RUSSIA: Kamchatka Brown Bear

[CoElkHunter]

I was actually thinking that. Somehow through this thread, I now want to hunt Mexico less than Russia...

How about Pakistan for sheep? LOL

 

[LivingTheDream]

How about Pakistan for sheep? LOL

Yeah I'm strangely comfortable going into Pakistan. I also strangely comfortable with taking the silk road along the border of Afghanistan. But even I have my no go areas.

 

[Oil & Dirt]

I had spoke to Hunting Consortium at SCI a few weeks prior to start of the war, but was wanting to go to Kamchatka for a moose hunt. Never committed, would love to see this portion of the world. Things would have to normalize a lot more before I made the trip. Thanks for the report. Great bears, great story!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Great write up!

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the bears and making it out!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Yeah I'm strangely comfortable going into Pakistan. I also strangely comfortable with taking the silk road along the border of Afghanistan. But even I have my no go areas.

A friend of a friend did a hunt in Pakistan, maybe ten years ago. Had a great hunt as I recall. The devil is in the details.

 

[dogcat1]

Whew! Glad you made it out.
I worked in Russia and Kazakhstan for 4 years, as well as other hell holes - Nigeria and CAR.
What happened to you is pretty consistent with my experience. Even with a guy on the inside to get you in and out, there are issues that all solved with money.

Russia and Nigeria are the worst. "Facilitation payments" are the norm no matter who well connected the insiders are. I think the insiders are part of the problem.

I hope to never set foot in Russia or another "stan" country again. Life is too short to be threatened and potentially jailed as a hostage.

 

[deewayne2003]

I was actually thinking that. Somehow through this thread, I now want to hunt Mexico less than Russia...

As a native Texan that has been to Mexico several times and having never stepped foot in Russia; I can honestly say I would feel safer going to Russia than Mexico.

 

[Red Leg]

We made our final payments to ProfiHunt at DSC in Jan of 2020 for our Kamchatka bear hunt that would take place that spring. As we all know, Covid rolled in and then Russia invaded Ukraine. ProfiHunt's position in '23 was that we could make the hunt by traveling through Turkey. As a retired military officer, that was not an option that I dared exercise. I frankly believe it is foolish for any American to travel there until the international situation is resolved. In any case that hunt is now a write off.

And as @deewayne2003 notes, we haven't traveled to our favorite quail hunting destination in Mexico for a decade.

 

[CoElkHunter]

A friend of a friend did a hunt in Pakistan, maybe ten years ago. Had a great hunt as I recall. The devil is in the details.

Ten years ago, I too would have gone to places that I wouldn't go to now even if I could afford it. Actually, even five years ago many places were much safer and quite different for an American traveler than they are now. I don't mind taking "calculated" risks and I guess the "devil" is in the calculation of the severity and/or likelihood of those risks?

 

[chonk34]

We made our final payments to ProfiHunt at DSC in Jan of 2020 for our Kamchatka bear hunt that would take place that spring. As we all know, Covid rolled in and then Russia invaded Ukraine. ProfiHunt's position in '23 was that we could make the hunt by traveling through Turkey. As a retired military officer, that was not an option that I dared exercise. I frankly believe it is foolish for any American to travel there until the international situation is resolved. In any case that hunt is now a write off.

And as @deewayne2003 notes, we haven't traveled to our favorite quail hunting destination in Mexico for a decade.

Our military service was one of the factors in our risk assessment for this trip. My dad is a retired Colonel, and I am a retired Sergeant First Class and currently work for the military as a federal civilian employee. We did get interviewed about our government connections. It definitely adds a little risk to the equation to have that background.

 

[chonk34]

Ten years ago, I too would have gone to places that I wouldn't go to now even if I could afford it. Actually, even five years ago many places were much safer and quite different for an American traveler than they are now. I don't mind taking "calculated" risks and I guess the "devil" is in the calculation of the severity and/or likelihood of those risks?

My dad and I have discussed the closing of parts of the world over the last few years. There are a lot of places we've visited in the past that are now too risky or closed altogether to Americans. This trip was pretty high on the risk scale, and we got off pretty lightly all things considered. Ultimately the price was too good to pass up for the chance to shoot bears of a lifetime. I try to frame it positively, as I exchanged 10 days of my life for a bear I otherwise couldn't afford to hunt in a less risky location like Alaska.

 

[vlwtx348]

The only way I could top this story would be for me to go hunt in Kamchatka, get mauled by a bear who then throws me off a cliff and into a frozen river, survive the extraction from the wilderness to the hospital, then die in a plane crash on the way home!


Where do I sign up ?

 

[Red Leg]

Our military service was one of the factors in our risk assessment for this trip. My dad is a retired Colonel, and I am a retired Sergeant First Class and currently work for the military as a federal civilian employee. We did get interviewed about our government connections. It definitely adds a little risk to the equation to have that background.

You both, particularly your father, are even more fortunate than I had realized.

"Senior American army officer arrested in the Siberian far east for attempting to gather intelligence on Pacific defense sites and strategic weapons installations." That would be a far easier public case to make, however untrue, than a spy supposedly posing as a Wall Street Journal reporter.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Man what a trip and story that ended well for all involved. I don’t go across the Mexico border any longer or really get close to it. That is risky enough for me these days. Nice bears, hope they make it to you eventually.

 

[WAB]

I’m glad you got out OK, but I have to say, I suspect that you are very lucky. My security clearance still pops up randomly at border checks. There is no way in hell I cross a Russian border in the current environment.

 

[K-man]

Just wondering if our resident sponsor @globalrescue has any input on this scenario. I certainly wouldn’t expect them to extricate me from a Russian prison but was wondering if legal help or humanitarian aid is included with a membership.

 

[HerbJohnson]

Life is an adventure! You're living it with outstanding stories to tell you'll never regret. My stroke in 2020 and subsequent full recovery taught me this. Life is an adventure...live it! And you did and will continue to I'm sure. Great detailed story and pictures! Thank you very much! Great bears to cap it off! No risk, no gain!

 

[Corey0372]

Sounds like an epic adventure man.

 

[roklok]

Congrats on the bears !! One hell of a story for sure.