Hunt Dates: 13 to 16 December inclusive
Objective: A Bezoar Ibex Ram
Hunt Location: Elbistan and surrounds, Turkiye
Outfitter: Caprinae Safaris. Personnel - Riza Gozluk, Mehmet Alkan, Derya Celik
Rifle: Tikka T3X, 300 Win Mag ( True Flite 24 inch barrel )
Ammo: Handloads - Norma brass, Federal Magnum 215 Primers, Reloder RL26 Propellant, Barnes TTSX 180 gn projectiles
Airlines: Emirates ( Auckland, Dubai, Istanbul ), Turkish Airlines ( internal flights )

I hunted Turkiye for Bezoar Ibex in 2019 ( report below )
https://forums.accuratereloadi...8321043/m/7941088552
which was a great hunt with delightful people but concluded unresolved as the ram I shot recovered and disappeared, never to be found ! I wanted to try again and enquired with three outfitters I met at DSC in 2020. Caprinae I thought the most obliging and the vibe was positive talking to Mehmet so I booked and sent the deposit. Of course Covid derailed any chance of hunting for the next couple of years but Caprinae and I kept in touch and pushed the dates back. Riza assured me they were not too affected by the big earthquake of February 2023 so we set tentative hunt dates for late 2023. Then the auction for Bezoar tags was held up by the greenies playing political games and for a while we were not sure if my hunt dates would have to be postponed or not. Fortunately, although the tags auction was late Caprinae managed to secure the necessary tags and lodge the paperwork in time for my hunt to proceed on the dates booked. Interestingly, friends of mine who also booked Bezoar hunts with Caprinae but on earlier dates had to postpone but still managed to get to Turkiye and enjoyed successful hunts.
These days I fly wherever I can on Emirates as I find them excellent with transporting firearms. On departure day I rocked up early to Auckland Airport and was disheartened to see the Economy queue already a mile long but a couple of Emirates personnel, upon spotting my rife case, raced up, addressed me by name and rushed me to the head of the line for immediate check in ! Check in time, five minutes, or less !! This has never happened before but I heartily approve. I hope it happens next time - haha.
The enjoyable, unremarkable flights via Dubai got me to Istanbul in good shape, but tired. I was met at baggage claim by Umit ( Caprinae's meet & greet guy ) who ensured I got my bag and rifle and walked me through the security / police checks and checked in on Turkish Airlines to Malatya. At the gate for this flight I was joined by Vedat Cicekci who is the Caprinae interpreter / hunt lead who pulled everything together to ensure everything went smoothly.
At Malatya Airport we were greeted by Eman ( hunting guide ) who drove us about two hours to Elbistan and to our lodgings at Ramada Hotel which was perfectly adequate. En route we drove through some rain and snow and idly I wondered what weather we would encounter on the hunt. However, weather was not an issue as it turned out.
On arrival at the Ramada I was completely spent so after checking in I politely excused myself as I was desperate for a shower and bed. We agreed to meet at 7 am for breakfast.

I met the hunt team at breakfast. L to R - Vedat, Eman, Ferhat, Guray, Tanju


Once reorganised we drove out of Elbistan ( passing quite a bit of earthquake damage ), over a low pass into the next countryside valley. To enable a rifle check we pulled off onto some empty crop paddocks and Guray set up a target at 250 yds for me. Lying prone over my pack and rifle bag my first shot from a clean barrel was slightly low and right but the following shot was pretty much on the bullseye. Feeling ahead I quit right there !
Guray, a game ranger, saw some local guys on the hill above us carrying firearms. Suspecting they were poaching he set off on foot in pursuit. These guys promptly reversed direction and took off. Vedat and I took the truck and met some Gendarmes further down the road who had been summoned to assist but it seems the poachers gave everybody the slip. We drove on upwards, past the last cropping fields to the base of a big snow capped hill to glass for Ibex and hopefully find a big ram. The countryside here was interesting to view. In series were gently arranged valleys of arable soils, open as far as one could see and each with it's own village nestled into place and partitioned by abruptly ascending hills that peaked out in the true alpine zone, their bluffs and rocks mantled with fresh snow. Between us and the skyline peaks were steep, grassy slopes where herdsmen ran sheep and goats. Higher again was the domain of Ibex.
Temps were probably near freezing but the atmosphere was clearing nicely.

Elbistan. New apartment complexes replacing earthquake damaged residences. Around the sports stadium ( centre right ) are still container and tent dwellings where citizens live until apartments become available.


Countryside views



Front side of the hill


Vedat divided the hunt team into two parties. Two teams glass country more effectively when searching for Ibex. Glassing the front terrain is our team of Vedat, Guray and myself. Glassing the reverse side of our hills is Eman, Tanju and Ferhat. Our team sees Ibex up high, nannies and young rams. Out left a bunch of rams appears, heading into a bluff system. Nice looking rams but through the spotting scope not quite the class of ram we want. Their presence in the bluffs is explained when Vedat spots Wolves in the high snow. Looking at them in the spotter is cool.
Team two's views are obscured by low cloud so relocate to our side briefly before returning to the backside and clearer conditions. Not long after team two cellphones Vedat saying they can see "big Ibex" on their side so we promptly jump into the truck and head over. Speaking of cellphones, one thing quickly evident is how much these guys communicate among themselves by cellphone. It's a major tool along with Whatsapp for sending video of animals found.

Back side of the hill


Up in the snow and bluffs a mixed herd of twentyish Ibex is milling, two kilometers distant. Looks like two decent rams, both exhibiting quite "rutty" behaviour. Soon, the Ibex are descending onto the grassier slopes and grazing. Animated discussion between the guys results in Vedat asking if I want to try for one of the rams. He says get at least a closer and better look but only shoot if I'm happy with the ram. I agree we need to get up there and am ready to hike. But, no way. Vedat, Eman, Guray and myself bundle into the truck and we're off, roaring headlong uphill in 4WD along a stony track until the truck tyres no longer have traction against the grade. I wasn't overly confident about this approach and as soon as we dismount from the truck can see all Ibex now facing uphill, clearly alerted. Eman indicates a big outcropping we should get behind to make an unseen approach and we set off upwards. We've gone one hundred yards when his cellphone informs him the Ibex have charged back into the bluffs. We turn back to the truck. I'm not really surprised the plan failed. Eman sets up his spotter at the truck for a good view of both big rams up in the bluffs, 650 yards away. They do look good. Hopefully we can try these rams again tomorrow with a better plan. These Ibex are switched on and there is scant vegetation on these hills from behind which to approach them. Only a sound plan will lead to a successful opportunity for a shot.
It's time for a break and we head into the local village for a very late, pavement lunch. Delicious hot food with Turkish flat bread and Buttermilk followed by Turkish tea. The locals are inquisitive, friendly folks keen for conversation and to learn where the stranger is from and why he has come to Turkiye.

Late Lunch


Afternoon is almost evening but we return to where we first glassed this morning. Guray uses his Swarovski spotter like binoculars and finds two rams far to the left on bare rock where the snow starts. Vedat thinks they are the same rams we already attempted to stalk. They're too far away for me to be sure. Guray drives us closer and we check them again. Both are as big as the rams we saw on the other side. It's after sundown, the light is going and temps falling. Today has been great. But it's now time to return to town and dinner. Vedat says we will start earlier tomorrow.

We did not start any earlier next morning, needing to refuel the truck and buy a few provisions. But no drama. I'm happy to go with the flow. It's not quite as cold, the skies are clear and there is hardly any wind. A perfect morning. Our team returns to where we commenced glassing yesterday while, again, team two is glassing the backside of the hill. A few hours reveals no new animals on our side and we drive over to where team two has found the same herd with the two big rams seen yesterday. One ram is a little browner than the other and Vedat is certain it's horns are longer. The herd is far left of yesterdays position and not easily approachable so we are stuck watching and waiting. Vedat sends team two to another range of hills previously unchecked to look for rams. Later, via Whatsapp, he gets reports of Ibex and rams and some video of rams taken through a spotting scope. One ram looks quite decent. Vedat decides we should motor over there to see if we can get a good look at it. The report said the Ibex were heading for the topmost ridge so Guray drives us in 4WD up a steep zig zag track up the opposing face and parks on a high saddle. We are glassing up onto the ridge top expecting Ibex to come over. Several nannies do, followed by a young ram that quickly herds them back out of our sight. We see no other Ibex. More cellphone calls and we learn that Wolves suddenly appeared on the other side and the Ibex scattered. Guray suggests we sidle around the hill face and see if we encounter Ibex. After a few hundred meters we stopped on a rocky spur. Some nannies below us burst away and we expect to see a ram, but don't. For a while it's pleasant to sit there with the view while glassing. Guray goes a little further alone, seeing only a juvenile ram. On returning to the truck we drive to the side where team two was and glass from a couple of spots. Only juvenile rams are seen. Driving on quite some distance next we meet up with team two in a deep, dry gully, glassing up into a high valley and the faces either side. Ibex are around but nothing to get excited about. Evening, darkness and the cold are descending and we call quits for the day. We want to get a good look at our unseen ram and will start glassing these same hills first thing tomorrow.

I have a good feeling about morning three of our hunt. Vedat says we have been blessed with great weather but worries it won't last. He wants a big effort today to take a ram. We actually do start early today and reach the hills where we want to start at very first light. Another beautiful morning of clear skies and barely discernable wind. We were glassing the shaded side of the ridge while morning sun gradually illuminated the opposite side. At the first glassing stop both Eman and I spot immature rams only, so we move on, stopping and glassing briefly, until we reach the same location in the dry gully where we finished yesterday. It was still early and dull but we immediately saw Ibex on the skyline, a mixed herd of assorted maturity. We found two good rams. The ram with a longer horn profile was pursuing nannies with intent. I really liked the look of him. Resting in the rocks was the second ram with a rounder horn profile. I couldn't tell if one was bigger than the other. Vedat and Eman thought they would be very close. I'm itching to hunt. We agree to stalk them and try to take whichever we encounter first that presents a shot opportunity. Cellphones are used to check topo maps then Vedat, Eman, Ferhat and I hop into the truck and off we go. Guray stays in the gully, keeping watch on the Ibex and if necessary will update us by phone. We drive right around the big hill, cut up narrow roads through a small settlement, check directions with a couple of locals and find a fairly easy farm track up onto a high saddle from where we start the stalk. Eman leads us on a stiff climb up to the ridge top. Up there the wind is brisk and up our backsides. It's roughly two kilometers to the Ibex. Some way along Eman backtracks so we don't spook a small nanny group ahead and we sidle around below them. Eventually we locate the herd we are stalking. Eman peeks over the side and gets some readings from his rangefinding binos. Through Vedat I'm told they're 250 metres and 33 degrees downhill and asked if I will take the shot. Yes, I'm willing. I'm told the ram with rounder shaped horns is nearest. I'm just about to set up on a handy flat spot when Eman decides to look further down the ridge for a shooting spot closer to the Ibex. He returns long faced after fifteen minutes saying the Ibex have gone ! Vedat is perturbed but I suspect the Ibex got our wind and decided to vamoose, again, proving they are alert animals. A call to Guray established the Ibex had sidled back around the face, cutting right below the truck and continued over a series of small, dry gutters towards a large face on the next big hill where other Ibex were quietly feeding. We scooted up the ridge to a high point and off in the distance could see the Ibex filing into and across the gutters. The rams were there too. All we could do was retrace our route back along the ridge and down the steep drop to the truck. Upon reaching the truck Vedat and Ferhat were pretty pooped so only Eman and I would continue after the Ibex. It was probably better with fewer people and anyway Vedat would watch with the spotter from behind us and keep Eman informed by phone. We did another stiff climb up a steep trail then sidled across a convex face before approaching the gutters. Eman obviously thought either ram was there as he peeked carefully over the sides but all we saw was nannies trotting away from us. A call to Vedat who told me what I already knew, no rams in the gutters and that we needed to head towards the far big face as they should be over there somewhere. Of course, so I followed Eman again and felt we were closing in. Ahead of us was a long spur that had a wonderfully flat area, an ideal shooting position that we headed for. Crossing a small gnarly section of loose rocks I accidentally dislodged one that clattered noisily downhill and made Eman grimace. We hurried then, reached the flat spot unseen and Eman assessed the scene with his binos. Another call with Vedat to inform me the ram was there, was a good one and was a 200 meter shot. I chambered a round as both Eman and I came to the edge, I set my backpack down, pointed the rifle from my shoulder. Damn, the Ibex were getting out of Dodge. Maybe the loose rock had put the wind up them. Nannies were trotting right to left. I looked where I knew the ram had been but he wasn't there any more. Looking widely I found him, also moving left but casually, not trotting. Eman urged me to shoot, shoot ! I followed him in the scope. He was not presenting for a shot and I didn't want to chance a less than ideal angle. Finally, he paused and turned mostly broadside. The opportunity was now. His head turned and those beautiful horns straddled his body. Praying the bullet wouldn't connect with the horns I squeezed off the shot. I heard the hit. It sounded good. It was good. But Ibex are tough. He ran but started to slow quickly. Maybe after 100 yards everything stopped working as he turned uphill and collapsed. Eman was ecstatic, shouting "kaput". Of course I was very pleased but wanted to watch for several minutes to ensure no recovery occurred. I lasered the shot distance at 280 yards. Eman scooted over there as I watched. Nothing stirred so I went over after Eman reached the ram. I was even more pleased when I examined him. An old boy with age on his face and the scars of a battled life on his horns. A wonderful trophy I am very fortunate to take. With the pressure off I sit and admire the ram and reflect on the events and efforts of the day and my good fortune in being able to return to Turkiye for this fabulous hunt.
Eman counted growth rings and showed me holding up his fingers the ram was eleven years old. I was shown a form the next day at the Forestry Dept. that stated the ram is twelve years old. The Director of the Forestry office kindly congratulated the taking a fine trophy.





Eventually everybody arrived at the scene and collectively we removed the whole body cape and most of the meat along with the liver. The bullet entered just behind the left front leg and exited through the right front leg bone, completely shattering the bone. When we gutted the ram the lungs poured out as bloody mush. TTSX bullets work. Thank God Vedat had thermos tea in his backpack which I'm sure saved me. Carelessly, I had forgotten to pack water. After everything was done and packed it was well after dark and the downhill hike to the vehicle necessitated use of headlamps. We drove straight to a restaurant in Elbistan for dinner, arriving there about 9:30 pm. I couldn't understand why I felt so ravenous until I remembered we had not had time for lunch !

Since the hunt was finished quickly I changed my flights to depart Turkiye a couple of days early. Vedat and I visited a couple of government offices in Elbistan to tidy up post hunt paperwork before Tanju drove us both to Malatya to catch our flight to Istanbul. We entered Malatya city in daylight and I was struck by how big this city is. I was also struck by the extent of earthquake damage. There is a huge reconstruction project underway here and I have to admire how the Turks are getting on with it. I walked the commercial center a while with Vedat who couldn't believe how many familiar buildings and landmarks had vanished. I met a friend of Vedat who runs a small shop ( temporary container shop ) selling Turkish delights. He allowed me to sample anything I wanted and absolutely everything was exquisite. Of course I bought several boxes to take home. I declared these foods on arrival in NZ and fortunately was cleared to bring them home.

Malatya, derelict mosque








Malatya, container shops


I spent a couple of days at an Istanbul hotel before flying home. I walked around a little and it was good to see the Blue Mosque but congregational prayers prevented me seeing inside. Big, busy cities don't thrill me and I was content in the vicinity of the hotel. I should have visited the Grand Bazaar but can do that next time.
I met some wonderful people on this hunt. The Turks are very welcoming, hospitable people and easy to get along with despite the language barrier. Vedat was very good in explaining the subject of many of the conversations so that I was not left completely in the dark. I am very happy I booked with Caprinae. Their arrangements and communications are solid and Riza, who is a straight shooter, and Derya respond promptly to emails.
Turkiye has a good offering with the Bezoar hunts for visiting hunters. The Bezoar populations are good I'm told so I presume the game management is successful. The hunt is under pressure from greenies who want to shut it down and who are making some political gains. I'm unsure what's being done to counter the greenies but I sure hope they can be turned back. Losing the Bezoar hunting would be unnecessary and a huge shame.

Turkiye currently has high inflation. Istanbul exchange rates


Just outside my hotel. I didn't check what they were selling at the market !

That's a terrific buck!

Thanks for an excellent hunt report. This is a bucket list hunt for me.

Fantastic report and trophy my friend! What an adventure, I would love to see Turkey.

When (if) I ever grow up I want to be you.

Congratulations!

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Beautiful ibex. Well done.

Bucketlist hunt for me, very jealous!Congratulations on a great hunt!

Sounds like a fantastic hunt, beautiful Ibex, and a great report. That's about as good as it gets!!
Congratulations...

Well done .

Congratulations!!

I wish to do that hunt some day.

Nice billy well hunted. Congrats!

Congratulations! Thanks for the detailed report and photos!

Congratulations!

I very much enjoyed your report and it’s great to see a hunt come together. That is a great ibex!

Dear AR lady and gents,
Thankyou so much for your kind comments and compliments. It was such a good hunt in an amazing country with great people that I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you ever have the opportunity and want to do this hunt I believe you will have no regrets.

nmhunter4life Your Nepal Blue Sheep hunt report was fantastic. Congrats on doing such a tough hunt so well. That's also on my list for when dollars allow.

Jason P Always good to hear from you Jason. Not sure if spellcheck played up with your post but "Mahatma" left me wondering. Were you on first name terms with this ram, like Cecil the Lion ?

Very well done.
Congrats to a Super Bezoar Ibex.
I think Caprinae is doing a super Job

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Grant, Only seeing this now. A big congratulations on an excellent ram! Well done sir! Great report and a fun read.

Am amazed that "NZ customs biosecurity" let the Turkish delight in when they destroyed my Marmite last time I flew down All around great hunt report. Well done!

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Great to see you got your Ram!! Awesome animal!!

Turkey is a wonderful country to visit.. How as the gun import process this time? We really went through hoops back in 2019!

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:
Dear AR lady and gents,
Thankyou so much for your kind comments and compliments. It was such a good hunt in an amazing country with great people that I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you ever have the opportunity and want to do this hunt I believe you will have no regrets.

nmhunter4life Your Nepal Blue Sheep hunt report was fantastic. Congrats on doing such a tough hunt so well. That's also on my list for when dollars allow.

Jason P Always good to hear from you Jason. Not sure if spellcheck played up with your post but "Mahatma" left me wondering. Were you on first name terms with this ram, like Cecil the Lion ?

Grant: Ha ha, I need to proof read my replies!

Now, you need to come to Utah and do a mountain hunt here.

Great report. Excellent animal. And you included your left handed Tikka with a Leupold scope in the photos. All good!