Hunting in Kamtschatka and other parts of Russia

[Foxi]

Shortly before Putin began his trip to Ukraine, I spoke to a travel agency known here about hunting in Kamchatka.
Two days later, the invasion took place.
When I asked today what it would look like to hunt over there (flight currently via Istanbul or Zurich), I got the following, which reflects the situation there.

"I can't say whether Kamchatka is feasible. But I suspect not. We are still getting visas, but the flight from Moscow may no longer exist, as there are now many planes on the ground. The entire fleet consists of Boeing and Airbus and since no spare parts are delivered anymore, the planes are already down with the smallest defective parts. As a result, many domestic flights have already been cancelled.
But the attitude of the people on the ground can also be problematic, as they only hear the propaganda from Moscow and many Russians think that NATO has invaded Ukraine and that Germany is also actively involved.
Another problem is the financial side. There is no possibility to transfer money. So only cash payment.
I therefore advise you against a Kamchatka trip under the present circumstances. If the situation improves, I would be happy to do it again."


Foxi

 

[Sarg]

Thank you for the posting of that information Foxi not that I could afford a hunt there but would like to one day !

 

[BRICKBURN]

Not a big surprise.

 

[Foxi]

Not a big surprise.

Well, I didn't notice that Nato had invaded Ukraine
I guess Americans didn't tell us

 

[Hunter4752001]

Kamchatka would be a great experience, one I was definitely considering. Unfortunately, in addition to the issues your travel agent raised, I think there's also another danger under the current regime. That is a high possibility of being arrested on trumped up charges and being used as either a bargaining chip or a PR show trail.

For all westerners, I now think it must be a case of avoid the place at all costs.

 

[Pole Pole]

The takeaway is don’t put off what you want to do. Things change and opportunities slip away.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Thank you for the info, Foxi
Kamtchatka is a great spot for big Bears, and I hope it will return doable one day...

 

[mark-hunter]

Kamtchatka is most famous, but not the only hunting place in Russia.
When political situation stabilizes, why not ask our forum member @Vashper about options.
Moose, bear, deer, siberian roe buck, cappercaille...... He could give some tips, for sure!

 

[Vashper]

"the flight is currently via Istanbul or Zurich"

There is another option via Belgrade. They say it's not very comfortable, but it may be more convenient.

"but the flight from Moscow may no longer exist, since there are a lot of planes on the ground now. The entire fleet consists of Boeing and Airbus, and since spare parts are no longer supplied, the planes are already failing with the smallest defective parts. As a result, many domestic flights have already been cancelled."

To date, I have looked at 3 direct flights of Aeroflot (Boeing-777-300). The duration is 8 hours, the price is about 500 euros for a round trip. Perhaps there are other companies, but they are most likely with transfers in Siberia, it is inconvenient. There are really a lot of planes on the ground because of the blockade of Europe, so there is no shortage of planes for domestic flights. Cancelled domestic flights are to airports close to the war zone, and not because of any technical reasons. I recently went to the Crimea, and got from Sochi airport by taxi, 12 hours. I cursed everything.
I am not an aviator, but I think no one operates airplanes before malfunctions appear, routine replacements are simply made. In this part (civil aircraft service) The West has also declared some kind of blockade, but this is all solvable.


"But the attitude of people on the ground can also be problematic, because they only hear propaganda from Moscow, and many Russians think that NATO has invaded Ukraine and that Germany is also actively involved in this."
It's hard to say what's on the periphery, I think, at most - you will be asked "well, how is your Leberwurst?". The attitude towards Germany, I beg your pardon, is more mocking than hostile. German equipment has not been particularly lit up, as far as I know, there are no Germans among the prisoners yet, so I have not heard anything specifically anti-German.

"Another problem is the financial side. There is no way to transfer money. So the payment is only in cash." Here I do not know what to say. Recently, Finnish border guards began searching Russian citizens returning from Europe and seizing euro cash from them, referring to some EU regulation prohibiting the export of euros to Russia. Russian border guards definitely do not do this. I also do not know what the situation is with bank cards, which ones work for us and which ones do not.

"Therefore, I advise you to refrain from going to Kamchatka in the current circumstances. If the situation improves, I would be happy to do it again." The agent can be understood, he is under pressure from politics. Even if McDonald's and pornhub are forced to mask their presence in Russia....

I just talked to a guy from Kamchatka today. It's also my dream to visit there. The horns of the local moose are "shovel-shaped" (the European ones are of the deer type), and the bears are simply giants. And also a Valley of Geysers, a river with banks of agates, volcanic chains...

 

[Red Leg]

I have written off my Kamchatka bear hunt investment which was paid in full a few weeks before the Covid scourge. I have concluded the fates are trying to tell me something. Fortunately, I am not awaiting a refund from Aeroflot as well. It would have been a fascinating experience.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Well, I didn't notice that Nato had invaded Ukraine
I guess Americans didn't tell us

Maybe you can just hitch a ride on one of those choppers that are floating around.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Vashper I was actually thinking more about you to introduce us to Russia hunting options, less on current civil aviation services!

@Red Leg , have you considered hunting bear in Croatia? Or Bosnia? (Marshall Tito, was scoring world record Bears in Bosnia). In fact Russia,, Kamchatka, closed now. Romania stopped bear hunts. (not sure for Bulgaria), so Croatia, and Bosnia remain for European brown bear the prime destinations.

 

[Foxi]

"the flight is currently via Istanbul or Zurich"

There is another option via Belgrade. They say it's not very comfortable, but it may be more convenient.

oh yes, but € 2.000.-

"but the flight from Moscow may no longer exist, since there are a lot of planes on the ground now. The entire fleet consists of Boeing and Airbus, and since spare parts are no longer supplied, the planes are already failing with the smallest defective parts. As a result, many domestic flights have already been cancelled."

To date, I have looked at 3 direct flights of Aeroflot (Boeing-777-300). The duration is 8 hours, the price is about 500 euros for a round trip. Perhaps there are other companies, but they are most likely with transfers in Siberia, it is inconvenient. There are really a lot of planes on the ground because of the blockade of Europe, so there is no shortage of planes for domestic flights. Cancelled domestic flights are to airports close to the war zone, and not because of any technical reasons. I recently went to the Crimea, and got from Sochi airport by taxi, 12 hours. I cursed everything.
I am not an aviator, but I think no one operates airplanes before malfunctions appear, routine replacements are simply made. In this part (civil aircraft service) The West has also declared some kind of blockade, but this is all solvable.


"But the attitude of people on the ground can also be problematic, because they only hear propaganda from Moscow, and many Russians think that NATO has invaded Ukraine and that Germany is also actively involved in this."
It's hard to say what's on the periphery, I think, at most - you will be asked "well, how is your Leberwurst?". The attitude towards Germany, I beg your pardon, is more mocking than hostile. German equipment has not been particularly lit up, as far as I know, there are no Germans among the prisoners yet, so I have not heard anything specifically anti-German.

That may be, but propaganda also works and you never know who you'll end up with.
I dont think that any tourist of a Nato country would be happy in a russian socitey at the moment.
Despite famous russian hospitality.

"Another problem is the financial side. There is no way to transfer money. So the payment is only in cash." Here I do not know what to say. Recently, Finnish border guards began searching Russian citizens returning from Europe and seizing euro cash from them, referring to some EU regulation prohibiting the export of euros to Russia.

This regulation exists since March, but it does not apply to private individuals on a normal scale.

als sonst.Russian border guards definitely do not do this. I also do not know what the situation is with bank cards, which ones work for us and which ones do not.

"Therefore, I advise you to refrain from going to Kamchatka in the current circumstances. If the situation improves, I would be happy to do it again." The agent can be understood, he is under pressure from politics. Even if McDonald's and pornhub are forced to mask their presence in Russia....

I just talked to a guy from Kamchatka today. It's also my dream to visit there. The horns of the local moose are "shovel-shaped" (the European ones are of the deer type), and the bears are simply giants. And also a Valley of Geysers, a river with banks of agates, volcanic chains...

The situation is bad and I am convinced it will get worse.
Under Putin, we Western hunters will no longer be able to visit this country for the next 10 years.
If the Chinese take Taiwan, the lights will go out everywhere.
Many more people will die "for emperor and empire".
What a nonsense.
Carpe diem and take care.
Foxi

 

[Pondoro]

The situation is really very sad....Russia has(had..) a lot of opportunities for hunting...Kamchatka is very tempting for sure...

 

[steve white]

On the bright side, the bear and moose will sit out there growing even larger and more numerous while hunting is shut down...
Still remember my ears popping on several Aeroflot flights.

 

[Vashper]

On the bright side, the bear and moose will sit out there growing even larger and more numerous while hunting is shut down...
Still remember my ears popping on several Aeroflot flights.

Yes, since Aeroflot switched to Western planes - this happens. And when I saw them flapping their wings in bad weather, I felt sick. Soviet planes are more "oak", but, alas, they are uneconomical, so Boeing and Airbus prevail.
I, in general, do not advertise hunting tours to Russia - we will have more but as a complaint: there is pressure from the other side. There is a demand for bear paws in China, and this has contributed to the development of poaching. There was a famous photo: 28 bears in one frame, at a waterfall in Kamchatka. After a couple of years, none of them remained, poachers killed them. Now the situation is improving, I don't know how much.

 

[Scott CWO]

Oh those lovely Chinese! My wife and I know a university educated Chinese school teacher from our 2016 trip to several parts of China and Tibet. Even she believed in the “traditional Chinese medicine” that is the cause of so much poaching. When I told her that rhino horn is just keratin, like fingernails, she had a hard time believing it. I jokingly mentioned that Chinese men should just chew their fingernails for an aphrodisiac!

 

[Sauer404XT]

If people are still looking you can get over there either via Serbia then to moscow or to Istanbul then to Novosibirsk in central Russia then Petropavlovsk.

Pain in the rear as before 2022 you could get a direct flight from Dubai to Moscow or Tokyo or Seoul to Vladivostok then Petropavlovsk.

Hopefully i can be there in 2026

 

[Rem280]

Russia is a wonderful country. Too bad the current situation. I went 3 times and Aeroflot is a wonderful airline. However being an American I would avoid it because of the whole funding WW3.

 

[Sauer404XT]

Russia is a wonderful country. Too bad the current situation. I went 3 times and Aeroflot is a wonderful airline. However being an American I would avoid it because of the whole funding WW3.

There was a group of 4 australians and three americans that hunted there with Australian Hunting Consultants last year. I spoke to the local outfitter and he says he had few book through with him direct.

From australia we can not export our firearms unsure if you guys can.

Travelling wise i would travel under my Serbian passport to make life easier