youssefchagoury
AH member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2014
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- Hunted
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Hunt Overview
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Month: November
Hunt Style: Horseback hunt
Method: Rifle
Caliber: .300 Sherman Short
Bullet: 180gr Berger Elite Hunter
Scope: Huskemaw Tactical 5-30X56
Species Hunted: Marco Polo sheep and Mid-Asian ibex
Game Density: Very good
Lodging: Very comfortable camp by Central Asian standards — one of the better setups I’ve seen in the region.
Food: Average
For transparency, I work in the hunting industrbut this was a personal hunt — I’m simply sharing the experience as it happened.
Arrival in Kyrgyzstan
After landing in Bishkek, we decided to split the long drive to camp into two days — a decision I would strongly recommend.
We spent the first night in a small mountain house near Issyk Kul. It doesn’t get more authentic than this — a local family hosting us with genuine warmth. The meals were not memorable, but the experience itself was exactly why you travel to places like this.
Arrival to Base Camp
View attachment 753857The following day, we pushed toward base camp. As we gained elevation, the scenery kept improving — vast valleys, snow-covered ridgelines, and that growing sense of isolation.
On the way, we spotted a beautiful herd of ibex, including a clear shooter. Of course, the rifle was buried at the bottom of the luggage.
So instead, we just filmed them — one of those moments where you simply enjoy being there.
We reached camp just before dark and quickly checked rifles in freezing conditions. Everything was shooting perfectly at 100 m and 500 m, so we left it untouched.
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That evening, we met two Canadian hunters who had already taken their Marco Polo elsewhere and were here for ibex.
Somewhere along the journey, I had lost my rifle sling. One of them offered me his without hesitation — a small gesture, but one that stayed with me. I still use that sling today.
Day 1 – A Start Nobody Expected
The next morning, after a solid breakfast, we were on horseback by 8 AM.
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Less than 200 meters from camp, one of the horses started behaving strangely. The guides immediately told my friend to dismount — seconds later, the horse suddenly collapsed and passed away.
It was sudden and shocking.
In this kind of terrain, horses are essential. Later, the guides suspected underlying health issues, possibly severe lung damage.
We returned to camp to reorganize and wait for a replacement horse.
What followed was completely unexpected.
From camp, I spotted a herd of ibex roughly a kilometer away. As I began filming them, I noticed the Canadian hunters approaching the same herd from the opposite ridge.
From the porch of base camp, I filmed their entire stalk and shot.
They ended up taking a beautiful 49-inch ibex.
A testament to the quality of the area — when you can witness a successful hunt without even leaving camp.
Day 2 – Marco Polo Under a Full Moon
We headed west from camp at around 8 AM, with clear conditions but biting cold.Not long into the hunt, we were spotted by a group of females. They didn’t bolt immediately, but they were alert enough to shut everything down. We had no choice but to sit still and wait.
We ended up spending a couple of hours next to a completely frozen river in -25°C. The cold crept in, no matter how well you were dressed.
Eventually, the herd drifted off, and we were able to continue. We climbed higher and soon located a group of ibex in the distance. As we started planning how to approach them, everything changed in an instant.
A Marco Polo ram appeared out of nowhere, running straight toward us. He stopped briefly, looked directly at us, then turned and disappeared just as quickly as he had come.
We tried to relocate them and managed to find three rams at around 216 meters, but he wasn’t among them. So we pushed further, covering another kilometer on horseback, and finally found the rest of the group. This time, he was there.
They were bedded down, but too close together. There was no clean shot.
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So we waited.
Time passed slowly, and the temperature kept dropping. After about an hour and a half, with daylight starting to fade, the smaller rams stood up, but ours stayed bedded.
At that point, we decided to take the shot.
The distance was 503 meters, with a 10 mph crosswind. I dialed 8 MOA for elevation and 2 MOA for wind, settled behind the rifle, and executed the shot.
The shot broke clean.
The ram got up, ran about 20 meters, and then went down.
It’s not a shot I take lightly, but conditions were stable and everything felt right.
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The guide looked at me and said, half surprised, half impressed:
“I told you to shoot because it was getting dark… I didn’t think you were going to hit it.”
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We got on the horses and moved quickly to reach him before full darkness.
There was just enough time for a few photos before we started skinning under headlamps.
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The ride back to camp under a full moon, surrounded by those mountains, was something I’ll never forget.
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That night, a hot shower and a warm bed felt like a serious reward.
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Day 3 – Ibex Close to Camp
With the Marco Polo secured and a solid night of rest, we headed out again the next morning, this time focused on ibex.It was my friend’s turn.
We rode east from camp, climbing steep terrain on horses that handled the conditions better than most people would expect. About 1.5 kilometers out, we spotted a herd.
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A nice ram was bedded at around 350 meters. As we were getting set up, he noticed us and stood up. My friend didn’t hesitate.
One shot, perfectly placed — a clean double lung. The ibex dropped immediately.
It was one of those rare moments where everything comes together perfectly.
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Since the animal was close to camp, we were able to take our time, process everything properly, and head back without pressure.
Having hunted similar terrain in other parts of Central Asia, this area stood out for both density and accessibility.
Day 4 – The Final Push
On the last day, we left camp early, aiming to reach the hunting area before the ibex had a chance to bed down.
We spotted a few good rams at first light, but I chose to pass — I prefer to hold out for older animals, even if it means covering more ground.
So we pushed further, into a valley that hadn’t been hunted in at least 10 to 15 years, according to the guides.
Expectations were high, but the mountains had other plans.
We rode close to 10 kilometers without seeing a single animal.
Eventually, one of the guides picked up movement — a group with a male that disappeared almost immediately. He was convinced it was a good one.
We followed as quickly as we could, eventually reaching a steep section where we had to leave the horses and continue on foot.
As we moved into position, we were again surprised by a group of females. It was becoming a pattern at this point.
The big male had to be close.
I set up on a ridge at around 455 meters and waited. Thirty minutes passed with no movement. With time running out, we started discussing options to reposition.
Just as I was about to act, the guide whispered:
“Get back to your rifle… he’s here.”
I got behind the scope, and there he was — standing on the ridge, exactly where we had expected him.
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We held our breath, waiting for him to turn broadside.
Nurik whispered, “Take it—he’s about to disappear.”
“Are you filming?”
“Yes—the big one.”
I settled in, steady and sure, and broke the shot.
“Perfect shot.”
It landed clean.
This time, we had the advantage of daylight—no rush, no pressure — just time to take in the moment properly.
He was an old ibex, dark in color, measuring around 48.5 inches. A mature animal that reflected the kind of hunt it took to get to him.
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The ride back was long — close to three hours — but it gave time to think through everything that had happened over those few days.
Final Thoughts
This hunt had a bit of everything, and not always in the way you’d expect.
From losing a horse on the first morning, to witnessing our new Canadian friends' success from camp, to horseback riding under a full moon in freezing conditions — this was a complete experience.
What stood out was the balance — long, demanding days in serious terrain, followed by a level of comfort you don’t always find on hunts like this. That combination makes a difference over the course of a week.
It’s a rare balance to find in remote mountain hunts — true wilderness during the day, and genuine comfort at night.
Kyrgyzstan isn’t an easy hunt — and it shouldn’t be.
But if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, it offers a kind of experience that’s getting harder to find.
