Markhor Hunting in Tajikistan
The markhor is the rarest and most expensive Capra in the world, and the reason there are markhor to hunt at all is the hunting itself: a significant share of what a hunter pays goes directly to the local communities that protect the animal and its range. Few hunts anywhere have a clearer line between the fee and the conservation outcome.
Where and when
Markhor are hunted three to five hours’ drive from Dushanbe, at elevations between roughly 5,000 and 7,000 feet — far lower and far more forgiving than the Pamir sheep country further east. The season runs from 1 September to 1 March, and most hunts take place in November.
What the hunt involves
A markhor hunt runs seven to eight days plus travel. Hunting is a mix of hiking and horseback, with spot and stalk the usual method, and precise shooting out to 500 yards is expected — bring a rifle you know at that distance.
Markhor combine well with urial, which share the same season and much of the same country; a combination hunt runs 11 to 12 hunting days. Mid-Asian ibex can be added too, though they sit in a slightly different area. It is common to see wild boar while hunting any of them.
One thing to plan for
Under CITES regulations, markhor trophies cannot travel home with you. They are shipped later, and we handle that process. Of the species hunted here, only ibex can be carried out with the hunter.