The horses neighing woke us up, the guides were loading them, just near the place we slept, for the mountain expedition. We were in Azerbaijan, in the Ismailli district, on the Kel Dag base. That day the American hunter Derek Armadio and I should have to ride to the tent camp, located in the mountains. Our goal was to get the trophies of Eastern turs. Suddenly our Chief Guide Nariman Zulfigarov informed us that we had to take one more hunter - Robert Mappa. But his luggage and gun didn’t arrive yet. We took him without hesitation. There is an unspoken rule that hunters help hunters and each of us can be in the same situation.
Sale of rifled weapons is prohibited in Azerbaijan that’s why we couldn't give him a personal rifle. Derek agreed to give him his 300 WinMag.
I consider the family of 300th calibers to be the best choice for the mountain hunting, especially with the semi-jacket bullets and have nothing against 338 LapuaMag but there are some complaints to caliber 308.
All hunters would go to different places with their guides not to interfere each other. Usually, the hunter is accompanied by three guides including the chief one. The guide is your boss in the mountains and you should have to follow his commands not matter if you are the President of International Corporation and have 10K people under your command. You can be Big Boss at home but there in the mountains you have to listen to your guide and did what he asks though he is your employ in some way. If he says to freeze, seat, run or lay and you want to get the result you should have to forget about your social position at home and be ready to do what he commands.
I hunted with Nariman from 2003. He is the professional of the highest qualification and the real artist. Many hunters from different part of the world will agree with me including Russian hunters whose number is growing from year to year. Many of them are well-known in our hunting community, they are Valery Eliseev, Igor Raevsky, Vladislav Reznik, Igor Gaidukov, Leonid Palko, Alexey Kim, Sergey Gladky, Sergey Ikrennikov, Viktor Likhachev, Sergey Yastrzhembsky. Nariman hunted with Vladislav Gorba who highly appreciated his job. He's employed all guides who work with him and have trained them. I won’t speak for foreign hunters but Zlatan Ibrahimovich called him “Maestro” and means a lot.
The Chief guide shouldn’t only know the animal’s habits, where to hunt and to be the be an authority with your subordinates, but he has to be very communicative, to know how to talk with clients with whom he hunts. The clients (most of them are very influential persons) haven’t seen such steep mountains before, are not used to mountain winds, snow and rain changed by hot sun in one moment. It can be a real surprise for them and the guide has to be the skilled diplomat not to show it. I know Nariman as a very honest and humble guy and appreciate it very much.
Few words about physical conditions of hunters who arrive there. It's evidently that the guide with 60 kg weight can easily go through the places where a heavier hunter (about 85 kg and even more) cannot. Nobody won't make the hunter to go faster if there is not any necessity and where he can move in the optimal way for him. It is not always so. There are the situations when the client and guides should have to move fast up and down, crossing the considerable distances on foot. The physical condition is one of the most important components in your mountain hunting. It’ obligatory to train for the mountain expeditions and I advise to treat it seriously. I knew about the situations when guides begged the hunter to climb 100 meters more to shoot the huge tur what slept there but the tired hunter can't force himself to make a step. It’s not guide’s fault that such hunters can’t get the desired trophies. Where the forces end, the character starts. I know what I’m talking about. Hunting is a really good motivation to stay in good physical form. I know several hunters who have lost more than 50 kg because of hunting. Last but not least is long distances shooting skills, especially at the angle. Each hunter has to practice it.
We ate breakfast and left the camp. Our group consisted of two American hunters, Nirman, his assistant Sasha, Mushvig (the youngest son of Nariman), one more guide Adil and the author or the story. We moved to the Kel Dag slopes. The weather was dry and sunny.
It took us 6 hours to reach the place where we were going to camp. Usually, we rode in 5 hours. We had to move further into the gorge. It was evening when we arrived.
After a quick lunch we set the tens and went to examine surroundings. The guides had gone ahead and we followed them slowly. I draw your attention to my words, I said above, don’t chase the guides if they don’t ask you. They are the champions there, they won't lose the breath, and their leg muscles won't get clogged with lactic acid. The hunter has to dose his efforts in the right way what comes with experience. If you are a sportsman you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Don’t forget to take a bottle of water even if your guide has taken many. You never know where you and your guide will happen to be in the mountains. Fill the bottle each time when you can do it and drink. Don’t listen to advices not to do it. It's very important not to feel thirsty. You need to drink 2 Liters per day when you are in the town not talking about mountains. I also advice to put some protein bars into your pocket or nuts and dried fruits. The ordinary Snickers - as the last resort.
We reached the steep slope and came to Nariman and Sasha. They had detected turs already and we began to look through the scope the trophy size males. In 40 minutes, we spotted the group of turs, laid on the steepest spurs. There were not less than two dozen of them. They heat under the sun and most of them had trophy size. The place, they had chosen, was not far from the camp but we should have to cross the steep slope.
Few words about the equipment. The poles help a lot in the mountains, you use them when climbing and going down. But it's much better to use wooden poles, made from the local trees because the metal poles can betray you in the most important moment. There is just one step from friendship to betrayal that's why the hunter has to treat to it very serious. Never use the new boots! It’s better to wear light, waterproof (Gore-Tex) with the rubberized soles. They step softly but have a good grip with the rocks. I advise to test the rifle and optics at home and then to test once again on the place. Once I hunted with my Spanish friend. He arrived to the hunting ground with the new carbine and optics. Moreover, he took just 20 cartridges instead of 40 which were allowed. He lost almost all cartridges while testing and only 5 left. When I asked him, had he tested it before, he replied that did it in the gun shop. He got the trophy because the guides did their best and could approach the animal on 100 meters but that hunt was really nervous.
I think, that the best hunting clothes are made by Sitka and Kuiu companies. All my experience says about it. It was strange but only I and Nariman had clothes of those companies not foreign hunters.
The animals stay still on the place while we were discussing what to do next. We didn’t have time to walk them around or to approach the group from above. It was getting dark. Some of us doubted that we wouldn't see them from that place. I should say that did it many times before and preferred the second variant. The dilemma was to wait them till late evening when the turs would go by path in front of us and the shooting distance shortened to 200 meters (we should climb and wait them there in such case) or to shoot now. The distance was 311 meters. Nobody gave us 100% guarantee that animals would go by the way where we waited but Nariman was absolutely sure. I was for shooting if the hunter felt comfortable. I'm always for the usage of the first chance to shoot because it can be the only one. We had 4 hunting days more but weather in the mountains is unpredictable We asked Derek if he was ready to fire on 311 meters? Nariman stared into his eyes like the X-ray. American measured everything in yards once again and answered confidently: «It is OK for me». It satisfied our Chief guide, we repeated what male he should have to shoot. The chosen male didn't look to our side and turned sideways to us. It laid peacefully and we could clearly see it. Nariman tried to define the horns’ size. They were about 82-86 sm what fitted for both sides.
Derek set the bipods and started to watch it through the optics. The guides watched the situation through the binoculars I used the camera not to lose the shot though the sun was blinding mercilessly. One minute passed, then one second one… Nariman looked at me, he was puzzled why the hunter didn’t shoot. I looked at Derek and suddenly he asked me: “Can I shoot?” He asked my permission to shoot!
That was the culture of the trophy hunter! He waited for a final command of the Chief guide though we had discussed and agreed everything already.
Nariman smiled and replied:’ “Yes”.
I still see the dust after the shot and the male which freeze on the place.
The rest of the group ran away to the right by the slope. The guides shouted and began to jump. I congratulated Derek. Nariman was watching the running group all time while we were celebrating the shot than took the carbine and gave it to Robert who was waited for his turn. They both plus Sasha climbed above the place where we were. If Robert had a carbine they would ascend to the place before the shot and wait when the turs run near them but he had not. It made the task more difficult. The animal always stops for a second or two before descending from the other side of the mountain to be sure that everything is clear. It gives the hunter one more chance to aim and make a shot.
We continued to observe where they were moving. The group came close to the path. Fifteen males from that group had good size horns, which were not ashamed to hang on the wall.
The distance was 450 meters. Moreover, Robert had the carbine which he didnt’ tested. Very ridiculous and difficult situation. First three turs were nice and I said Robert about it. Each of those three gave the hunter 3 seconds when stopped before hide behind the slope. The rest of males reached the top of the ridge and stopped for a moment before crossing the mountain. Two fine males gave him 5 seconds to shoot. They stopped together. The hunter fired and the dust kicked up between them. The turs started up, crossed the mountains leading the rest of the herd.
We were upset. But it has nothing to do, it was hunting.
Then we went down to the trophy. It was not an easy matter, not talking about how we rose back. It happened to be a perfect 10 years old male with 86 sm horns and 33 sm base. Great result for the mountain hunting!
After the photo session two guides butchered the animal.
Everything had happened not far from the camp but it was dark when we came back. Next morning Derek, Mushvik and I moved to the Base while Robert and other guides left to continue hunting. He got his trophy in two days and joined the group of hunters waited for him in the valley. The descend under the burning sun took us six hours.
Some readers can think that the impressions of the observer can't compare with what the hunters feel. I won't argue with them but I was on both sides. I can assure you that you will never forget such experience even if you are the observer only. I know what I’m talking about.
