Marco Polo Blues

[ADMIN]

I started thinking about the possibility of a Marco Polo [hereafter MP] hunt several years ago when my son and I went to Kyrgyzstan [hereafter Kyrg] for Ibex. We were both successful and the company we hunted with talked some about MP hunting. About 1 1/2 yrs ago I saw an ad from Theo Blignat for an MP hunt at a great price. I almost went in 2013, but the $$ were tight as well as not being familiar enough with Theo to send that kind of money out. Last fall the same hunt came up again and Theo sent me an E-mail about it. My wife was kind enough to pay for half of the hunt so I decided to go for it. Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Marco Polo Blues, By Bruce Marshall. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[HARPERC]

Especially glad to hear you made it back. Tough part of the world, sounds like at least the horses were up to it. Tough little mounts.

Expectations can be the killer, from here it doesn't seem like it would be that tough for a few more bucks to have tents, and stoves that provide a better level of comfort, chains for vehicles, etc.. But out at the end of the world?

 

[matdan2]

Bruce thanks for taking the time to post this article with all its ups and downs. I have a hunt booked with Arpa Marco Polo Ltd. this November. Have you had a chance to retest your G7 range finder as I was planning on buying one . I thought it would be a big help for a flatlander like me.
thanks Dan

 

[gillettehunter]

Hi Dan. I have not had a chance to re-check the G-7. Before you go try to get up over 10,000 feet elevation and see if it corrects properly for you. It may be hassle to do so, but it might be the difference between success and failure. How's that for motivation? Bruce

 

[Elkhunter1983]

Holy buckets, sounds like a wild place. Very good read about what goes on both with the hunt and the behind the scenes as well.

 

[WildRose]

Great write up, sorry you didn't get your ram. Did they ever go back to find the one you hit the first day out?

Sounds like you learned a lot of lessons there and on a hunt like that they sure are expensive lessons.

Those little horses are amazing animals, tougher than mules and at least as sure footed.

I agree with you on the global rescue thing. My wife and I had that discussion and decided it was more than worthwhile and is cheap at half the price when you are hunting in 3rd world hell.

There's no BS to their claims either. If you can be gotten out alive they have and will put to use all of the resources necessary.

 

[HARPERC]

There's no BS to their claims either. If you can be gotten out alive they have and will put to use all of the resources necessary.

Just like the VIP service, it's a step up having someone who speaks the language, and knows who to speak it to, on your side.

The hope that someone is supposed to come for you, counts a bunch in these times.

 

[WildRose]

Just like the VIP service, it's a step up having someone who speaks the language, and knows who to speak it to, on your side.

The hope that someone is supposed to come for you, counts a bunch in these times.

I was in quite a few situations in my life during my career that I'd probably have never gone into without the knowledge than every resource on heaven and earth would be put to task if we needed it.

That offers a level of comfort few can understand.

 

[WildRose]

Holy buckets, sounds like a wild place. Very good read about what goes on both with the hunt and the behind the scenes as well.

That part of the world is like going to Mars. I did some security work there back in the nineties..

 

[gillettehunter]

The guides never did go back to try and recover the Ibex that I hit. I decided that we had covered most of that ground returning to camp. Never was sure. The guides scoffed at Global Rescue. Apparently one of their hunters needed it. Broken leg if I remember right. They didn't come get him from camp. THEY had to drive him out several hours. Probably was several yrs ago and could be much better now. Bruce

 

[HARPERC]

I don't doubt some places rescue can't access readily. Guides in NWT 20 years ago told a similar story of a sheep hunter that had to horseback many miles to a fly in lake, to evac his broken leg. Lots of better first hand stories out there of the limits of helicopters in some of those mountains.

The understated rescue may be scooping you up, and scooting you out before the established local medical community helps you out. Many parts of the world are reusing needles and other medical supplies. A broken leg may be healed, before an exotic bug acquired via IV while rehydrating may be just getting warmed up.

However you roll the dice remote hunting has it's risk. Have a plan whatever it is.

 

[WildRose]

The guides never did go back to try and recover the Ibex that I hit. I decided that we had covered most of that ground returning to camp. Never was sure. The guides scoffed at Global Rescue. Apparently one of their hunters needed it. Broken leg if I remember right. They didn't come get him from camp. THEY had to drive him out several hours. Probably was several yrs ago and could be much better now. Bruce

Helicopters cannot operate safely at that altitude. The fastest way to get the guy out would have been for the guides to drive him out to below 10,000' for a safe extraction.

 

[WildRose]

I don't doubt some places rescue can't access readily. Guides in NWT 20 years ago told a similar story of a sheep hunter that had to horseback many miles to a fly in lake, to evac his broken leg. Lots of better first hand stories out there of the limits of helicopters in some of those mountains.

The understated rescue may be scooping you up, and scooting you out before the established local medical community helps you out. Many parts of the world are reusing needles and other medical supplies. A broken leg may be healed, before an exotic bug acquired via IV while rehydrating may be just getting warmed up.

However you roll the dice remote hunting has it's risk. Have a plan whatever it is.

Yep, thin air, high elevation and high winds are all enemies of safe helo operations along with tall trees.

Put them any of them together and it's a disaster waiting to happen

 

[shphtr]

Great write up. I especially enjoyed the read as I also hunted K'stan in 2009. It took me 7 days of saying "no" before I pulled the trigger. Horses were amazingly tough and took me places I would not have gone on my two feet. We stayed in a CHEAP single wall tent every night. My ram ended up measuring 148 cm - biggest one shot that year. Regretfully the cape and horns got delayed in Heathrow Airport and finally returned to K'stan ... never to be seen again ... at least I have the pics to remind me what is supposed to go in that big space on my wall. Hopefully I will get another chance but am not sure I still have it in me - that was one tough hunt.