THE FIVE BROTHER'S AND THE FOUR SISTER'S

Dave Myrup (Utah, USA) - August 12, 2004

Dave Myrup (UT, USA) Kamchatka Snow Sheep - 2004

Where does the time go? It seems like a year goes by like a month. Garth and I are headed to Russia to hunt Kamchatka Big Horn sheep. We left Salt Lake and flew Delta Air to Anchorage and over night at the Millennium Hotel. There we meet up with Dennis Campbell, Mark Jackson, Gary Rigotti and Lou Rupp.

We went out to dinner as a group. I had shrimp scampi and Garth had king crab. We all BS'd for a while and then went to bed. We have to get up at 4:00am to go to the airport to catch our flight to Russia. Everything went ok just slow and time consuming. Friday 13th our flight left Alaska at about 8:00 and arrived at 12:20 Anchorage time. But it was 9:20am Saturday when we arrived Russia time.

We cleared customs and were met by Vladimir of PROFI HUNT and his crew. It took about two and a half to three hours for us to get through customs. Vladimir said we would stop and buy a few supplies and then go to three different base camps. We were on our way a little after 1:00. The helicopter was waiting for us just out side of town at a green grass air strip. A bunch of sky divers were working there chutes over about 20 young men and 4 girls. Man it is beautiful here. It's so green you can't believe it.

After about one and a half hours we landed and Dennis, Mark and Mike got off at their base camp. An old track vehicle would make the final journey to their base camp about 3 Klicks away. We all got off and wished them good luck, and were swarmed with mosquitoes by the hundreds. Vladimir ask if we all had bug dope as they are really bad this time of year. Then we all climbed back on the chopper and flew to the Kamchatka River where lunch was waiting for us. It was a beautiful day everyone was enjoying the sun. Kid's swimming and playing in the river.

The girl's swimming and the boy's throwing rocks. A camp was put on the chopper and Gary and Lou took off for their base camp good luck was wished.

Base camp - Kamchatka Snow Sheep - 2004

The chopper will be back in about an hour to load and pick us up and take us to our base camp. By the river is a small village and the local men will be our guides. We flew to the most breathtaking base camp I have ever been in. You can't believe how green and neat it is. Camp was set up in a few hours and we will start our hunt for sheep tomorrow. Man am I tired I probably shouldn't be writing as I can't even spell.

Garth and I have our own dome tent, a cook tent and a dining tent. The bugs are really bad but it is worth it. The next morning we'll be off hunting.

We hiked out of camp and climbed to the top of jagged mountains near camp. We saw 21 sheep but most of them were ewes and lambs. It was getting late in the day, early evening when Peter spotted 4 rams feeding on a mountain, 2 mountain ranges away from where we spotted them. As it was my turn to look through the spotting scope a 5th ram appeared. We returned to camp and had a great supper Michael had prepared. He is an excellent cook and had cooked for President Jimmy Carter when he was fishing here. The plan for the second day is to try to go after the rams. We will all go together as there are 2 or 3 big rams. Vladimir the interrupter, Vladimir my guide, Victor the camp handyman will go with us as Peter, Garths guide has a bad heart.

Well it's been five day's since I have written in this journal. First I want to say thanks to Ruth for this birthday present, as I probably would not be writing this without it. We left that morning to go after the rams, after hiking for 9 hours we came up short, close but no cigar. Vladimir said we have enough time for one stock to maybe get on the rams. But as we were played out we decided to drop off the mountain, get near some water and try to go after the sheep in the morning. So we dropped into a drainage and prepared to spend the evening.

Garth was soaked (he sweats a lot). So Victor (Popeye) quickly built a fire and Garth took off all his clothes and we were trying to dry them. As time went on Victor chewed us out in Russian for not helping with firewood. We took the ass chewing very well and went on about drying Garth's clothes. We finally got him somewhat dry and had something to eat and then all tried to sleep. I guess I slept ok but Garth and Vladimir got no sleep.

As morning approached it started to rain. Vladimir said "we have not enough food, the weather is bad and we must go back to base camp." It was a tough decision but the right one. It took us 7 hours to get back to camp, waiting for us was Peter and Michael we were all tired and played out. But Peter had been watching the rams and he had spotted 8 rams.

So what was so humbling hours before had brought new life to all of us. I told Garth this is probably our only chance to get a ram. So we must go back and try one more time. Vladimir said we had a good chance. We left camp with a lot of food and tents to last for seven days. It seemed as though we were in fast forward as it only took 2 hours to get to a spot where we would set up a camp. Peter had come this time even with a bad heart. He wanted to be a part of the hunt. On the way over we came over a mountain where the sheep were. Vladimir asked Garth for his spotting scope and sure enough the rams were still there.

We set up camp and had supper a whole chicken, Michael had made for us what a treat. We ate and went to sleep as tomorrow we would make our attempt to get on to the rams.

As morning came we got up and had breakfast and were preparing to leave. When Vladimir said we must have a 5 minute discussion with the guides. After about an hour the discussion was over. My guide had picked up his backpack and was headed back to base camp. He is a native and doesn't want to be a team player. These were the only rams we had found and it would be stupid for me and him to charge up there and only shoot one ram when my best friend has a tag too. So he left without saying goodbye. So as I have 3 guides (probably better) we hiked several hours up a small creek. Once we got to the head of the creek we would go straight up to the top of the mountain and hopefully find the rams.

Kamchatka - 2004

Kamchatka is so beautiful, rugged, steep, and pristine. Every direction you look. We finally made it to the top and started to look for the sheep. We would go a short distance and glass again and again but we could not find the sheep. It was about 5:00 and Vladimir said we must go; he was worried that we might spook the sheep as we would be right out in the open for about 500 yards. We headed out single file Peter, me, Garth, Vladimir then Victor. We were climbing up a rocky knoll when Peter bent down, just in front of us were 8 rams facing away in a single file line. We ducked out of sight and made a final stock to get into position. There just below us were the rams feeding. Garth said I was to shoot first, Vladimir said Dave take that ram and Garth you take the other ram. As I was getting ready to shoot my sheep and Garths ram were side by side I could not shoot without hitting both sheep. Then my ram broke off and I shot, the ram fell (my gun had misfired and I had to chamber another round). Sheep scattered as Vladimir told Garth "to the top." I watched my ram roll off the mountain and quickly joined Garth and Vladimir. Just as I got there Garth shot his ram. His ram was on one side of the mountain and mine was on the other side. Vladimir said "I will go get the backpacks" and Garth and I just set there on top of the mountain savoring and sharing the moment. We had worked so hard to get there we had good days and bad days. But today was a great day even though I was sick with a bad stomach.

I mentioned the bugs were bad, but not all of them. Let me explain, during the course of out hunt Garth and I had spotted six different lady bugs on our backpacks and our gear. Garth said they were good luck. As we sat on top of the mountain I looked at my watch it was 6:00 and the sixth day of our hunt, Garth and I had collected 2 great rams. I am not a superstitious but sometimes you should pay attention to the little things.

Once we were through shaking hands and hugging one another, we worked our way down to Garths ram and what a ram chocolate brown and horns that carried there weight, pinched in and then tipped out. After we had taken pictures, skinned, and taken care of the meat, we put on our packs and climbed back to the saddle where the rams were first spotted.

It was then my turn to go collect my ram. Garth and I had got to the saddle first and Garth quickly picked up the trail where the ram had rolled off the mountain. The ram finally came to rest after about a 500 yard fall. It was so step that we couldn't move or touch the ram. If we did it would roll another 5 or 6 hundred yards. Garth, Vladimir and I got there first, as Garth snapped pictures Vladimir asked "what do you think of your sheep?" With emotion in my voice I said it was "so special to take such a beautiful sheep, but it was even more special to share it with my best friend." I had taken the biggest ram I have ever taken and Garth had given me the first shot. All I can say is "thanks my friend and what a great hunt we have shared together." Pictures were taken then ropes tied to the sheep and we all skinned and took care of my sheep.

Garth Hardy, Vladimir Koshcheev, Dave Myrup - 2004

When we were through Vladimir told me and Garth to try to get to a big snow field below us where we could spend the night. We hadn't gone 100 yards when we sat down, it was dark and way to steep to go any further. Vladimir came to us and asked if it was okay to leave my sheep in the step chute as it was too heavy and steep to carry out in the dark. I said it would be fine. Vladimir found a grassy spot about 50 feet from where we had stopped. This is where we would spend the night and try to get off the mountain in the light the next morning. They quickly built a fire and Garth rolled me up in his space blanket as I was still sick. They drove stone birch limbs into the ground at our feet so we wouldn't slide into the fire or off the mountain.

I don't remember moving much that night only once. I woke up and had to 'go,' after a dance around the fire and jumping over bodies I finally found a place to land. Morning finally came, after having a hot drink and some sheep meat we were ready to go. The packs were to top heavy to carry so they chopped down a stone birch tree and tied the backpacks to it. They used ropes to slide it down the mountain, Garth and I used the seat of our pants. Garth was behind me and it was steep, (I said to myself if Garth comes sliding down the mountain he will take me out like a bowling ball). I let him go in front of me then I lost control and slid into him everyone laughed.

We finally got to where we could stand up and walk with the use of a climbing stick. We used ropes to get through a really steep drop off in the creek, and then we climbed out of the creek and onto a giant snow field. What a treat no rocks no creek just smooth sailing. The snow field was over a mile long. Then it was back to the creek and alders, but it was easy traveling compared to what and where we had just came from.

Gary Rigotti - Kamchatka Snow Sheep - 2004

We made it back to spike camp in early afternoon. Just before we got there Vladimir spotted a brown bear on the ridge just above us, Peter fired a shot in front of the bear that was the last we saw of the bear. We pitched the tents and we all had a much needed rest. We stayed that night and the next day we packed up and headed back to our base camp. The hike back was pretty uneventful just long.

I was tired but my mind kept playing over and over what great rams we had taken and what we had to do to get to them. It made the hike back seem shorter and easier to hike.

When we arrived at base camp Michael greeted us with joy and he prepared the best meal. Drink and personal stories were shared with everyone as we talked and joked late into the night.

What great friends we had become, there are five big pinnacles breaking the sky line on a mountain just by camp. Vladimir said they are called the five brothers and that was what we had become while hunting together, five brothers.

Lou Rupp - Kamchatka Snow Sheep - 2004

The next day was spent taking care of the trophies and sharing more stories with one another. Peter and Victor took some salt up the mountain by the five brothers to make a lick for the sheep. When they returned they said that there were 4 pinnacles on the next mountain and they named them the four sisters. Garth quickly replied that he would go without (five brothers only 4 sisters).

The next morning we were fogged in so the chopper could not fly to pick us up, (More stories and more food). We awoke the next morning to more fog; we were beginning to wonder if we would ever get out. About one o clock we heard the chopper. Camp was quickly tore down and carried to the chopper. It took about an hour and then we were off. We flew for about 20 minutes and landed to pick up Gary and Lou and their crew and camp. It was great to see Gary and Lou what great friends. The chopper had to labor and taxi as we had a heavy load, but we made it to Petropavlovsk about an hour and a half later.

Dennis Campbell, Mark Jackson - Kamchatka Snow Sheep - 2004

We were met there by Vladimir and the ground crew and transferred to our hotel. We checked in and had a shower and then we all went out to dinner, Max, Gary, Lou, Vladimir and his friend, Garth and me. We had a great time and paid for the dinner about $100.00 US for each of us Garth, Lou, Gary and me.

We crashed that night and the next day we were on a tour of Petropavlovsk with Lena our tour guide. She took us on a tour of the city, shopping and over to the ocean what a fun day. There were bus loads of people out by the ocean drinking vodka and playing in the sand and water. Everyone was having a ball. The people are so friendly wanting to share their vodka and anything else they had with us. We declined and went for a long walk on the beach.

Tomorrow we will fly home, but what great friends and people we have met. As for Peter, Victor, Michael and Vladimir, they will stay on my mind and in my heart forever.

Paca, Dave