Mid Asian Ibex outfiiters?

DoeNob

DoeNob

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I know several have been on this hunt and a couple on here are going soon. Looking at doing one this fall and just talked to several outfitters at the Dallas Safari Club.

Here's what I know:

High end - Caprinae, Shikar, Hunting Consortium, Asia Mountain Outfitters.

Cheaper - Outdoors International, Global Sporting Safaris, Links Wild Safaris, ProfiHunt.

Who else should I be talking to? I think I need to decide soon, I heard from a couple people the good ones will be booked by the Vegas SCI show - thanks for any help.
 
Stay away from Bryan Martin at Asian Mountain Outfitters. I went with him in Sept. The hunt was an illegal hunt. our hunting licence was for rabbits. we went thru a government check station going in but cut cross country going out to avoid the check station. our ibex were confiscated coming home. Bryan has done nothing to make things right.
 
Saddleman, sorry to hear about your trip but I thank you for coming on a public forum and posting facts.
My ibex trip to Kyrg went poorly as well. It seems like these hunts are filled with shady dealings.
What country did you hunt? Do you know who the outfitter in country was?

Nobody who books hunts over there actually is the outfitter within the country, everyone has a national citizen who they have partnered with. So eventually, even the booking agents are at the mercy of the actual outfitter. (I'm not making excuses here for anybody, just making a statement.)

DoeNob, do you have a country in mind that you want to hunt? The prices vary a lot between Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, as does expected trophy size. I believe the best way to go is get a group of four guys and demand the company sends a representative along with you. I wonder if any of the booking companies would do that if no one is hunting sheep though.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-10-17 AT 12:01PM (MST)[p]I have been told Khazakstan has current export problem so you can go shoot one there but may never see it again. That and the trophy area there is in a national park, which is essentially pay by the inch and I'm not interested in that.

Tajikistan animals are reportedly a little smaller, may be because all the Argali hunters get one also while they are there and the top end is not the same.

So Currently targeting Kyrgystan for best trophy quality potential without paying the $16k + to get into what they call "trophy" areas. I do not need a 50 inch one to be happy. A good representative with a nice curl in the 40-45 inch range and I will be extremely happy. That and making sure it gets home for a shoulder mount.

A lot of the red carpet style guys I mentioned are higher because they do send an interpreter/rep with you the entire duration of the hunt. Most have you met at the airport w/ one then dropped off at camp and from there you are hoping your "guides" speak enough functional english that you don't shoot the wrong animal. I'm not in love with that set up, and am contemplating spending the extra to make sure I have a full time interpreter.

Links has a group going at the start of the season in August to get first crack at them and will have a rep. Seriously contemplating that, however, not sure about the early dates....

TY for PM DC
 
Saddleman thanks for the info, that's disappointing. Sorry your trip was so sketchy. I talked to a hunting "celebrity" there at DSC and he swore up and down by AMO and said he wouldn't even consider anyone else....
 
Thanks for the comments. I only gave you the basic part of the trip. We were told we would have an interpreter with us but did not. The guides could not judge size and had no way to tell us what was big or small. They were great guys and keep us safe in the mountains. Bryan may take care of his high profile hunters but I am an average guy. there were so many other problems it would take a couple of hours to get them out.
 
I recently returned from Kyrgyzstan. Original I was just going for ibex but decided to "go all in" and went for Hume Argali as well. I was very satisfied with my outfitter. Mirbala Manafov of Extreme Mountain Hunts. But like said before they all use in country people. He uses Okchontoy. They seemed very well connected and reputable. The owners were 3 or 4 brothers. They met us at the airport along with Mirbala. Then as we traveled to the hunting area one of the brother and Mirbala came with us. They stayed in the main camp the whole time. The brothers were all high ranking police officials in Kyrgyzstan. The older brother was the retired police chief of Bishkek. That's when he started there hunting company.
At our base camp there was always 3 or 4 people that could speak english. However out on the mountain the individual guides usually only spoke very limited english.
In the end I never got an Ibex I believe it was mainly due to spending most of my time fighting terrible weather combined with making the sheep my priority. I will be back there at some point in time, and would use the same guys again.
Feel free to pm me with any questions
 
I guess what I mean in my previous post is, I'm not saying the other outfitters aren't good I just know the guys I went with are.

Mbogo, you still interested in Dagastan Tur. I think I'm gonna try to book something for late summer 2018 with Mirbala, let me know.
 
Yeah, lets talk about it when you get some numbers from him.
That is brutal country from what I hear.
Are you thinking the Sheki area?
 
340 WBY, I hope any hunts that you have booked through them have went well.
If you Google this company there are some "not so good" reports."

Here is a quote from someone that posted on another website regarding Blair Worldwide Hunting:

"My brother and I bought a Desert Sheep hunt for our father through Jeff Blair from Blair Worldwide Hunting for a Christmas present. Jeff Blair booked the hunt with Larry Heathington as the guide. After the entire hunt was paid for, which is common for prepayment according to Jeff Blair. Larry cancelled the hunt due to supposed health reasons. (We paid Blair Worldwide Hunting ? not Larry Heathington) When I called
Jeff Blair to have the hunt booked with another guide, his response was, ?I am like a travel agent and not responsible for cancelled flights.? Jeff kept all of his commission as the ?booking agent and not responsible for anything else? and wouldn't return a penny or help us with finding another guide. My brother and I have never received a phone call from Jeff, regarding anything about this hunt. He has made no effort of any kind to find another guide, re-book the hunt, nothing. Jeff Blair told my father, who has booked many hunts through Jeff, ?Welcome to the real world of hunting.? I understand that sometimes things go wrong, but for Jeff not to do the right thing, and at least return his commission, is totally unacceptable. I think if he treats his clients this way, they should find other booking agents that follow their clients until the hunt is finished. We paid a premium price for this hunt ($70,000), but we also were expecting premium services. I have learned that Jeff Blair from Blair Worldwide Hunting overcharges his clients and under delivers (by a long way). A total rip-off!! Never book through Blair Worldwide Hunting!"
 
>Blair Worldwide Outfitters.


Is that a joke? They may have the worst reviews ever found on the internet. I'm not sure if they are all accurate, but it's a major red flag.
 
Interesting; I'll bring this up next time I talk to them. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-17 AT 11:57PM (MST)[p]I'm pretty sure that he's aware of it. On another hunting forum, there is a thread about it that has been going on for 6 years (active posts) that has almost 170,000 views and 1,200 replies. I don't know forsure, but that's likely a record for a hunting forum thread.
 
>Stay away from Bryan Martin at
>Asian Mountain Outfitters. I went
>with him in Sept. The
>hunt was an illegal hunt.
>our hunting licence was for
>rabbits. we went thru a
>government check station going in
>but cut cross country going
>out to avoid the check
>station. our ibex were confiscated
>coming home. Bryan has done
>nothing to make things right.
>

Saddleman- I am sorry to hear of your bad experience. I had the exact same bullcrap happen with Bryan, its amazing he is still in business. I hear the noose is tightening on him due to his shady business practices....BEWARE to all hunters who book with him..


I have hunted Tur with Mirbala, he is first class all the way. I would never hesitate to book any hunt with Mirbala, he is a true hunter and gentleman.
 
I just got back from a Mid Asian Ibex hunt to Kyrgyzstan.
I will PM you with my phone number and you can call me when you get caught up.Not only can I help you get your hunt much cheaper.But I walk you thru everything and can help you avoid any shady deals...
 
fullcry,

PM me, please. Definitely interested in this hunt within the next couple of years. Got a connection in Tajikistan and may go that route. Want to know what is out there before booking.

Thanks!
 
Not to highjack anybody's thread here.
But KS Cowboy I did send you a email. Let me know if it got to you. The email format looked different than I have seen before.
We are looking to go back in 2018 while the prices hold for Ibex and Marco Polo so maybe we could coordinate.
 
I'm most likely 2018 now as I drew a good elk tag and with the moisture this year I want to devote the proper time to it. You thinking of going late winter again or fall 2018?
 
We are going to go in the October ish time frame.I don't mind the cold but I'd rather not chance that much snow again.Lol
You problem saw my story and pics in the posting I put up in a different post.If not check it out.It is interesting to say the least.
 
Definitely stay away from Aaron Neilson of Global Hunting Resources. He has many board actions from the Colorado Department of Professional Licensing from when was was an out fitter in his home state of Colorado. Even was convicted in Kansas in the 90's for hunting and guiding in Kansas without a license. When Safari Outfitters bought out his company a few years ago they even had problems with him. A shady booking agent at best in a totally unregulated industry. Whatever you choose remember one thing - a booking agent has a fiduciary responsibility to the outfitter not the client/hunter!
 
Good to know.
That's why we schedule directly thru the
Outfitter.
We are going back next year in October .
Deposits have to be in by early December this year.
We will have a couple of open spots.
So if anyone is interested in going with experienced guys here is your chance.
A bonus is we can do it much cheaper than almost anybody else.
 

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