Hunting in the Rest of the World
Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula is one of the world’s leading hunting destinations, home to huge brown bears and snow sheep. Until now, though, the only way to get there from the United States was to fly almost all the way around the world, first to Moscow and then to Russia’s east coast. Now, Safari Outfitters is reporting that Yukutia Airlines, in conjunction with Vladivostok Air, will start running direct flights from Anchorage to Petropavlovsk and back once a week beginning in July 2012. This new route is likely to save American hunters substantial time and money on a hunt in Russia.
Sometimes it's the hardships and challenges we experience on hunting trips that make our adventures truly memorable.
By James C. Reed
If you’re going to hunt in some of the world’s most remote places, you’d better be prepared for some unexpected adventures. Being a hunter with a restless spirit, I can’t seem to get enough of the both the joys and hardships that come with hunting the world’s far-flung regions. Here are a few of the most memorable tests of my “mental fortitude” I’ve experienced to date.
A Party in Pakistan
Now I don’t speak a word of the Pakistani language, but when I was stranded by weather in a high-mountain village not far from the Afghanistan border, with an official trying to extort $1,000 from me with a great deal of yelling and pointing, I understood the word “Taliban” very well.
Tajikistan has long been a major destination for hunting one of the world’s most magnificent wild sheep, the Marco Polo argali. While a moratorium has been in place for the past year on hunting argali in Tajikistan, Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) reports that the moratorium has been lifted and the 2010 season will officially open this autumn.
“The government of Tajikistan is excited to announce the opening of a Marco Polo sheep hunting season for Fall 2010,” said Tajikistan Ambassador to the United States Abdujabbor Shirinov. “Safari Club International Foundation has demonstrated their commitment to wildlife in the Pamir Mountains, and my country looks forward to the continued growth of our collaborative conservation projects.”
The announcement includes a commitment by SCIF to completing scientific assessments of the sheep population. The first phase of a sheep survey was completed in August with the assessment of Marco Polo lambing success in the Eastern Pamir Mountains. A second phase will involve a population assessment in December 2010.
READ MOREA European Hunting Tradition
One of the many charms of hunting in European countries is the importance of tradition. Age-old rituals meant to honor the game animal and the hunter are still practiced in many regions.
A roebuck from Austria and the "last bite."
One of these traditions is the letzebissen, or last bite, which is practiced in Germany, Austria, Holland, and some Eastern European countries. The animal is placed upon a bed of leaves as a sign of respect, and a sprig of vegetation is placed in its mouth. Another sprig of greenery is placed in the successful hunter's hatband to let others know of his or her good fortune. And if you hunt in Germany or Austria, you will hear the term "Weidmannsheil," which functions as a good-luck sendoff as well as a form of congratulations when you return with that telltale sprig of vegetation in your hatband.
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