Guided Hunts in Turkey

Turkey is the home of the bezoar ibex, the wild goat of the Taurus Mountains, and one of the great mountain hunts. A mature billy carries long, swept-back horns with a sharp, knobbed front edge, and he lives in some of the steepest country you will ever hunt, from pine forest on the ridges above the Mediterranean to bare limestone peaks that hold their snow into spring.

Hunting in Turkey is tightly controlled. Each season the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks sets a quota for every hunting area, and only travel agencies holding a hunting tourism permit can buy those quotas for visiting hunters. The quotas are for males, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry goes with you on the hunt, and the Ministry measures every trophy.

Bezoar Ibex in the Taurus Mountains

Most ibex hunts are in the south-west, in the mountains behind Antalya and Muğla, with others in the high country of the east around Erzurum, Bitlis and Hakkari. The hunt is on foot: long days glassing across gorges and pine forest, then a careful stalk to get within range of a mature billy. Fitness matters, so our guide to training for your first mountain hunt is worth reading before you go.

Seasons

The ibex season runs through autumn and winter, from late summer to the end of March, with the dates set each year by the authorities. During the rut, in late autumn and early winter, the billies join the herds. Wild boar are hunted on drives from September to February and by stalking at other times of year.

Other Species

Alongside the ibex, Turkey's hunting tourism quotas include Anatolian chamois in the mountains behind the Black Sea coast, red deer, roe deer and wild boar, with very small numbers of Anatolian mouflon and gazelle. Ask us about any of them.

Rifles, Permits and Travel

Your hunt is organised through a licensed agency, which arranges the quota, the permits and the Ministry official who comes with you. You can bring your own rifle: it is recorded on a temporary entry permit when you arrive, and it has to leave Turkey with you. Tell us early which rifle you plan to bring.

Plan Your Hunt in Turkey

Quotas are few and are sold before the season starts, so the earlier you get in touch, the better. Tell us the species, your dates and how many are in your party, and we will put the trip together. Contact us to start planning.

Species: Bezoar Ibex, Wild Boar, Anatolian Chamois, Red Deer, Roe Deer