Maral and ibex in Tien-Shan

[prohuntkz]

Ibex hunting

The most popular type of hunting in Kazakhstan is hunting for Siberian ibex.

The population living from the Pamirs to Altai in the South of Kazakhstan is one of the biggest population in the world. The biggest animal units may weigh up to 120 kg (one hundred and twenty) and the length of horns may reach 150cm. Siberian ibex is one of the well-deserved trophies for mountain hunting lovers.

Maral hunting

Nowadays there are the biggest animal units of maral (Siberian stags) in Kazakhstan living in natural conditions.

Sometimes trophy horns weigh 20 kg. Their habitat covers the Tien Shan, the Jungar Alatau, Tarbagatai and Altai.

 

[prohuntkz]

 

[Zach]

Great set of 1st posts!

Welcome to HuntTalk!

 

[mtmiller]

Awesome. Welcome.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Not that I can afford it, however, your website has no prices? Just wondering what these trips cost.

Nice animals.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[prohuntkz]

Hi, guys!

I’m Aly, fr om Kazakhstan. Hunting has been my passion for the last 20 years. A few years ago one of my hunting buddies took me to the mountains for my first big game hunt.
It was a totally different experience. I just loved the whole process.

It has changed my entire life! From an occasional rec. hunter I became close to a professional one. I bought numerous guns, binoculars, cameras, and also found specially made equipment that is very light. I searched through the web a lot; I exercised to build endurance and strength.

So after all these years of hard work, after a lot of successful and sometimes not very successful trips to different regions of Kazakhstan’s mountains, I can call myself a trophy hunter J. I want to share my experience, pictures of my trophies with all of you, and of course the beautiful nature of my country, Kazakhstan!

Sorry about my English, it’s not perfect at all, but I hope, that the pictures will give you a much better look at what I do.

The story I want to tell you is about my adventure in search of a mountain Ibex.
For the last few years there was a persistent rumor about a mystical “Kara –Teke”, from Kazakh it’s translated as the Black Ibex. They say that it has huge horns, up to 5’2, and its body is as big as a Kentavros’ ))!

After a few useless trips last year, wh ere I saw a lot of game but not a Kara-teke , I spoke with the local people and they suggested that this beast is migrating on a big distance during the year, so I need to search for him in a different National Park.

I decided to do one more trip. Snowy peaks of the Tan Shan outside of the window, and a long road ahead. 5 hours of a well groomed road is passed by very fast and then I need to put a chains on.

After long off road hours, I got into place. My buddies came later that day.
After a short sleep we got some hot tea, light breakfast and then a horseback ride to the mountains.

The weather was gorgeous and Mother Nature is as beautiful as could be!

http://prohunt.kz/upload/iblock/5fc/5fcdd199c8d1167d7cecf5220b950296.jpg

Close to noon the picture become a bit different. The valleys became wider with dense forests on the north and rocky mountains on the south side.

Soon we notice suspicious behavior among the birds. When we came closer, we found a dead body of Maral. Wolves! were the first thought, but then it become clear, that the skin was accurately removed, not eaten! The body was hidden in the bushes, which wolves usually don’t do. Most likely a Lynx or snow leopard was here.

Days are short in October and soon we have to put up our tents and put more clothes on since the strong wind brought snow! It’s amazing how fast changes the weather in the mountains.

In half an hour the sky is clear again and here we go! One by one 12 maral came out of the ridge! But they are not in our plans todayJ So I just enjoy capturing pictures of them.

It’s almost dark and time go to bed. Hot tea with a barberry was a good healthy addition to our dinner)))/

The next morning we decided to go to the end of the forest and look to the other side of the rocky mountains. It was the right decision. As soon as we got closer to the rocks we noticed a group of Ibexes moving along the canyon. Our jaeger looked in his binoculars, his eyes started to widen ,and showed with his hand that it’s there! The Kara teke is here, just within a few hundred meters from me!

I carefully crawl and start to count. There was about 30 of them, they were very calm and didn’t show any worries. In the center of the group, a huge male, he had dark brown, almost black fur and tremendous horns!

I check the distance- 420 meters, but a 30 degree angle. I don’t want to risk it and we decide to come closer. We rush through the forest, up to the peak. Finally, I found a good spot and I decide to take a chance. 507 meters! It’s too much, but it could be the last chance!

 

[prohuntkz]

Thundering shot and the next thing I hear, it’s my jaegers voice;” You got him! Congrats!”

I look into the binoculars and see my guy; he is bleeding and trying to run after his friends. I check the distance, 536 meters. One more shot, he i

rifle cristensen arms custom 300 win mag , ammunition federal accubond 180 gr , bipod harris , scops vortex viper 4-16
We brought him up and took some pictures))

With my fingers, I measured the horns. Well, it’s not a record of course ,but it doesn’t really matter. I’m happy anyway.

The guy was pretty fat, like a boar. We took away the guts, cut off the liver to cooked it on a grill and put the tenderloin and bones to make a good soup.

As usual we stayed late that evening to share a stories and discuss problems.

Here is a national Kazakh dish- Beshbarmak. Traditionally Kazakh use lamb for it, but Ibex in our case, and it was just right! A lot of boiled meat, onions and dry rolled pasta helped us recover after an exhausting, but exciting the same time, trip!

The next morning we go back to our headquarter

We get there at moonlight; spend the night and early morning, we go back to our normal life, back to the city.

 

[dustinf]

Great story, and pictures!

Thank you for sharing.

 

[worm]

That is a great story and some awesome pictures. Hopefully one day i will be able to put my hands on a set of Ibex horns as well. It's my dream hunt!!

 

[----]

No worries on the English, you treat it way nicer than a lot of the locals that post on here.

Absolutely awesome story and pictures. If I ever had the means those two animals would be way up on my to do list.

Thanks for the post.

 

[SFC B]

Great story and nice animal!!

 

[huntbux]

Those are some great pictures and beautiful animals. Thanks for taking the time to share and do a good write up.

 

[L. I. Yankee]

very cool...thanks....

 

[Gerald Martin]

Welcome! That was a great story to read when I came home from work tonight. Thank you for taking the time to share. Please feel free to share more stories in the future!