We recently finished a month of trade shows in Nevada: exhibiting at Grand Slam, SCI and Wild Sheep all in Reno, NV and as general attendees at SHOT show in Las Vegas. We met many of our past clients, industry friends and a few new faces. Read February’s Update…
Bryan is at his last trade show for the year, where he will be a featured speaker: Eastern Wild Sheep: www.ecfnaws.org. This show runs from Feb. 15-17th and is held in Lancaster, PAat the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. He has been a past presenter at this Convention, where he discussed backpacking equipment, international travel and how hunters should prepare for a guided trip. Because of his many diverse hunting and guiding experiences, he brings a unique perspective; he is passionate about all aspects of mountain hunting.
bryan_seminarBryan’s seminar is Saturday, Feb. 16th at 11:15 am; he will share many tips and tricks regarding selecting the right rifle, scope and caliber. He’ll discuss: basic reloading, scope mounting, reticles and turrets, rifle carrying (both for airlines and in the mountains), cleaning techniques, quickly finding and utilizing shooting rests (packs, rocks, backpacks), locating animals in the scope, planning and quickly executing follow-up shots, range finding tips, shooting in wind and knowing when to Hold and when to “Fold”. The main objective is to help hunters miss less and hit their targets more often and with better confidence. Bryan will encourage hunters to taking more personal involvement and responsibility for the success of their hunt. Bryan’s motto is never assume anything, plan for the worst case scenario, have a great attitude and hope for the best; this way there are few “surprises”.
TAJIKISTAN UPDATE
mark_shears_-_tajik_polo_2013-webOur last hunter for the 2012/2013 season, Dr. Mark Shears, returned from Tajikistan in late January. It was a difficult and very cold winter hunt for him. Mark lost 50 lbs. before the trip and even with his sore knees, which are in need of surgery, he as was successful in taking a 55 ½” Marco Polo. In fact, he is even talking about doing this hunt again. For his next hunt, he might try a warmer time of the year, like October. An a side note, there is an interesting article in the latest issues of National Geographic about the Wakhan Corridor, along the Afghanistan and Tajikistan border. The area we hunt lies just north of this river, which separates the two countries. There are about 1000 Kyrgyzstan nomads living in this region of Tajikistan with no roads and very little contact with the outside word.
All of our 2012 Tajikistan Marco Polo hunters were successful in shooting their rams and most hunters either shot or missed nice Mid-Asian Ibex. The smallest ram shot was 52” and the largest was 58”. One our hunters saw and had an opportunity at the biggest ram we’ve ever seen in Tajikistan, a 62-64” monster that is still roaming the hills for a lucky 2013 hunter. This hunt is not like many of the common Tajik Marco Polo hunts where many animals are spotted and/or shot from vehicles. For hunters wanting a more traditional/walking hunt, this is a memorable experience. If any of our hunters need a vehicle hunt, we are happy to organize those also, in another camp, but most of our hunters want to earn their Marco Polo and Ibex. In Feb and March, we will be finalizing our 2013 list for our Marco Polo hunters as it is helpful to get names for the CITES import list before the May 1st application deadline with the USFWS. If you’ve talked to us about booking a Marco Polo hunt before and are interested, this is a great year to book. Call or email us any questions you have. Bryan has been on more than 20 Marco Polo kills and is able to give accurate first-hand knowledge of these hunts.
BRYAN’S EQUIPMENT TIPS:
In December, I was introduced to Dr. Saul Goldston by Chase Fulchur, a good friend and passionate bowhunter. Dr. Goldston is the founder of Doctor’s Orthotics. He has developed an affordable, custom made orthotic, perfect for hunters. A custom orthotic is ideal for foot stability and for preventing chronic use injuries and foot fatigue. Their price starts at $249.00 for the mold and completed product. They can be ordered directly at www.doctorsorthotics.com or call 1-888-353-7834. Dr. Goldston is offering a complimentary consultation for anyone receiving this newsletter; phone him directly at 1-619-846-1113 PST.
I’ve used custom orthotics, some good and some not, since 1996. In the early 2000’s, I had chronic Plantar Fasciitis in both feet and I finally found an excellent orthotic made by a Podiatrist in Bend, OR. The cost was about $400 and today, the National average cost of such a visitation and orthotic is about $575. The products by Doctor’s Orthotics are less than ½ the cost of an orthotic purchased at a doctor’s office and just as good if not better. I’ve been wearing a pair since early January at all the trade shows and found the break-in period to be quite short. When a person orders a pair of the orthotics, they will receive a box in the mail, with a special form that takes the imprint of each foot. The box is ready to mail and pre-paid. It is a very convenient and accurate way to order an orthotic. Other than a hunter’s weapon, if your feet/boots fail or hurt in the field, your hunt will be compromised significantly.
bryan_backpack_ibex_kyrgy_2012Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter, I look forward to talking with you soon about hunts in Asia and around the world.
Straight shots, Bryan Martin
phone: 1-250-317-5525
email: bryankmartin@gmail.com
office email: asianmountainoutfitters@gmail.com
website: www.asianmountainoutfitters.com