Typical Day & Tactics

Greet your outfitter or a hired driver at the Kiev airport and venture through the rural countryside to the hunting area. Upon arriving, have dinner and settle in for the night. Most our hunters wake up to the sounds of roaring stags in the pre-dawn as they assemble their gear for the morning hunt.  Also referred to as Dybowskis Sika, these animals are known to make various vocalizations, but most prominent is the blood-curdling, banshee like screams of mature stags! During the rut these cries echo through the forests providing excellent spot and stalk opportunities during any October rut hunt.

The Sika are distracted and focused on breeding, which is crucial because the terrain is somewhat unforgiving. Mature deciduous forests tend to dominate the hunting areas. And so, with little understory for cover and crunching leaves under foot, stalks can be challenge, but if executed well can provide a good shooting opportunity.  At times calling for Sika like you would do for Elk or Red Stag can be effective. Combine this tactic by stealthily filtering through the timber while stalking audible roars for action packed hunts with excellent results! Hunt till midmorning and return to the lodge for a late breakfast and some midday R&R. Things fire back up in the evenings, so after a late lunch head back into the woods and continue stalking and judging roaring Sika stags. Its exhilarating, and even one full day can provide several good encounters, regaled together over dinner after dark.

Our late September Sika and Red Stag combination hunts are conducted in a similar way. Timing is critical, and the overlap when both species are roaring is usually restricted to only the last week of September. Late season winter hunts span from late November to mid-January and are typically done over a food source. Wait in a specialized shooting house or high-seat, over a partially cut crop field or bait pile in the forest. With the right conditions, occasional tracking or stalking tactics are used. Navigate the hunting area during the winter by horse and sleigh, which adds a nice traditional Slavic touch.

Landscape & Climate

From the Carpathian Mountains in the west to the Black Sea in the east, Ukraine is ecologically diverse and renowned for the fertility of its land. The hunting areas in central Ukraine are a mosaic of agriculture, small villages, and patchworks of mixed expansive forests. Stalking in these woods often finds you navigating old World War 2 trench networks or dilapidated bunker complexes, reminding you of some of the history to have occurred on these soils. The terrain is largely gently rolling hills and river valleys. Not physically demanding but certainly scenic in its simple but nostalgic beauty.

Weather during the October Sika roar is mild and generally pleasant. Frosty mornings slowly warning up into the afternoon are typical. Rain can occur but is not prominent, and no real specialized equipment is generally required. September Red Stag combos can bring some slightly warmer temperatures, while the limited late-season winter hunts tend to be cold and snowy. Here some warmer layers (such as thermal next to skins, winter gloves,af and hats) are required to stay comfortable while afield. For detailed weather data, Wikipedia is an excellent resource for historic weather trends found in the “Climate” section available for any city worldwide.

Meals & Accommodations

Stay in a remote hunting lodge or cabin in the rural Ukrainian country-side several hours drive from Kiev. Some are more recently built, while others are more rustic. Roaring stags can often be heard from your bedroom as you anxiously wait for dawn to pursue them! Meals are wholesome, traditional, and locally sourced, with menu items such as soups, salads, cheese, cold cuts, smoked fish, various meats, sausages, dumplings, and blini. Sight-seeing and historic tourism are quite incredible. Spending a couple of days touring around the ancient city of Kiev before or after the hunt is certainly recommended, with much to see and do. Military memorials, cathedrals, museums, historic tours, shopping, and nightlife are just a few suggestions.

Key Equipment Suggestions

This hunt only requires basic equipment. A day pack, 10x binoculars, rangefinder, comfortable walking boots, rain gear and a digital camera covers the essentials.