19 December 2021, 20:01
reddy375A hunt from Hell and a Monster
Hello Everyone,I just got back last week from Kamchatka! It was another great Russian adventure! I am going to give the short version here.
We flew from NY to Moscow, spent the night there, met up with the rest of the gang and then flew the next day to Petropavlovsk.
Petropovlosk - amazing scenery. On the approach to Petro we flew over a submarine base where we spotted a bunch of subs, then a few minutes later saw a huge nuclear sub heading out in one of the fjords....pretty cool.
From there we got on a coach and took a 7 hr bus ride to Esso where we spent the night.
Dinner that night at Esso hotel
The next morning we had a small window in the weather and managed to fly in to camp.
Flying out to camp
Four hunters were in the main camp and I and Mr. K were in another. The helicopter pilots were instructed specifically to fly to the main camp first and then to the fly camp but en-route they decided without telling anyone to drop us off at the fly camp first! I guess they figured what the hell we have to go to both places anyway!
This turned out to be a huge F&*^ up, as the plan we later found out was to go to the main camp, drop off the 4 hunters, pick up 2 snow mobiles, sleds and fuel and then go to the fly camp! So here we were without snow mobiles! But plenty of food and everything else we needed!
Arrival in camp, everything but snow mobiles
To give you an idea of where we where! Between us and the main camp were two large rivers to be crossed and 45kms in a straight line of frozen Kamchatka wilderness! As the heli didn’t have enough fuel to fly back with the snow mobiles, the concession owner got them to drop two guides with snow mobiles and sleds and 4 barrels of fuel across one of the two rivers. This was around 1pm in the afternoon. We were told that they should be with us by that evening. Evening came and went and the next day there was still no sign of them. The weather in the meanwhile had severely deteriorated with heavy winds and driving snow. Finally around 4pm they staggered in to camp having navigated over 150 kms of pure frozen wilderness crossing creeks and streams and building bridges to get the machines across. At night they pulled the two machines together to block the wind, lit a big fire and tried to keep warm. One of them had a sleeping bag the other just lay on a tarp. Mind you all this was in the middle of a snowstorm with high winds and snow. This storm was too last 10 days! But for sure a super human feat. All i can say is that Russians are a very tough lot.
Now the issue was that we were in the camp on one side of the river and the snow mobiles were on the opposite side, as the major river near camp was still not solidly frozen to drive the machines across.
View from the loo!
The other hunters from the main camp hit the ground running and got two moose on the first day a 71 and 58 inch bull! One hunter's 12 year old son and my client Mr. E (got a great 61” bull) and they were all done by day 3.
In our camp now that we had snow mobiles Mr. K and me walked across the river and forded a small fast flowing stream to get to the snow mobiles, and managed to hunt the 2nd day in very bad weather with sleet, snow and wind.
The snow was deep and wet making it very difficult to ride in and even the snow machines without the sleds were having a tough time of it and getting stuck all the time.
We did see a female and a calf but nothing else. On our way back there was signs that the big river we walked across was starting to thaw out!! With a rope attached to us we crossed back uneventfully!
The next day the big river started to flow and we were now stuck. Snow mobiles on one side and us on the other! The storm blew for 5 whole days with no plan B for us to be able to cross the river or fly to the other camp as the weather was socked in. The guides went out and built a small ladder bridge across a portion of the big river which was deep and very fast flowing! If one fell in I think it would have been a case of good bye cruel world!!
The bridge they built over the big river! The man in the red jacket Sasha was the caretaker of the camp. He had lived all alone for the last 14 months in the wilderness, except for two visits from fishermen. A man of great character!
Days came and went, reading, telling tall tales and eating and sleeping and a bit of the old Vodka! The food was really excellent in camp. Breakfast was eggs, pancakes, omlets, bread, bacon, cold meats etc, followed by some sort of soup for lunch and then a proper dinner. We missed out on all the moose
, the other guys ate!
The cabin that served as the kitchen and eating area. It was warm and cozy!
Finally on day 6 they managed to get a small heli to fly to us with literally a few minutes break in the weather. As there was only room for one Mr. K managed to get out and flew to the main camp! The next day he hunted seeing only cows and calves, the following day they saw a moose that the outfitter said was the biggest he had ever seen, but it got away by crossing a stream. Later that day, he shot an absolute monster with a spread that measured 75.5 inches!
If I am not mistaken this spread is less than an inch smaller of the largest moose ever taken anywhere! What a beast.
I remained in solitary confinement for another 3 days with the guides reaching that mandatory “What the hell am I doing here moment” which comes on every hunt in Central Asia and Russia. Hahahhah……
Finally on day 10 the weather cleared and I was rescued! By that time I had officially changed my name to Robinson Cruso!
Mr. E with his fine 61 inch bull
The two 70 inch bulls. 71 inch on the left and 75.5 on the right.
But for sure it was a great hunting experience! I have to say that Mr. K was a great client and now a friend. We were stuck together in a small cabin for 6 days and nights telling tall stories and keeping each other amused and not once did he complain or moan about our ill fortune. I was very happy for him that he shot such a tremendous trophy.
To summarize shooting two 70inch+, a 61 inch and two moose in the 50 inch class on one hunt I think can be termed as an exceptional hunt. The big one that got away from Mr. K was supposedly even bigger than his 75 incher! What a beast that must be.
Hunting Russia is not for the faint hearted. You need to be able to go with the flow and enjoy the adventure. Weather is a huge part of your hunt and logistics are very difficult to say the least. Taking guns was not an issue, just that its PAINFUL and slow, it took us atleast 3 hours to clear our guns when we arrive. Every form is read and re-read and filled in 4 parts and stamped and written and entered in to the computer and deleted and re-written!! I ran in to a problem flying to Petro where they would not let me put anything except my soft gun case in my Tuffpak! Not even my clothes which i use as a filler. Out they had to come and be wrapped up in a bundle and checked in seperately. Dimwits!!
Random pics:
We are sold out for 2022 and partially for 2023, if anyone wants a crack at a big Moose feel free to get in touch.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.
Hope to meet some of you at the hunting shows.
Arjun Reddy
Hunters Networks LLC
30 Ivy Hill Road
Brewster, NY 10509
Tel: +1 845 259 3628
DSC Booth 1212 (Dallas 6th to 9th January, 2022)
SCI Booth 1751 (Las Vegas 19th to 22nd January, 2022)
Western Hunting and Conservation Expo Booth 444 (Utah 10th to 13th February)
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