Clothing and Footwear During a Hunting Tour in Kyrgyzstan

You need to have a set of clothing in which you feel comfortable in specific temperature conditions. Base layer underwear. You should have at least two sets of thermal underwear (it retains heat well, is lightweight, and takes up little space).

Mittens in the format of mittens, with a third (index) finger that allows you to open half of your hand, this feature is very important. During long rides on horseback, tracking, and approaching animals in the snow, you need to keep your hands covered to retain warmth. When stopping, it is important to quickly grab the binoculars, then the rangefinder, perform operations with buttons to determine distance, set values on the scope, load the weapon, and disengage the safety. All of this needs to be done with your fingers exposed, as there is rarely time for changing gloves in 95% of cases.

Camouflaged comfortable hunting clothing (jacket and pants). Warm pants and a jacket are important; you should have ones in which you feel comfortable at the hunting site, typically around minus 25 degrees. An important detail is the lightweight nature of the clothing (it is recommended to use synthetic insulation with down for the jacket, and synthetic insulation or special fibers for the pants). The clothing should also have another important feature: it must be windproof. The thing is, while riding a horse through a gorge, you may feel quite comfortable, but when you reach the ridge, there is almost always a strong wind that can penetrate your clothing, so this needs to be taken into account during preparation, and when purchasing clothing, choose those that prevent wind and moisture in the form of rain and snow. Often, clothing for active tourism with specific treatments meets these requirements. It is advisable to choose colors in subdued camouflaged tones (gray-green, dark green, brown-green).

In many cases, it is desirable to have a camouflage cloak in your size. For hunting in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, it should have a pattern with large 10x10 cm patches of green and brown.

The material it should be made from is synthetic, which dries quickly in the wind after you immerse yourself in the snow. The cloak should have large openings for access to internal pockets.

Headgear, first of all, is a hat (preferably with openings for the face that can cover the neck – fleece is suitable), which is necessary during long waits in the hide when you cannot get up to warm up, let alone start a fire.
A wide-brimmed hat that protects the face from the sun with a strap around the neck is important, as unexpected gusts of wind often blow off headgear.

[/i]Footwear[/i]

First of all, it should be comfortable; we recommend either high trekking boots or low rubber boots with a rigid sole that has arch support. This is necessary to sit confidently in the saddle, walk on sharp stones, step into shallow water, and walk in shallow snow.

Inside, there can be a small amount of fur (synthetic); this is necessary to regulate comfortable temperature with the toe. The footwear should not be tight, as in high-altitude conditions during long waits, this can lead to swelling. The footwear can have laces, but they should not reach the ground, as they will constantly untie when riding through bushes. New footwear must be broken in, otherwise, you risk getting large blisters.

Load-bearing vest is also one of the most important components of a hunter's gear. The vest is necessary to concentrate all your ammunition (binoculars, rangefinder, radio, spare magazine, spare cartridges, often a knife, other necessary hunting items, a snack for a short break that doesn’t require digging into the backpack located on the horse at the bottom of the gorge) in one place, allowing you to quickly take it off and put it on, and there will be many such situations.

There are many models of vests, and in this article, we highlighted the issues to pay attention to. The vest should be selected according to your specific hunting gear sizes.

Glasses

In Kyrgyzstan, it is essential to have at least one pair of glasses that protect against ultraviolet rays (to minimize the chance of glare in the eyes) and have a lower than average light transmission. This is necessary to minimize the brightness variation when switching from glasses to the optical scope or binoculars.

The glasses should not be mirrored, as mirrored coatings create noticeable glare at distances of 1 km or more; ungulates have excellent vision, and they will definitely see your reflections in the sun.

[i}A small backpack on your back up to 10 liters.[/i] It is essential, as there is usually always something to put in it, such as personal hygiene items, camera equipment, batteries, flashlight, sometimes a satellite phone, extra cartridges, water, dry rations, a small first aid kit, a second hat, mittens, thermal underwear. It must have two straps for the back.

Additional items. Sunscreen. Without sunscreen, any hunter risks getting sunburn. The fact is that at altitudes above 3000 meters, the level of ultraviolet rays in sunlight is twice as high as at sea level. Sun rays are dangerous both directly and when reflected off the snow. Therefore, before each hunting outing in the morning, it is necessary to apply protective cream to the skin of the face, neck, and hands. Wear a hat and glasses. All this will protect you from sun rays.

Flashlight – a small waterproof one is very convenient in the evening and at night, used every day in the morning and evening.

Flask – if you enjoy having 50 grams of cognac or whiskey, this is also a necessary item. A bottle always has the potential to break even with a small impact and soak your things.

Digital camera. We recommend taking lightweight models, preferably budget-friendly, because carrying a large case and camera is very heavy. A metal camera body is preferable to a plastic one. Therefore, if the camera can fit in your pocket, that is the ideal solution. Choose the largest possible storage size to avoid losing important shots.

Charge the battery the night before leaving the base camp for a radial outing. The next time you may not have the opportunity for a week.

Sleeping bag - take a mountaineering option for temperatures down to minus 30. A good sleeping bag should weigh no more than 700 grams.



Text: Administration of the company Extreme Travel