Beretta Gallery Expeditions

Steve Barasch and Bill Schaefer with trophy class Fallow deer.

Chamois Hunting in Romania with Beretta Expeditions   
By Steven Weiss

It began with a casual conversation. It was Hungary in September of 2003 and I was sitting with my long time friend and hunting companion Peter L. Horn II of Beretta Expeditions, Antol (Toni) Török of Pannovad, our Hungarian outfitter, and old friend and fellow hunter, Dr. Marinos Petratos. We had finished a successful driven boar shoot and were enjoying a cold beer and good conversation. The subject turned to neighboring Romania and the possibility of hunting there, especially for chamois, a trophy generally not available in Hungary. As this was on of the few trophies needed to complete my Eastern European collection, I said immediately, “Count me in!”

In their usual fashion, Peter and Toni made it happen. A few months and phone calls later it was all arranged. Before I knew it, it was September 2004 and I was on my way to Romania with old friends and veterans of many Beretta Expeditions, Bill Schafer and Martin Parker. Also joining us were Chris Wyatt and Steven Barasch. Dr. Petratos would join us later in the trip.

We began with superb Fallow deer hunting in the farm country of Southwestern Romania. Each member of the group collected an excellent trophy (including two gold medals). As always, the guides and accommodations were first rate.

From there it took a full day of travel to get us to our next location in south central Romania at the foot of the Transylvanian Alps. Arriving late at night, we had no clue of what to expect. I knew that we would be hunting Chamois in the mountains and that some climbing would be required, but I had not anticipated the grueling hunt that lay ahead. The next morning we were up at 4:30AM and after tea and bread it was into the trucks for the ride to the base of the mountains. Looking up at the 8,000 plus foot peaks, I said casually to Bill Schaefer, if the Chamois are up there, they’re staying up there.

Nonetheless, at 6:00AM the long climb began. We split up into separate parties and my guide and I began working our way up through the steep, thick pine forests— slow but steady hard work. As we broke out into the high ridges, it was clearer, but even steeper and the footing more treacherous. The views were breathtaking. At about 9:30AM we neared the top, stopping periodically to glass the ridge tops for our elusive prey. It was then, almost magically, that a small group of Chamois appeared on the opposite crest some 1,000 yards away. Silhouetted against the now bright sunlight was a large male with his dark sharply curved horns.

My guide devised the perfect stalk and with in an hour we were in perfect position about 500 yards away as the animals grazed slowly down toward us. But as is often the case with best-laid plans, the shifting mountain winds changed revealing our scent and the chamois promptly disappeared over the crest.

We spent the next several hours traversing the mountain tops, glassing and stalking. At about 4:30PM in the afternoon we finally, with great difficulty, crawled into range of another good group of Chamois. After studying the group, we selected the best trophy and after a 250 plus yard shot, while wedged into the side of the mountain to try to keep from skidding off, this elusive trophy was mine.

I took another three or four hours to pack out the animal and make the laborious descent down the mountain. The mixed feelings of elation and exhaustion are something I will never forget. It was truly a fabulous and memorable hunt.

Amazingly, all members of our group managed to collect a Chamois. All in all, another great Beretta expedition.