The Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon poli) is considered the greatest trophy of Asia by most big game hunters. At present Marco Polo sheep can be hunted in the Republic of Tajikistan and in Kyrgyzstan, officially, the Kyrgyz Republic. Both of these Asian republics have primitive infrastructures in the regions where Marco Polo sheep are found and Marco Polo sheep hunting is considered one of the most exclusive and adventurous expeditions in the world. Considerable preparations are needed for this hunt and licenses for these highly prized sheep are strictly limited. We work with the firm which involved in the opening of both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to hunting tourism as the Soviet Union and it’s satellite countries collapsed in the early 1990s. They took part in the early scouting in those countries and selected the hunting areas based on first hand knowledge. Nowadays this company offers more hunting areas and outfits more hunts for Marco Polo sheep than any other hunting company in the world. 100% success past rate! With a resident staff of employees in Tajikistan, we assisted in conducting much of the recent research on Marco Polo sheep and the development of hunting programs for them. The results of recent Marco Polo sheep hunts reflect the many improvements which have been made to the hunting program over the last decade. Hunting Areas in Tajikistan
Our three hunting areas lie close to each other in the heart of the Pamir Mountains. This famous region is known as the Gorno Badakhshan and contains approximately half of all the entire Marco Polo sheep population of the world. Hunters will see more than 1,000 Marco Polo sheep each hunting day! All Marco Polo argali from Tajikistan are classified as Marco Polo sheep by all standards and associations. The largest Marco Polo sheep ever recorded (over 70") have come from Tajikistan. Average Marco Polo sheep trophies from Tajikistan exceed 55 inches and several trophies over 60 inches are taken every season. This area has several camp locations, among them the famous Hot Springs Camp, The Observatory Camp, and the Park Camp. These camps have figured heavily in the history of Marco Polo sheep hunting and are still used today. Hunting Areas in Kyrgyzstan
Throughout a large portion of Kyrgyzstan, the predominant subspecies of argali is the Tian Shan argali (Ovis ammon karelini). In hunting areas south of the Naryn River, bordered on the east by China and on the south by Tajikistan, true Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon poli) are found. Safari Club International and the United Sates fish and Wildlife Service recognize all sheep taken south of the Naryn River as Marco Polo sheep. However, sheep taken north of the Naryn are classified as Tian Shan argali and not importable into the United States. We have worked in these mountains since the beginning of foreign hunting and hunting exploration in the 1990s and selected spots where the largest numbers of sheep travel each year during the annual migration. These areas, east and south of Naryn have produced the largest trophies ever taken in Kyrgyzstan. GSCO (OVIS) and other hunting organizations, make an additional distinction, for trophy recording purposes. Sheep from the northern most regions, South of the Naryn River, can also be considered Hume’s argali, because of their horn conformation and intermediate pelage, between the Marco Polo sheep and the Tien Shan argali, found North of the Naryn. The mountains in the hunting areas are between 10,500 and 14,500 feet high. The camps are usually situated at an altitude of less than 11,000 feet. Normally, a hunter will see several hundred sheep during the course of a hunt. Trophies do not reach the size that they do in Tajikistan. The average trophy from Kyrgyzstan is 52 - 53 inches in length. Hunting Areas in China
At the moment all hunting in China has been suspended. When hunting reopens, we will be able to offer hunts for Marco Polo sheep there again. Marco Polo sheep hunts in China are very similar to hunts in Kyrgyzstan. The primary hunting area is located south of the Marco Polo sheep hunting areas in Kyrgyzstan. Accommodation are had in yurts and the hunts are carried out on horseback and on foot. Base camp altitudes are usually around 12,000 feet, while hunting requires climbs to over 14,000 feet. Camps and Our Staff
In both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, our camps are outfitted with modern equipment including camp beds, stoves and first-aid equipment. Camps situated at elevations above 12,000 feet are equipped with "Gamow" bags (portable hyperbaric chambers). All camps are heated and have electricity and hot showers. Professional cooks prepare wholesome meals of meat, rice, potatoes, vegetables, and fruit and are trained to western standards, serving both western and regional cuisine. All camps are equipped with satellite telephones. We can accommodate up to four hunters per camp, each with his / her own guide team, driver and vehicle. Each guide team consists of 2 or 3 guides. Each camp has one of our highly trained interpreter escorts or camp managers to oversee the hunt and act as interface with the local guides. There is also a competent skinner in every camp, along with a vehicle mechanic and several general helpers. Mid Asian-Ibex
In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan hunters may take Mid-Asian ibex after taking the Marco Polo sheep. The average ibex trophy quality is between 42" and 50".
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