Mid-Caucasian Tur Hunt in Russia

2023 / 2024

Rifle Only 1X1 ONLY $11,500

NOTE: Due to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, we have suspended bookings of this hunt until a peace settlement is reached!

Mid-Caucasian Tur Hunt in Russia

7 Full Hunting Days

HUNT INCLUDES:

• 7 Full Hunting Days in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic
• 1 Mid Caucasian Tur Trophy Fee
• Professional Hunting Guide
• English Speaking Interpreter in Camp
• R/T Road Transfer from Mineralnye Vody (MRV)
• Field Preparation of Trophies

EXTRAS:

• Transportation of Trophy to Moscow
• Crating and Shipping of Trophies
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Taxidermy
• Firearms Rental / Import ($400)
• Before and After Hunt Hotels and Meals
• Airfare to and from Mineralnye Vody (MRV)
• Gratuities

Observer Rate is $5,000

The Firearms Package includes a Meet and Greet in Moscow to assist with firearms clearing.

Hunt one of the most challenging Tur species, the Mid-Caucasian Tur, in the heart of the Caucasian mountain range. Because this Tur species lives between the east and west part of the range, expect some of the most challenging and exciting terrains a hunter can experience in your quest to bag a trophy! With an English-speaking outfitter and decades of experience hunting these animals, you can be confident in your success for this hunt!

About Your Trophy Mid Caucasian Tur:

The Mid-Caucasian Tur is a Tur found only between the eastern and western regions of the Caucasian mountains. These Tur usually have a thick brown coat to help insulate them against the harsh Russian cold and are found high up in the Caucasian mountains around steep escape cliffs that allow them to use their excellent climbing abilities to escape predators. The earlier in the summer it is, the higher up these animals reside to stay cool and avoid flies and mosquitos. Their horns are in-between the horn configurations of the wider Dagestan Tur and the narrower Kuban Tur, as they live in between the habitats of the other Tur species. You can expect your trophy to be around 8-14 years old and carry horns between 30-38 inches. 

The Mid-Caucasian Tur Hunting Area and Terrain:

The Mid Caucasian Tur inhabits the heart of the Caucasian mountain range in the southernmost part of Russia, just above the Georgia border. The hunting area is a two-hour drive west of the nearest town, Nalchik, which itself is an hour and a half from the Mineralnye Vody airport. This outfitter has exclusive hunting rights to this concession, which totals over 32,000 acres in size. Here, the mountains are steep and the cliffs are rugged. The excitement of this hunt comes from bouldering and climbing nearly vertical rock at times in search of your trophy. These mountains are known for being some of the steepest and most dangerous in the world, and climbing up and down these steep slopes is the real challenge of this hunt. Exceptions can be made to minimize walking and climbing by the timing of the hunt if needed.

You should be in mountain shape or at least in good shape to achieve success on this hunt.

Mid-Caucasian Tur Hunting Seasons:

The season for Mid-Caucasian Tur opens on August 1st and closes on November 30th. If you are in great shape, can hike well, and are prepared for the demanding requirements of this mountain hunt, the outfitter recommends you come earlier in the season between August and September. Since the temperature is still warmer, the Tur prefer to stay at higher elevations during the day to avoid flies and mosquitos. In addition, the Tur have not yet had much hunting pressure and will not be as easily spooked. This does require significant walking and hiking and is much more demanding than a flatland hunt. If you need to minimize your walking and hiking, the outfitter recommends coming later in the season between October and November, as the snow in the mountains pushes the Tur to lower elevations, and locating and spotting a trophy becomes much easier. 

About the Outfitter:

This outfitter has over 20 years of experience guiding hunters throughout Russia and Central Asia. As a professional hunter for 12 years, he has personally guided dozens of clients to the trophies of a lifetime. The outfitter has extensive knowledge of the local region and has spent years creating close relationships with local chiefs and gamekeepers in his different hunting areas, keeping him in the loop of what areas have the biggest rams and densest populations. For this hunt, the outfitter has carefully selected the hunting areas for their probability of producing the highest quality Mid Caucasian Tur trophies. 

Mid-Caucasian Tur Hunt Accommodations:

On arrival and departure days, you will stay at a comfortable base camp with 2 people per room. This base camp was the hunting lodge for Kruschef and other Soviet Union high officials in the past. During your time hunting in the field, you can expect to stay in tented fly camps or sometimes use local cabins in the area depending on where the Tur are. 

In camp, the food served is traditional rustic Russian cuisine. The tents are basic but comfortable. Bathrooms are not en-suite to the tents, and internet service is not available. It is highly recommended to bring a satellite phone with you if you wish to stay in contact with those at home. 

A Typical Day Hunting for Mid-Caucasian Tur:

You can expect to start your day off around 5-6 AM right at sunrise, with breakfast being served in camp. After breakfast, you’ll get ready and head out to start spotting rams. You can expect daytime temperatures from August to September to be around 70-80 degrees, with lows around 40 degrees. In the later months of October to November, the daytime temperatures hover around 50-60 degrees and dip to lows of 15-25 degrees at night, so be sure to dress and pack appropriately. For finding trophies, you can expect a mix of riding in vehicles, horseback riding, and lots of hiking up and down the mountains. You will be traveling to cliffs overlooking valleys, natural fields where the Tur are known to graze during the day, and natural water features to locate trophies. Once your shooter is found, you’ll negotiate the terrain and work to get within a range you are comfortable enough to make a good shot in. The challenge here is stalking and getting a good angle on your trophy, and finally pulling the trigger to get a clean and accurate shot on your Tur!

Mid Caucasian Tur Trophy Care and Shipping:

The taxidermy and dip and pack of your trophy will be taken care of by Stolker Trophy Co. in Moscow. The field preparation of the trophies is done in camp by salting the hides and boiling the skull. From here, it takes about 10-20 days for your Tur trophy to be delivered to Stolker Trophy Co. They will be delivered by plane to Stolker Trophy Co. The client is responsible for all shipping charges of the trophies from the camp to Stolker Trophy Co, and all expenses afterward, including taxidermy, dip and pack, customs broker, and final leg ground shipping.

Rental Rifle:

The available rental rifle is a Remington Model 700 chambered in 300 Win Mag, topped with a Zeiss Diavari-Z 2.5-10x48 scope. Rifle rental cost is $400 for the entire hunt and ammunition cost is $3 per round.

If you plan to bring your own rifle, the outfitter recommends rifles chambered in either 300 Win Mag or 7mm Remington Mag to hunt Mid Caucasian Tur.

Getting There:

You will first fly into Moscow and transfer to a domestic flight. If bringing your own rifle, this is where the paperwork and temporary import approval and assistance will take place. Depending on the time of your arrival and the time of your domestic flight, you will either get directly on a plane to Mineralnye Vody or spend the night in Moscow to catch a flight the next day. Once there, you will be picked up and taken to the town of Nalchik, an hour and a half drive southeast. You will stay at the base camp 10 km out of town, the same lodge once utilized by Kruschef and other Soviet Union high officials. The day after, you will drive to one of several valleys in the area (a 1-2 hour drive) then horseback ride 1 to 5 hours deep into the mountains and either build a fly camp or utilize local cabins if they are in the area. 

Deposit and Payment Policy:

A 30% deposit is due to book your Mid-Caucasian Tur hunt. The full balance must be paid either by prewiring 2 weeks prior to the start of the hunt or paid in US cash upon arrival in Moscow. 

Cancellation Policy:

Deposits are non-refundable. Any shifting of dates or rescheduling is at the outfitter’s sole discretion. If a replacement hunter can be found for the same time slot, the deposit may be transferred, but an additional 20% deposit will be required from the replacement hunter. Travel insurance can be obtained to cover unexpected illnesses. A Travel Policy is strongly recommended when traveling to remote areas in foreign countries

EXCLUSIONS: International and Domestic Airfare, Before and after Hunt Lodging and Meals, any required CITES Permits, Rifle Rental, Rifle Importation Formalities Package, Shipment of Trophies to Taxidermist, Taxidermy, International Shipping of Trophies, Alcoholic Beverages, Insurance, Visa, Gratuities

HUNT # RU BH Mid-Caucasian Tur