I wasn’t going to visit Kyrgyzstan but my friend Andrey invited me to join him in that expedition. He told me that hunted there twice and wanted to try one more time. I took the invitation and decided to try my hand and to get an Ibex.
I've hunted for marals in Kazakhstan for two times but it is not the same. The heights there are lower and we rode by horses not hiking. Andrey's advised me to start to practice long distance shooting because it is the obligatory skill for each mountain hunter. I started to train in a year before, had treated your injured leg, and practiced shooting on the shooting range in Pesochnoe. Then I bought all necessary equipment including some things which had never used before like special trekking poles, energetic gels and foot heaters. The wife gave me the special ointment for frostbite and burning at the same time. Spoiler: I used poles, gels and they helped a lot. But let’s I will tell everything by order.
The flight from Saint-Petersburg –Moscow-Bishkek was on schedule and there were not any problems with flying with guns. The Custom Union rules allowed to organize everything without the custom. I didn’t need to get any permits from Rosgvardia. There was really nice VIP service at the airport in Bishkek . You pay 50$ and wait when the airport staff make all papers, put stamps and get your weapon.
It took us about five hours drive to the Base “Archal” located near Kazakhstan border on the altitude 1900 masl. The base consisted of comfortable cabins made from the several twenty-foot containers connected by common hall and canteen. It wasn’t five star hotel but there were normal beds and hot batteries. The only thing caused discomfort was the toilet outside because it was cold to stay there long when the average temperature was - 10ºC. From the other side if I treat to that situation using the philosophical approach, the half of the population in Russia live in such conditions all year around and don’t suspect about another. Our camp cook Natasha was very professional and the only problem was that it was so tasty that I couldn’t but ate too much. We hadn't any meal problem.
It was snowing when we arrived and our guide had got stuck on a car somewhere. He drove to the base at night and we moved gun’s testing on the next day. In the morning we drove to the Sarlatur tract. The locals used the car which they called “Tien Shan” and which was the hybrid of our GAZ -66 and Mercedec). It delivered us to the altitude 2900 masl, but then we should walk. It was snowing steadily. Everything was covered by snow and the mountains’ top were unvisitable because of a whitish fog. It was impossible to see anything there. It became colder while we were testing guns and suddenly the sun appeared. We drove along the gorge and detected the group of Ibexes in one km from us. The guide pointed to the trophy size male and I agreed.
My guide Sergey and I changed our clothes. I was really surprised when saw Sergey put on the rubber boots. He was perfectly climbing in that boots, didn't fell or slid. I used special mountain boots, ordered in US and waited three month for delivery but didn’t feel as comfortable in them as Sergey in his rubber monsters. I know what you’ll tell me that he had been born in that place and use to wear them from his childhood. But he was 63 years old when I was younger 50! I even lost 5 kg before that trip and was in good physical condition.
The guide offered me one of his wooden stick before we started climbing but I refused because had my own special ones. I noticed doubt in his eyes and asked what’s happened? He was a very delicate man and answered evasively that I could use what I wanted. I didn’t know would I like my new poles or not because tried them for first time. I used trekking poles in Alps but walked on the trails and even rose one vertical km. It seemed that there wouldn’t be any problems. I smeared the face and lips with the cream my wife gave me, put on sunglasses, took the rifle, polls and standard set for long distance shooting which included a meteostation, binocular, a rangefinder, a calculator in the phone, energetic bar and shooting gloves. There was one thing that I had never took before but added that time. I was a small shooting bag, I was going to put under the gun when would shoot. It was good that I didn’t take the backpack or I would die with it.
We should overcome the distance about 800-900 meters up and it was much harder than to go same distance in Alps. There were not any sign of trails. Everything was covered by snow which had the consistency of cereals. It wasn’t deep but I didn’t see where I step. The slope consisted of different size stones was hidden under the snow.
I started briskly but Sergey went ahead, and I fell behind. They warned me that he hiked fast but I didn't pay attention. I tried to walk my own tempo but instinctively followed the leader. The guide didn’t go in his full force, but it was enough for me to lag behind him. We overcame about a quarter of the way when I felt sick. I wasn’t tired and my feet didn’t hurt me but I couldn’t go fast. I felt like after a knockdown, and every sudden movement , every step reflected to my stomach. I suggested to take a short rest but Sergey grimaced in annoyance and told me that there were just 200 metes left and our trophy would just behind the rock. I overcame the distance on moral and volitional qualities but nobody waited for us behind the rock.
We couldn’t stay long on the top, It was too windy, and after the short discussion went to the next rocks. We both hoped the herd would be there.
Walking to the scree I asked Sergey to give me his wooden stick, my metal ones made lots of noise. It was much more comfortable to descend using it!
We reached the next rocks. Sergey looked out behind the stone and whispered that male was just in 100 meters from us! But if we try to go around the rock along the ledge, the animals would notice us. The wind was changing the destination very quickly, that’s why I offered to go to top and to fire from there. The guide managed to crawl to the top but there was not any place to observe and make a shot that’s why he suggested to creep to the ledge. We moved very slow, Sergey was the first and I followed him. Suddenly I saw the herd, in 150 meters from us. There were two good size males and Sergey pointed to one of them. I aimed sitting on the knees though it want’ comfortable at all. My guide was nervous because goats could smell or notice us, and hurried me. The chosen goat pushed the female goat to the rock and I lost the opportunity to shoot. I can’t say if Love save the world but it saved one Ibex!
Sergey watched the scene from the different angle and advised to get another one. It stood on the scree with the chest to me and I agreed. Probably I was tired or used not the right position but I missed. At first we thought that I hit it but didn’t find any sign of blood and realized that I missed. We both were very disappointed and I couldn’t describe our feelings by literary words. We did such great job, ascended that top, approached the male and I missed! I was stifled with annoyance. The phase “Hunt is hunt” didn’t inspired at all and we went down.
Sergey ran ahead but taught me beforehand, how to go down by a scree. I was going down leaning on the stick from behind and I was thankful to him for this knowledge because didn’t know how to make it in the best way and was ready to use the fifth point. I had time while descending to analyze what had happened and came to the conclusion that the only reason of my failure was that I was in a hurry. I shouldn't have to listen to anybody while preparing for the shot and to use the support because felt tired. But in any case, it was my fault.
Being in thoughts, I mused, stumbled, did a flip and hit my Blazer a stone. When I came back in a second I was happy to realize that didn’t damage myself. Sergey didn’t see what had happened.
Soon I noticed him in 200 meters lower than me. He was waving me actively and I waved in response but he went on to do it as if calling me to go him faster. At last I realized that he found something and moved as fast as I could at that moment.
Sergey stood on the ledge and showed me to the herd which moved up along the gorge. There were two trophy size males. I laid on the stones and tried to measure the distance. Unfortunately my rangefinder was frozen and didn’t work correctly, later we understood that the problem was in a new battery.
Ibexes were going up and reducing the distance. I chose the rock which the male would cross and measured the distance. The distance was just 210 meters with the angle 28 degree. I added new data to the calculator, entered the vertical correction to the sight and aimed the male which hide behind the bushes or stones. At last it came to the open area and stopped. I waited the gust of wind abated, aimed the cross with the shoulder blade, hold my breathe and shot. We both heard the distinct slap and the male laid down!
I reloaded the gun taking it in the sight but it wasn’t necessary. It was over.
Sergey congratulated me with the accurate shot and I realized that everything was over and discharged the shotgun.
We came to the trophy and Sergey was the first one who reach it. It was getting dark we had to be in hurry if wanted to make pictures with the trophy. Looking' to the picture today I don’t know who looks worse I or my trophy. Sergey stayed to cut meat and sent me to the Base. I shoud have to be in a hurry because didn’t have the flashlight and was tired but in any case I looked like a disabled person, going down with two trekking poles.
The guys who waited us near the car, switched on light to illuminate the road. I figured the star and the rock which would use if I loose the way while coming to the car. But it was not dark because of snow. But one unpleasant thing had happened in any case. I slipped on the wet stone and fell, waited for a while and went on going.
Sergey overtook me when I wasn’t far from the car. He used the Ibex like an anchor because it slipped on snow and could be used like a sled or brake depending on the situation.
At last we reached the car! All team congratulated me with the trophy. It was the they who informed Sergey about the herd which moved to our direction. I ate the energetic gel, we loaded all our equipment and the trophy and drove to the Base.
Hot soup and fried meat waited for us there. We celebrated the birth of the new Mountain Hunter and I, from my side, thanked Andrey for his help because It was him who arranged everything. After a tasteful dinner I went to bed and slept all next day.
Andrey was going to get super trophy with horns not less than 140 sm. But there was not such size male and we decided to fly back to Sant -Petersburg.
I write this report sitting in the airplane and feel and miss the mountains and want to come there back. I think that in a year I’ll try it once again.
