I would like people too help me get a gear list for an ibex hunt in kyrzigstan. I pretty much need everything. This gear will also be used for other hunts. I would like too hear what brands I should look at. I appreciate all the information

The day/night temperatures would be very important information for any hunt?

Temps could be from 0- 60s. I would like to hear from ones that have done this hunt. Like I stated I will need everything so brands and particular models of clothing will be appreciative.

I used mostly Kuiu on my Kyrgyzstan hunt. Guide Jacket and pants, spindrift puffy and Chugach rain gear. I'd actually go with the first lite uncomphagre puffy if I were to do it again. For boots I use Kennetrek Mountain Extremes. Any decent boot will do.

The most important thing you can bring is a soft gun case that you can wear across your back while on horseback. None of us did this, and we all looked like we got caned after the first day from rifle bolts, trigger guards and bipods bouncing up and down while slung. They don't use saddle scabbards.

Your guide will probably not have optics, so bring a good spotter and extra pair of binoculars.

You'll do a lot of riding. They ride their horses with tight reins and then keep them moving with their riding whips. Completely different than how we treat our horses. Do what they do or you'll get really dinged up in the saddle.

Get a prescription for Diamox to help with the altitude. Makes a huge difference. Immodium is another must have.

Bringso.e if your favorite steak seasoning, as the just boil everything.

Don't eat the raw bacon.

Lots of guys here with a lot more mountain experience than me but this is a basic list.

Boots. A high quality hiking boot with good ankle support. There are a lot of good manufacturers and it usually comes down to personal preference. Salomon, Kennetrek, Danner, Lowa, La Sportiva, Hanwag and Asolo are just some of the options. You have to try them on figure out which one fits you the best. Individual fit is the most important in my opinion. The next most important step is breaking them in. Put lots of miles on them, especially on steep terrain to see if you develop any hot spots. I suggest bringing some electrical tape and moleskin on your trip to help alleviate any problems that come up with your footwear.

Socks. 2-3 pairs of medium weight hiking socks or 2 pairs medium weight and one heavy weight. Thorlo, Smartwool and even REI’s own brand are some options. (Some people like silk sock liners to help with blister prevention but I do not care for them.)

Underwear. Whatever works best for you. You don’t want to be dealing with heat rash on day 4 of a 10 day trip.

Under layers. Nothing cotton. Merino wool is in style right now and I think it works well. It wicks moisture away and provides good warmth. It is also odor resistant, which is important on long trips. Sitka, Kuiu, First Lite etc. all make under layers in Merino wool of different weights. I like mid-weight stuff.

Pants. There are lots of quality camouflage pants on the market. Sitka is my favorite and I especially like their Timberline pants with reinforced and waterproof butt and knees. Kuiu and First Lite are other options to look in to. Kuiu is cut for very athletic figures. Personally, I don’t like the Michelin Man look it gives me, but to each his own. If you don’t want to go the camouflage route check out the Kuhl brand of pants at REI in slate grey.

Shirts. Pretty much the same story here, multiple weight options from multiple manufacturers. I like Sitka gear the best overall and their Core Midweight Long Sleeve Zip-T is very comfortable.

Jacket. The Sitka Jetstream or Timberline are good choices as well as the Kuiu Guide DCS. What you decide to go with here will be influenced by if you are going to take dedicated rain gear. A thin set of pullover snow camo gear is useful if you will be primarily hunting above the snowline.

Rain gear. Lots of good choices here but I go with inexpensive brands that I can just pull over if needed.

Insulation. A layer of the new water resistant down is advisable. I went with the Kuiu Superdown jacket. It weighs 10 oz and offers incredible warmth-to-weight ratio. I take this everywhere I overnight camp now if I think it will even get moderately cold. Sitka also makes a similar product.

Gloves. I took two pairs, a lightweight pair to glass with and a heavier pair that were really nice when the snow was blowing sideways on a ridgeline. I bought these at REI and just made sure the heavier pair was waterproof and well insulated.

Headgear. I brought a beanie and a baseball cap. A balaclava would also work well.

Sleeping bag. I don’t know what rating to recommend but I will say the numbers listed I believe are minimums to keep you alive, not comfortable. Go to a quality outdoor retailer and they can educate you on all the latest and greatest.

Sleeping pad. Don’t skimp here. The hours spent on this will enable you to recharge and be ready for the next day. I use the Big Agnes Q-Core.

Miscellaneous: altitude medication, prescription antibiotic, ibuprofen, prescription pain killer, sunglasses, chap stick, A+D ointment, eye drops, Pepto, Imodium and a second set of cheap binos for your guide to use (no, he won’t have any and will constantly badger you to use yours).

Remember, if you are going to be primarily hunting in the snow and using the white pullovers you don’t need everything to be camouflage. (And your guides might have camo and might not.) REI carries very similar products as the big camo makers, they just call it mountaineering gear instead of hunting gear. In fact, a lot of the hunting products are just knock offs in camouflage. You can get some great sales on warm weather gear in the spring.

Hope this gets you started.

Coyote Hunter gave you a great gear list. Mine was similar for a 2015 ibex hunt. It was cold in October. Wear layers...
Also, call Andy @ Skinner Sights and have him make you a soft case for your rifle. The Skinner "SCABBARD" Case was perfect for keeping my rifle safe on my back until I needed it for shooting. www.skinnersights.com They are about $65. Worth every penny.
Lastly, shoot your rifle as much as possible. Your opportunity may be fleeting and you want as much practice as possible.
I also took a BR2 rangefinder. Expensive, but worth its weight in gold if you need a 700 yard shot to be successful.
The most important item is your mind. Have a great attitude and take everything in stride.

Happy Hunting,
Ski+3

Great Gear list!!! I just ordered one of The Skinner Scabbards custom to fit with my 6 inch Bi-pod.

Did you go Johnny Reb? Let's see a report with some pictures!

Ski+3

You might ask Greg Brownlee with Neal and Brownlee, he makes several trips a year over there and is a good source for info.

Funny, I saw "ibex" and immediately thought of the Persian ibex hunts we have here in New Mexico, in the Floida mountains.

If you sleep on your side a back packing blow up mattress is much better than a pad. They have them at REI. They pack well and are light. You also do not have to worry about it getting wet. Many people including myself have a hard time sleeping on the ground. Sleep is important. Also get some body glide. It will help with saddle sores and chafing. Get an ultraviolet steri pen and zap any water they provide. They are quick and easy to use. I would also start riding. Just like over here in North America “Survive the livestock, Survive the hunt!”

quote:

Originally posted by SkiBumplus3:

I also took a BR2 rangefinder. Expensive, but worth its weight in gold if you need a 700 yard shot to be successful.
Ski+3

BR2 has been replaced by the BR2500. Not sure what the difference is; features seem to be the same. I know Aaron was working on a spin drift comp, but don't see it listed under product specs.

I have the BR2 and it kicks butt.

There are a lot of Problems with Rangefinders at Altitude.

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
There are a lot of Problems with Rangefinders at Altitude.

Like what? Air is less dense, so that should help. Temp might be a problem, but that isn't an altitude issue per se.

3 out of 6 of us had problems with them at 12,000-13.000 ft not reading the range and I am not sure any of the other three hunters had one? Temps were a low of 20 degrees with new batteries. At 9000 feet they worked every time. Brand new high end Nikon, a Leica and I don't know the brand of the third one? I have used The Leica at 4000ft down to Zero degree's with no issues.

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
3 out of 6 of us had problems with them not reading the range and I am not sure any of the other three hunters had one? Temps were a low of 20 degrees with new batteries. At 9000 feet they worked every time. Brand new Bushnell, a Leica and I don't know the brand of the third one? I have used The Leica at 4000ft down to Zero degree's with no issues.

That is interesting Slider...laser rangefinders use a GaAs diode, which puts out light in the 905 nm range or so. The sun contains light in this spectrum as well, but LRs use techniques such as pseudo-random binary sampling to filter out background radiation. At super high altitudes, the magnitude of 905 nm light is going to be higher since it is less attenuated by the atmosphere. I wonder if that is the issue...