Qwatali
AH member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2010
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 143
- Media
- 24
- Member of
- Life Member SCI , Life Member RMEF
- Hunted
- Africa, New Zealand,Russia
WOW! What an adventure. After the 28 hour plane trip and 12 hour drive we finally reached base @10080ft. Base camp was warm and clean. After a much needed nights rest, we were up and checking zero on the rifles. After a bite to eat we loaded up our back and head out on horses to spike camp. The mountain views are breath taking. My butt stayed glued to the saddle while watching these horses walk on such steep slopes. After an 8hr horse ride and looking at several Ibex along the way we arrived at spike camp. Spike camp wasn't a whole lot to write home about. A cave in the side of a mountain located at 11500 ft. The guides set up the tents and discussed the plans for in the morning. Lucky for us we had a hunter in camp who spoke English and Russian. The night was long for a couple of hunters who got sick either from the chicken from breakfast or HAS. One hunter stayed in camp trying to re-coop and the rest of us took off. About mid-morning our translator/ hunter said of the guides spotted a nice ibex bedded down on a knoll quite a ways off, anyone up for a hike. I volunteered, after an hour hiking we got within 200yds of ibex still bedded. I laid out prone and was about to take the shot when my guide way waving his hand franticly. There was a little confusion between the guide and me, the ibex was up and over the edge before I was able to get a shot. After getting back to the group it was relayed to me the guide was afraid I was going to shoot the rock in front of me and he wanted me to move over. The rock was not in my way but o蜘ell it the first day. Later in the day the snow flurries started, off and on the rest of the day and visibility was down to about 200 yds max. We decided to head back to camp, hoping the weather to clear up by morning. We arrived back in camp and the hunter in camp wasn't feeling any better and couldn't keep any water of food down. The night was long and cold, even longer for the sick ones. It snowed all night, the sick hunter was still feeling bad the following morning so he decided to call it quits and head down to base camp in the driving snow. It snowed all day, finally clearing up around 5 pm. It was too late to hunt but the guides went out to try to locate some ibex for the morning hunt. Moring finally arrived and the weather was great. We headed off to where the guides had located the ibex the evening before. All three hunters were positioned on different locations on the mountain side. After an hour or so the ibex started heading our direction. The other two hunters collected there trophies that morning. I was not so fortunate. We continued hunting while the other hunters took their trophies back to camp. After seeing several other ibex and not being able to get close enough for a shot we headed back to camp. The following morning the other hunters packed up and headed back to base camp, one of the guides stayed with me and we headed out to a different hunting area. My camp for the next two nights was on a hill side sleeping under the stars. I saw several ibex but nothing I wanted shoot. Finally on the 5th day we spotted a shooter feeding on the hill side. We were able to get within about 300 yds for the shot. The shot was good and down he went. He was a great trophy 43鋳x40. The shorter side had been broken off for quite some time. Unfortunately my camera battery had died so our photo session was short. We caped out the trophy and started the 11hr ride back to base camp. As we all have heard the hardest thing about this hunt is the language barrier. The guides were great they work their tail off to accommodate all of us. The food was good, a lot of soups and breads. This was a true hunt, no-frills. As long as you know this going in going in you won't be disappointed
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