The only one who can understand a hunter
Who felt the same
When leaving home, full of hope
And miserably coming back
It was sunny next morning like at the first hunting day. It became warmer - 150 C. The weather was comfortable for hunting and after a short lunch our team- Sanzhar, Dushan, Vladimir and I went on looking for a ram.
We went to the opposite direction. We were riding by horses about five hours climbing the mountains and descending to the gorges. We crossed the picturesque valley where found the bones of ibexes killed by wolves and entered the gorge where saw how the small spring pierced ice flowing down to the valley. The horses clung to the icy source immediately and we followed their example. We took a short break and then started to storm the next climb. After reaching the top everything had began.
A grand panorama opened up from the height. We could see how the wide valley ran to horizon, in some places if was crossed by mountain gorges and small hills. This beauty from both sides was surrounded by majestic peaks. It was the place where Sanzhar wanted us to be. He was sure that there we’d find flocks of Marco Polo sheep. In a few minutes we detected three or even four flocks in two -three km from us. There were not less than 100 sheep! The animals grazed in some distance from each other. The core of those groups were ewes with lambs and young sheep males but we noticed several trophy size adult rams between them. They gathered in small groups in 5-6 individuals and moved fast if felt any danger.
Sanzhar set the scope and started to monitor the surroundings. Dushan helped him. Vladimir and I watched the territory through the binoculars looking for a worthy trophy. In an hour Sanzhar told us what he had noticed. He spotted the group of argali with five or six trophy size rams which stayed in three km from us where the gorge adjoined the valley. According to Dushan estimation one of the rams was a worthy one. The only question was how to approach them by the open area. After a discussion we resolved to go there by the plateau above them along the mountain ridge. We had to sneak up to the herd and try to get the trophy if there was one. There were no any other ways.
Saddled horses and moved to the mountains but did stops from time to time to check where the rams were. The rams, we were interested in, entered the gorge and the rest of the flock followed them what was just as well for us.
Then the events took a completely unexpected turn.
We rode about four km and dismounted. I took the carbine and ammunition while Sanzhar and Dushan carried their guns and scopes and then we all walked along the ridge to the gorge where the sheep had to be. Vladimir followed us. He carried a camera and was not in a hurry at all. Suddenly Sanzhar jumped up, caught me by the sleeve and knocked me down to the ground. The rest fell down and froze. Sanzhar crawled by the rubble, then I, taking the bipod and a carbine. I crawled over and lay down beside him. He looked disappointed. He gestured Dushan to come and to be ready to fire. Then he pointed to the opposite ridge and we all snuggled up the binoculars.
In 600 m from us I saw the huge wolf which also hunted for sheep. It was hiding in snow and reduced the distance between him and the flock. The wolf carefully descended wagging the tail and making from 10 to 20 steps in one pass. It was obviously clear that sheep didn’t see the predator nor us. It was interesting and could help us. We move in short bursts, crawled from time to time and trying to cross the wolf’s line and approaching the sheep. At last, the predator laid down into snow and froze. It was clear that it was watching sheep from above while we’d have to crawl to the place from where we could see the group.
I measured the distance to the wolf by a rangefinder while we were crawling; It was 540 meters. We could try to take out the competitor...
We moved up by the plateau, climbed the hill and detected the flock. It consisted on the dozens of argali. The animals were having rest and laid along the small ascend near the gorge. The group of ewes was nearest to us, the group of rams laid behind them, stretched from the left to the right hided by the youth sheep. All rams were clearly viewed. I put the carbine on the bipod and measured the distance - from 300 to 320 meters. It was really good. There was no wind but the sun shined just to my face.
We accounted eight Marco Polo rams and three of them had trophy size. One of those three didn’t suit because its horn’ base was small, the horn of the second one had the broken tip. The third one was magnificent. It had long spiral horns with a huge base and the horns’ tips twisted outwards. The other members of our team confirmed that it was what I needed. I began to prepare for a shot. But didn't want to fire while it was lying down. The plan was to wait when they’d start to stand up and to shoot at that moment.
We were lying on the frozen rocks, covered by snow and began to freeze. The sun was shining but low temperature and a wind affected us.
In a hour I got shivers but there was not any sign that the flock was going to move. The wolf, on the opposite slope, tried not to betray its presence and hid in the snow only its head moved up and down. It smelt sheep and also waited. I guessed that could take a while and sheep could lay till the late evening.
One more hour had passed, shivers became stronger. Sanzhar and Dushan was fidgeting on the rocks, they tried to change the positions, raised wrinkled hands to the mouths trying to warm them up with breath. I commanded: “Lift the flock, Sanzhar!” and took the carbine aiming my ram.
My fellows rose groaning to their full heights - but there was no reaction in the flock. I watched attentively to my ram through the crosshairs trying to catch any movement. Sanzhar rose his hands and shouted something. The wolf saw us and disappeared behind the ridge. Something was going on in the flock, the ewes stood up first and turned heads from the left to the right. The rams joined them. My male also moved. The flock stood up and ewes mingled with rams sheltering them with their bodies. Then they began to go up by the ridge and to descend to the gorge smoothly. My trophy was among the last ones. It reached the horizon when I shot. The heavy bullet hit to the center of the body just below the shoulder blade. It shuddered and fell down. At the same moment the flock rushed at a gallop, lifting the clouds of snow dust and hid in the gorge. Only the wide road of tracks reminded about them.
We began to jump and shout happily, patting each other and congratulating with the trophy. It was unbelievable!
After it we saddled the horses and rode to the place where it laid. I have no words to describe how nice it was. Its huge, heavy horns with a big base confirmed my thought that it was the worthy sample of Marco Polo sheep. The length of the left and right horns was 135 and 137sm. It was a very lucky hunt in Kyrgyzstan.
Then we went down to the camp. Later when having dinner, we were remembering how we detected the wolf, it was it who drove the flock to that gorge near the mountain ridge and helped us in our hunting, my accurate shot, weather and how we were freezing there but still hoped for luck.
Ibexes
Next day everything started once again: packing, horses, gun’s tests and others. We didn't want to waste time because only three days left before the departure. I still had chance to get the trophy of the Mid-Asian Ibex. Sanzhar- our experienced guide knew that area very well and knew where we could try our hunting luck.
It was dark when we left. Then we rode by valley to the east. It lasted quite a long time. We spent on climbing all daylight hours. Few times we stopped to have rest while rising, then reached the top, rode it around and dismounted. I followed the guides and we went about 250 m then stopped. Sanzhar stared at the neighboring peaks and valleys for a long time. Then sat down, pulled out the scope and began to look for ibexes. It gave the results!
Soon, we spotted the group of ibexes, about 15-16 males, in three km from us. He commanded to horse and we started our hike.
When there was about 1,5 km to the flock, we dismounted to check the group. There was not any movement. Some of the males stood while the others laid down near the huge rock and heat under the sun. Dushan suggest to have lunch and then to approach them because it didn’t look as if they were going to go anywhere. The others agreed. We went down a bit not to frighten them, lit a small stove, boiled tea, ate some sausage with bread and were ready to continue. One of us looked out from behind the rocks and found that there was not any sign of animals.
We had nothing to do but climb to the rock from where we saw them for the last time. Our group marched in a single file but made stops to breathe. Thus, we reached the top. The huge, long gorges, about 800-900 m length, stretched from it to the left and the right sides. They rested on insurmountable high-altitude peaks. Sanzhar told us that ibexes went down to the beginning of the ridge where we were. After a short discussion we resolved. If Dushan went down from, the flock should move near the vertical rocks where we stood and my task was to make the accurate shot in such case.
We found the place and made a blind. I imagined the line where they would rise from the lowest point to the opposite mountain ridge at my eye level. The rangefinder showed 450 m to the nearest rocks. The wind spun snow to the top of the mountain but it didn't bother us. I was sure that I would have a chance to shoot.
Dushan climbed to the rock slowly and then began to descend to the ibexes.
In forty minutes, we heard the shot, he gave us a signal. I detected the first ibex who was leading the rest of the group to the top of the ridge. It was unthinkable! Our plan had gone to the hell but it was worth to look at. The ibexes stood in line and began to storm the vertical slope of the peak drowning up to their necks in snow. It was unforgettable! As if they knew what would happen and nobody wanted to die!
I measured the distance: It was 1,200 meters. There were three good size males, two of them has spiral horns and the last and the biggest one had large recurved horns. I started to aim the biggest one. A shot! I missed it. I fired once again and missed. The animals stretched in the line from bottom-up about 100 meters length and went on to move to the peak. It was a beautiful picture! I made two more shots but with the same result. The side wind with the gusts prevented me to fire. It has no sense to measure wind speed. I could hardly believe but Sanzhar looked satisfied. It happened that the flock passed the mountain ridge and entered the gorge on the opposite side where we could find and approach them tomorrow. Sanzhar told us that there were some vegetation and ibexes go there for feeding. We resolved to continue our hunting tomorrow.
And began descending to the camp. We chose the shorted but the hardest way through the saddle of the mountain directly to the camp. It took us five hours to reach the camp. At last, we reached it totally devastated but undefeated!
Once again!
Next morning we got up at 3 am. Ate short breakfast, saddled the horses and left the camp. Sanzhar was in a hurry and made us to gallop by the valley to the Northeast. His plan was to reach the end of the plateau from the other side of the mountains while it was dark, to lay behind the rocks waiting for ibexes when they’d go down in the morning. We shared his impatience and rode as fast as we could, rose hill after hill, crossed one ridge after another- the idea was to reach the definite place before the sunrise. It was getting light but we almost arrived.
Sanzhar pulled out the scope, set in on the bipod and began to monitor the mountain massive. "Here they are! » - he shouted and we all peered through our binoculars. The distance to the males was about 3-4 km. The ibexes had descended already and was meeting the sunrise. We noticed the females and babies with them. The procession was ended by three amazing males, I’d paid attention yesterday and even tried to get one of them. Each of us looked at them through the scope to estimate the giants. Two males had horns more than 125-130sm but the last one had even bigger horns about 140 sm!
I checked the carbine and cartridges. We packed the scope, flung ourselves on horsebacks and went on. Dushan suggested to approach the group from the leeward side but Sanzhar offered to attack from the end of the mountain where they’d enter the plateau. The hunt has begun!
We were wobbling up and down along the small hills, hiding behind the rocks, we approached the ibexes. We were near the mountain edge when wind changed the direction and a herd turned back and began to climb in the opposite side.
Sanzhar realized that had to do something or we’d lose the chance and galloped down to the mountain foot. I spurred on my horse too and followed him. After reaching the place where he stopped, I dismounted, took a carbine and ran after him. We ran up about 50 m and then Sanzhar almost moaned: “Shoot! I beg you shoot! Or they’ll leave!”
I fixed the bipods, laid down and prepared to shoot at a sharp angle. The ibex’ flock was rising fast and soon they all would disappear behind the rocks from the right. The starting distance was 500 meters. I set the corrections and tried to look for a trophy. But none of us could see the three males which we were looking for.
Suddenly I detected the first one, it was jumping from one stone to another flickering between rocks. It was all I needed! A shot! I missed it. The trophy males mingled with the others and I couldn’t fire. I shot two more time but without any result! I had no time to put the corrections and I could only make shot by shot using the correction for 500 m. Ibexes were moving up and up. Vladimir, I had given him a credit, corrected the distance constantly: 650… 700… 800 meters. The further was the worse, the goats had mixed with each other and It was impossible to get the desired trophy. Once or two times I saw the giant male through the crosshairs. Each time when I aimed the trophy, I tried to remember the sets of the reticle to make the accurate shot.
The animals reached 1000 meters, built the row and went from the first mountain massive through the rocky mounds to the next. The first male led the group carefully from one rock to another. I didn't doubt for a moment and shot. The 19gr bullet left the barrel with a whistle. Moment ... And we all gasped! Sanzhar sat with the open mouth what meant how he was surprise. The bullet hit the first goat! It looked amazing on such distance. The goat fell to its side, rolled over few times in the air and fell down from the mountain to the stones.
I raged. The ibexes stopped on the edge of the rocky mound thinking to move further or not. After a while they began to cross one by one sinking hooves in the rubble.
And I saw my yesterday's macho with curled horns. It was huge with the long beard, dark hair and a a whitish spot on the belly. My trophy ibex began to go, accelerating to the male before him. The shooting distance was more than 1000 m. I entered the corrections for the angle and shot. The bullet hit to its breast (we checked it later). It fell headfirst and tucked the front legs under it. The heavy bullets did its job. I watched it through the crosshairs and saw how it crawled to the rock leaving the wide bloody track.
Everybody kept silence. My shooting practice for long distances helped me once again.
I was delighted that we got two trophies of ibexes. Then as if all awake from a trance we realized: Hunting is over!
I had no forces to rise to trophies. Sanzhar, Dushan and Vladimir began to ascend and I had nothing but followed them. We were overcoming the rocks and mounds when crawled to the goats at last. The first male laid with the broken jaw. It was more difficult with the second one: Dushan followed the blood train and got the macho which was still alive. We measured the trophies: the first male had 105 sm horns but the second one was bigger. The length of its right and left horns were 125 and 126 sm.
The photo session became the climax of our expedition, then we cut meat and went to the camp.
The conclusion.
The sun was shining brightly. My soul wanted to fly in the blue sky because there was not enough space in my breast. I was impressed by that hunting and surroundings. The Tian Shan mountains around me reminded about the frailty of life. My hunting in Kyrgyzstan was over. I’d got three great trophies in Aksay valley. I think that I’ll come back there to get the champion trophy!
