- 2012 Dagestan Tur hunting with AMO
We work with a long time and experienced guide/interpreter who works with all 3 local outfitters who provide local guides, assistants, cooks, vehicles, horses, camps, food, lodging and inter? preter (one per camp). They acquire the local licenses/tags/permits for the hunters, and they are politically well connected.
Upon your request and for an additional cost, there can be one English Speaking, American or Canadian Manager/Guide in the Hunting Camp to make sure your needs and questions are being met. We can also arrange to have an experienced sheep guide (all have been involved with many successful high-altitude hunts) accompany you in additional to the local guides. This service we are providing is unique for this type of hunt, but is not generally necessary for Tur, as the local guides are very good. Most other operations just set up the hunt with the local outfitters and only stay in camp; they don’t actually accompany you and almost never help guide an Asian hunt. This service is especially helpful if you wish to harvest a very large animal, want help with the trophy judging and shooting process, especially if it is your first time to Asia, as many of the local guides do not speak English. The hunting season starts on June 1st and lasts thru December 15th. While July and August are the best months for stalk hunting, the hide is better in October, November and December months. The hunt is conducted at 7500-9000 feet (2500-3100) altitude, which is why very few to none suffer from altitude sickness. This, however, is not to imply that good physical condition is not a prerequisite to successful Tur hunt. Caucasian mountains are famous for being one of the steepest and most dangerous. You’ll find yourself climbing a nearly vertical rock. Climbing up and down such steep slopes is the main challenge of this truly adventurous mountain goat hunt. Local guides use wooden sticks for climbing. They use them for support while constantly shifting weight for balance and are quite apt. We recommend using those instead of climbing sticks. Instead of walking straight up, try climbing in zig-zag trails. This will put less pressure on your feet and ankles, and you won’t get tired as fast.
In summer, temperature will vary between +15 to +30 Celsius, with frequently cold and rainy nights. You’ll need a good mat and sleeping bag to keep warm and dry, as for summer hunts you will stay at fly camp for the entire duration of hunt. Humidity is high, so make sure you have enough change of underwear. Winters are mild with +10 to -5 Celsius at the lowest. Horseback hunting is possible only in summer and only in certain hunting areas, where there are horse trails. There is practically no difference be? tween horseback hunting and hike hunting. As hunting areas are at a considerable distance from the base camp, hunters can ride on horseback to hunt? ing areas that horses can access. Horse? back hunting is especially welcome for those who lack good physical condition and are not able to hike for long distances. For further distances, however, hunters will be compelled to proceed on foot. You’ll be able to find bigger flocks consisting of 100-150 goats in the highlands of eastern Greater Caucasus, where you can only reach by foot. On average, however, you’ll observe several flocks of 20-30 goats a day. Animals are generally not spooked, which is why you’ll often find them grazing close by. Specimens of 100-120 kg with 1 meter wide (39”) horns are not uncommon in the Sheki, Ismailly and Guba regions. For 26-32” trophy the success rate is 95%, 33- 35” – 60%, for trophies of 35” and more, the success rate is 30%. Stalking is the general hunting method, although driven hunts are used as well.
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