Thread: My Mid Asian Ibex Hunt

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Ahh the tips. I was semi kidnapped for 2 days when things went sideways on our hunt. When they let me go, they asked for tips for the housekeeper where we were.

We got sick and tired of our crew asking what every item we had was worth, and they went after our binoculars especially. It felt like we were constantly being gauged on our value too them. Even when we left they asked if we would leave them our ammunition.

You handled it rurally well. We came away with the attitude that we had had an unexpected adventure and learnt alot. But honestly I wouldn't go back especially hearing how things dont seem to have improved.

You at least saw some mature males. I suspect you were close to the Chinese border.

Yes I recognize that! I told them I have worked very hard for my equipment and were unable to part with any of it. And requests to buy were deflected with where to order.

The two british gentlemen fared worse (one had zero hunting), I believe essentially they were too polite. I later learned that they wanted to leave as well; group dynamics etc I didn't want to impose my will and made up a tummy issue.

Yes down South in Naryn region, At-Bashi was just north of the mountains

...and yes, I did notice that the translator did not dare to do a word-for-word translation.

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Wow, that looks to be a pretty frustraing trip mate. Thanks for sharing @Norway . I'm of to Kazakstan next year for Ibex with my father so hopefully will have a better experience but appreciate you sharing your trip so we we can hopefully avoid the same situation.

Best tip I can give is bring heavy socks and two pairs of felt insoles. Your feet will be immobilised in the stirrups.

As a long time horseman I'd recommend doing at least a dozen rides locally in the month before you go, the hour per visit to the stables it would take over that time would reward you handsomely.

Thanks for all the work you put into making the video, @Norway. It was a lot of thoughtful, gritty filming and great subjects. The countryside was an adventure, like the easiest terrain and the sunniest in the NZ Southern Alps, but with altitude. I loved seeing that big Steinwild and the others at the end with the red dot on them. That's gold !

Looking at the first section on the 6.5 PRC, 6 to 15cm better sounds a lot but at 600m it's only 0.1 to 0.25 mRad. What sort of winds are you talking about - 5 to 10m/s ? So, compared to other variables, is it highly significant and would you recommend a hunter to buy and set up a new magnum rifle for a trip like that ?

Stunning scenery & landscape….. but the “hunting & guiding” looked like a real shit sandwich. You’re a very patient man. I’d be spewing if it were me. A trip like that is a huge commitment in time & money. The tip thing & asking for your binos that you mentioned in this thread would make my blood boil. Name & shame this outfit seems like a fair outcome. Really enjoy your videos. This one was a tough watch.

At least they didn't try to get you to shoot an ex farm red stag inside a high fenced area

Finally got round to watching this. Pretty gutting alright, especially with the hunt contract wording saying it was your hunt, your way. I felt your frustration while watching, pissed off is putting it nicely.

Originally Posted by Puddleduk

At least they didn't try to get you to shoot an ex farm red stag inside a high fenced area

Plenty of people are more than happy to do that all the same... It's like paying a hooker for Nookie in my eyes. Something special muddied by exchange of cash

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Plenty of people are more than happy to do that all the same... It's like paying a hooker for Nookie in my eyes. Something special muddied by exchange of cash

you pay either way. just depends on if you want cash on delivery or spread out over the year.

@Norway was there any good reviews or recommendations that this crowd had that made you go with them? Everything you seem to read about central asian or russian outfitters is bad

Originally Posted by Norway

Yes I recognize that! I told them I have worked very hard for my equipment and were unable to part with any of it. And requests to buy were deflected with where to order.

The two british gentlemen fared worse (one had zero hunting), I believe essentially they were too polite. I later learned that they wanted to leave as well; group dynamics etc I didn't want to impose my will and made up a tummy issue.

Yes down South in Naryn region, At-Bashi was just north of the mountains

Was one of British Hunters named Matt shooting a 7mm PRC?

Originally Posted by Tentman

As a long time horseman I'd recommend doing at least a dozen rides locally in the month before you go, the hour per visit to the stables it would take over that time would reward you handsomely.

+1 on that one. I had one day of lessons riding in the mountains. Not enough to acquire any real skill, but enough to get a feel for how the horse moves and get the basic idea of how to sit in the saddle going up/down. The Kyrgyz saddle was a little different; padded and you sat slightly forward compared to the european and I found the riding to be much easier.

Originally Posted by chainsaw

Stunning scenery & landscape….. [...] You’re a very patient man.

With hindsight, too patient. But you don't want to be the difficult customer or make the trip unpleasant for the group. As it was, the brits and I was of the same mind.

Originally Posted by Bagheera

Thanks for all the work you put into making the video, @Norway. It was a lot of thoughtful, gritty filming and great subjects. The countryside was an adventure, like the easiest terrain and the sunniest in the NZ Southern Alps, but with altitude. I loved seeing that big Steinwild and the others at the end with the red dot on them. That's gold !

Looking at the first section on the 6.5 PRC, 6 to 15cm better sounds a lot but at 600m it's only 0.1 to 0.25 mRad. What sort of winds are you talking about - 5 to 10m/s ? So, compared to other variables, is it highly significant and would you recommend a hunter to buy and set up a new magnum rifle for a trip like that ?

Thank you very much. The error margin is simply 6.5 PRC winddrift at 1 and 2,5 msec, minus the same value for my 6,5x55 ammunition. The answer is the improvement. It WILL drift just as any caliber, but the error will be smaller.

Originally Posted by Puddleduk

At least they didn't try to get you to shoot an ex farm red stag inside a high fenced area

Throwing lead a random ibex running past at long to very long range is about as bad as it gets. I told them very plain that I will rather shoot the horses before I shoot an ibex that way. I would rate that farmed red higher as there is a certain honesty in killing livestock and not calling it hunting.

Originally Posted by RUMPY

Finally got round to watching this. Pretty gutting alright, especially with the hunt contract wording saying it was your hunt, your way. I felt your frustration while watching, pissed off is putting it nicely.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

you pay either way. just depends on if you want cash on delivery or spread out over the year.

@Norway was there any good reviews or recommendations that this crowd had that made you go with them? Everything you seem to read about central asian or russian outfitters is bad

I went with the agent I have used several times and apparently there has not been an issue there before. I have seen/heard the coordinations and readbacks between agent/outfitter, so the agent is not to blame. It was stressed that the brits would be important for future clients and I would be filming everything so a fuckup would be a [quote] "biiiig problem". He very directly coordinated that I would likely be the easiest client in the sense that I wouldn't care about trophy and only needed space to work with cameras and film the whole process and it was agreed that I would go with a specific guide for just that. Which makes the lack of professionalism even more astonishing; even without any malice in the editing (at least that's how I feel), that film is not a reference you'd want your name attached to considering the prior coordination and agreements.

Originally Posted by EmpireSafaris

Was one of British Hunters named Matt shooting a 7mm PRC?

Yes. Are you the guy doing a swap hunt? No problem recommending him as a guest, if anything he's too polite. I had him over for a winter hunt and he put his back into it with zero moaning. I found him perfectly safe and capable as long as you offer some advice on the local peculiarities you yourself would take for granted (England is flat)