I recently returned from a wonderful adventure to Mongolia where I lead a group of hunters in pursuit of ibex. There were seven of us in total, and four of us hunted Altai ibex while three others hunted both Altai and Gobi ibex. A week later we had four more hunters arrive to hunt Altai ibex. I am happy to say all tags were filled.
We flew in and out of the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, and our group had some missing bags and rifles, but the second group had no such problems. Ulaanbaatar is a nice city with lots to do and see. I would suggest coming in a day early so any missing luggage can catch up with you. There is plenty to enjoy in Ulaanbaatar for a day or two, and it gives you a bit more time to acclimate to the 12–13-hour time difference.
I have hunted ibex extensively throughout Europe and Asia, and Mongolia is a favorite location for hunting trophy billies. The camps were nice. We stayed in yurts that had beds in them. The food was by far the best I have had on Asian hunt. We had fresh vegetables, hearty dinners consisting of T-bone steaks, pork chops, stir fried Mongolian beef, etc. Breakfast was usually eggs, some sort of meat, toast, yogurt, and maybe some fruit. We took packed lunches up the mountain every day. This was a very welcome surprise because many hunts in central Asia are known for poor food.
These hunts usually take place in August and September and though temps can vary, our hunt was very pleasant with the coldest temperatures in the 40s and highest in the 70s. It was generally 50–60°.
Our camp was around 7,000 feet in elevation and we hunted up to about 9,500 feet, though the guys in one of the other camps hunted a bit higher. These altitudes aren’t anything like the 13,000–16,000 feet that you may hunt in Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. The terrain was steep and rocky, devoid of vegetation other than grass. The Altai Mountains rise up out of the Mongolian Steppe that is basically a high desert. To put it mildly, it is a dramatic landscape.
Each day we started hunting from the tops of the mountains where our guides knew there would be ibex, and it seemed we were always in animals. We could either drive old Russian “jeeps” close to the top, or more often than not, we rode sure-footed horses to the top and then hunted on foot. It was a physical hunt, but as far as ibex go, especially ibex in Asia, it was not extreme.
I took a nice 42″ 10-year-old billy out of a group of 13 males. I didn’t get one of the largest two or three of the group as those never presented a shot before they disappeared over a ridge. I think a couple of them were over 45″. We did have a number of billies taken that stretched the tape into the mid-40s. Once our rifles caught up with us, my camp tagged out in 1.5 days, and the second group all were done in 3 days.
Shots ranged from less than 100 yards to 450 yards, but generally you could get within 250 yards on most groups of ibex. Obviously the farther you can shoot, the easier the hunt will be and the pickier you can be about trophies.
Besides the two ibex, there are a number of other animals that can be hunted in Mongolia. There are Altai, Gobi, and Hangay argalis, maral stags (much like North American elk), Mongolian gazelle, and wolf that can be added to an ibex hunt or chosen separately.
Ibex hunts are generally more reasonably priced than sheep hunts, and you get the same experience and adventure. In my opinion, ibex hunts in Asia are the best mountain hunts in the world for the money. You really do get a lot of bang for your buck, and they are virtually 100% successful.
WTA works with a couple of great outfitters in Mongolia that provide the highest level of service and great hunting. Ibex tags in Mongolia are limited, so the norm is to book a year or two in advance of your hunt.
Check out these two links to learn more about these hunts:
And give us a call if you would like to discuss details. These hunts should be high on any international or mountain hunter’s list.
