Real Big 5 Goats

by Simba Sat Nov 16, 2013 1:22 pm

Markhor (capra falconeri falconeri)

At 42” at shoulder and weighing 200 – 220lbs this is the greatest of all the goats. In addition to the prominent horns, which can reach up to 1.6 metres, the stocky male has a black beard and a shaggy mane of long dark hair that hangs down from the neck.

Arthur Brinkman, in his book Rifle in Cashmere, shot several Markhor and classed them as the most difficult of all trophies, mainly due to the dangerous and unforgiving terrain in which they reside. We needed to learn more about this mythical beast.

The difficulties of hunting a Markhor are numerous. He is a worthy adversary, incredibly alert and nimble, defying gravity with his movements through the rocks, that only the fittest of hunters would be able to contemplate. There are five subspecies of capra falconeri, and we can almost guarantee that Colonel Neame’s heroic feat of having shot all five in 1901 will never, sadly, be repeated.

Ranging from the Laghman province in Afghanistan to the swat district on the cliffs east of Mankialn in Pakistan, they hail from one of the most inhospitable and dangerous corners of earth. This coupled with their extreme scarcity; with only an estimated 3000 remaining in the wild, means that only 3 permits a year are awarded, all by the Alburkhan Village Conservation committee.

Having studied various hunting journals it became apparent that the animal may exist in good, if localised, numbers in the countries of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. We have made contacts in these areas and are able to offer the chance to take a mature billy – win the lottery and we can prove the theory that money can buy happiness!

Getting yourself a Markhor is an extreme challenge not to be taken lightly, it is the world's most expensive hunt, and we are unable to provide any guarantees in obtaining permits. That being said, If you are interested in arranging a Markhor hunt with us, we believe that we would have a good chance of putting him in your sights.

Ibex (capra sibirica sibirica)

The most numerous of the goats, with over 14 subspecies, is the Ibex. Of all these, the largest and most magnificent is the Mid-Asian Ibex. This however, does not take anything away from the other subspecies, whom all have their own individual attributes. Despite the extreme challenge of hunting the Mid Asian Ibex(capra sibirica alaiana), it is one of our most affordable, successful and therefore, most popular hunts. The terrain and extreme altitudes that makes up his habitat is as tough as anywhere in the world and his agility, awareness and fleet of foot, make this one of the hardest yet most satisfying hunts on the market.

The Real Big 5 team took an excellent Billy in 2010, with a horn in excess of 100 cm and saw many larger animals. We have excellent links into both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan which provide some of the best Ibex trophies in the world, and both at affordable prices, with no size limits. Our links into these countries enable us to guarantee our prices aginst other serious global outfitters. The country is not for the faint hearted however and a high level of fitness is advised.

Whilst skiing on the continent you may be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the Alpine Ibex (capra ibex) meandering around the slopes. Until recently these were protected and due to their habitat will more commonly come into contact with humans, so in comparison tend to be relatively tame. We organise hunts out of Slovenia for this Ibex, he does not come cheap however, but if you need the Alpine we can secure him.

A sportsman or woman looking to seek an Ibex trophy with the ease of only travelling within Europe, should look into hunting the beautiful Beceite Ibex (capra pyrenaica hispanica) in Spain. A magnificent trophy that differs from every other subspecies. We have a very high success rate of securing this Ibex, and can offer the sportsman very good deals on this hunt.

Also in Europe in Macedonia (albeit out of a reserve) is the opportunity to hunt the rare Kri Kri Ibex, and in pakistan and Iran it is possible to secure the Sindh and Bezoar Ibex. Although his horns will not rival the Mid Asian, the Siberian Ibex who can be hunted in Russia, is certainly the number 2.

The rarest is the Wallia Ibex (capra walie), which to our knowledge is not protected, and hails from Ethiopia. We have made enquiries in the hope of being the only Outfitter in the world offering a chance at this rare goat.

Obtaining an Ibex is a very achievable possibility with us. The rates that we offer for the opportunity of taking the ultimate in Ibex trophies is so competitive that we will match any serious global outfitters price. The Ibex hunt is one of the toughest yet most satisfying hunts we offer, and comes highly recommended. Stalking in stunning scenery chasing the cheese of all Ibex trophies.

Himalayan Tahr (hemitragus jemlahicus)

The Himalayan Tahr was described by George Schaller as “the quintessential goat” due to the mountainous and inaccessible terrain that it chooses for its home. The horns will reach a length of only 46cm's but a mature bull in winter cape is a sight to behold, rivalling that of the Markhor.

The Tahr is probably the toughest climber of all the goats, making it a highly desired and worthy addition for any sportsman's wall. Hunting him is certainly not to be taken lightly, and the keen sportsman must be willing to work for his trophy. Native to the Himalayas, unfortunately it's scarcity there, make it almost impossible to chase.

All is not lost however, because in 1904, the Duke of Bedford gave 6 Tahr to New Zealand as a gift from Woburn Safari Park. The brutes duly escaped, bred like wildfire and now reside in healthy numbers throughout the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Having conducted hunts in various South Island locations, we remain confident that there are few international outfitters who will be able to compete with our success rates on a tahr hunt. Using Helicopters to access the best ground, our team are able to combine this hunt with Chamois, giving hunters the opportunity to take 2 members of the Big 5 Goats in one 5 day hunt

On our hunting trips to New Zealand THERE ARE NO TROPHY FEES, with all animals being hunted free range. This is a very economical and satisfying hunt chasing one of the most agile and toughest of all the goats. A high level of fitness is required for those attempting this hunt.

Chamois (rupicapra rupicapra)

This dainty little goat, with its white head and black facial stripes, is found from Italy throughout what was the Habsburg empire all the way through to the Siberian hinderlands. There are several subspecies and thus far the best known is the Alpine (rubicapra rupicapra rupicapra) and Caucasian (rupicapra rupicapra caucasica), which we arrange in parts of Russia and Azerbaijan. It can also be found in New Zealand, where it is possible to be combined with a Tahr hunt. We have recently identified some of the best grounds in the Carpathian Mountains which is known to be home of the world's largest Chamois trophies.

Despite having a nervous temperament they are not the most difficult of quarry compared with other capra, similar to Red deer in that they can be outwitted if approached from above. Being a goat however, the country is of course steep and rugged making the feat of getting above them a challenge in itself.

We offer a very good and successful hunt for the Carpathian Chamois out of Romania and for quality and quantity of trophies this is our preferred destination, but they can also be hunted in New Zealand, Azerbaijan and Russia. You are able to Stalk this nimble adversary throughout the world and as a result combine it with other different Capra or Ovis trophies.

Rocky Mountain Goat (capra oriamno)

Found in the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade regions throughout Yukon, Alberta, Montana and parts of Alaska living anywhere up to 4500 metres feeding on only sedges, lichen , herbs and when available grass. The incredibly thick coat enables the Goat to withstand temperatures of up to minus fifty degrees C. The small horns for an animal which weighs in at 300 pounds are presumably attributable to its sparse diet. Having no serious predators, in that the Mountain Lion and Wolf prefer lower altitudes and the nanny is protective of her kid, regards eagles, Capra Oreamnos is relatively common. Apparently they are very wary and poor weather viability makes the stalk that much harder. It is a goat that is highly achievable and the team are currently in the process of locating a reliable source. The goat can be bagged for very affordable prices, yet most contacts or outfitters are there to rip you off. We are therefore investigating carefully to make sure we offer our clientèle only the best prices available in the market.

If you are serious in hunting a Rocky Mountain Goat, we are able to offer a hunt here with good chance of success.

Bonusball: Is it a Sheep or a Goat?

Tur (capra cylindricornis)

Living at typically high altitude and possessing a pair of horns to give Ovis Ammon a run for his money, during the winter months he also has a healthy beard rivalling that of the Ibex. Like the Barbary or Aoudad Sheep there has been great confusion over the categorization of this animal, and the modern World Slam will classify him as both a an Ovid and a Capra; well actually it's the latter and a bloody good Capra at that!

The Dagestan or Eastern Tur is far larger than the Kuban or Western in both body and horn, and claims of a hybrid is open to debate, being that the populations are separated by only a couple of hundred miles. Whatever the mysteries of this magnificent animal, found only in the Caucasus, Tur are one of the last bastions of unexploited great game species left on the planet. The Georgian population is protected, however no such childish sentiment exists in Azerbaijan or Russia. We intend to hunt the Tur in the same hellish mountains that Hitler's army group A ground to a halt 60 years ago. The most recent casualty in pursuit of a tur was a 62 year old Dutch Man, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He was apparently chasing the same huge animal for 5 days but could not keep up with his rival, and unfortunately suffered a heart attack just as he was getting into the position for a shot. The Gun at Home and Abroad pays little mention to this epic beast, which is strange considering the bordering lands were combed ruthlessly, and many great families being bankrupted in the pursuit of Wild Goat and Sheep.

We offer excellent opportunities to hunt both the Dagestan and Kuban Tur in Azerbaijan and Russia. These are high success hunts with extremely satisfactory trophies being taken. Have a look at some of the photo's of the tur that have been shot in our hunting areas. Despite the difficulty of bagging him, the hunt can be conducted from the relative comfort of our huts.