Hussein Golabchi is the man, the legend, who has several world record trophies of the “celestial king” - Marco Polo. Yuri Morozov, the member of the Board of Trustees of the CMH interviewed Hussein Golabchi, who is known among the hunters as Sudi. It happened during the GRAND SLAM CLUB / OVIS Show which took place from 29 to 31 of January in Reno (USA).
Quotes:
Hussein Golabchi is better known by his nickname Sudi. Sudi Golabchi was born in Iran but immigrated to USA when he was young. He is the owner of the successful and profitable Golmar Construction and Development Co.
Sudi began to hunt when he was 16 years old. He has hunted so many sheep at that time that don't remember the number. In 1980 he became the US citizen and was keen in trophy hunting. That date was the beginning of his trophy hunter career. He traveled and hunted all over the world and including his motherland Iran. He got about 50 sheep species and more than 30 ibexes. There were about 25 subspecies of ibexes and 35 sheep subspecies.
In 1990 he felt in love with hunting for Marco Polo in Tajikistan. That’s why he visited the Pamir mountains more than two dozen times. He is the owner of more than a dozen world record trophies of Marco Polo.
He took an active part in the education programs for young people about wildlife conservation in his home state Georgia. He also established the Museum of hunting trophies where you can see about 400 samples of wild animals from all over the world, which are presented by 220 different species. He often gives lectures and conducts seminars for the young people there.
Sudi takes in active part in the programs of GSCO and SCI, aimed to update the trophies classification. He is the head of the Iran Trophy Committee.
Yuri Morozov: The first question is very traditional for the hunter. When did you start to hunt and why did you keen?
Hussein Golabchi: I started to hunt at a young age. I admired the wild nature. My family had a summer house in the Iran mountains. Where we spent summer and there, I used to hunt pigeons with a slingshot. There were several cases when I missed and broke the windows and was punished by my Dad. My father was against of hunting that’s why I couldn’t buy the gun even I was fourteen. But the friend of mine had the rifle of 22 caliber and we hunted together. I was sixteen when got my first sheep. And took several more before graduated the school. They all were shot by that 22-caliber rifle.
After leaving the school my Dad send me to USA to get the high education. There at last, I bought 2 used guns, 50 dollars for both: the carbine and the shotgun. But I had to study and didn’t have time and money to hunt. On Sundays my friends and I drove to the south of Chicago, where the junkyards were located and shot foxes and rabbits. Once in Tennessee I hunted the boar. Then I graduated the University and married (I met my wife when I studies, she was from Germany). We both moved back to Iran.
Y.M.: Did you start to hunt seriously when came home?
H.G.: Yes, I did. I earned money and could buy the gun. It was the shotgun and the Winchester 300 WM. I hunted a lot. But I didn’t think about trophy hunting at all, we did it for pleasure and could shoot 3 or 4 sheep in one time. I’m not proud of it. They were my mistakes of youth. I have many sheep trophies on my account and other animals too.
In 1979, there was a revolution in Iran. The Shah had left and Hommein came into power. I did not support the new politics. We left Iran and settled in Georgia (USA), where I opened my own business and started building. Business was blooming and starting from 1982 I was seriously interested in trophy hunting. In 80s I got many sheep trophies in Mongolia, Iran and other countries. It was not possible to hunt in the Soviet Union at that time yet. But then the countries of ex USSR opened for hunting. Do you know Louis Zimmen? He was the owner of SafariOutfitters. We were friends and he booked all my hunting trips. When it became possible to visit to USSR, I was worried if the borders were closed soon once again. I told Louis that wanted to hunt all animals habituated there because was not sure that there would be such unique opportunity once again. He did what I asked and I went to hunt there for three months. I had been in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Siberia. I even flew to Palana where hunted for the snow sheep and got the trophy of Kamchatka moose.
Y.M.: Do you prefer mountain hunting?
H.G.: Of course not. I visited Africa for about thirty times. Each year I fly there for 5-6 times. But now I am exclusively engaged in trophy hunting.
Y.M.: How many sheep and ibex’s subspecies have you in your collection?
H.G.: 46 sheep and 34 or 35 ibexes.
Y.M.: What hunt do you remember most of all? Is there any hunting trip which differs from others?
H.G.: I think .. It's Pamir. I dreamed about that trip for many years. I flew there in 1991 when the borders opened. My guide was Sergey Kondratov. We both arrived to Dushanbe. Then we had to fly by chopper to our camp on Balankike. I didn’t know Yuri Matison at that time yet. So, we arrived to Dushanbe and the locals said us that weather was non-flying. I spent six days there waiting for weather. Nikolay Karakul, the representative of the local outfitter came to the hotel each morning and informed us that weather was bad. At last I couldn't stand and told him that I didn’t fly anywhere. There were just four days left and it was unclear if I could to hunt or not. I had other plans in four day and was going to fly to Turkey for the Caspian urial. There was a chance to miss that hunt too if weather in the mountains was bad on the way back.
On the six-day Nikolay came to the hotel and asked me to pack the luggage. I didn’t refuse. Then he said: “Just trust me, we’ve discussed everything with Yuri. First day you’ ‘ll get the Marco Polo, on the next day you hunt for the ibex and on the third day I’ll deliver you to Dushanbe”. I agreed though was not sure. I had doubts concerning weather when we’ll fly back. But Nikolay had the only reply to all my doubts: “Everything will be ok! Just just us”.
We arrived to the camp and I met Yuri and Mansur. Yuri advised to stay first day in the camp to adapt to the altitude. Next day he and Mansur left the camp at 5mp to examine the surroundings and I stayed and went to hike around. They both came back in the evening and notified me to be ready in early morning.
We went hunting before the sunrise. Soon we detected the group of sheep and tried to approach but Yuri didn’t allow us to shoot because the animals didn’t have the trophy size. I doubted if we had time to find other ones. I shot and wounded the male. It couldn't run but I couldn’t see it and thought that lost the trophy. Suddenly I felt bad and fell down the snow. Yuri followed the wounded sheep and came back in 10 minutes. It laid in 50 meters from us. Yuri helped me to stand up and we went to the trophy. I was so happy!
The trophy’s horns were just 49 inches (124,5 cm). We began to skin the sheep when I noticed that Yuri stared at the one point. He noticed the group of ibexes and suggested to approach them next day. I felt uneasy because was not sure that could overcome such distance. And tried to refuse. Yuri agreed easily. “Ok, we won’t go anywhere”.
It was getting dark. The guides were still busy with the skin and suggested me to go to the camp alone. It looked as if it was close. I was descending and oriented by the river but soon I understood that got lost. I was really scared. It was my first time on Pamir, I saw the wolf's and snow leopard's tracks not far. That was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. At last I found the way and came to the camp. Yuri came much later. Next morning in the darkness we went for hunting once again. I didn’t understand where we were going. But it was a long way. It seemed to me that I knew that area. As you guess, we’ve came to the place where we saw ibexes yesterday. And I got my Ibex. It was a very nice trophy with really good skin and horns. We buried it in the snow and went back to the camp. Next day I had to fly back to Dushanbe.
In the morning I woke up and looked up the sky. It was overcast. But I packed everything and prepared to wait the chopper. Snow began at noon. There was not stable radio connection with Dushanbe at that time and we couldn’t communicate well with the staff who stayed in the town. I was thinking to myself: "If I see Kolya, I'll skin him!"
But suddenly at 1pm I heard a noise. And ran out the tent. I heard the chopper but it was impossible to see anything. At last the wonder machine appeared. The pilot of the chopper was Sasha, a high-class professional, and we became friends later. He asked us to load the bags as soon as possible and so we did. Next hour we flew very low above the ground, not higher than 100 meters and oriented by the river. There was a terrible snowfall. But just we left the mountains we saw the shining sun. Later I asked Sasha and Kolya, how did they manage to do it? Kolya told me that they asked for the flight application to another place but changed the route after takeoff. He repeated again and again: “I promised to pick you up in time!”
I’ll never forget this hunt. I became friends with all those guys in two days and started to fly to them each year. A couple of times I visited them three times in a year.
Y.M.: How many times have you been in Tajikistan?
H.G.: I don’t know exactly but more than thirty times. Telling the truth, last years I arrive back home without the trophy. I don't want to shoot the trophy which I have already had. For example, I visited Tajikistan three times to get the last Marco Polo. Yuri found that male in April and wrote me. We are friends and our families are close. We often meet each other.
I arrived to him in November after he told me about the sheep and spent 5 days there but not successful. The next time was in March but there was too much snow in the mountains. We loaded the snowmobile in the back of the car and drove. We tried to drive as far as we could, then got out the snowmobile. Yuri and I were the first. We drove about two km when Yuri detected the animals and stopped. The idea was to approach close. We drove one more km and Yuri began to look through the binocular and said: “They went to Afghanistan!” I think, they heard the noise of snowmobile.
Thus I had to fly there for third time. And we found that male.
Y.M.: What was its size?
H.G.: 72 inches (182,9 cm) My first good trophy had 60 inches horns, the next one had 66 inches. It won the first prize by the SCI system. Three years later I got the argali with horn 68 inches. In two more years, I took the trophy - 70 inches. My last one is 72 inches.
Y.M.: How old was it?
H.G.: Eleven and a half years old. I didn’t hunt Marco Polo sheep which were older than 12 years old. The animals at that age are not in the best form. The usual age is 9-10 years old.
Y.M.: Are you going to fly back to Tajikistan?
H.G.: Or course! I hadn’t been there last year because of the operation. And hope to do it in the March. I’m not sure that will hunt there but want to breathe that air and to feel the atmosphere of the Pamir mountains. Moreover, I’m going to fly there in November. It’s hardly believed that everything had started with bad weather and the sheep with 49 inches horns! I was so proud because that trophy was in the record Books! I made a full-length effigy because was very proud. I didn’t know at that time what be next.
Y.M.: Very interesting story. Thank you. Will you give recommendations for the mountain hunters? What medicine to use from the mountain sickness?
H.G.: When I flew to Pamir first time, I had Diamox and other pills. But I didn’t need them when I arrived there next times. The doctors say that it’s possible to be used to the mountains and when you arrive to the same conditions next time your body activates the mountains regime. It’s much easier next time. Your mind remembers what’s going on with the body in the mountains. I don't use any additional pills now.
Y.M.: What are your common recommendations?
H.G.: There are two of them. You have to control yourself in the mountains- to control your finger. You will never get the worthy trophy if you shoot the first animal you notice. Lay your finger to the trigger when you see the animal and control it. It’s very important.
The second one is to treat serious to the mountains. There were several times when I arrived to Tajikistan just for the preliminary scout of the area. Once Yuri, Mansur, the son of Yuri, four other ibex hunters from Switzerland and I arrived to the mountains by the helicopter. Weather was fine and we set the mobile camp and spent 6 days there. All that time Yuri tried to contact the group of Austrian hunters who hunted near another camp. At last he called to Dushanbe (fortunately we had satellite phones) and ordered a chopper for us. On the way back we landed in Balankik to take the Austrians. We just landed when interpreters ran to Yuri and began to explain him something. One of the hunters died as we knew later. There was a rope bridge over the river. The hunter wanted to cross it running and fell down. They found the body in two km downstream. It laid six days in the camp wrapped in the carpet. We flew back to Dushanbe and Yuri informed the Austrian Embassy about that tragedy. They organized the special flight to take the body. Mountains are the serious matter. Life and death are close there. But if you realize it they turn to be the most desirable gift from our destiny.
Y.M.: Thank you very much for this interview once again.
