-700 vertical meters. That night we spent on the slope. In the morning we got up and began to ascend. We rose higher and went on going by the tops of the rocks. In five hours we detected a sheep in 1 km from us and started to approach. We could reduce the distance to 500m and I made a shot. I hit the target but the ram still stood and I shot the second time. It was the final. The used rifle Blaser R8, a bullet Berger 210. I want to note a good organization of the trip and the high density of animals.
In August I hunted in Yakutia. We were lucky with weather. I’ve got the trophy of Yakutia snow sheep. It became 11- years old ram. Thank you very much to Afanasy Shishigin and my guide Yakov Kondakov.
