KAZAKHSTAN: Ibex & Siberian Roe Deer Hunt October 2024

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October 17th till 25th hunt for Ibex and Siberian Roe Deer with Pro Hunt Kazakhstan - Camps Tastau in the Dzungarian Alatau and Karatastek. Tastau is 15 hour drive from almaty and Karatastek 2 hour drive from Almaty.

The journey began with a 14-hour flight from Brisbane to Doha, followed by a 13-hour layover, and then a 5-hour flight to Almaty. Finally, it culminated in a 15-hour drive to the base camp nestled in the Dzungarian Alatau, right on the border with China. Set at an altitude of 1,800 meters, our camp was surprisingly modern, complete with running hot water, a sauna, and a generator. From the moment I landed until I arrived at camp, I was greeted with open arms by Natalya and Maxim, the husband-and-wife team who run the operation.

The next morning, it was time to sight in my rifle. I managed to get it dialled in after six shots, though I wasted three due to my nerves. With the guides leading the way, I rode up to hunt camp at 2,100 meters and prepared to climb even higher. Admittedly, I forgot to take any horse-riding lessons beforehand, but there was no backing out now—I mounted my horse and set off into the mountains. Thankfully, it wasn’t as difficult as I’d feared; it turned out to be a fantastic experience.

I had five days of hunting ahead. Day one was a bust, with snowfall and fog blanketing the mountains, making it unsafe to venture out. On day two, we woke at 5 AM to a crisp morning and an impressive 30+ centimetres of fresh snow. After a ride up to 2,550 meters and a trek over a ridge, we spotted a few billies, including a 105 cm one, which I decided to pass up in hopes of finding a larger trophy. In the afternoon, we pushed to 2,600 meters, but my head started spinning from dehydration at 2,800 meters, prompting the guides to call off the hunt for the day.

On day three, we rode for three hours to a new location at 2,200 meters, where we spotted two nice billies in the 115 to 120 cm range. Unfortunately, the guide miscalculated our approach. If he had let me peek over the left ridge, I could have taken a shot at 50 meters, but instead, we ended up climbing higher. When a 350-meter opportunity arose, I was too exhausted to steady my aim and missed. The frustration was palpable—I knew we could have had a better chance if we’d taken a different route. We returned to camp after another gruelling three-hour ride, having seen only females and young ibex, though we did catch a glimpse of a small Maral bull.

On day four, we climbed back to 2,500 meters, but the ibex were higher than usual, over 3,000 meters, likely due to the early snowfall. We spotted a group of 20 billies along with a magnificent Maral bull. While we considered pursuing them, the terrain was precarious. After breakfast, we packed up camp and moved to a different location. That afternoon, everything changed—I successfully harvested my ibex at 300 meters at 2200m with a single shot. In that moment, I was the happiest man on the planet, yet a small part of me felt bittersweet, wishing for a larger billy.

As for the outfitter, Kazhym Jumaliev of Pro Hunt Kazakhstan runs operations in the Tastau region of the Dzungarian Alatau, covering an impressive 50,000 hectares. I chose to book directly with him, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. The entire experience, from the warm welcome at the airport to the farewell in Almaty, was exceptional. The guides worked tirelessly to help me succeed, and I am grateful to Kazhym, Almira, Feruza, Sergan, Farhat, Maxim, and Natalya for an unforgettable adventure. I’ll definitely be back for a Maral hunt!

I guess for my first OS hunt this was a big bite but i am glad i did it. I am upset i could not climb higher due to my headache and am still upset after coming back. I can only say to others to please drink lot of water stay hydrated and one foot front of the other and push on. Remember what you are there for and luxury is not one of them.

Not being able to do these hunts every year i plan to do Maral back at Tastau, Sayan ibex in Russia, and that will be my OS hunting concluded.

If you want to get in contact with the outiffiter , let me know and i can pass on their details. They take good ibex and Maral bulls and this season 2 ibex in the 140cm range and others 130 cm + ,Maral average 12 to 13kg with some over 14kg.

 

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Camp Karatastek.

 

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In both camps you can also hunt wildboar , wolf ,uplandbirds . In addition at Tastau you can see bears and snow leopards if you are lucky.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[gillettehunter]

Thanks for sharing your hunt. Looks very interesting. Nice write up on the Ibex. Would love to hear some details on the Roe deer.
Bruce

 

[capra-capra]

Thanks for sharing your hunt. Looks very interesting. Nice write up on the Ibex. Would love to hear some details on the Roe deer.
Bruce

Thank you, Bruce.

The roe deer hunt was just as thrilling as the ibex, though without horses this time. The main camp is at 1700 meters, not as modern as Tastau for the ibex hunt, but it’s still cozy and comfortable. All the hunters stay in the green container you see in the photos; it has a wood stove inside, making it feel like a sauna once the fire gets going.

We start each day at 4:30 a.m. with tea, then a 4x4 drives us up to about 2500 meters with the guides, who are also the area’s rangers. From there, we hike the mountain tops with the guides glassing for roe deer. The terrain is similar to ibex country—steep, high-altitude, lots of loose rocks, and plenty of side-hilling. The photos don’t really capture it, but it’s challenging terrain.

This year, there’s been a lot of rain, so the grass was unusually tall, and recent snowfall hadn’t pressed it down as much as usual, making spotting more difficult. I missed a nice, non-typical buck with points all over at 300 meters—quite different from the usual three points per side. About an hour later, we spotted an old buck with a female at 500 meters.

They were in tough country, so it took time to close the distance. We had to climb over two mountain tops to reach the third, then descend to set up for the final stalk. When we finally reached a good position, I struggled to get a stable rest due to the 30-degree angle on loose shale. I ended up resting my feet on the guide for better support. The old buck was lying down, so it was a waiting game. After about 20 minutes, he finally stood, and I took a shot at 240 meters. It felt solid, but he started running, so I took a second shot at 290 meters as he moved—and down he went.

The hunt was planned for three days, but I took the buck on the first day. The guides asked if I wanted to go after another roe deer, wild boar, or wolf, but I decided to wrap things up.

Afterward, I returned to Almaty, paid my trophy fees, and went to the hotel. I’d planned to stay 4 days in Almaty but finished both hunts early and had to stay 7 days , so I changed my flights and headed back to Australia after just four days in the hotel.

 

[capra-capra]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

Thank you Sir

 

[capra-capra]

Here are some photos of Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. Airport is easy to navigate, as it is not a big airport but i found it strange that not many of them speak english at the airport, most will get out the google translator and always be willing to help.

The Ascension Cathedral Russian Orthodox Church which is made out of wood and War Memorial are all based in the middle of the city in the Panfilov Guardsmen Park.

Almaty is at 900 meters above sea level and is nestled in the foothills of the Tien Shan Mountains,. The city has a lot of Soviet-era architecture, which makes it interesting to explore both day and night. Ensure to visit the Green Bazar to taste the local cuisine.

I always felt safe, and while the nightlife is supposed to be vibrant, I skipped it to wind down and clean my boots and gear. Australian bio security are strict about any loose soil or seeds on boots or hunting equipment, so I wanted to make sure everything was in order.

English is widely spoken in Almaty, and although I understand Russian and speak a related language, it’s quite easy to get by with just English. There’s a noticeable police presence, more than you’d typically see in Australia, and plenty of speed cameras, so if you’re renting a car, be sure to watch your speed. The people here are very warm and welcoming.

You can pay with your card everywhere , and can also exchange for the local currency Tenge. ( They are pretty bills ) . Any Australians going there i could not exchange my AUD ,lucky i had Euros to get some local currency. They exchange USD but unsure about CAD .

I never used their taxi service as i prefered to walk around,but taxis are all over and are clearly marked.