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

[ArmyGrunt]

For a horn hunter, it looks like they might have something to offer.View attachment 198245

This dude is gorgeous!

 

[Royal27]

I will never hunt a markhor, but their rarity and the challenges of mounting an expedition to take one, would seem a very enticing challenge to a hunter who can afford it.

Expedition @Red Leg ???

You can hunt Markhor within an hour of your house, tops!

 

[Hutch01]

I appreciate goats for their physical qualities. I've seen them in South Texas climb mesquite trees to eat the beans. Also stand on tops of old junk pickup trucks or sedans. Obviously extremely agile even domestically. Their coats and horns vary from each continent. The meat is greasy, but goats are interesting. I hope to hunt the Markhor some day along with ibex hopefully farther east than Spain. One of God's magnificent creations! Kudu goat is an excellent description. Cheers.

 

[Red Leg]

Expedition @Red Leg ???

You can hunt Markhor within an hour of your house, tops!

No I couldn't. Though I suppose I could "shoot" one.

 

[Hank2211]

$450 per inch in Texas. I think I'd rather have a woman do the measuring than a man.

 

[flatwater bill]

Tom ..I believe Uzbeki Gazorks are two toed.........................you are perhaps thinking of the Turkmeni subspecies.........................FWB

 

[Philip Glass]

I will start off by saying I enjoy all hunting and would never criticize or otherwise be negative about someone's choice in hunting. That being said, I don't get why hunting Markhor is so cool?

The animal itself looks like a stinky goat to me (you know they have to smell awful), the countryside that it resides in is rugged but not overly beautiful (at least from my research), and the cost of the hunt is exceptionally expensive (six figures plus).

What is the draw to the hunt? Is it the relative rarity of the hunt? The experience of the mountains? I would just think that there are a lot of awesome places and amazing animals to be hunted for the same or lesser cost than a stinky goat hunt in the middle east....but that's just me!

Anyone here hunted one?

Markhor is the ultimate mountain game for many reasons. If you watch the most recent Jim Shockey Uncharted the hunt is truly extreme and dangerous. It takes place in beautiful country (to each his own) and very exotic and dangerous (ever heard of the Taliban or Mujahadin?). There is no comparison of the expense or danger (perceived) in hunting Markhor. Oh yes and I can say firsthand it is likely the smelliest goat on the planet, you get that stuff on you and it doesn't wash off!
That said for a very reasonable price you can have a wonderful adventure hunting Ibex in Kyrgyzstan and it is beautiful and exotic in its own right.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Ryan]

Having a philisophical quandry?
I have a coworker who loses a lot of sleep over sheep and goat hunting in-state and around the world. He loves hunting them for all the reasons you mention. I know this is high on his list but probably out of his economic means, which makes it all the more tantalizing to him. But mention African game, aside from maybe aoudad, and his eyebrow wouldn't lift a hair. I'm the same about grizzly/brown bear. To each their own...
Unless your goal in life is to get one of everything, there's plenty else to focus on.

 

[flatwater bill]

Ryan...........glad you clarified WHY your co worker loses sleep over sheep. Wyoming natives may be different.....But you are very right, I love to hunt most anything, but have no interest in big cats, tiny ten, or crocs.......yet when I come back rich and famous in my next life, I will hunt the hell out of all wild sheep and goats.......and Philip........you said it! A Kyrgi Ibex is one of the best adventures out there...............and bang for buck is fantastic............FWB

 

[Hank2211]

Ryan...........glad you clarified WHY your co worker loses sleep over sheep. Wyoming natives may be different.....But you are very right, I love to hunt most anything, but have no interest in big cats, tiny ten, or crocs.......yet when I come back rich and famous in my next life, I will hunt the hell out of all wild sheep and goats.......and Philip........you said it! A Kyrgi Ibex is one of the best adventures out there...............and bang for buck is fantastic............FWB

I am glad we don't all want to hunt the same things . . . but the Tiny Ten are a true challenge, will take you to some different countries and a variety of terrain, and are a heck of a lot of fun. And if you don't like the big cats, the small cats offer as much if not more challenge than the Tiny Ten.

Aren't hunters lucky?!!

 

[Ragman]

I guess I'm kind of in the minority here with @TOM. While they are a cool animal (aren't they all?), they are likely the least appealing to me of all the mountain species. I think the sheep species, our NA mountain goat and the tahr are all more attractive, but the most impressive for me is the different ibex varieties. They are incredible looking creatures. However aside from having a lunch bucket budget there is one other thing that would prevent me from hunting the sheep/goat species and that is sheer terror of falling to my death up in those mountains! Makes my blood go cold!

If I were to pick an extreme hunt that would be more for me, I think it would have to be muskox up on the tundra. That would be cool.

 

[johnnyblues]

I watched one of Jim Shockey's shows this week where he went for one in Pakistan. To say the least, it was truly an adventure. I can see why if one has the money and the fortitude to travel to a destination not exactly friendly to westerners a hunter would want to give it a go. Personally I think the horns are awesome.

But to your point Tom, there's far more other species I'm interested in at this point.

I'm with you Phil. I saw that episode it was incredible. Having hunted Dall, Mtn goat, big horn and Tahr on foot I can tell you Markhor for a Mtn sheep hunter has it all. Adventure, landscape, danger, challenge and some of the most unusual horns one could ever want. IMO what a trophy. You would surely join the ranks of the elite.

 

[Ragman]

I forgot Aoudad! I would REALLY love to hunt them!

 

[johnnyblues]

I forgot Aoudad! I would REALLY love to hunt them!

Do it bro. I did mine many years ago in west Texas, free range ,fair chase. What a hunt! One of my fondest memories of all the hunts I ve been on.

 

[James Cook]

Do it bro. I did mine many years ago in west Texas, free range ,fair chase. What a hunt! One of my fondest memories of all the hunts I ve been on.

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

 

[Red Leg]

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

http://www.desertsafaris.com/ Give Hunter Ross a call. Boddington has featured him several times and he has some fabulous, HUGE, country out in West Texas. It is all free range, and you will find it as challenging a hunt as you would ever hope to have in the lower 48. In five days of hunting we saw over a hundred Aoudad; stalked and passed on several; and ended up with a beautiful ram. I can highly recommend his operation.

Davis Mountains Aoudad

• Red Leg
• Feb 14, 2016
• 2

West Texas free range Aoudad

• Red Leg
• Jul 18, 2017

 

[enysse]

Too me the Marco Polo sheep hunt would a GRAND HUNT! High altitude, possible long shots, cold weather, wind.....mythical hunt! Still #1 on my list

 

[johnnyblues]

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

Southwest trophy hunts. Bubba Glosson. He has great ranches in western Texas. Great guy!

 

[johnnyblues]

Too me the Marco Polo sheep hunt would a GRAND HUNT! High altitude, possible long shots, cold weather, wind.....mythical hunt! Still #1 on my list

I would see that would be a real close choice for me too. Me it's the bongo.

 

[Adam Stevens]

Not sure if they were removed on purpose and if so I apologize but I was really looking forward to watching a couple videos that were posted I thought yesterday on this thread??? One looked like high quality filming.

As a BC hunter I understand the draw of sheep and goat. Everyone's different and tastes varies. Just look at the women in our lives. No two the same.

I for instance would rather hunt a markhor or Mongolian ibex then a Marco Polo. No reasoning besides that's what I'd fancy.

I will say mr shockey stole my idea for a show hahaha. There was a Canadian travel show called departures. Very well shot travel show. Wide angles. Great panaramas.

I instantly had a dream of a hunting show or DVDs that were filmed the same way but in remote locations. And not 5-6 years later but I caught the trailer for Shockeys newest show. It was exactly what I imagined! A day short and a dollar late haha. But none the less I enjoy his show very much just wish I was the one doing the hunting hahhhaa