Outfitter: Konstantin Kotsev
Bulgarian Hunt Service Ltd.
3, Polk. Stoyno Bachiiski Str.
1619 Sofia, Bulgaria
phone/fax: ++359 - 2 - 857 - 6823
phone : ++359 - 887 - 960 536

http://huntservice.com/

Dates: 09/20/08 through 09/27/08

Travel agent : John Stacy
Anglers and Hunters Travel
480-962-1976
jstacy@anhtrvl.com

http://anhtrvl.com/

Game hunted: Red deer and wild boar

I have wanted to hunt free range Red deer in Europe ever since my hunt for Alpine Ibex in Switzerland 10 years ago, but other hunts to “wilder areas “always took precedence.
Last year I decided that I should hunt the European red deer before the Euro becomes unaffordable.

In my search for a true fair chase hunt I narrowed my search to two countries Romania and Bulgaria. The Carpathian Mountains were where I wanted to hunt but could not find a reliable outfitter so decided to hunt in Bulgaria.



A friend from Europe had suggested Bulgarian hunt service, and after exchanging emails with Konstantine Kotsev the director of the company I was convinced that I was dealing with a competent organization.

After hearing my desire to hunt a very large unfenced forest area Konstantine recommended Cherni Lom a huge government owned hunting area near the city of Popova about 200 KM north east of Sofia the capitol of Bulgaria. This area consists of Oak forests interspersed with cultivated areas; the total hunting area is 130,000 hectares which is about 321230 acres.



Map of Cherni Lom hunting area

The best time to hunt these red deer is during the rut, and the peak of the rut or roar is the last 10 days of September.

There were two of us and we flew on Austrian airways to Vienna on 09/19/08 and onwards to Sofia on 09/20/08. The airline was excellent; I did call them a week prior to my departure and informed them that I would be travelling with a firearm. There were no problems and everyone was very helpful, what a change from how we are treated here by our airlines.

The firearm clearance through customs was a breeze. I have traveled to many countries with firearms but aside from Switzerland I have never experienced such a painless passage through customs and without help.

The hunting lodge was located in one of the forest areas and was 5 stars. The chef was excellent, overall service was superb.








Our interpreter and the gentleman who served our meals.


The red deer are hunted early morning before sunrise to around 8:30 AM, and again from around 5:30 PM to sunset.
We were woken up at 4AM and after a light snack of biscuits and coffee my hunting guide would drive anywhere from 20 min to 45 min to different forest blocks.

The walk through the forest in the dark hearing the stags roaring around you is something that needs to be experienced and its charm and thrill cannot be conveyed through words.













We would usually end up at the edge of a meadow within the forest and wait for daylight so we could see the stags. The stags mostly stayed within the forest, close enough but invisible.

The evening hunt would be the same and we would some days stay in one spot and on other days slowly walk just inside the forest to get a glimpse of the roaring stags.

The third morning my luck changed, as the sun came up we saw a female run out into the meadow from the edge of the forest opposite us and within a split second a nice looking stag followed her out. The guide told me by sign language that he wanted me to shoot this stag if he came our way, as luck would have it the female came towards our stand and I shot the stag at 150 meters through the chest with a 160 grain Nosler partition bullet from my 7 mm STW, he ran about 75 yards before collapsing at the edge of the forest. The trophy weighed 10 Kg.






The rest of the hunt was spent in pursuit of European wild boar for which Bulgaria is famous. Unfortunately the best time to hunt the largest trophies is during Jan and Feb. when there is snow on the ground. The wild boar here can attain a weight of 400 to 450 lbs with tusks measuring 22 cm.

In September the acorns are plentiful and the large wild boar seldom ventures out of the forests, making it difficult to hunt them over bait.

On the last evening of my stay I shot a young boar weighing 250 lbs.





The ceremony of stag measuring and presentation of the official certificate was very interesting





Veliko Turnovo


Sofia


We traveled to the historic city of Veliko Turnovo and spent a day in Sofia. It was a great experience with all the charm of old European hunting in a huge area with no fences anywhere.

Aziz

Aziz, congratulations on your BIG stag! Great photos and interesting report.

That is a really good head for a Red,

a true dream hunt,

a 250 Lbs boar is not a small one, at least not in normal terms measured,

I belive that you did excellent all over.

A excellent report with some outstanding pics to go along as well.

At what time did you get that shot of at the boar and did you manage well with that scope?

Best regards Chris

Thanks for the report and excellent pictures. I quite enjoyed them.

You go on some very interesting hunts and I appreciate your reports very much.

Aziz Sahib, another astonishing hunt, I really admire your selection of hunting destinations. Congratulation on that lovely stag, lovely report and pics, thanks for sharing.

Beautiful Stag and Boar.

The first European Boar I ever saw was in Germany when I was 17. I will never forget that brief sighting. I have wanted to hunt them ever since.

I would love to do this hunt.

So many places, so little money.

Thanks for the report. Excellent read.

Thank you everyone. Wendell it is a fun and relaxing hunt, but I know what you mean.

Chris I shot the Boar while there was still enough light to see him. I think you need those 56 mm scopes when you are hunting them in winter on a moonlit night. I also think that one would also need a retical or at least a dot that illuminates. I did quite well with the scope I had, but I know it will not work at night even in moon light.

Regards
Aziz

Aziz- ones again thanks for a great report, you must have had a outstanding time there.

About the boar, so the boar came out while it was still light, that is a great sign that the hunting pressure is low, asap as the boars feel a bit of pressure, they will go nocturnal.

You did exceptionally well in all aspects.

Over here the boars are a late night thing, from 1-4 in the morning is the most common.

Ohh well, back to work.

Best regards Chris

Great stag! Thanks for sharing..
How`re you gonna have him mounted?

Weidmannsheil, excellent stag!

- mike

Weidmannsheil!




Looking at those "grandeln" I'd guess over 10 years old stag - make something out of them - they are beautiful!

Great report,brilliant photographs.Thanks for sharing them with us.
250lbs of Pig is a lotta pig! It doesnt strike you as large until you try and hoof it into the trailer or whatever.

Thank you all.mouse93 you are right, the estimated age of this stag was 11 years.

Regards
Aziz

Aziz,

Once again you have taken a beautiful trophy. Congradulations on another successful hunt.

You have a P.M.

Hawkeye47

Very nice, Aziz! Thanks for sharing your hunt.

Red stags are the most beautiful animal in the world to me.

nice stag Aziz! can you give CIC points? probably more than 200 if the weight is 10 kg!
Would love if you post some pics of the deer from different angolation.
I like the grandeln photo, nice way to present them!

Hello Lorefuma

The CIC points were 210. Here are some more photos







Regards
Aziz

Fantastic, Aziz. As usual.

KG

aziz

Congrats on a superb hunt. It seems your willingness to push the envelope past the ordinary stag destination paid off handsomely. Well done!

so a gold medal... nice deer!

Hello KG

Thank you, it is always good to hear from you.

Jack I always want to go to a different and less visited country, it just makes the hunts more of an adventure

Regards
Aziz

Nice Report and Pics
Its a Nice OLD Red Stag was you have taken in Bulgaria.

Weidmannsheil

Seloushunter

As always, a great report Aziz. Congrats on taking two great trophies. Well done, David

Aziz,

Great hunt, terrific trophies and wonderful pictures! Can you give us a break down on the costs for this hunt?

Thank you.

Aziz,

I truly enjoy following you around the world on your hunts!! Congrats on another great one!

Good Hunting,

Bob

Bob, Mike,David & bwana thank you it was a great experience. Mike the basic cost was 2000 Euro, and the trophy fee for the Stag was 5500 Euro. The trophy fees for the boars range from 500 Euro to 2000 Euro dependent on the tusk size.

Regards
Aziz

Daer Aziz<
Well done!
Nice trophies and great hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by Aziz:
I always want to go to a different and less visited country, it just makes the hunts more of an adventure
Regards
Aziz

Aziz,
What animal do you have in mind for your next trip ?? Is there something roaming around that you have not hunted yet ??

I love to follow your trips through the internet.

A 10 kg head is a trophy of a lifetime

L

Thank you for the report Aziz. Very well done indeed. I really like those Euro style mounts. Did you have the boars head mounted as well?

Another great hunt in an interesting part of the world... thanks for sharing, Aziz! And congrats on two super trophies!

Very nice report and pictures, thanks a lot for sharing!

What a great and interesting hunt. Nicely done.

Aziz,

Congratulations on your excellent red stag! He is just beautiful. I also like your boar - 250 lbs. seems plenty big to me!

Thanks very much for the great report and photos.

Wonderfully interesting report Aziz! Boy you certainly do not sit on your hands for too long.

You have been all over, what countries and game hold a special place for you - any favorites?

Thank you everyone, I have learned a lot from all of you.

Bill I enjoy mountain hunting the most, but the hunt that has really stayed with me is my recent West African lion hunt, tracking lion on foot is in a different class.

Regards
Aziz

Incredible story and beautiful stag. I don't know much about Bulgaria other than what I've read in a book. This tops everything! Many thanks for sharing.

-- Brian/ale

Aziz, thank you for the conversation. I am corresponding with Konstantin. We are talking about Muflon, Tusker and Roe buck. Thanks for this report as it was the start of my inquires. At this point it woud appear to be a May hunt in 09.

Hello DOJ


I am glad that my report was helpful. You will have a very good hunt with him. Please take a lot of photos; I am looking forward to reading your report in May.

Best regards
Aziz

Are grandeln similar to the ivories elk have?

Having seen decorations in Germany and Austria, that seemed to be what they were but wasn"t able to view them closely enough.

Congratulations on a grand adventure!

Adrian

quote:

Originally posted by Adrian Parham:
Are grandeln similar to the ivories elk have?

Adrian

They are the same teeth, the upper canine.
about any culture that have contact whit reds and elk ( Cervus elaphus), give importance at these teeth.
look here, can interest someone, I think
http://www.ucmo.edu/Documents/...is_Ephesia_print.pdf