Testimonials

Kamchatka, Land of 10,000 Bears

10,000?  Maybe? Maybe more.  A quick internet check while I was researching this trip estimated the population at 10,000-14,000.  My adventure in Kamchatka soon proved that true. I saw bears. Lots of bears.

Before I get too far, let me start at the beginning.  Two and a half years ago, I met Mikhail and Vasily, the father and son team at the heart of Antares-M the company I booked my hunt with.  Alex, the head guide, and Kamchatka, operations manager, was there as well. They sat across the aisle from me at the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Great American Outdoor Show.  The show is two weeks long, and over the two years of talking back and forth my interest grew and they convinced me to give Kamchatka bear hunting a try. I returned home from the show in February 2019 and it took until the first of March to convince my wife to let me go.  I emailed Mikhail and found out he had an opening for May 2019. I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger, so to speak, and go. Spring bears are smaller weight-wise but their coats are in prime condition from their winter nap and they are easy to see since the ground is still covered in snow.  Deciding to go on short notice could have been a problem, but Mikhail and Vasily answered my countless questions quickly and directly. In no time, I felt I had all the information and details I needed.

There was not enough time for me to complete the necessary paperwork for me to take my rifles to Russia, but there were camp rifles I could rent.  A Blazer in 9.3×62 (my favorite caliber, by the way) was available and would be my rifle for the hunt. I also had to get a Visa to travel to Russia.  That proved to take longer than I thought, but I did receive it in time for the trip. Should you decide to go, get started as early when you know your hunt dates.  It will save you a lot of headaches and worry. Mikhail got me the paperwork in time but, I did not take advantage of the few extra days and jump in with both feet. I simply was not familiar with the process and inflicted the headaches and worry upon myself.

A check of the website revealed an itemized list of the things I needed to take.  My regular hunting gear would work for the trip. The only thing I needed was a pair of waterproof snow pants in winter camo.  Finding winter camouflage of any kind in the springtime proved difficult, but persistence and patience paid off and I soon had some on the way.  Being able to use the gear I already had was nice and saved me a lot of money.

Booking my travel was easy too.  My friends at Gracy Travel booked everything for me, no sweat.  I would be flying Aeroflot for the first time. Debbie told me there would be no problems, and she was right.  I booked their “comfort tickets” and was very pleased. The seats were comfortable with plenty of room and had a built-in footrest.  The upgraded tickets also allowed early boarding and the shortest lines checking in. The inflight food was the best I have ever had on any plane anywhere.  Travel to and from went smoothly and the Moscow airport was easy to navigate.

Vasily met me in Moscow as a touring package had been arranged.  I was there a few days before “Victory Day”, or the day Russia celebrates their victory over Germany in WWII.  Red Square was all decked out and was something to see. I spent the next day at the Kremlin and really enjoyed the museums and churches inside its walls.  Very cool. Everything ran smoothly and according to plan. I even got to see the “practice” flyover in preparation for the celebration. Visiting Moscow and meeting the locals during the holiday period was nice.  It was a little crowded, but learning about new places and people have long been a part of my hunting trips. I asked to eat away from the tourist spots and had some wonderful dishes. If you can, take the time to see a little of Moscow and meet her people.  The cost was reasonable and you will enjoy it.

Touring was over and it was back to the airport and on to Kamchatka.  As promised, Alex, his son Vasily, and my translator, Julia, were waiting at the airport to meet me.  A quick stop at the local store for cocktail supplies, one more to pick up hunting guide and ranger Igor, and we were off to camp.  I thought I was taking a helicopter to camp but was asked if snowmobiles were ok. I am always up for an adventure, but the long ride was a bit much after a ten-hour flight and being up for close to 20 hours.

The snowmobile ride turned out to be a good thing.  We saw bears on the way to camp and I ended up taking a 9’, 1000-pound bear before stepping foot in camp.  Igor told me this was one of the best bears so far this season and I would be hard pressed to find a better one during the week.  The 9.3 made quick work of the bear and with him dressed and on the sled we made our way to camp. I was worn out. I had been flying for ten hours, driving for two, and the snowmobile ride lasted nearly for seven.  I was a “tired puppy” when I got to camp. Olya, the camp cook, had a great meal ready in no time, and it went down very well. A few after-dinner brandies and some conversation through my translator made for a great evening.  I found out I could take a second bear if I wanted to, so we made plans to look for a 10 footer for the rest of my time at camp. Twenty-six hours was my limit for staying up, so it was off for a hot shower and a soft bed. Sleep took me quickly.

The next morning found me somewhat rested but sore from the snowmobile ride.  I decided to take the day and rest some more and give my muscles a chance to recuperate.  Olya had a wonderful breakfast ready soon after I was up and kept me in coffee during the day.  Camp was really nice. There were real wood planks covering the walls and soft carpet on the floor.  Two television rooms with large soft couches were adjacent the kitchen and dining area. A wood-fired sauna rounded out the list of amenities.  This place was beyond expectations for such a remote location.

After a day of rest, we started hunting for the elusive 10-foot brown bear.  Much to my amazement, the hunt would not start at zero dark thirty but a pleasant 9:30-10:00.  Igor explained the cloud cover had to burn off the mountain peaks before we could do much glassing.  This later start left time to enjoy multiple cups of coffee and one of Olya’s scrumptious breakfast. Bacon, eggs, hot cereal, the works, everything a hunter could possibly want to stoke the furnace for a day afield.  When the cloud cover lifted, we were off. The previous days rest did me a world of good and I worked through the sore muscles in no time. We were cruising between elevated places to glass, and looking for fresh tracks to follow.  Both methods were productive. We saw lots of bears. Best I can figure, we averaged seeing one bear per hour. Over the hunt I think we saw about 40 bears. Not all were shooters but eight to ten were. If we glassed them and the bear was not close to 10’, we let it keep on going where bears go.  Some of the ones we passed on were in the eight to nine foot range. If we cut fresh tracks, it was off to the races to catch up and see how big he was. Of all the bears we saw, two were larger than mine. One, at 9 ½ feet, but not sufficiently larger than mine for me to take. The other was a true 10 footer plus.  This poor fellow had suffered a mouse attack in his winter den. The mice had completely destroyed his coat to build their nest. Too bad, he would have been the ultimate trophy. He was huge and old. I almost regretted letting him go, but I just could not bring myself to pull the trigger. He will make someone a truly exceptional trophy next year.

The guys and I hunted hard but never saw another 10-foot bear.  We did have a wonderful time trying. Vasily and Igor worked their backsides off to help me find a bear.  I don’t think they did it for any other reason than they wanted to help me and they truly loved to hunt. Every member of the staff in camp worked hard to make my hunt enjoyable and memorable.  At the end of the trip I had some new friends, and would return to hunt with them in half a heartbeat. Kamchatka is a land full of giant bears and some truly wonderful people. Thank you, Mikhail, Vasily, and Alex for convincing me to go and running such a wonderful hunting operation. Thank you Igor and Vasily for the hunt and allowing me to experience Kamchatka and all her wonders. Thank you Julia and Olya for making camp a wonderful and like a home away from home.

David L. Brown

Efland, NC, USA          e-mail: setterrun@mebtel.net

May, 2019

KAMCHATKA SNOW SHEEP HUNTING

Hunting is Russia with “Antares M” and ” Chubook, Kamchatka” was my greatest adventure yet !  – Get ready for the ride of your life. The beauty of Russia is unmatched. Our hosts, accommodation and food were 5 star. The sheep opportunity is like nothing I’ve ever seen in North America. It’s a magical place. I can’t wait to go back.

Edmonton, AB, Canada,      October 2018

WWW.WILLMOREOUTFITTERS.CA