Anyone ever hunted there? Is that even possible?

Very possible, I have not hunted there but know several guys that have. Do your HOMEWORK!!!!!! I have heard more horror stories than stories from happy hunters. Two of my buddies had great hunts everyone else not so much.

I hunt in Russia mostly every year, every year if you count the former Soviet Republics of Central Asia.

And I send clients to Russia every year.

Horror stories are a thing of the past, most of them happening in the first years after it opened to traveling and hunting.

Thereafter, local outfitters have become very professional and can compare to Western standards. If you book your hunt through a knowledgeable agent with experience in the country, or do your homework chosing the right outfitter, you will have a memorable hunt at a good price.

I think Putin has actually done a lot with opening up travel/hunting in Russia for westerners the last several years. I know Jim Shockey has done a few recent shows there for moose, sheep, bear, and some deer species.

I have to disagree with you!

1 hunt was last year two other hunts 4 and 7 years ago. Horrible to almost inedible food. Broke equipment on a daily basis. One place was so over hunted.

There are some good outfits there but I wouldn't call them the norm. As far as comparing with Western hunts even the best I have heard of were not on par with the better outfitters in America. I have nothing to sell. And have to take guys I actually know, words over someone selling hunts. Even you said do your Homework!!!!!!!

Thanks for the replies, i didnt plan on going there any time soon, was just curious if that was even a thing lol. If i met someone that told me they just got back from a big game hunting trip in russia, it would be similar to if someone told me they went duck hunting in vietnam or something.. LOL. Just dont hear about it as much as africa or other places. I guess i need to catch up on my jim shockey shows

There are some very good opportunities there. Along with fishing. One just needs to look closely, ask questions for those that have been there and done that, and have a clear idea of what you want and expect out of it.

I agree with you completely on the food issues but then, it is something that does not worry me much, and as long people who choose to go know about it before I have not found it a problem either. For the price difference between a moose hunt in Chukotka and one with your outfitters in Alaska, Yukon or the NWT, both for exactly the same moose, you can spend a weekend in George V hotel in Paris, dine at Le Taillevent and make it up to you for the poor food in camp.

Or you can shoot two Snow Sheep and a Brown Bear for the silly price a non resident pays for a guided Stone Sheep hunt.

On the rest I have to disagree with you, but just because my experience has been quite different to yours.

And yes, of course that everybody has to do their homework when booking a hunt, EVEN ME (?) says it, as is the case with any purchase that you make. And you can either do all the homework yourself, which can also be great fun, or rely on someone's experience to do it for you. It is just that not everybody has the time and dedication, or even the wish, to do it.

The good thing is that neither you nor I live in the Popular Republic of China and we both have the choice to do what we think is better.

And, of course, you have never heard any horror stories about US or Canadian outfitters, haven't you?

Chamois there are bad outfitters everywhere. And I advocate people do their homework on N. American outfitters as well.

But having traveled the world over many times and living in many other countries I know that things are not the same. It is a lot more challenging to get refunds overseas. There aren't people actively willing to help you at times. When things turn south overseas it can be very different from things turning south in America.

My biggest advice/recommendation to those looking is to have a clear precise idea of what their expectations are. Which I feel a lot of guys don't going into it have that figured out. It is where I think the majority of the things going south stem from. More the consumers fault rather than the outfitters.

Last generally speaking equipment upkeep overseas can be vastly different than that of American outfitters. That isn't to say there are not exceptions on both sides because there is.

As far as pricing and bang for the buck usually overseas does provide a better bargain. But two Snow sheep isn't helping out the guy trying to fill his Grand Slam or NA 29.

I think we agree far more than we disagree, Montana Creek Hunter.

In any case let me point out two things about you last affirmation.

First, I am more an experience collector than a trophy collector and when a hunt, for whatever reason, happens to touch me deeply I tend more to repeat it than to tick out the species in my list and move on to another one. Also, another reason for me to repeat hunts/species is that, price factor being an issue, and having done most of the mountain hunts in the world I can afford, I would rather carry on going on four or five mountain hunts per year than go hunt an Alberta Big Horn, for example and stay at home the rest of the year. For that reason, I have hunted six times the Caucasus Mts., or five times the Tien Shans, or twice the Himalayas, or...

And for the same reason I carry on hunting Alpine and Pyrenean Chamois, of which I have killed more than fifty so far, than to pay the stupid prices paid for its Charteusse or Anatolian subspecies or, for the made up in someone's magination Vercours Chamois.

It is just two diferent approaches to the same, noble sport, of hunting. Fully compatible and fully respectable with each other.

And second, depending on whose criteria you use, there are from six to three different subspecies of Snow Sheep. For those who follow the most loosely stablished trophy lists: Chukotka, Koryak, Kamchatka, Yakutia, Okhotsk and Kolyma. And yes, you can shoot two different subspecies of Snow Sheepand a brown bear for the price of a Stone Sheep. It may not help anybody's Grand Slam or NA29 but traveling to such different places and cultures, and hunting with such different people I think contributes to a more complete hunter and person. IT can also help him fullfill his World Capra Spectrum. :-)

Best regards from Spain,

Alvaro

I am all about traveling and culture. Being able to hunt as well is always a plus. I am not a collector so what I kill and how big it is or isn't doesn't matter much to me.I would love to comeback to Espana and hunt. The other times I was in Espana was for work and to visit my girlfriend that was studying abroad there. I absolutely love Espana, the food, culture, the Baque, Las Fallas, football, and hopefully one day at a minimum shoot birds there.