I It’s hard to believe we are already in 2019. Our seventh year seemed to fly by and was filled with many firsts for Rolling Bones. Much of this positive change is due to the tremendous growth and response from our members. Our magazine was a big hit and the feedback from you was simply amazing. Our adventure specialists are passionate about growing their knowledge base and bringing value to their members. They have vast hunting & outdoor experience and are extremely passionate about building their businesses in this incredible industry. Our product partners continue to provide the best value on the most innovative gear & accessories needed for your adventures. Then there was our amazing staff. They worked so hard to deliver constant communication and service to all of you. And to my family, wow, your support is over whelming, THANK YOU! We feel very Blessed to do what we do. I personally spent over one hundred days in the field hunting and visiting camps last year. I met some amazing people, saw some amazing places and am better for it. This travel and these experiences have created opportunities for our current and future members. It is our desire to find the best outdoor adventures on earth. We are excited to roll out our new interactive web experience. Our proprietary software is designed so members can develop interactive Hunt Plans which provide best matches of where to go and why. You can create multiple hunt plans and hunt plans with multiple hunters. For example, if you’re searching for a pheasant hunt with your buddies in South Dakota or looking for a once in a lifetime sheep hunt, this software will recommend top matches based on your priorities of criteria for each hunt. This great tool allows you and your adventure specialist to be aware of what we have available and weigh all your options before making the decision. You can also develop your application strategies and customize your application reminders, so you never miss important applications again. Those of you who use our application service, your state application list and details are at your fingertips. You can benefit from discounted gear & accessories needed for your adventures with our industry leading partners. These and more are all interactive platforms, so you can see your plans and manage them as often as you would like. All designed for us to better serve YOU. As always, we are committed to Service, Access, Value & Education. Thanks to all of you in 2018 that believed in us to help you find your adventure and trusted us with hunting and shooting advice. We look forward to your success in 2019 and want to bring you your best adventure yet. Let’s Go Hunting, Brian
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If your looking for a practical long range shoot school that will teach you the techniques and skills you need to have to accurately make long range shots out in the field then the RBO schools is where you need to be! The locations they have picked out are second to none. Before I had gone to the school I felt pretty comfortable shooting out to 400-500 yds. By the time the school was over we were hitting targets out past 1200 yds consistently. It’s one thing to shoot long range off of a bench or on flat ground. But with the locations that RBO has your able to shoot at extreme angles and all different ranges. They teach you how to use your shooting sticks, bipods and even your pack effectively to help you get more steady. I haven’t found a place that will teach you more about real world hunting then the RBO team. They know cause they all hunt themselves. If you have that hunt coming up, I would recommend investing in yourself and getting your skill level up. You never know when it’s going to be the last day of the hunt and you have to take that shot, and make it count! -Carson Neil
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR SHEEP? Iis
doubt there any serious sheep hunter whom does not know what a “Marco Polo” Argali is. It is the longest horned sheep in the world and arguably the most famous of all the Asian Sheep species, plus the name is unforgettable. It is also the most common and plentiful Argali in Central Asia. Go visit a website called: Grand Slam Ovis: www.wildsheep.org and you will find there are 15 different species or subspecies of Argali Sheep in the world. In addition to the true Marco Polo, there are two subspecies of the Marco Polo Argali, called the Hume Argali and the Tien Shan (sometimes called a Karalini) Argali. True Marco Polo are found in Tajikistan, China, a small portion of the Osh region (SW Region) in Kyrgyzstan and also in Afghanistan. The Hume and Tien Shan Subspecies are found in Kyrgyzstan (Naryn and Issyk-kul Regions) and northern China. The locals of Kyrgyzstan also call these sheep Marco Polo, but they are slightly different and smaller than a true Marco Polo. The other Argali Species are found in Mongolia (3 species), China (over
10 – 12 species), Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (I’ve been told up to 5 species are here). This region is referred to as the Former Soviet Union (CIS countries) or Central Asia, which is located south of Russia and from central China to the north. It is difficult to get an exact population on these Argali rams from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, but I’ve heard estimates of 22 to 27,000 Marco Polo in Tajikistan and 8 to 10,000 Hume and Tien Shan Argali in Kyrgyzstan. Based on my personal experiences in these countries since 2002, I would think these estimates to be quite accurate. First, I will address the ‘best time’ to hunt? This depends on many different factors. What is best for one person or area is not best for another. Some areas have better hunting in early fall while others are better in late fall and some areas better in the winter. For hunters wanting nicer weather, more daylight time, decent skins and better spike camp hunting conditions, go in late August, September and early October. The best skins are in October through early December for longer hair and shiny coats. If you want to hunt Sheep and Ibex in the rut, then November and December are best. Sheep start breeding in early-mid November and Ibex in later November and December. For hunters wanting to hunt animals in bachelor groups, pre and post rut are better. In the rut, animals are running around like crazy
and new animals are always coming and going. Hunting in later December through February is true winter hunting conditions, but animals are more concentrated and easier to find; however, travel logistics, roads and snow can be a factor and only experienced and tougher hunters should do these winter hunts. The areas of Tajik and Kyrgyzstan are between 39 and 41 Lat. North, similar to southern Nevada and Utah weather, just much higher elevation. It is typically a dry/cold climate in Central Asia. Regarding ram size, since I have been outfitting/guiding in Tajikistan, our average size ram, from year to year is about 57”. Rarely do we shoot anything less than 54 inches and rarely over 62 inches. The biggest we took to date is 64”. The current, hunter killed record is in the low 70 inch range. The biggest pickup I heard about on record was about 75 or 77 inches and from Afghanistan. The average sheep in Kyrgyzstan are 49 inches and most range from 46 to 52 inches. The biggest any of our clients ever took was 56 ¼ inch. I found two pick-ups of 58 and 59 inches, and we had hunters miss rams of this size, 2 times. The hunter killed record in Kyrgyzstan is mid-60 inch. Bases on Tajik Rams average about 15 inches and I have seen them up to 17 inches. Kyrgyzstan rams average about 14.5 inches on the base and go up to 16.5 inches. SCI scores rams similar to Boone and
Crockett in the USA, but there are no deductions for circumference differences. A big Kyrgyzstan ram is 185 to 195. 195 to 205 is really big and over 205 is world class in Kyrgyzstan. In Tajikistan, we look for rams over 200. 200 to 210 is very good. 210 to 220 is really big and over 220 is world class. This measurement is found by measuring the length of each horn, plus the base and 3 quarter measurements. It is usually quite easy to tell the difference between a Tajik and Kyrgyzstan ram as the Tajik rams are dark grey/light black on their sides and back and the Kyrgyzstan ones are more brown/ orange, but I have seen brownish colored Tajik rams also. The elevations of the hunting areas varies quite a bit also. In Kyrgyzstan, most rams are hunted between 11 and 13,500 feet. I have been up to 14,300 feet but rarely are rams over 14K. In Tajikistan, most rams are hunted between 14 and 15,500 feet. We sometimes go up to 16,500’ to do a stalk but unless the rams are spooked or chased, then they are below this elevation as there is little food so high. I have been up to 14,300 feet but rarely are rams over 14K. In Tajikistan, most rams are hunted between 14 and 15,500 feet. We sometimes go up to 16,500’ to do a stalk but unless the rams are spooked or chased, then they are below this elevation as there is little food so high. The price is also not high compared
to Argali. For hunters who get a sticker shock from an Argali sheep, the Ibex is one of the best valued mountain hunts in the world. Most of our hunters add an Ibex for $4 to 5,000 on top of a sheep hunt. Sheep hunts in Kyrgyzstan vary from $25k to 32,500. We charge about $30,000. In Tajikistan, sheep hunts vary from $35k to $60k.
In Kyrgyzstan, most outfitters are horseback based and hunters don’t need to hike so far. In Tajikistan, there are three styles of hunting: Jeep (run/gun), Foot hunting and using Yaks or horses. I am not a fan of hunting from a jeep. Our staff and clients prefer to use the jeeps for long range spotting, then park the jeep and hike all day. We even have early season hunts where we backpack/spike out for big rams before the snow and rut arrives. Yaks or horses are also used on a limited basis in Tajik. It is important that all hunters not try to be a hero the first 2 days of your hunt. Take it easy. Don’t rush and hike to fast or you can get sick and fatigued due to the lack of Oxygen at high altitude. I found that most Asian guides rush hunters to shoot early (too many hunters miss and have difficulty with the hunting, so they figure better to start shooting sooner than later). Never shoot at an animal that you don’t think you can hit. Better to take your time and don’t rush. Also don’t shoot at a small animal just because the guides wants you to. It is your hunt and do as you see fit. If you have never been to Asia and are concerned, consider hiring a Western Guide to accompany you. Unfortunately, many hunters miss big Argali and Ibex on their hunt because marksmanship skills are lacking. Hunters need to practice and shot more often. You can’t buy trigger time. How many people run the Boston Marathon without training? For sure, a Marco Polo or Ibex hunt is to hunting as the Boston Marathon or an Iron Man Triathlon is to sports. There are more people whom go the Everest Base camp each year, than whom hunt Argali. You need to shoot at both the range and also in the field, without bench rests. If you don’t have a range of 400+ yards near you, do a search for shooting ranges within a few hours, or better yet, sign up for a long-range shooting course. I recommend taking courses every year or two as shooting is very key and few hunters are truly skilled under pressure. Regarding Visas, there is no Visa required for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has an online, 30-day visa, costing $70 USD, which a hunter completes before departing. Just to be safe, I always travel with a couple of passport/visa Photos but rarely do I need them. To reach either country, most hunters fly direct from the USA or Canada and transit through Istanbul, Turkey’s Airport. Luggage is checked to the final destination of Dushanbe, Tajikistan or Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. There are three
flights per week, on Turkish Air, which arrive/ depart Dushanbe on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, early in the morning. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has daily flights. Some hunters are going through Dubai or Moscow, but most of our clients fly via Turkish Air. Regarding Safety, 60 million people fly through Istanbul’s international airport each year, making it one of the busiest airports in the world. Security is good and I feel safe in this part of the world. Too many people have concerns about safety. Hunters should worry about their shooting ability, their fitness, mental toughness and equipment. Importing Argali coming into the USA require a USFWS CITES import permit, which hunters apply for, starting May 1 of each year. Each country has a limited number of Marco Polo licenses, on a first come, first serve basis. Once a hunter books a hunt, the local outfitters are provided with their passport, address and a deposit. They then submit the hunters’ names to the USFWS office.
After an animal is shot, the Government requires an export CITES Permit, Vet Certificate and hunting license from the country where the animal was taken. Go to: https://edecs. fws.gov/for printing out a CITES import application and for preparing an electronic form 3-177 import document or print out a copy and fill it out before your return flight. You’ll put down the outfitters address and type and parts of animals you’ll be importing. Also, the CITES export documents are required to be stamped/signed and completed at the airport by a broker/customs officer. If this is not done, there can be issues and seized animals upon entry into the USA ports. Canada is less strict and does not require a CITES import permit. In the next couple article I will discuss tips and tricks for Marco Polo and Ibex hunting and will discuss the different options and countries for hunting Mid-Asian Ibex. In the next couple article I will discuss tips and tricks for Marco Polo and Ibex hunting and will discuss the different options and countries for hunting Mid-Asian Ibex. Bryan Martin, Owner Asian Mountain Outfitters Web: asianmountainoutfitters.com Email: bryankmartin@gmail.com
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