Markhor....what's the big deal?

[MartyJ]

Wasn't questioning your judgement, experience or courage. I thank you for the hard work and sacrifices you obviously have made. I won't ever hunt a Markhor, but it will be an issue of expense, rather than location. I really do intend to hunt a Mid-Asian Ibex. That hunt likely will take place in the Stans. And no, Pakistan would not be a first destination choice as an American hunter.

I don't believe I mentioned danger. I haven't worked narcotics in the big city, but I suspect I have logged as much time as anyone here in the Middle East, and I had an interesting and varied military career. But let's look at that danger thing a moment. Your profile indicates you have been to Namibia. I assume that meant racing up country on gravel roads at eighty miles an hour? I wonder what and where the real highest odds of injury or death are - somewhere east of Cairo or a rolled Toyota Land Cruiser? And, of course, Zimbabwe doesn't strike me as the most stable destination in the world. And as recent posts have indicated, J'burg is looking ever iffier as an off airport excursion.

We all play this game of hunters' roulette when we travel to the Third World (with apologies to friends in the RSA). Bush planes, automobiles, second rate airlines, thugs, and upset buff and leopards. I am not sure the Asian table stakes are any worse - just different. But you are correct that neither the accommodations nor food will likely be as good.

I guess you've been to Namibia too. Yeah, my PH scared me half to death with his driving. We crested a hill and went down the back side and I was terrified.
Bosnia was another depressing place. Except for one fox and a couple of rabbits, totally devoid of game. You didn't venture into the woods because of all the land mines. But, funny observation, never seen a dead dog on the side of the road, but every weekend I'd see them. I was there during SFOR.
Afghanistan with 10th mountain.
Jo'berg before and numerous times after apartheid.
And I'm married for the second time. So you see, I've had my share of danger.

 

[Red Leg]

I guess you've been to Namibia too. Yeah, my PH scared me half to death with his driving. We crested a hill and went down the back side and I was terrified.
Bosnia was another depressing place. Except for one fox and a couple of rabbits, totally devoid of game. You didn't venture into the woods because of all the land mines. But, funny observation, never seen a dead dog on the side of the road, but every weekend I'd see them. I was there during SFOR.
Afghanistan with 10th mountain.
Jo'berg before and numerous times after apartheid.
And I'm married for the second time. So you see, I've had my share of danger.

Made into Sarajevo well after the worst of it. Like you, pretty much restricted to roads. Both military and business, spent quite a bit of time in Romania and Hungary. Intend to go back there hunting. Same fabulous countryside without all the remnants of a civil war - just bad communist architecture crowding out the Baroque. I think I have been everywhere in the Gulf except Iran. Mostly with passport in hand - several times without. Back in the late eighties took wife and kids to Yemen for Christmas to visit a fellow MILAT and old friend. Sanaa had the damnedest souk I have ever seen. Could buy everything from an anti-tank gun to an artifact dating to Sheba. Whole place was high on Khat from early afternoon to mid-evening.

So bring that trophy wife down to Texas. I'm still on my first so I know you have seen more close combat than I have. Would love to buy you a drink.

 

[MartyJ]

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha, I may just take you up on that.

 

[edward]

isnt this site the best?you bet.

 

[gizmo]

@gizmo???

Heck ya, if I had that kind of $$$$ I'd hunt markhor.
And yes I got the joke. All I have to say it gets pretty cold up here in the winter.

 

[johnnyblues]

i like the looks of the markhor,but not enough to spend that kind of money on a hunt in its country, also at 78 and being battery powered dont think i could make it up the hill.this statement is not to open a fence or no fence discussion,thats been beat to dust and the horse aint getting up,just my thought,if i wanted a markhor i would probably go to the indian head ranch in texas and take one there,in 2004 they were going for about 10,000.00.they have about ten thousand acres of open land that looks a lot like africa.sad to say but at my age that kind of operation might be the best i can do sooner than later,and no,i wont give up hunting until im dead.

Bravo Ed.

 

[gizmo]

Thing about Markhor that I do like is that they are one of the few animals of that super exotic type that can we can hunt here in Texas cheaper than in their home country. Don't get me wrong they are still expensive but it is still a significant savings over hunting them over there. I get calls of people wanting to sell some to me to bring onto my ranch every now and again. I haven't spent the money on them as I haven't had a lot of interest in them.
The latest is two massive Sambar deer. One should be the new SCI #1 and the other will be top 10 SCI probably top 5. I'd like to bring them in but hell I'd have to sell the big one for 18k and the smaller one for about 14K to make anything off of them. I guess price is relative crap like that generally goes for 30k+ for #1's and top 5's but my client base doesn't typically include people that have that kind of disposable income.

 

[gizmo]

As far as Markhor go I can do hunts for them all in for around 13-15k depending on how big you wanna go. This would be a 3-4 year old Billy who would score nicely. Top ten animals would cost about the same as your average Porsche probably idk, never looked at a SCI top ten Markhor.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Hunting them on your lot might be extremely tough, I think. If only one or two were out there it'd be that needle/haystack thing. Doable, but the odds wouldn't balance in the Hunter's favor.

I could be wrong...

 

[gizmo]

Hunting them on your lot might be extremely tough, I think. If only one or two were out there it'd be that needle/haystack thing. Doable, but the odds wouldn't balance in the Hunter's favor.

I could be wrong...

it would certainly be very challenging but we'd get it done. Markhor billies are pretty solitary for the most part anyway. Even if there were a crap load they'd break up.
The Sambar like thick cover so they'd be pretty challenging also.

 

[johnnyblues]

If god ever allows me the opportunity to go back to New Zealand sambar are top of my list. Already taken thar , chamois,fallow and red stag there, they and possibly a big Sika deer would round off hunting that country nicely. Even hunting a markhor in Texas would be something.

 

[Philip Glass]

Thanks for the tip on Jim's show. Had not seen that one yet. Pulled it up and watched it last night. What an incredible experience.

It really was one of the best. The other one being the Russia Sheep hunt. If anyone knows how to find old episodes of Uncharted please let me know. I am still trying to find his Kyrgyzstan Ibex hunt show because I was at the same camp on my hunt. The intro shows a clip or two of it but I've never seen the whole episode.
Philip

 

[Slider]

Markhor are one of the Holy Grail animals. It isn't just about the animal, it's also about the Adventure!!! I'm headed to Kyrgyzstan in 6 weeks for Mid Asian Ibex!!!

 

[LivingTheDream]

Good luck @Slider

 

[gizmo]

where? would like to make that hunt......

I have aoudad and big ones. I am high fenced but it's not your typical Texas high fenced operation and there are free range herds of aoudad all over my part of Texas. I don't do the "free range" hunts because the land owners around me that have them either drink a lot more than I do or are convinced Aoudad crap gold nuggets. My place is just as rugged and tough as my neighbors who have them "free range". I'm about 1k cheaper and it's the same experience. Your hunting aoudad in parts of my ranch like this.

 

[MartyJ]

Best of luck on your Ibex hunt. I certainly hope that you have easy flights and smooth connections.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Best of luck on your Ibex hunt. I certainly hope that you have easy flights and smooth connections.

It's more at a drooling stage than a planning stage. I'll have to decide, with the intel, if it's responsible enough to do that hunt with the prospect of medical school on the horizon. My GPA will probably be the final decider...


Oh. Whoops! I hadn't seen the other post about going after one so soon!

Much agreed though. I hope it all runs smoothly, @Slider

 

[MartyJ]

Hmmmm, needless to say, medical school is awesome.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

I'm still hopeful I can get there, but my brain doesn't lean near as well as it used to. The last 3 classes have been Cs, and not helping the overall. I may never get selected at all

 

[Slider]

Thanks