LRB 373: Blaser K95, Kyrgyzstan ibex hunt

[@davidmackee8575]

Great video, Tomas, although your hunt was hampered by misunderstandings and communication issues, I enjoyed it. You did a good job of filming and editing it. The scenery was amazing too. Once again, many thanks for sharing your experience with us all. 👍

[@THLR]

Thanks for your kind words David, glad you enjoyed it. It was an adventure, albeit different from what I came for...

[@MediKeLRS]

Fantastic images and narration, sir. You made a great video even though the hunting part was hampered by elements out of your control. Not all stories have a happy ending, but damn if it isn’t compelling to follow along. I spent the last 11 months going through treatment for a life-threatening illness. Watching your educational videos, some many times over, was very therapeutic. I knew when I recovered I would be back out on the long distance range honing my fundamentals. And, your calm instructions would be a guide when I got there. I am in remission from the cancer that threatened my life. I can’t thank you enough for the peaceful moments I had absorbing your lucid and pragmatic instructions. Amazing work, sir. You’re a credit to your craft.

[@THLR]

Thank you very much for that. Best wishes for the recovery; cancer has been a feature of our family one place or another for more than 30 years now. Allthough rough, it can possible to have a life beside it or at least shift the mind a little. Good luck, it's the best I can do for .❤

[@Morgan.isaksen]

Agin, so freakin`impressed of your effort to do such a professional production at this level. No matter what failure you experienced in regards to the hunt, the story telling and the image quality / editing has reach a new level for you Thomas. For the intro - in regards to the "conversion to the PRC", have you confirmed the difference in POA between the PRC vs x 55 at the range? And is it only the change in BC that would decrease the error margin of your windcall? Spending those 35 minutes with a cold beer was a good start of a long weekend. Keep up the good work, chief!

[@THLR]

@@Morgan.isaksen Both my x55 with 123gr and the PRC with 147gr require right around 4.0 MRAD for 600m. Only difference is winddrift and recoil/energy. And thank you; glad you enjoyed it.😊

[@Morgan.isaksen]

@@THLR So the difference in winddrift has been confirmed by your own testing or is this according to the data provided by Lapua as you mentioned in the intro..? If so - where is such data to be found?

[@THLR]

Applied Ballistics and my own V0 for my barrels

[@AdrianvandenBroeck]

Music and editing was beautiful. Well done regardless of the luck. Some brunost with brød in a warm hytte and we’re back in action again.

[@THLR]

Thanks, I'm already moving towards the next adventure.

[@gustavotrella6038]

Awesome video!! I never imagined this hunt would be so hard. Thank you so much for enjoying this adventure!! ❤

[@THLR]

Glad you took the time, best wishes for your season

[@sniperhunt4450]

Dear Thomas You are our teacher and we do not doubt you. Philen was very valuable and very difficult and I understand you completely. I hope you will be successful in hunting in the next trips. Humans are not always successful in hunting and this is a natural thing

[@THLR]

Thanks. No worries, I enjoyed working the cameras and got a film out of it.

[@rolfnilsen6385]

Fantastisk landskap og filming. Wow. Og for en innsats du gjør. Takk for kunnskapen du overbringer i form av motto og regler. Og nedturene du deler.

[@THLR]

Mange takk, hyggelig å høre at det blir satt pris på og at noe er nyttig. Lykke til med sesongen!

[@nightbowhunter54]

Awesome footage! Congrats for the film! Thank to share with us!

[@THLR]

@@nightbowhunter54 thank you very much!

[@fosterprice5690]

Great video and storytelling as usual, it must be hard to post these disappointing hunts but thanks for sharing. Better luck for your next hunt.

[@THLR]

A bit frustrating considering how much potential the land and some of the induviduals has, but all in all, job done camera-wise despite the mismatch between what I paid for and what was delivered.

[@NordicRifleman]

Thanks for putting together this outstanding video Thomas! 😀 I am also impressed by your energy in filming all the action and beautiful scenery while doing all the other stuff you need to focus on 🙌🏻 As far as the guide/outfit goes, it reminds me very much of the people that Jan Guillou had to put up with in Kyrgyzstan when hunting for ibex. More or less amateurs doing almost everything wrong. The only reason he got lucky in the end was basically pure luck and shooting at or beyond the limit of his capacity. This was in early or mid 1990’s (described in the excellent book “Om jakt och jägare”) and I would have thought that hunting guides overall would have shaped up in the last 30-35 years. Me, I’m just a schmuck who gets the benefit and pleasure of watching what you guys are up to from the comfort of my sofa 😬 PS. The 6.5 PRC barrel is a nice touch! Nice that you try something new 👍🏻 Thanks again and all the best 😀

[@THLR]

I´m no sure hos to class these guys yet, but I´m pretty sure they have 30000 non-customers if named; It gets difficult when agreements aren’t respected, especially for a hunt like this which for most people would be a significant investment and for all practical purposes you have no recourse if they decide to do otherwise. So why risk it? I feel I did enough research, but alas… I saw that Guillou book on a friend’s bookshelf, I’ll borrow it next time - thanks for the tip!

[@seatroutking7555]

I appreciate you honesty and called the scammers out, hunts cost a lot so unfortunately they attract scammers, we have scammers here in Ireland who can’t even own a firearm legally who are running stalking hunts. One fella last year had his client only bring 2 cartridges and resorted to stabbing the red hind after two shit shots but worse he filmed it and posted it all over social media, 👍🏻🇮🇪

[@THLR]

@@seatroutking7555 🙈 amazing. I have no words...

[@THLR]

Terrible for everyone. But sadly as you say there is a lot of people ranging from disorganized to incompetent to downright scammers. I´ve been lucky in avoiding them so far, and I’m not sure where to place these guys yet. THe competence was clearly there in some of the induviduals, but the agreements certainly had no value.

[@alwaysoutdoors6567]

Really good video. A real shame that you didn't get the experience you were promised. I have an Ibex hunt booked for next September in Kyrgyzstan and found some of your tips very useful. A number of people have recommended the agent so 🤞 it will work out. Were you able to use the water filter as I thought that the filter cracked when frozen. Thanks again.

[@THLR]

@@alwaysoutdoors6567 the waterfilter I bought was a Lifestraw Universal, simply because it fit my Nalgene and it's what was stocked locally. I will not recommend this filter as it was simply too much work sucking the water out, so I filled my bottle with boiled or bottled water and drank right from the bottle (w/o filter). However, there's was so many grazing animals (huge amounts of shit!) along the waterways so I would try something like a Platypus Quickdraw or other similar filter where you push the dirty water over in a clean bottle straight away; as opposed to the Lifestraw where you carry the dirty water and filter it when you drink. Much better working the water through the filter via the strenght of your hands rather than your suction... Other than that, I will stress breathable baselayer: Aclima Woolnet (or Devold) is very hard to beat and will take the sometimes huge temperature shift with relatively ease. I always bring "active insulation" puffy jacket (Arcteryx Atom//Proton is an example), I used my mittens a lot (which I considered leaving home to save 200gr) and the 400L trashbag (150gr) was worth carrying (a bivvy bag or poncho will do the same at a higher weight point. It's nice to just get out of the weather sometimes. I bought zip-on insulation pants on an impulse, but I used them a surprising amount. I'd say keep them packable and below 500 grams, both synth and down would work; mine was Arcteryx Nuclei bought on a sale. A foam mat is mandatory so you can sit or lie without getting wet/cold. Keep your backpack size to 30-35 liter and bring a waterproof drybag (like Sea To Summit Big river) for items you'd like to be available on the horse, but not carried by you. Other than that: Good luck!

[@alwaysoutdoors6567]

@THLR thanks for the advice. Lots of points that I would possibly have overlooked and glad to have the benefit of someone else's experience. Much appreciated. Did you or would you be prepared to give details of the guides that you used? I have had recommendations for my hunt but would like to double check that it isn't the one you used as they wouldn't be delivering what I'm expecting either. The driven hunt aspect is just something that I would never have expected and would rather get nothing than do that, not appropriate for an ibex hunt.

[@jamesmoon6042]

Excellent as always sir. You do get to visit some very interesting places.

[@THLR]

Thank you very much. Yes, I have made travel and life experiences a priority

[@tomdupree2758]

Wow scenery, wow mismatched expectations. Fascinating scenery scales, @7:10 I was thinking this is one of those camera at ground level horse walks by shots. And then i spot you leaning on a rock larger than you. :⁠-⁠)

[@THLR]

Fantastic landscapes for sure. Would have liked to explore a bit more, but with a map and a horse. Altitude drains power fast, so not fun to walk yourself into a dead-end.

[@walterrie3075]

A real realistic hunt. Seen your frustration here and there in your face. Thanks for taking us on this humble hunt, guess it's fair to say you would not recommend this outfitter? ;) In German they say: Nicht geschossen, such gejagt. Kinda "even you haven't shot something, you still have being on a hunt". I'm sure you will never forget this journey. Take care and again: THANKS A LOT and Waidmannsheil for the next hunt.

[@THLR]

Nooo, it would be difficult to recommend this outfitter 🙉🙈. Unless you are happy to do some horseriding and sling lead after some random ibex. It gets difficult when agreements aren't respected and you as a guest have to almost be a bully to get something our of the trip. I have now seen/heard the coordination from the agent and the readback from the outfitter. I was a bit reserved and careful on the trip as I didn't know the details/cause why everything went wrong. But it was stressed that I would be filming and it was stressed that the british gentleman (who got zero hunting) was extremely important for future clients. Makes it even more difficult to understand the lack of professionalism; they certainly created the "biiiig problem" (agents warning) in shape of a reference nightmare🤦

[@portalstrzeleckipl]

amazing atmosphere and light. adventure of course too. greetings to you Thomas from Poland. Darz Bór!

[@THLR]

Thank you very much. Yes, the scenery was absolutely amazing; huge potential!

[@zsoltczibula5722]

I can only say that it is a pleasure even to share your dissapointment .You are a true sportsman to not hurt anybody :-( Keep up the good work Thomas, we support Your style, and feel your sentences deeply.

[@THLR]

@@zsoltczibula5722 thank you very much for your kind words ❤️

[@dermotrooney9584]

Beautiful. Sorry it turned bad. Even so, I am fiercely but joyously envious. Keep up the great work. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@THLR]

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!

[@payam7777777]

wow. fascinated and amazed as always with your performance. i mean it. you're suchchch an inspiration.

[@THLR]

@@payam7777777 thank you very much. Good luck with your season, hope life is good.

[@andydsmith1]

Thanks for another great video. I'm really sorry to see that the hunt didn't go as you had hoped, that's really frustrating. I think you did well not to get pressured into shooting under those circumstances.

[@THLR]

Thank you very much Andy. Yes I was not willing to compromize my standards; it's only money I lost, no integrity.

[@_SWLW]

Søren for en skuffelse! Du gjorde det beste ut av situasjonen og det ble noen fantastiske klipp ut av det!🤩 Helt utrolig at du klarer å gjøre en jaktvideo på 35 min, hvor det ikke skytes noe dyr til en opplevelse for seeren uansett. Ofte ser jeg det du legger ut på laptopen, men denne måtte jeg dra opp på TVen i 4K. Kvaliteten på filming, farge og lys var helt rått i denne, Thomas! Håper vi får sett en runde med noe 6.5 PRC jakt i fremtiden fra deg😁 Blir det mer jakt på deg i år?

[@THLR]

Mange takk for hyggelige ord, flott at det jeg klarte å skrape ut av det blir satt pris på. Det var jo en flott naturopplevelse og området/individene hadde potensialet til en topp jakt, men opplegget på selve var rett og slett pisse dårlig. F.eks å ikke ha kulefang er tvilsomt nok, men ha folk i skuddsektoren er direkte uansvarlig. Så denne turen får stempelet "æææventyr" 😅. Blir ikke så mye jakt i år, det meste av ressurser ble brent på denne turen.

[@TerminatorProducts]

Sorry you had such an experience Thomas, glad it didn't happen to you over here, but I'm sure it does...I bet those guys/guides chase those same Ibex around the place regularly & no one ever actually harvests one...just like choppering way out into the middle of no where to hunt, that hasn't been hunted before...except the last time the chopper landed there...the week before last......Love your channel, keep up the great work, Cheers Greg

[@THLR]

No the group did actually shoot two random ibex; but at least for three of us there was a severe mismatch between product bought and delivered. They are of course very unhappy with it, not at all the experience they came for (imagine you delivering a 303 Enfield claiming the customer ordered "a rifle"). Group dynamics with strangers can be a bit delicate; I wasn't fully aware of their stance at the time (exceedingly polite brits) so chose the discrete exit at the time rather than impose my opinions.

[@LScompanyWORLD]

A beautiful country for hunting, and also wilderness. Greetings from Poland

[@THLR]

@@LScompanyWORLD thank you very much. The scenery was amazing

[@louislegrange7986]

Looking forward to this one Thomas….😅

[@THLR]

@@louislegrange7986 it's a slow-moving film and defeat for the wrong reasons 🥲

[@louislegrange7986]

Watched the video and I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Lessons learned, onwards and upwards.💪

[@THLR]

@@louislegrange7986 absolutely, thankfully only money lost...

[@TeensierPython]

Hills never look steep in pictures. Those look crazy in your pictures. They must be steep!

[@THLR]

Yes, very steep and beautiful. In some parts, the terrain really dictates your options. Absolutely loved it!

[@akibi-mf1nr]

Looking forward to seeing your 6.5 PRC hunting experience,😁

[@THLR]

There it was. Not much to show for it I'm afraid...

[@blaserlongrange7616]

Great video Thomas! Sad to see unprofessional guides .spectacular scenery

[@THLR]

@@blaserlongrange7616 superb scenery, you could stop almost anywhere

[@pepcomas8252]

Hola buenas, la gorra de beisbol que llevas en el video de que marca es y donde la puedo comprar. Gracias

[@THLR]

Arcteryx from Arcteryx.com

[@rutenisp]

K95 is very nice toy. I own bff 97 12/308. The weight is not very different . Of course k95 is more elegant. Have you ever thought of trying bf as long range rifle? It would be fun to watch

[@THLR]

No. I am absolutely shit with a shotgun, complete waste of time for me to carry one :D

[@rutenisp]

😂 thank you

[@infantilepillock1687]

The moment that guide startet talking about a driven hunt, I knew something was off. I am pretty sure the guides knew exactly how to get the clients into shooting positions. But why bother when they got the money beforehand anyway... I am sorry this very expensive trip was such a bummer. Sell the 6.5 PRC barrel and enjoy the memories of the stunning landscape. The shot at 32:10 is just incredible. What did the other hunters say?

[@THLR]

@@infantilepillock1687 one was oblivious, the other two furious. One of the brits basically had 0 (zero) hunting done on his trip, standing as number 2 or 3 behind a guide. But group dynamics amongst strangers can be a bit tricky, had I known their minds at the time, it would've been easier to take a firm stand and shape the trip into something better. As it was, I chose a more discrete option. That was a mistake.

[@lgd5572]

Hi sir What king of tripod are you using for the camera ? Thx a lot

[@THLR]

@@lgd5572 Benro Tortoise

[@lgd5572]

@ much appreciated ! Thx a lot

[@THLR]

@@lgd5572 low weight and rigidity was my main concern; no center column helps

[@lgd5572]

@@THLR unfortunately I cannot find it, the one I found is 1.3kg which is very heavy for mountain hiking. I may get it wrong

[@kenorrah8072]

Did you name the Company/ Outfitter or did I miss it ? This is an example of when a company/ business should be “ Named and Shamed “ How long is the Blaser 6.5 PRC barrel ?

[@THLR]

No I have no interest in so doing. I don't have all the facts, just the mismatch between what I bought (stalking) and what was delivered (driven).

[@bradleytyrrell4417]

Nice hunt besides it not working out but im with you Thomas i can't shoot things on a driven hunt has to be in there normal habit. But some great scenery 👌. And i have been playing around with the 6.5prc and its pretty sweet cartridge

[@THLR]

Fantastic scenery. I don't mind driven hunts in its correct state: Well organized and without people in the firing zones, but I did pay for a spot-and-stalk adventure.

[@bradleytyrrell4417]

@@THLR true mate true language barrier wouldn't be fun either. And I does suck when you don't get what you paid for and what you where promised

[@bigracer3867]

Sorry the hunt was not what was expected. The PRC line is nothing I need. I use 6.5 Grendel, and a 243 Win for all my hunting. I too have no interest/need for anything magnum. Precise shot is the magic. Thanks again for the extraordinary video🎉 dedication is your standard 🎉. I’m for the most part a “lone” hunter. 🎉. To be at peace , enveloping my spirit in the forest and the animals I pursue 🎉 Continue on my brother of the hunt!🎉😎

[@THLR]

@@bigracer3867 thank you very much. I hear you, I value bullet placement much higher than oomph and rarely see the value of a magnum. Actually picked up a secomdhand Redding 243 dieset. The 243//6XC is a bit limited by legislation here, but both are an excellent choice for the hunting I actually do.

[@THLR]

I actually caved in to my wants; got Redding dies for the 243 and waiting for impulse control to be sufficiently weakened to order a barrel…

[@steyrman2]

Evening Thomas That is a massive effort and trip will you return there again . Did any of the other hunters have success in there trip

[@THLR]

The land certainly has potential for a good hunt, but when I heard the others tell the tale of how the two ibex was shot... that is not something I want to participate in ever. At least two of the other hunters expressed they were gutted by the experience; not at all happy with the trip..

[@josiptrogrlic2641]

Hello Thomas, I must say that of all the video material I saw from You this one I find the most interesting even though the hunt was unsuccessful despite so beautiful and promising nature. First I understud where to use 6.5 PRC over the other similar calibres in a few sentences. Second that all of the youtube material which promotes Ibex hunt has to be taken with caution and references from hunters. Video as always recorded and mounted as I like (not studio recorded and mounted for commercial) with a dose of humor and sincerity. I look forward to next hunt and video just like this one.

[@THLR]

Thank you very much! Best wishes for your season

[@johnfrederikson2002]

Sorry. I've done two guided hunts and won't do another. Both were "successful" but not worth the psychological costs-IMO. Beautiful video. Country is beautiful but seriously painful. Thanks. J.

[@bavariasuhl]

be grateful dont be a whiner

[@THLR]

Yes, absolutely beautiful scenery and took my job satisfaction from the camera this time. The potential is absolutely there.

[@НабиМамбетакунов-у3ь]

Hi Thomas , u made great job, unfortunately without trophy😢, we wanted 6.5 prc challenged by our climate( mountains ) next time I hope you will get the best trophy, It's me Nabi

[@THLR]

No issue with the lack of trophy; my problem the driven hunt/ pushed game which is a completely different hunt/non-hunt compared to the spot-and-stalk I had made arrangements for.(all the men hated the pushed game) I do no know where the error is, only that it didn't happen. All the best for your season, good luck! 😊

[@zsoltczibula5722]

@@THLRthats how a gentleman adjust directions! Congrats Thomas.

[@petercampbell3828]

Unfortunately, an expensive horse ride. I wonder how many other hunters they have "taken for a ride". Still an incredible place to experience.

[@THLR]

@@petercampbell3828 at least I grabbed some hunting, the two brits were devastated.

[@polunekable]

Super movie and super adventure 🤠

[@THLR]

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!

[@aw114]

Tomas, I share your frustration, but thank you for sharing. This trip is something I hope to do one day, but to go so far only to be let down by others worries me. Out of interest, where did you source the red and black two-piece plastic bullet case? I need one of those. Your series on precision shooting is excellent. I have learned more than a few things from you, so thank you.

[@THLR]

The bullet case was excellent, some guy off the internet 3D printed it for me. Really nice, allthough he himself was very unhappy with it. For sure, some minor tweaks will improve bit (longer hold on cartridge), but it really was a good way to store/protect/access the cartridges. I'll see if I can dig up a contact. Kyrgystan has great potential, so with the right people it should be possible to have a fantastic hunt. But I would try to withold money until hunt complete. Also the constant probing to have your gear gets tiresome; one of the guys in all seriousness wanted my Swarovski binoculars...

[@jordanr8312]

Like just for the video description! 😆

[@THLR]

Brilliant 😂

[@jordanr8312]

@@THLR Love the content and the sense of humor. Keep up the great work.

[@THLR]

@@jordanr8312 thanks! Will give it another year at least.

[@max_fjellstorm]

Grüße aus dem WUH Forum! Geiles Video und auch sonst genialer Content!

[@THLR]

Danke!

[@mikeberger6664]

😬, sorry it didn’t work out the way you suspected… Thanks for sharing.

[@THLR]

@@mikeberger6664 bah, thankfully only money lost and I was able to get my job satisfaction off the cameras.

[@tenebresoul1664]

Such a fantastic hunt in such a desolate landscape, So sad that you see 100% of all loot but you are the one to climb the most extreme heights with 0 payout. When you are the one most likely to shoot the right animal at the right time and place... Greetings from Sweden..

[@THLR]

Thank you very much. Yes a bit frustrating to see the potential that is definitively there.

[@vicpeder]

Thank you! Really appreciate your hard work!

[@THLR]

@@vicpeder thanks, glad you liked it

[@EOSD7]

Here ist is, the cruel reality for the YT-Star on his daily hunt for content. Carry on, Thomas! 😉

[@THLR]

Yeah it was rough to see that amount of effort/money go to waste. But shake it off and carry on. The winter season is inbound and next project is likely climbing for chamois.

[@EOSD7]

@@THLR 👍 Wish you all the best! 🍀

[@FizzyMcSnap]

Hvorfor lavere feilmargin med prc kontra 6,5x55? Høyere fart med de tunge kulene? Hvilke kuler snakker vi om forresten? Takk for nok en rå film 💪💪

[@THLR]

@@FizzyMcSnap større feilmargin; mindre feil. Dette skjer pga kulenes aerodynamiske form (ballistisk koeffisient), ikke hastighet. Jeg bruker Hornady 147gr ELD M i PRC

[@FizzyMcSnap]

@@THLR Takk for svar. Men flyr ikke den kula like bra i en 6.5x55 var det jeg egentlig lurte på da. Hva er det som gjør at du kommer 6-15 cm nærmere POA med PRC'n? Er det bare generelt bedre presisjon i den patronen? Min langholdserfaring er noe begrenset men sånne detaljer synes jeg er spennende 😊.

[@THLR]

@@FizzyMcSnap nei du får ikke tilstrekkelig hastighet til at kula gir effekt i målet. Kula må treffe med god nok hastighet for å åpne seg skikkelig. Med x55 forventer jeg V0 godt under 800 msek, noe som gjør det poengløst å skyte 147gr. Med PRC eller x284 er V0 880 i kort pipe, noe som i praksis flytter rekkevidden min ca 200m

[@FizzyMcSnap]

@@THLR Da er jeg med. Takker for svar🫡

[@gordy321]

Hard go of it. Too bad but I appreciate your sharing of your adventure.

[@THLR]

@@gordy321 thanks for taking the time. Yes, I had to lean into it. With hindsight, I should have taken off att first red flag but at leastngot the job satisfaction fromnthe cameras.

[@Koey1]

Veldig bra filmet 👌! Hvordan syns du det er å skyte med stokk uten høydejustering på rekylkappe ? Merker du noe utfordring med rekylopptak kontra R8n som har det (utenom vekt selvsagt forskjellen på de selvsagt)

[@THLR]

Overhodet ikke noe problem. Denne kolben er bygd på mål og er således litt høyere enn normalen

[@Ade4fish]

Well done. You stuck to your guns (excuse the pun). A true sportsman.

[@THLR]

Thank you very much 🙌

[@Ade4fish]

@@THLR You are welcome. It was a great film and of course the scenery was stunning. Must have taken a great amount of will power on your part to film all that given the altitude and it's clear effect on you 👍

[@laneerwin968]

What pack are you using in this video?

[@THLR]

@@laneerwin968 Tasmanian Tiger 30l camera backpack, modified with a Kuiu lid, Slik Sling rifle carry and surplus magazine pouches for tripods. V1 carry system is excellent, but overall packbis too heavy. Not something I'd recommend for anything outside my very specialized need.

[@laneerwin968]

@@THLR thanks for the reply, can I also ask who is the maker of your red and black ammo carrier you where using?

[@THLR]

@@laneerwin968 a local guy with a 3D printer. I'll see if I can dig up a contact

[@tcollier4017]

as a youngin I learned it's called hunting NOT shooting. beautiful country to see 👍

[@THLR]

Absolutely agree!

[@tomaszpaluszkiewicz3189]

Great experience....

[@THLR]

@@tomaszpaluszkiewicz3189 some of it was, yes.

[@beersnbeeer]

An oddly captivating tale of utter disappointment where escapism is just a look away. A harsh lesson about discretion. I felt uneasy even seeing you, another person, deal with this. I hope you find redemption in an upcoming hunt.

[@THLR]

Thanks for your thoughts. No worries, I took my job satisfaction from the cameras.

[@beersnbeeer]

@@THLR You did a pretty amazing job with that too.

[@anthonycapuano8554]

Sucks when you plan that much and travel so far for that to happen. Great video though

[@THLR]

Yes it's difficult when agreements have zero value. Very frustrating but got my job satisfaction from the cameras.

[@sniperhunt4450]

Dear teacher, hunting with a local guide is very difficult and you cannot act freely to hunt. You had a very long walk. Is this movie still going on

[@THLR]

I believe something was lost in translation here, I did not quite understand. I have always found hunting with local guides to be very easy. The problem I had on this trip was a complete mismatch between what I bought and what was delivered. It's like ordering a steak meal in an restaurant and being served soup instead because both are "food".

[@sniperhunt4450]

@@THLR My English is very weak. I apologize if I can't make you understand what I mean

[@THLR]

@@sniperhunt4450 no problems, thank you for trying ❤

[@jpbojinov]

my knees started hurting by me just looking at the terrain... :D

[@kraaber]

What a pity, such a disappointment. Great scenery, useful tips and footage though !

[@THLR]

Yes, I took my job satisfaction off the cameras this time.

[@АндрійНіколаєв-й3д]

6.5 PRC what twist blaser barrel ?

[@THLR]

@@АндрійНіколаєв-й3д 1:8"

[@tor-erikeidissen9921]

Fantastic scenery, and really good editing. You're movies are getting more and more professional. As a former photographer, I find it very interesting to analyze your production, and it is impressive. Too bad the trip was more or less ruined by useless hunting guides... Maybe you should stick to moose hunting with us? 😊

[@THLR]

😂 why not? Good scenery, better food, friendly locals and better conversations. On many points you beat Kyrgystan with a solid margin.

[@teignghost]

What a hunting disaster, but what a place to hunt. I appreciate you had to employ a guide, but I did self guided when I crossed the pond to Montana, what an experience I had in similar terrain and weather, better luck next time, I hope you didn't scratch the Blaser!

[@THLR]

Absolutely agree. Huge potential, stunning scenery, plenty of animals but just very poorly executed hunting. The Blaser has zero scratches but much patina :D

[@cazorp]

Tråkigt att se att det inte blev som du tänkt dig Thomas! Men terrängen tycker jag ser ok ut, typ som Bodö fast plattare ;)

[@THLR]

@@cazorp 😅 terrenget hadde virkelig potensiale.

[@cazorp]

@@THLR I could tell! 🥵 Har åkt skidor på drygt 3000 meter, och man märker skillnaden redan där - Men att jaga på 4-5000 måste vara något helt annat...

[@THLR]

@@cazorp ja når du pusher kroppen >4000m så begynner du rett og slett å miste bevisstheten. Du må holde kroppen aerob og da blir tempoet heller lavt

[@medwynvermin8772]

I feel for you, some great footage taken despite all the sh!t going on about you. Your face at 26:34 speaks volumes.

[@THLR]

I was surprised I didn't melt the glacier. It was an effort to keep the peace; it was a very quiet group that linked up after. To quote the exceedingly polite Brit: " I have no words..."

[@jsven68]

Uansett utfall, flott natur og filming 😊

[@THLR]

@@jsven68 mange takk for at du tok deg tid! Ja, naturopplevelsen var stor og området hadde virkelig potensiale for en god jakt.

[@jsven68]

Jeg tar meg alltid tid 😊

[@akibi-mf1nr]

Sorry to see that you had such a bad luck with this unprofessional guides and the travel Agency who organized your Trip!

[@THLR]

It is a finger-pointing game between them. I could not care less; huge mismatch between what I bought and what was delivered. Thankfully it's only money; another three years and I have saved enough for the next trip...😅

[@nemanjarasula1599]

Sorry this happened to you. Look at gettting the Sea to Summit Alpine II comfort rating -12 celcius or Alpine III -29 celcius

[@THLR]

Such is life, it's not really a life-changing event. When you drop below -20 in comfort rating, the bags tend to be "difficult in warmer weather. But rather too warm than cold, you can always open a zipper!

[@MattLarmann]

@@THLR I wear my down jacket and down pants (KUIU) in my bag when it gets that cold

[@franzbaumann5480]

Good video, good filming. Because you asked: I learned how not to do it, because it has been known in Kyrgyzstan for decades: the wrong outfitter with incompetent professional hunters and no good tent camp high in the hunting area, bad information from the guest beforehand (needed sleeping bag and caliber), does not lead to success. The money is gone, and so is the success. 6.5 PRC is hyped, but definitely and without a doubt the wrong choice for big asian Ibex.

[@THLR]

What is your trick to avoiding the wrong outfitter? I checked references, used a known agent and got a written readback the hunt would be what I was looking for. Still didn't happen.

[@franzbaumann5480]

@@THLR I had two times top recommendations, but it was always different on site. In Croatia I fell flat on my face with a chamois... and only later did I see that the good trophies are absolutely exceptional. Like searching a needle in a haystack. The terms game population, long shot, hard hunt, good trophy are defined differently for everyone. I only pay attention to references from hunters I know personally and who have been where I want to go. Thomas, take it easy, that's all we have left. All the best for the future hunts and keep going, your films are great.

[@THLR]

"Haystack" is the word! So difficult to navigate hunting abroad

[@tonystewart7287]

It happens!

[@mysterioanonymous3206]

Yeap. All part of it.

[@THLR]

Yeah, shrug it off. At least got some images out of it.

[@gustavoradaovejas8378]

I was there in 2019, what increible travel.....

[@THLR]

@@gustavoradaovejas8378 good, glad you enjoyed it! Fantastic scenery!

[@gustavoradaovejas8378]

@@THLR and very very very hard hunt. Always dancing with the danger.

[@THLR]

@@gustavoradaovejas8378 excellent adventure!😊

[@aleksandrzaitsev9459]

Горы это трудно ,ТОМАС удачи !!!!!

[@THLR]

Thank you. Enjoy the season!

[@7fordevil]

Thomas! you have cheated with 6,5x55 - you have loose your oportunity for ibex... thank you for this cool video ❤

[@THLR]

@@7fordevil 😅 it's not cheating when it's 6.5mm...

[@7fordevil]

@@THLR but the Vikings and the 6,5x55 where both first in America and bevore they where in Europa and found 6,5 PRC :)

[@rogersmaland7077]

Bedre lykke neste gang....

[@THLR]

Jo takk 😅

[@BlacksheepMediaNZ]

right decision there mate. Sorry your adventure turned out to be a flop. What an amazing part of the world though

[@THLR]

@@BlacksheepMediaNZ thanks. Yeah, the area certainly has potential, could have/ would have been fantastic trip if I had gone for it day 1. I found the ibex very stalkable, you just need the time to take the mountains apart.

[@bertcremers3134]

Hello Thomas. What a bummer, professional hunting guides what ?😤 It must been a ton of experiance and also a ton of disapointments, for you. Verry frustrating when you put a lot of time money and efford in this enterprise and have to encounter this. But the good thing is; you made a exxelent topnotch video and showed us that it is not always a happy hunting scenario. Regards, Bert C.

[@THLR]

@@bertcremers3134 absolutely, great nature and an adventure but not really what I tried to make arrangements for. I have been told Kyrgystan IS like this; I did check references and got a written description/agreement of how we would hunt, but it simply did not happen. The two british gentlemen were equally disappointed, but I didn't understand that until after. If everyone had just taken a firm stand earlier, it might have been possible to salvage something.

[@bertcremers3134]

@@THLR Hello Thomas. Thank you for your reply. Your story intrugued me so cause an friend of mine has gone (two months ago) to Kasachstan to hunt for Ibex. He succeded verry well and got his sixt or seventh Ibex. The rest of the hunting party also was succesful. I hope I did not ruined your day totally...🥴

[@THLR]

@@bertcremers3134 no, not at all

[@storminmoorman7444]

Sorry your hunt was a bust, but the film making was amazing

[@THLR]

Thank you very much, glad you liked it! Very rewarding landscapes to work in.

[@MVarminter]

😢

[@THLR]

Thanks, but it was only money flushed down the drain

[@robertmagnstrom6088]

Sorry, Thomas :-/!

[@THLR]

@@robertmagnstrom6088 pfft, it happens. Only money lost; shake it off and move on

[@fjallife]

Stor!

[@THLR]

Thank you!

[@JohnDavidHays]

Thomas, first, these are not hunting guides. No fluent English/Norwegian speaker as a constant presence is a deal killer. They had the idea that you were a photographer tourist and didn’t realize you were a serious hunter. Otherwise, it’s obvious they were not really trying to get you onto game. I don’t think ibex drive well, I think they scatter. Thomas, if you want to hunt ibex let’s work on getting you a tag here in New Mexico, USA down in the Florida Mountains. Better food here too.

[@THLR]

Not sure what went wrong, but this was certainly not hunting. Very frustrating. Will need some time to recover and see what next step will be.

[@JohnDavidHays]

@@THLR I will see what is required for you to hunt here, and what the practicalities are. We have Ibex, Barbary Sheep (Aoudad), Oryx (I got one last week), Elk, Mule Deer, White Tail Deer, Coues Deer, Cougar, Black Bear, Pronghorn (as you know), Himalayan Tahr. Let you know what’s possible for next year.

[@stefanomalinverni9431]

It is the typical situation to take with zen attitude and philosophy, you hunted, following the ibexes up and down the mountains, you hunted but you did nit have the shooting opportunity. Hunt is hunt, not always is successfull. In the past two acquaintances went in Kyrgyzstan for Ibex and syberian roe deer, but they choose to shoot with heavier and bigger caliber, 8x68 or 300 winMag, I do not remember.. Ihey got theyr animals. I hope for your success, next time, if you get back there.

[@THLR]

It's just obstacles, giving up, moaning and complaining will never improve the situation. At least I got film out of it, and I took my job satisfaction there. The area has huge potential for something better, but I was with the wrong people for that.

[@JCZ_888]

Hate the idea of putting in the money for a once in a lifetime hunt and being scammed.

[@THLR]

I did not see the worst end; I believe one of the other guests did zero hunting for the stay. I at least got a few hours and took a day.

[@JCZ_888]

@@THLR I have an Blaser-Ulrich Takedown R93 (30-06) and a Blaser R8 Success (22-250/6.5x55/30-06&9.3x62) and am looking at a K95 for a lightweight option, interested in the 6.5x55 and 6.5x57. Here in Australia the x55 is easier to get brass. love your insight before I take the leap.

[@JCZ_888]

Hey Thomas Happy New Year from Australia. My Grandfather came from Gothenburg, Sweden. I ended up a long way from home :)

[@THLR]

@@JCZ_888 that one is easy. Although I love my 6,5x57R and will be bringing it on my next hunt, ease of logistics hands the victory to 6,5x55 without doubt. I bought my rifle secondhand, and it was almost 6 months before I could get my hands on brass - what factory ammo I could get shot absolutely awful. With handloads there's not really any significant difference between the two, so if you have easy access to brass choose whichever. I was told a rimmed cartridge would be more reliable for feeding/ extraction, and whilst this is technically correct when you look at construction (the rimless relies on a small spring to work), I have not really seen any trace of this so far. Not sure how much I've shot, more than 500 but less than 2000, the majority is 6,5x55. But beware that the K95 requires a bit more care than you'd be used to with the R93/R8 and I've managed to get rust on both the locking block and the locking bar inside the action. Other than that, I'd recommend taking the stock off and cleaning the action interior every few years. Rinse in hot water, pressure blow with air, dry with heater, oil with Ballistol or similar oil which does not affect wood, pressure blow oil into "everything", heat and eventually vipe off any excess. This is the procedure recommended to me by the gunsmith as I managed to get mine full of grit. Whatever your choice: It's a lovely rifle, but not as versatile as a repeater. I enjoy it enough that I've almost stopped using my R8.

[@JCZ_888]

@@THLR Appreciated, thank you for the detailed response this really helps. 👍🏻

[@JanybekJamashov]

Котуно.кел.

[@THLR]

JJ? My money is gone for 2024