I am going to be going on a Russian Tur hunt that one of my friends is arranging when I go back over there to visit. Anyhow here done one of these yet? I know the altitude will be up there. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

I hunted Tur in North Ossetia quite a few years back. The Caucasus is a specatcular location - steep, high altitude (up to 12-13000 ft), with tough and long hikes. I shot a somewhat modest tur, so make sure you get to see your quarry from all sides, and don't let the guides screaming "SHOOT" make you shoot before you know it is the animal you want. In any event, a tur hunt is rarely a done deal.

The tur come in different forms, and the hunting methods applied are also different - e.g. in Azerbajan (sp?) where the biggest tur are found, drives are often used. That is a dicey proposition if you are looking for a trophy. It will be hard to judge the trophy of animals in full run at considerable distance. Just not my thing for a trophy hunt.

Apart from the tur, I thoroughly enjoyed hunting for red stag in the lower mountains. What a thrill to stalk a roaring stag!
- mike

Throw some pics up mike.
G

Oh man, this hunt took place quite a few years before I got a digital camera. I have some film/paper pictures, but no scanner. I'll see what I can do, but don't hold your breath.

Not just beccause of the trophy, I actually ended up savouring the red deer more than the tur hunting. The tur hunting country is absolutely spectacular, whereas (at least some of) the red stag hunting takes places in the forested foothills of the Caucasus. But sneaking up on a roaring stag was a memory that I'll cherish forever.

- mike

Sports Afield this month highlights a Russian Tur hunt by Walt Prothero. His hunt was an "event". I hope you are booked with someone who knows the landscape in Russia. I worked there for a few years and found the Russians to be "interesting". A deal is never a deal with those guys unless the guy at the top says it is a deal. I have no clue how the hunting works in Russia. My business was not hunting.

Be careful and have fun.

Get your cardiopulmonary system in shape and you may consider some Diomox to help reduce altitude sickness. Spending and extra day or two in camp is also a good way to become climatized. Learn to recognize signs of altitude sickness and practice shooting at extreme angles uphill and down. Hope this helps and keep us posted.

Thanks guys for the info. I'll take some photos and definitely give you an AAR. I'll be there this spring so look for the AAR in June. Just booked my tickets for it yesterday. I actually lived down in the Caucasus region for a year and I will confirm that a) yes it is a bit of the wild west there b) its all about who you know and how much you can pay and c) a deal is not a deal until it's done. It will be a high altitude hunt, but that is what I want as some of the landscape there is beautiful. The mountains there are stunning. I'll have to post some photos that I have. Luckily for me I was born and raised in Colorado and love to hike the mountains (I used to hit the 14ers quite a bit)so while I do need to get in shape again. I rapidly aclimate to high altitude and never really notice it until I am WAY up there. It is a bit hairy in that area, but the guys I am going with are...well let's just say legal protection (officers of various military and law enforcement type Russian agencies) so I should be fairly safe...or at least we'll put up a VERY good fight.

just remember to drink lots of water, and probably not the stuff out of the tap...

Returned from the hunt. What an amazing time! I'll post some photos and a detailed report later.

Sorry for the late reply:

Here are a couple of photos of the Tur we took. After spotting maybe 35 animals on our scouting walk for what was going to be our main hunting day the next day, and coming up with a good plan, we were back at the campsite and my buddy started to glass the mountains directly surrounding us as the rest of us were doing things like getting the fire going and preparing to cook, protecting the packs for the probable overnight rain etc. Suddenly he saw this big guy across the river and up high on the peak. Needless to say...we decided to go after him. It was about three hours later when a single shot let out that sent him tumbling down off the cliff edge he was walking on. Another three hours and late as heck until we finally were able to get him back down to camp level and swim him across the icy cold river to camp. I have a hard time with guessing weights but he was between 225-250 lbs and dragging him down that rough terrain kicked my ass! Anyhow...a super and amazing hunt that I am doing a full write up on and will publish that later.







BTW....he tasted damn good too.

I forgot to mention that he was taken with a single shot from a semi-auto AK with a side-folding stock and an EOTECH mounted on it at a range of maybe 125-150 meters.

quote:

Originally posted by us_dragunov:
I forgot to mention that he was taken with a single shot from a semi-auto AK with a side-folding stock and an EOTECH mounted on it at a range of maybe 125-150 meters.

The classic Tur rifle!

Looking forward to the longer post and more pictures.

quote:

BTW....he tasted damn good too.

LOL. You didn't leave much - just a head and horns!

Congrats on your hunt. Look forward to reading more details.

EGAD!! The cape!!! You didn't save it???

No...we didn't save it. Supposedly it was when they were shedding for their summer coat and the wool/hair wouldn't hold in a mount. I'll save the next one when I go back next year a bit earlier. He sure tasted good though...kind of a cross between beef and lamb.

Back in the waning days of the Soviet Union I hunted boar in the Caucasus in Azerbaijan and was given a Tur skull as a gift. The terrain is stunning and the villagers are most hospitable (or were) and the food magnificent. Back then Inturist arranged hunts (not mine - I was a Soviet guest) and they would arrange for a foreigner to see a Tur on the first hunt and try to drag out as many hunts as possible
because the hunt was a significant source of hard currency.

Oxon

Welcome any hunter to Azerbaijan for Tur or other hunts!