Pictures first for the impatient.
Story after for the interested.







The second morning we headed up a trail into the Fagaras Mountains of Romania. We were hunting chamois, a species I had never seen and knew little about. The trail rose steadily upwards. We crossed mountain streams and passed through forests and clearings. After a few hours on the trail, we were in a mountain valley. I had expected it to be nice, but the scenery was stunningly beautiful.

As we continued to climb, the two rangers (guides) were scanning the high ground looking for chamois. They spotted three far ahead in the bowl of the valley, so we moved up to one side of the valley to a level where vegetation an terrain would cover our approach. As we carefully moved forward, a chamois came running from the far end of the valley, spooking the three. Ah well, we pushed on.

Further on, the rangers spotted two more on a rocky slope ahead of us. One ranger put his rucksack on a rock and motioned for me to get ready. The higher chamois was very large, and the ranger indicated I should shoot. I had rested my rifle on the rucksack and looked through the scope. The chamois was looking directly at me. Damn! I'm busted! I expected the animal to bolt at any second, so I put the cross hairs on his shoulder and snapped off a shot. I missed. Badly. No second chance.

Everyone was disappointed. We decided to have lunch and regroup. Romanian food was quite exotic to me, and I enjoyed every bite. I was given a piece of slanina, smoked pig fat, to eat with a piece of onion. I did not understand the explanation, but apparently it has some magical powers for people in the mountains. After we ate, I received a lesson in the peculiarities of high altitude and high angle shooting. Since I had just so publicly failed, I listened respectfully. I was also told how the chamois tends to flee if it catches a hunter's scent, but is not easily frightened by movement, especially during the rut. I should have sufficient time to make a shot.

After lunch we cashed some of the rucksacks to allow us to travel more easily in the higher levels. We made our way along the side of the valley, and the rangers soon spotted another chamois high on the mountain side. Again a ranger put his rucksack on a rock an indicated I should shoot. I got into position, and put the cross hairs on the chamois. I did not like what I saw through the scope. I told them we had to get closer. We moved forward a little more than a hundred yards, and set up again. The chamois kept moving short distances, then stopping to look at us.

I snuggled up to the rifle, got a steady sight picture. I considered all the factors that could influence the shot. I aimed at a spot on his shoulder as he was quartered towards me. Holding half a breath. I squeezed the trigger as a rifleman should. When the rifle fired, I was completely confident I had done it well. I cranked in another round and observed the area again. No movement. Perfect. I looked over at the ranger. He did not look pleased. He said "I think the animal is not dead. Understand? We have to go shoot it again". What? Really? Crap!

As we made our way up to the animal's location, ravens began to circle over head. The ranger with me visibly relaxed. "Corbi", he said. The other ranger had taken a faster route up the mountain, and hollered "Morto! Morto!". Sounds like "dead" to me. Big relief. It took us forty five minutes to climb the 300 yards up to the chamois. The shot had destroyed the shoulder, heart and lungs. Still it had shown no reaction as the ranger had watched the shot. Tough animal.

When we finally got the chamois down to the floor of the valley, there was much celebration and many pictures were taken.
"Congratulations! See? You eat slanina for lunch, then you shoot a big chamois!"
"Thank you", I said. "I think I should have eaten it for breakfast."

My hunt was booked through Unforgettable Hunting, owned by Dina George. He and his partners truly did make this an unforgettable trip. I cannot say enough good things about them.

Great trophy. Thx for sharing!

Weidmannsheil! You certainly chose a historic location for your hunt. The Fagaras area has got to be one of the most famous areas for chamois - with possibly the largest trophies to be had anywhere!

- mike

Weidmannsdank!

Very interesting place and animal, thanks for the report.

Waidmannsheil!!

Strong "Bock" yeahr?

Thanks - nice report.

Tell us a bit about your kit - I notice you don't have a sling on your rifle?

Waidmannsheil!!!

Very good story, thanks for sharing!
Igor

Congratulations on a nice hunt.Very nicely written report too.Thanks for it.

Best-
Locksley,R.

Thank you for posting Uplander.

The area/scenery looks superb.

Lovely trophy too.

quote:

Originally posted by Boghossian:
Thanks - nice report.

Tell us a bit about your kit - I notice you don't have a sling on your rifle?

The rifle is a .30-06 Remington 700. I took off the sling and recoil pad after the hunt. There had been some rain and I wanted everything to dry out properly. I think you can see them in the pictures taken in the field. I don't normally put on a recoil pad, but I thought it provide some protection to the stock in mountains. I believe it did. The scope is a Leupold VX II 2-7x. Perfectly adequate, but a bit more power would have been nice.


Some things that worked well for me
- a Gore-Tex rain jacket - the real thing is worth the extra cost.
- EMS Techwick t-shirts.
- EMS sock liners combined with medium weight wool socks.
- a wind resistant fleece camo jacket.

Congradulations uplander,
I have to say as an American who also has had a passion for European hunting I thought I had it out of my system after I don't remember how many hunts in 6 European countries.

Your report is like the Vampires of Romainian legand, I feel like I've been bitten again and I want to go back.

Your chamous is a very nice trophy, Looks a little better than ether of the ones I got in Germany and Austria.

I'll bet you also have the bug to go back now. It really gets under your skin. Hunting Europe is a great combination of hunting along with expiriancing the culture,food and history of the region.

I'm already making plans to go back.

Congrats!!
nice trophy and a wonderful story to go with it.

I too wish to hunt chamois in Central Europe some day. Till then, I thrive on stories and pics from you guys.

Please keep them coming.

Just love those mountains.
Congrats.

Congrats from a fellow NH-ite! Beautiful place and animal.

Please see all our posts

the Carpatian mountins are called "the garden of haven"....the one how seen this knows that is the "simple truth"

Very nice, and an 'attaboy brothah' from a fellow New Englandah.

Congratulations! Beautiful country also.

Thanks to all for your kind words.

Great photos and story of a fine hunt and trophy. I can't help think though that you sneaked over to New Zealand, it looks the same country?

Eagle27,
New Zealand is on the other side of the world. Looks like this....

quote:

Originally posted by uplander:
Eagle27,
New Zealand is on the other side of the world. Looks like this....

Yes and we have to sight our rifles in differently too as the bullet rises over longer range.

you are full of fun !!!...I start the morning loughing !!!! thank you !

H

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

quote:

Originally posted by uplander:
Eagle27,
New Zealand is on the other side of the world. Looks like this....

Yes and we have to sight our rifles in differently too as the bullet rises over longer range.

You guys crack me up!

- mike