Returned last week from Azerbaijan. Definitely an adventure. It peaked my interest after seeing reports on this hunt the last couple years. My guide in Turkey also said this is a must do hunt. So booked it at the sheep show back in January, I requested to hunt the Sheki region.

Booked directly with Mirbala Manafov. Everything went very smooth and guides were very good. Can def recommend him if interested in this hunt.

Just before this trip I had gone to New Zealand to hunt chamois and tahr (report to come). During that trip, I took a pretty good tumble down the mountain while hunting chamois. I had 2 weeks between that and this hunt. Physically I was about 90%, but mentally I was a little shaken after the fall. I had heard that these mountains were dangerous, and they definitely lived up to the hype. I was a little embarrassed, but I told the guides I would need to go slow and steady. I used that walking stick / metal spike with every damn step.

Just a warning to those thinking about going on this hunt. These mountains (at least in Sheki area) are steep as hell. One slip and you aren't going to stop for a couple thousand feet. Its was pretty nerve wracking for me. I've hunted sheep and ibex in steep places, but these mountains are on another level.

It also was the first time for me on horseback. Right away they had us crossing rivers and going up little tiny trails on the mountainside. Fun stuff

The video tells the story better than I can. Here are a few pics and a short (8 minute) video I put together. Looking back now I wish I would have taken some more footage of the hiking, but I think I was too busy concentrating on where exactly to put my boot next.





As you will see in the video I was not able to go along on the recovery. The guides were able to get a cell phone pic of the tur on the ground.


Asiman, Humbat, and the rest of the crew.


I didn't bother measuring him. I rarely do. I just know he was pretty old, pretty long, busted up and heavy. I was very happy. Only wished I had made a better shot on him.

https://vimeo.com/130935675

Nice!!! That is neat that you saw all of the bears. I saw a lot of bear sign, but never spotted one.

Great video. Really shows the country.

Jeremy

Great video. What gun, optics, etc. did you use?

And now a really stupid question, almost every Westerner that goes here and hunts (we see quite a few reports on Tur hunts) wears some sort of serious mountain slipper for footwear.....and the locals wear what look to me to be ordinary ag. co-op rubber boots. I know they are local and do this for a living but how do they do it?

Any thoughts?

Also, did you take any close up pictures of the saddles your sat in? Compared to western or English/Australian seats these saddles just amaze me.

Great video, thanks for sharing!

Docbill, I noticed the rubber boots as well.

I used an HS Precision Rifle in .300 WSM. Swarovski 3.5-10 (older version of the z3). Rifle also took a beating in new zealand. It was shooting well at 200 before I left. Looking back I probably should have checked it at 300 and 400.

As for the rubber boots... Yes that is all the locals wear. They put on a sock, then wrap some other piece of cloth over the sock and slip on the boot. It really is amazing how they get around is such crappy footwear.


Here is about the only pic I got of a saddle. Me and my trusty gal

As a child I had relatives who rice farmed. When we were out on the property we all wore rubber boots like that and wrapped our socks with boot rags because the boots were always to big for anyone's feet. In the winter when we goose/duck hunted the rags also acted as some insulation. I just wouldn't have ever thought to go into that rough country in those loose rubber boots. I'm absolutely amazed.

All of the our guides wore rubber irrigation boots. Some wrapped their feet, others just wore a heavy wool sock. The looked like expedition weight military surplus socks.

The thing that I noticed was that they had extreme flexibility in their feet. No matter what the angle was, their foot was flat on the surface. Up, down, sidehill, didn't matter.

That has to be a big part of it.

They were sure footed no doubt, and never slipped even on wet grass.

Jeremy

Plenty of "hill stick" use on those slopes Bobby.
Well done.
looking forward to the NZ report, don't spare the detail.
GT

Just fantastic, big congrats!

Great video Bobby.

How tough is it compared to say the NWT?

Pretty good stuff!!!

Great hunt report and really appreciated your posting of the video. Gives you a great feel for the hunt and country. Well done on a nice old billy!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Great video Bobby.

How tough is it compared to say the NWT?

thanks!

I'd say NWT is a much tougher hunt on average.

NWT: I'd say you'll be out in the field many more days, lugging around a large pack, and putting in some serious miles on foot. In Azerbaijan it seems that most hunters can get their tur within a few days if they can get up the mountain (even if you can't they are willing and ready to help push animals towards you). Camp is also going to be pretty comfy and the few things you take on your daily climb up the mountain will probably be carried for you.

I honestly do not remember getting tired from hiking (on the tur hunt) It was damn near vertical but within a few hours we'd be on top.

Now the mountains are definitely more dangerous on the tur hunt. It is very steep, and there is simply nothing there to stop you if you start to go. I've come across spots like that in other hunts where you get to a spot and you think to yourself "oh crap..." then you get by and and you're good. In Azerbaijan, I felt like "oh crap" 95% of the time.

The video on youtube of Colorado Buck hunting tur is also worth watching. He hunted same area and even had most of the same guides.

If you, or anyone else, decides to hunt Sheki region, request Asiman! He was honestly a HUGE positive factor in the hunt. A straight up honest guy and also speaks English very well. He can also run a camera too (regardless of what happened with colorado buck haha)

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Great hunt report and really appreciated your posting of the video. Gives you a great feel for the hunt and country. Well done on a nice old billy!

+1

I think you gave a great recap of the hunt. I hunted in Shecki about 5 years ago. Although I booked with someone else I had some of the same people in camp. In your group photo the top 2 on the left and the bottom right were with us. All were excellent but the gray haired guy was awesome. I believe he looks older than he is but boy could he go. Great trip that everyone should do,ONCE. Like you said those mountains are no joke.

Excellent video and hunt. Congratulations.

I would never be able to this. The mountains look steep and the rocks hard. Took a tumble down one in alaska but it was covered in that sponge stuff.

Mike

You look much younger than me - in my next life maybe.

Nonetheless, great report. Thanks for sharing.

great efforts excellent movie.well deserved tropy..congrats

First of all Great report and awesome billy.

As far as the guides shoes.
I was serious rock climber for 10 years. When you get used to it you can dance across a slope that most just don't have the footing / nerve for. I also think its a natural self preservation reaction.
The comment they do that for a living definitely applies.