We are sitting here at the airport in Istanbul
waiting to catch the flight to Dushanbe then onto camp

Customs and gun procedures were extremely easy

Will try to post updates as the hunt progresses

The first group finished their Marco Polo hunt in a few days

Cannot wait to get there

Can't wait to here about your trip. What a thrill it must be to see and hunt such a great ram, good luck.

Good luck Kathi!

Best of luck to you both, Kathi. Hopefully this will be a fantastic hunt and hunting conditions are favorable.

Been waiting for you guys to post something. How is the weather there and are ya'll going to spend a day touring before heading for your hunt? Looking forward to some pics and hunting reports. Hope you guys knock down a monster ibex and Marco.

Istanbul was a great city to visit. We are now waiting this morning in Dushanbe to leave for camp.

The Aga Khan is coming to Tajikistan and there are thousands of pilgrims here. Our rifles have been held and CANNOT be taken into camp because of government security reasons regarding the visit. We will have to borrow camp rifles. Some of the hunters are not too happy.

The first group of four hunters shot out in two days, 53-57 inches. They saw hundreds of sheep.

The weather in Dushanbe is in the 60s. At camp they have had a snow storm blow in so the sheep should be driven lower according to the guides.

The one hunter we spoke to from Louisiana said he took his sheep at 16,740 feet as there was no snow when he was hunting.

Will try to post updates and thanks for the encouragement.

Kathi,

Good luck and good hunting to you both!

Kathi,

I can't wait to hear the rest of the story. Keep us posted.

Doug

Good luck Kathi!!

We are back in Dushanbe!!!!!

33 hour ride into camp
29 hour ride out

We were in the Hot Springs camp. Six Marco Polo sheep shot in two days plus my ibex. Sheep are everywhere.

My husband shot a 55 1/2 by 55, 15 inch bases

My ibex was 38 1/2 x 38 1/2, estimated to be 9 years old. Very demanding hunt.

We did NOT use the diamox and suffered a little headache and sinus trouble. Nothing serious.

The guides were EXTREMELY nice and never mentioned a tip. An hour into the Marco Polo hunt they apologized for not asking how big a sheep my husband wanted.


Will post entire report and photos whenever we get back.

Thanks for all your words of encouragement!!!!

55"?? That's huge!! Tell him congrats for me. And congrats to you also. VERY nice ibex. All in two days - outstanding. Can't wait to hear more details. Have a safe flight back, get some rest and then let's hear all the details and post some pics.
Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Congratulations Kathi and Rick!!! Sounds like a great hunt and fantastic animals.

Can't wait to hear all about it, read the hunt report and see the photos!

Dave

Kathi,

That's outstanding news and you certainly didn't waste any time! We'll look forward to a complete report with pictures but well done all around!

Travel safely and bask in the glow of a very successful hunt.

Way to go Kathi and Rick, sounds like a good time. Look forward to seeing the photos when you get home.

Have a safe trip home.

Byron

Booking Agent: Bob Kern, Hunting Consortium
Area hunted: Murgab region, Tajikistan
Camp: Hot Springs
Rifle: Borrowed Remington 700 rifle
Caliber: 7mm Remington Magnum
Game: Marco Polo sheep and ibex
Guides:Osmonov Daniar and Kazier Rahman
Hunting Driver: Satarov Kahybeck
Airline: Turkish Air


We left Chicago on October 26th with Mike, another hunter from Reno. After arriving in Istanbul, we spent a day and a half sightseeing.

On Wednesday evening, we left Istanbul for Dushanbe. At that time, we met two other hunters from South Africa that would be joining our hunting party. After arriving in Dushanbe, we waited a few hours for our visas and were subsequently taken to the Hotel Tajikistan. We were told we would depart for camp on Friday, October 31st. Later that evening, the interpretor Anatoly Yanochkin and Hunting Consortium representative Anatoly Ezemin met with the group with the bad news that no one would be allowed to take their rifles to camp as the Aga Khan was coming to Tajikistan. As expected, some of the hunters were quite upset over this as we would now use borowed camp rifles.

We met two gentlemen from Spain at the hotel who would be joining our caravan to the Murgab region. They would be staying in another camp.

On Friday afternoon, we left the hotel by vehicle as the country was in upheaval over the imminent arrival of the Aga Khan. The flights to Khorog were booked by pilgrims.

Finally at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, November 2, we arrived at the Hot Springs Camp. We were originally scheduled to go to the New Camp, but the sheep movement dictated a change.

After a few hours sleep, we had breakfast and sighted in the borrowed rifle. After about an hour, the guides apologized for not asking how big a sheep my husband, Rick wanted. They never mentioned anything about a tip. Several bands of females and young sheep were spotted. The guides observed a group of rams and the stalk began with them closing to within 300 yards. The sheep were moving up the mountain and my husband would be the first to admit, he blew the shot. He did not lead the ram enough, and caught the ram's hip raking forward into the body. The ram staggered and was limping badly . There was a heavy blood trail and the guides decided to go back to camp and give the ram time to stiffen up. After returning in a few hours, the dead ram was quickly located and the entire body was retrieved off the mountain.

All four hunters took their sheep on the first day.


Early the next morning, we left for ibex. After spotting several herds, a good male ibex was located in a large group. The guides were sure the ibex were feeding in a basin on the other side of the mountain ridge. We began to climb up the mountain side and it was getting more difficult due to the lack of oxygen and the steep climb. I was having difficulty breathing and began to vomit due to the exertion. The guides said I could slow down as the ibex were not going anywhere. Eventually we reached the top of the mountain slope and in the basin was the large group (approximately 50) ibex. Video was taken of the group and the large male was identified. The guides asked Rick what the range was and to everyone's surprise, including Rick, no one brought a rangefinder. Rick guessed 350 yards, and the two guides guessed 400 yards. The rifle had a bi-pod and I had a solid prone position rest. I held over the back of the ibex and fired. The ibex was hit hard and fled with the group, quickly slowing down. I fired again, just knicking the brisket. The ibex fell dead in the open basin. The guides began cheering "Kate,Kate,Kate". I was very excited and will always treasure that hunt. After photos and gutting, we loaded the ibex in the truck and returned to camp. After many congratulations by the camp staff, the ibex was skinned out for mounting.

At camp, we were told the roads would be closed due to the Aga Khan's arrival in Khorog and we must leave NOW!!!! We got into the trucks and unfortunately broke down. Two Tajiks on their way home from China, picked us up and drove us to Khorog. Eventually we made it back to Dushanbe.

I will have pictures posted later. Thanks for all your encouragement and advice prior to the hunt.

Tajikistan is an amazing place, with incredible mountain ranges and wildlife. This is a very difficult hunt not only due to altitude and terrain but because of the logistics involving travel to and from the hunting area. If you do decide to make this journey, it will stay with you forever. I will never forget the snow covered Pamir mountains in the early morning sunrise.I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to see this place.

Pictures for Kathi:









Congratulations to both of you!

Now where's the picture of your ibex?

Oops -- here it is:

Great! Big congratulations to you and your husband!
That is an unbelievable success and in such a short time!
Hard to understand why you were not allowed to use your own rifle.

Maybe they told you to leave before the Aga Khan`s arriving simply because the Aga Khan wanted to hunt Marco Polo Sheep in the same area...or they organized a big driven hunt for him.

Color me jealous! That is fantastic. Huge congrats to you both.

Great story and report. heading to Kyrgz this thursday for ibex. Will waterproof dry bag work ok for transporting animal back to the states. Any input would be much thanks. again congrats.

donutzak,

Good luck on your hunt!!! Our trophies will be shipped at a later date due to the requirement that a C.I.T.E.S. permit must be issued by Russia for the Marco Polo sheep.

No one was allowed to take their trophies home as baggage.

Great pictures! Congrats Rick and Kathi.

Thanks for posting the photos and the hunting report.

Dave

Hello Kathi

Congratulations to you and your husband on a terrific adventure and two great trophies

Regards
Aziz

Way to go, Kathi and Rick!

What a trip!

Congrats on your successful hunt and your fine trophies.

Kathi & Rick,

Thank you for a keeping us informed of your hunt progress and congratulations on two outstanding trophies. If not the trip of a lifetime, it must be very, very close!

Per your signature, you two are definitely reading the world from cover to cover!

WTG Kathi! Congrats on the fine trophies.

Wow what a cool trip and adventure that was! One of those trips where you are not sure how it will turn out... twists, turns, highs and lows but in the end two great trophies and memories you will never forget... congrats!

Congrats Kathi! Looks like a great hunt!

Thanks for sharing, I sure hope I can go some day!

Holy Moly, what a pair of trophies! Congrats to you and Rick, Kathi. That has to be a trip of trips! Fantastic! I hope we get to see many more pics.
David

Kat: Congrats on your hunt. Now, how about a report on your bgan unit. ease of sat acquisition, voice quality, dropped calls, did you send email or just copy email sent to you.
Cheers, BGC

Congratulations Rick and Kathi!!!

What an intense hunt! Sounds like you hit the ground running and didn't let up until you were back out of Tajikistan!

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
Now where's the picture of your ibex?

Oops -- here it is:

You act like its cold or something in that picture. Serioulsy though congratulations.

WoW, what a dream hunt
Congrads

Excellent pics. Thanks for posting.

Excellent! Congrats to both of you and thanks a lot for sharing! I need to do this sometime..

Kathi and Rick - Congratulations to you both!! Those are two great trophies. What a great adventure!! I'm so glad you drew the tags and were able to experience the trip of a lifetime.

Reading your report brought back some great memories. I recognized Daniar in the picture as he was one of my guides as well.

Great trophies Kathi!! Looks like ya'll had a great hunt for sure.

Kathi, congratulatios on a great trip. Marcopolo hunt in Tajikistan is for sure an adventure of a life time, welldone.

Congratulations Kathi

Splendid trophies. And not easy at all to get, perfect shape is paramount I suppose.

I am very tempted by Kazakstan but I am afraid that it could be so trying?

Trophies of a lifetime definitely.