Back from hunting in Kyrgyzstan

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稚 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.

Lp!

Congratulations!

Lovski zdravo
Hunting hello
Janez L

That would certainly rate up there as a true mountain hunt. No frills.

Nice trophy. Congratulations.

nice trophy...

What rifle did you use?

Originally Posted by James.Grage

nice trophy...

What rifle did you use?

300 win mag ultra lite

good stuff qwatali
that hunt sounds like a true ruff n tuff style adventure , the language barrier would have made it hard
but it seems youse work through it, nice ibex
im wondering did you get to keep the pick up head ?
thanks for the report

No, unfortunately not! Just took my picture with it. It's a CITIES animal so you would have to have all the same paperwork as if you we're hunting them. We also saw a lot ibex skulls all over the county side. i saw at least 30+. The wolf kills are really high. Only saw 2 that were fresh kills most were old.

Qwatali, congrats on a truly challenging hunt.

Great report, Jay. Look forward to more pictures and hearing the full hunt report.

Sounds like a great hunt and one I want to do myself sooner than later! Congrats.

Congratulatoins, Jay!
Thanks for report!
I think,the next mountain hunt you will have in Kaukaus?

For all:
we have available for one hunter: 21Th November-3thDecember 2012 the same hunt.
By flights reservation, please use Turkey Airlines for flights to Bishkek.

Reg.
Igor

Congrats and thanks for the report.

Heavy, old and broomed tips. Cant think of a better animal to take.
Congrats Ibex is on my list of things to do.

Thanks for the hunting report, nice trophy!

Congrats, great hunt !

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing. I went a few years ago and had a good time. Nice looking Ibex. How big were the ones taken by the other hunters? Did the sick hunter get better and go back up for his later? A true mountain adventure. Congrats on a well earned trophy. Bruce

Originally Posted by gillettehunter

Thanks for sharing. I went a few years ago and had a good time. Nice looking Ibex. How big were the ones taken by the other hunters? Did the sick hunter get better and go back up for his later? A true mountain adventure. Congrats on a well earned trophy. Bruce

Bruce, you was in another part of Kyrgyzstan. You was in North-East of Kyrgyzstan, nearly Kazakstan boarder.
Jay, was in South-East - Naryn Region. I think, that Jay has seen many Marco Polo sheeps there.

The other hunters have shot a little smaller.
for example Mike from New Zealand:

No he never made it back up to hunt. When he got back down to base camp, there was a truck waiting to take him back to Bishkek.

The one in the picture Igor posted was 38" the other was 34"

Congratulations Jay! Thanks for posting your hunt report and sharing some beautiful pictures with us...

Great trophy in a spectacular part of the world. Well done.