Headed to Tajikistan Dec 18 Any last minute tips?

[hoguer]

I am 2 weeks out from a Mid Asian Ibex hunt in Tajikistan with Neal and Brownlee, LLC and while im very happy with the pre trip information and gear list Mr. Brownlee has provided, I wanted to reach out to hear from some of the members who may have enjoyed a similar hunt and any little nuggets you can share about your trip and what you may have wished you had taken with you in retrospect?

 

[johnnyblues]

Can’t off any advice, just wanted to wish you luck and can’t wait to see your pictures.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hunted Kyrgyzstan for MidAsian Ibex. I am going to assume you will be in a cabin of some sort and not a tent in December! It will be high altitude and cold though regardless. Your outfitter should have a packing list so that’s for starters. What altitude will you hunt at? Diamox kept me from getting sick hunting up to 13000’. Be in shape because the high altitude kicked my butt being from TX.
Best of luck and look forward to the report.
Regards,
Philip

 

[hoguer]

@Philip Glass we will be staying in Yurts or hested trailers depending on the hunting ground that they settle on. Yes, our outfitter supplied a detailed packing list as stated in the original post, I was interested to hear if anyone had annything special they didnt plan on needing that they were glad they packed or wished they had packed.
I already have my Diamox and antibiotics for just in case, and I am fairly physically fit, but I am sure I am not going to be running up any mountains while we are there being that I live and exercise at about 500' but that is just a reality I have to accept.

 

[gillettehunter]

Be sure that you have good boots that are broken in. Top quality socks, preferably a poly liner sock and then another heavier outer sock. If your taking a sleeping bag make sure its rated way higher than what you think you need. A great hat will help keep you warm. Good gloves are another must have.
I've been to Kyrg 2 times. For a hot drink they have strong green tea. If you want something different then take it with you as well as a good thermos. Make sure you have a good range finder that you know how to use. If possible be familiar with shooting your rifle to 500 plus yards. The air is much thinner at 12,000 feet so your bullet drops more slowly. Some ballistic rangefinders have software to figure drops for you. Do not trust them until you have verified the solutions.
Take a small kit with you for rifle/scope repair. When you arrive check your 100 yd zero and then try to check at 5-600 yards. Take a good small lens cleaning kit. Use it on binos, scopes and spotting scopes daily. Can't shoot what you can't see. Have the best glass that you can afford. Take 2 pairs of binos. You guide may ask to borrow yours. Happened to me.
If you get your animals be sure and bring him back with you. DO NOT leave without him or your expenses go way up and the chances of getting him home drop substancially. I'm sure I'll think of more but thats a few off the top of my head.
Bruce

 

[Philip Glass]

Ditto Bruce @gillettehunter on the good glass on these trips. I’d get the swaro or Leica binos with rangefinder in them. I have the swaros but am tempted to get the Leicas as well. On these Asian mountain hunts you should bring a top quality spotting scope as well. On my ibex hunt the swaro spotting scope was used often and helped make the decision which mountain to climb! My Sitka backpack has a special place for the spotting scope and that was helpful. Bruce also mentioned an extra pair of binos for your guide and this is a great idea. My guide had old binos like my dad had back in the early ‘80’s!
Have fun,
Philip

 

[Hogpatrol]

Do you guys subscribe to Global Rescue and take a Sat phone?

 

[gillettehunter]

Do you guys subscribe to Global Rescue and take a Sat phone?

Now I sure would. Not a place to travel to and skimp on insurance..
Bruce

 

[hoguer]

We have our binocs and 2 new sets of binoculars for the guides, nothing crazy for them just some $200 bushnells that we plan on leaving with them as gifts. I have a quality spotting scope and LRF. We have global rescue and i purchased a sat phone and plenty of data. 0deg sleeping bag and lots of socks. The drink suggestion is great, ill pack some instant coffee. Fortunately all of the other mentioned items so far were on our packing list. We will be buying luggage in Dushanbe and packing our trophies on the plane ride home with us.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Will your schedule allow you to have a day or two to get acclimated to the altitude? When I go elk hunting, where we hunt 5,000 to 9500 ft, I have found that it really helps to spend a day in Bozeman, especially since I am coming from sea level. Since you'll be hunting at seriously high altitude, acclimatizing would seem to be almost a requirement.

 

[hoguer]

Yes the first day will be spent at base camp acclimating and i will be taking Diamox as well

 

[rafaellinne]

How was the hunt?

 

[hoguer]

Very interesting as soon as I get a moment I’ll post my trip report. 36 pages in the journal over the trip. Since then I’ve been to Argentina hunting and am currently sitting in SFO about to depart to NZ for a hunt as well. I have a lot of catching up to do.

 

[RogerHeintzman]

I'll be off to Kyrgyzstan in October for Ibex. I will be off to Namibia in June for leopard.
I wait your report on the Ibex.

 

[jacques smith]

Awaiting report as well. I owe a bunch of them. Roger did u take Marco Polo off your list?
Jacques

 

[enysse]

Can’t wait to hear the hunt report!

 

[LivingTheDream]

Very interesting as soon as I get a moment I’ll post my trip report. 36 pages in the journal over the trip. Since then I’ve been to Argentina hunting and am currently sitting in SFO about to depart to NZ for a hunt as well. I have a lot of catching up to do.

Stop letting hunting get in the way of your hunt reports, some of us are living vicariously through them

In all seriousness good luck in NZ! Look forward to reading your report(s)!

 

[harden]

I'll be off to Kyrgyzstan in October for Ibex. I will be off to Namibia in June for leopard.
I wait your report on the Ibex.

Glad your going to Kry for your Ibex , They Average much larger than Taj both have Mid Asain but the horns coming out of Kry always bigger than Taj. from what we see every year.

 

[Kopskoot]

We will be buying luggage in Dushanbe and packing our trophies on the plane ride home with us.

This is quite interesting. I have just booked myself a hunt in Kyrgystan for Nov 2020 for Ibex and Argali, and would like find out more about this.

Didn’t know one could do that. Do the airlines and customs allow wet skins ? Thought they need to dried and processed..... which they were obviously not after a 10 day hunt?

I would definitely want to do the same, but I assume there will be a bit of red tape!

Please do share, how, what and where

 

[hoguer]

This is quite interesting. I have just booked myself a hunt in Kyrgystan for Nov 2020 for Ibex and Argali, and would like find out more about this.

Didn’t know one could do that. Do the airlines and customs allow wet skins ? Thought they need to dried and processed..... which they were obviously not after a 10 day hunt?

I would definitely want to do the same, but I assume there will be a bit of red tape!

Please do share, how, what and where

Head was boiled and clean, and the skin was salted and “hard” as any other capes I’ve received from international hunts.
0 issues checking it as luggage, going through customs and just make sure you make an appointment for Fish and Game to come and “inspect” your trophy and paperwork. In SF the f&g rep literally has no idea what he was supposed to do. He asked me if I had the correct forms and what he was supposed to do, I told him I did (and showed them all to him, with a blank stare) and he said “ j think I’m supposed to take this in?” And I told him I was informed I was clear to take it home after inspection and he said OK and I walked out to my car with my trophy back in the bag.
If you are hunting Argali the rules might be slightly different due to the CITES status of the sheep. Your hunt broker or host should be more than up to date on US requirements for importation of your trophies after shelling out that much dough. Obviously, I would suggest you listen to their guidance or hire a trophy import specialist to help you with the process. To bring my Ibex home it simply cost me the extra piece of luggage (which Turkish absolutely took advantage of me on.)