Already in Almaty, we decided to spend the first night in the capital and enjoy its culture and gastronomy. A country that we recommend 100% where you will discover some very luxurious and spectacular places.
We begin the long journey to the mountains of Kazakhstan, in which we will travel about 700 km from the capital to the hunting area. Let’s not forget that Kazakhstan is among the 10 largest countries on the planet.
After a long journey where we took the opportunity to tell each other hunting stories and plans that will emerge together, we switched to a 4×4 truck. This truck took us to the main camp where we had all the comforts that we will tell you about later.
We climb an impressive hillside around the largest salt lake in the world, the Caspian Sea. An incredible landscape and difficult to forget. The camp had several wooden booths to sleep in, so we divided two people into each tenth. The camp also had a nice sauna to shower and relax from a long trip, and that we did, a hot shower and a good dinner.
Arrival at base camp
We started the first day of hunting after two more hours of traveling in the 4×4 truck. Upon arrival at the base camp, our guides were waiting for us with the horses. And it was time to split up each with his guide and start testing our rifles. After checking that everything was correct, each hunter set a course for our respective hunting areas.
The horse ride is one of the most recommended moments if you have the opportunity to do it. In this hunting adventure, every day, we ride about 4 hours in search of the Ibex. Besides, we toured the immense plateaus that these mountains offer us to reach the ravines and slopes where the Ibex are safe from predators.
After a long and spectacular trip on horseback (highly recommended to wear cycling shorts or a cushion), we prepared the tents and ate a bit to gather strength before hunting. We tied the horses to one side of the hillside, and our expert guide pointed out that on the other side of the hillside, there were usually several large Ibex groups.
We began to walk and observe the different ravines that we had insight into. On our way, we saw some Siberian roe deer and some young Maral in a slightly wooded area. And we continued walking until we reached a place where we observed a huge territory. There, our guide indicated that we had to remain seated and wait to find some group of Ibex.
Kazakhstan’s First Ibex
After a short wait, our guide saw the first Ibex, with such surprise that they were several impressive specimens. The Ibex was at a distance of 1,200 meters, so we could try to take a long shot at about 500 meters. After a hunter, guide, and PH discussion, we decided to give it a try as they were very large specimens, and we had the right rifle, optics, and ammunition to succeed.
The time came after a year of dreaming of this moment. We began to sneak up on the Ibex, who was lying down and calm. After a long and studied entrance, we put ourselves in a perfect position about 473 meters away. We tried to calm the nerves and the pulsations, and we waited for the opportunity that the chosen Ibex was put in the position to shoot him. Thanks to the excellent optics with a ballistic turret and the quality of the ammunition used, our friend and hunter made an impeccable shot, taking down the Ibex. Ibex hunting in Kazakhstan and making his dream come true.
After congratulations and joy, it was time to go for the Ibex since the sun would set soon, and we had a long way to go before we could recover the trophy. Once we reached the place where our beautiful Ibex lay, it was time to immortalize the moment, take all the possible photos, and prepare the skin and the trophy.
Thanks to the horses, we were able to get out of that difficult and deep ravine where the Ibex had fallen rolling. Then it was time to go back to the tents and enjoy a good dinner to celebrate the success achieved.
One last surprise
After having a great time that night, we went to bed. The next morning to our surprise, we found a bear a few meters from us, attracted by the fire and the smell of food. Another incredible image to remember, but this was not the time to shoot any bear.
On the way back and after deciding that this Ibex was enough for its incredible size, we set off for the base camp, where we waited until the next day for the 4×4 truck to pick us up to go to the base camp. Once at base camp, we prepared and salted the skin of our trophy. But the adventure did not end here. And the cooks asked us if we could get some more pieces for the food for the locals. So we went again, and we managed to shoot down a female.
Finally, we had to go down to the main camp and share with all the friends of the group our adventure. An unforgettable journey after the largest Ibex in the world.
And this was the result of the group: 6 ibex and a large wild boar, all Ibex of more than 120cm and 2 of them of more than 130cm.
All with the guarantee of your official travel agency IBERHUNTING Worldwide.