The year 2019 has come to an end, and with it, the hunting season has concluded. As is customary, Pro Hunt, the largest outfitter company in Kazakhstan, presents its annual report. The 2019 season was highly successful.
We were able to open hunting on several new territories, where trophy sizes remained consistently high and client satisfaction, based on hunting protocols, was excellent. For example, the average ibex trophy size was 118 cm, qualifying as gold-medal-worthy.
In the Dzungarian Alatau, we developed the Zhasylkol hunting grounds, located in the heart of the mountain range and surrounded by a National Park and State Reserve. This year, we built a new guest house at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters, offering breathtaking views.
These pristine areas have become a crown jewel among our hunting grounds.
Another new addition this year was the Matai hunting grounds, located along the northern ridge of the Altyn Emel range and bordering Altyn Emel National Park. This area has been a hunting and tourist hotspot for over twenty years, offering straightforward trophy hunting for Central Asian ibex. The fascinating landscapes, rock carvings, and petroglyphs make hunting trips both enriching and memorable.
The third new offering was a hunting area located 60 km from Almaty, rich in Siberian roe deer. This year, all hunters in this location harvested exceptional trophies under challenging mountain hunting conditions. Hunting Siberian roe deer took place at altitudes of up to 3,000 meters above sea level, making these trophies particularly valuable and demanding high levels of professionalism from hunters. This hunting tour can be combined with any other chosen trips, with roe deer as an additional trophy.
Established Hunting Grounds
Hunting tours were also conducted in well-known hunting grounds covering the Zailiysky Alatau, Dzungarian Alatau, and Altai mountains.
Ketmen and Dardamty hunting grounds are also popular among hunters. Located 300 km from Almaty and accessible by excellent roads, they guarantee comfort and stable maral trophy harvests. These areas also host eco-tours and horseback trips in summer. Additionally, they are ideal for hunting with golden eagles and Tazy hunting dogs, a tradition recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Our company organizes demonstrations and practical eagle hunting sessions in the foothills of the Tien Shan.
The Dzungarian Alatau continues to dominate the unofficial trophy rankings, as detailed in the report on ibex populations and trophy quality in Kazakhstan. A progressive guide motivation system, incorporating KPIs tied to client satisfaction, significantly improved trophy sizes, particularly for maral. This season, several trophies weighing over 15 kg were harvested.
As before, the Dzungarian Alatau remains the only place in the world where hunters can achieve a maral-ibex combination hunt within a single tour, with maral antlers weighing over 13 kg and ibex horns exceeding 120 cm. The number of completed combination hunts this year speaks for itself! Due to extremely high demand for hunts in this region, we recommend that interested hunters book early, as we are receiving numerous applications. The maral hunting limit has already been reached, and bookings are actively being made for 2021 and 2022.
Equipment and Caliber Statistics
Some hunters choose premium brands and models, while others opt for budget-friendly options. In the high-end segment, German brands such as Blaser (30%), Merkel (15%), Christensen Arms (20%), and Sauer (5%) dominate. In the budget segment, Remington (10%), Sako (7%), and Haenel (5%) are popular.
Among calibers, .300 Win Mag (including modifications) accounted for approximately 65%, while the percentage of hunters using 7mm Rem Mag decreased to around 20%. One group arrived with a new caliber for Kazakhstan, the Nosler 28, which was discussed several years ago. All other calibers were represented in small numbers. The smallest caliber used was .308, while the most powerful was .338 Lapua Mag.
Future Prospects
Pro Hunt is continuously working to expand its hunting geography and offerings in Kazakhstan. In 2020, trophy hunting for Siberian roe deer will open in the Akterek hunting grounds, near Almaty. This area has a strong animal population adapted to mountain conditions. Hunting will be conducted on horseback and on foot.
Another territory opening next year is the Lepsa hunting grounds, located in the floodplain of the river of the same name. Unlike the Karakastek and Akterek hunting grounds, Siberian roe deer here inhabit floodplain forests and low hills, providing opportunities for easier approaches to the animals.
Geographically, this territory is halfway to the main hunting grounds of the Dzungarian Alatau, offering an excellent chance for a one- or two-day hunt for Siberian roe deer, which can be combined with ibex or maral hunting.
The third addition for 2020 is bird hunting. The Karakastek and Akterek hunting grounds provide a unique opportunity to hunt Seven Rivers pheasants, stone partridges (keklik), and mountain turkeys (Himalayan ulars). This hunt is particularly appealing to dog hunting enthusiasts. It can also be combined with any other chosen tours, with the hunting season starting on October 1.
Hunter Demographics
The geographical distribution of hunters this season was as follows:
USA: 25%
Russia: 15%
Spain: 20%
Denmark: 10%
Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, and Norway: 5% each
The average hunter age was 49 years, with the oldest mountain hunter being 69 and the youngest 19.
Another piece of great news for mountain hunting enthusiasts! Through continuous collaboration with government authorities to optimize hunting regulations, we successfully convinced the working group under the relevant agency of the feasibility of opening spring hunting for upland birds and bears.
Our Belozek hunting grounds, which traditionally host maral hunters, are now ready to organize spring hunts for bears, capercaillie, and black grouse in the southern Altai mountains!
As part of developing other eco-tourism directions during summer and winter, when hunting in Kazakhstan is closed, we organize photo safaris. The organization of photo hunting, horseback tourism, and ski tours with freeride elements for skiers in the wild, untouched corners of Kazakhstan has been a long-standing goal and dream of our company.
These tours are held in the Almaty region, the Tien Shan mountains, and the Dzungarian Alatau. Infrastructure, including guest houses, cleared horse trails, and roads in remote areas, along with riding horses, experienced guides, and equipment, has allowed us to create, for the first time on the market, a unique offering for discerning travelers. Terra Incognita awaits you and your friends for extraordinary adventures!