well in two days time i leave for turkey and then onto tajikistan for a marco polo sheep - i am not sure that there can be anything more different from what i am used to guiding - big game up close in hot low lying areas of africa , i will be based at 14000 feet in cold snowy mountains expecting to take a very long shot at a sheep !

its been an interesting journey so far - preparing oneself mentally and physically for such an expedition - it has truly made me very very much more aware of what a north american or european hunter goes through in the planning and preparation for a trip to africa-

just this excercise has made me re-evaluate the information and explanations that i give to people who have booked safaris through us - sometimes when one is very very familiar with what one is selling or the experience one is providing you can take it for granted that the people booking will have a certain level of comfort and its not always so ...

i almost feel that every african outfitter should book at least one guided hunt on a different continent to what they know and i think that after that experience their info and pre-hunt planning details will certainly be improved - i know mine has already !!

i spent three days at the SAAM shooting school getting to know my long range rifle (i am taking a ruger in 300 win mag), and i am very very pleased for the lessons and practice - i have been shooting for most of my life but never really had a formal lesson - i was good to about 350 yards when i arrived, by the time i left i was significantly more proficient -to distances far far in excess of 350 yards -

yes the learning curve never stops and this excercise has been excellent in learning what info to provide , what services to recommend and most important to keep in mind not to take for granted the finer details of the services we provide.

Good luck!

Good luck Ivan - stay safe and have fun!!

Ivan - I did this hunt in 2007 and it is still one of my most memorable. (My post from 2007 is below) It is truly an adventure in travel. Seeing those magnificent Marco Polo Argali on the mountain is something I will never forget. Have a great time and good shooting.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...26108036/m/720109597



Doug

Good luck Ivan, it will be an interesting experience for you.

Thank you Ivan for seeing & understanding the needs of a traveling hunter.
Please use segments of your shows to give more info on what we need when traveling abroad.
You're a good man.

thanks for the compliment bwana , heres the issue with including it in the shows , we are allocated so little actual time and it would eat into hunting time , we plan on doing a youtube and video series of what to take and what to expect on an african safari though that will we hope be well recieved ...

Good luck Ivan. Lots of pictures and full report upon return. Mountain hunting is probably the most difficult and physically demanding hunt out there IMHO. I am afraid my days are done but I can sure enjoy hearing others experiences. Who did you book with?

Good hunting Ivan... keep the wind in your face!

Wow, about as radically different as you can get from shooting elephants. I have done both, and i must say, it is a tough choice between the two. If you love the mountains you will really enjoy the marco polo. I know you will enjoy the entire experience, hunting, culture, food....
Good you spent time at SAAM, it will pay off. Mine was at 556yds, saw some in the 300 plus, but not big rams. The air will be a bit thinner than what you are used to. So when you get behind the rifle be careful of your pulse, you will see the crosshairs moving with pulse. Quite often your guide will run up a hill and expect you to be right behind him and then make the shot, he may have no idea you are about ready to pass out. So just move at your pace. No sense in getting there and then not be able to make precise shot.

Enjoy the experience, be aware it may be addicting

How disappointing...I was all set to read about "Hunting Marco Polo with the Double Rifle."

Best of luck!
Dave

Ivan,
Best of luck to you. Don't imagine you will be packing shorts or sandals on this trip! Please share your insights with us after your trip concerning what it's like to be a client on a trip so radically different from what you are used to.

thanks for the good wishes and advice people , will most certainly keep you up to date on progress , i have booked the trip through shikar safaris -

BTW i did contemplate using my heym 300win mag double , but its a significantly heavier rifle and at 15000 plus feet every ounce matters !!

Best of luck Ivan. I hope all your huffing and puffing produces a fine Marco...

Ivan, for a PH, going on a completely different hunt is the equivalent of a post-doctorate. It is both humbling and illuminating to have to ask where the animal is, or to be the guy slowing things up, or to have the guide offer to carry your rifle in order to speed things up.
Having just returned from Kyrgyzstan last week it is still fresh in my mind.
Have a great trip.

Ivan,
It is the true mark of the professional to put themselves in their client's shoes. Congratulations to you for taking this step of seeing things from your customer's perspective. If more PH's were this serious about the services that they offer we would see far fewer dust ups over safaris gone bad.
You da man!

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Ivan,
It is the true mark of the professional to put themselves in their client's shoes. Congratulations to you for taking this step of seeing things from your customer's perspective. If more PH's were this serious about the services that they offer we would see far fewer dust ups over safaris gone bad.
You da man!

How true! Well said..

Wish you all the best. I look forward to reading your hunt report.

BTW - I have read Phil's hunt reports for MP sheep, Turkish Ibex & Bharal. really intersting perspectives.

Ivan- Best of luck! Like the others, I'm looking forward to reading a thorough post about the experience. Oh, and BTW: "Cold" at those altitudes will probably be a bit different then you're used to!

Not quite up to what you are doing but a solo,pack in, high country, Mt Goat hunt I did last year. The Mountains will test your resolve, it's a mental game as well as a brutal physical game.

I've been guiding off and on for years in North America and well remember my first experience as a client in Africa. It is a perspective changer for sure. I've learned a lot from you guys it's made me a better hunter and guide and I'm sure you'll find the same to be true.

PS

One of the most difficult technical aspects of a solo goat hunt is working out the self timer on your camera!!

Dear Ivan

You are going to notice the difference in height.

The elevation is a killer.

Good luck and watch the up/down hill angles on long shots.

Regards Mark

Listen to your PH, especially about altitude sickness. You are very fit, I'm sure, but pay attention to your water. Travel, plane A/C and change in elevation are all stressors. Good man!

thanks for all the advice and well wishes people - its much appreciated and noted , yes i will most certainly post a detailed report on my return-

Ivan

Good hunting, and shoot straight.

a report and pictures would be nice when you return...

Drink fluids and stay sharp...

Ivan:

not sure how much steep angle shooting you did at that school, but having done a lot in AZ at long range, it can be tricky. Take a couple of "rock shots" if you get some time to see where you hit at high altitude at steep angles. The wind is definitely more tricky in the mountains IMO; what is doable on flat open ground is a lot harder when terrain impacts the wind.

I would also work out the corrections with the guide so nothing is lost in translation; you need to know if you are high or low, left or right, if you miss the first shot. I suspect a lot of these long range kills are not done with the first shot.

Good luck

thanks AAW- i have a leica rangemaster 1600b that has the angle compensator and if that doesnt work for some reason there are a few rules of the thumb that we employ with klipspringer hunting where you always feel like you are shooting very far and its always straight up or straight down ...

great advice on some practice calling the shots too , i have been working hard on the range at eliminating my flinch and carefully watching the bullet strike for exactly the reasons you describe - i appreciate your input thanks

Good luck Ivan. Be safe and have a wonderful time.

And you might want to pack a bit heavier than for Africa - don't think a couple of pairs of shorts, some short sleeve shirts and a pair of tackies will do from what I have read!

Best of luck and safe travels to you. Of course, we all expect a first rate hunt report with plenty of pictures upon your return.

quote:

Originally posted by ivan carter:
thanks AAW- i have a leica rangemaster 1600b that has the angle compensator and if that doesnt work for some reason there are a few rules of the thumb that we employ with klipspringer hunting where you always feel like you are shooting very far and its always straight up or straight down ...

great advice on some practice calling the shots too , i have been working hard on the range at eliminating my flinch and carefully watching the bullet strike for exactly the reasons you describe - i appreciate your input thanks

you shoot a double rifle and you are worried about flinch from a .300 Win Mag?? oh Lord, what is this world coming too
good luck, Godspeed and whack him hard!

You've gotten the best training there is for that trip. The SAAM boys are very proficient shooters themselves, and have great ability to teach other shooters to know and understand their limits.

Best of luck on that trip - the hunt is the easy part, getting there and living there while hunting are the test!

Ivan,

I hope your trip has been going well so far. However, I noticed the new information on your AR location being Africa/Texas/Bahamas. When did I miss the move to Texas. Oh, the Bahamas might not be that bad either...

Good luck Ivan. I too was hoping for a report on how the 600 handles Marco polo sheep. Just remember at 350 yards use the 300-yard blade and hold just a wee bit high.
Bill