TAJIKISTAN: Tajikistan Marco Polo Hunt November 2018

[AnakKampuang]

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Here’s the mount. If you look closely, you can pick out my North American Grand Slam with two rams that make the All-time B&C book and two that make the Awards book.

Love those full body mounts. congrats on the North American Grand Slam too, it's a personal goal of mine too.

 

[375Fox]

That’s a beautiful mount. My Dad has taken two and I think it’s really unfortunate he didn’t go full body mount like yours. He had a much better experience on the hunt though, he was able to recover his sheep,ibex, and wolf in person both times and shots were less than 400 yards. He said it was best hunting experience he ever had, but elevation really took a toll on him.

 

[Philip Glass]

Scott who was your outfitter?
Very nice trophy room!
Philip

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Congratulations on an incredible animal. Sounds like these hunts are just as much against the guides as against the elements and terrain. Thoroughly enjoyed your report. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott who was your outfitter?
Very nice trophy room!
Philip

The outfitter was Yuri Matison near Lake Karakul.

 

[JanP]

Really strange those guides as Yuri Matison has quite a good reputation. He hunted a lot with Hossein "Soudi" Golabchi and even has an Argali subspecies named after him.
In 1996 I hunted with him at the Fetchenko glacier to take my first Ibex.

 

[Scott CWO]

Yes, I met Soudi several times at the sheep hunting conventions. As you probably know, he has passed away.

Marco Polo hunting is Tajikistan is a high volume business so the guides are in a rush.

 

[JanP]

Hi Scott, I took my Marco Polo in 2002, times were different then!
Like you I am a GSCO member, with a World Slam on Sheep and a Super Twenty on Capra. My last Argali was in 2012, 60 years old . No car involved!

 

[Scott CWO]

Hi Scott, I took my Marco Polo in 2002, times were different then!
Like you I am a GSCO member, with a World Slam on Sheep and a Super Twenty on Capra. My last Argali was in 2012, 60 years old . No car involved!

While I’ve guided a lot of sheep hunts here, I will probably never hunt as many myself as you. My hat is off to you! I booked my son for his first Dall’s sheep hunt in the Yukon but due to COVID, we’ve been delayed until 2023. My next and maybe last sheep will probably be a Himalayan Blue sheep from Nepal. Too bad China remains closed. While I love sheep hunting, I also want to get a polar bear and finish my Big Five so I probably won’t achieve a World Slam.

 

[JanP]

My hunt for Blue Sheep was in 2011 in Nepal, flew from Kathmandu to Dorpathan and then walked for 6 days to get into the hunting area. Two days of scouting, and on day three we connected with a
group , one of them I took,it was a 28 inch ram. then 6 days back.
This was the finest hunt my wife and I ever did. We plan to go back, if Covid permits, in 2022 for Tahr. I will be 70 then.
Pakistan has stronger Blue Sheep and the hunting there is just as exotic!

 

[Scott CWO]

My hunt for Blue Sheep was in 2011 in Nepal, flew from Kathmandu to Dorpathan and then walked for 6 days to get into the hunting area. Two days of scouting, and on day three we connected with a
group , one of them I took,it was a 28 inch ram. then 6 days back.
This was the finest hunt my wife and I ever did. We plan to go back, if Covid permits, in 2022 for Tahr. I will be 70 then.
Pakistan has stronger Blue Sheep and the hunting there is just as exotic!

Congratulations! Yes, I have heard about the long hikes to camp in Nepal. What do you know about the Blue Sheep in Pakistan? I know they are being hunted there but I haven't looked into Pakistan yet. By stronger do you mean the population is higher? I think Pakistan is more risky from a safety standpoint but I have a friend who has hunted there three times.

I would also like to get a Blanford Urial so maybe Pakistan is a place to get both on one trip, but different areas. I know they have Punjab Urial but I prefer the Blanford.

 

[JanP]

The Blue Sheep in Pakistan is stronger, bodywise. But I have the impression there are less. You would have to hike a few days there too, but the altitude is less. About 3.300m, whereas in Nepal we crossed 5.000 m. The Blue sheep are hunted in the Hunza region, in the North. A real adventure!
The Urials are hunted real close to Karachi. Calculate one day for this hunt, it is an easy one.
I hunted with Kaiser Khan, a local outfitter from Rawalpindi.