30 Years with Shikar Safaris

30 years ago, when Turkey was just opening up Bezoar ibex permits, Joe Bishop and I hunted with a young Kaan Karakaya, just starting out, his awesome Shikar Safaris outfit still in the future.

Not nearly as many ibex in Turkey then as now. Tough hunt, great hunt. I got a fine ibex on the third day. Not as big as they get today, still good enough. On the last day, Kaan spotted a giant and Joe got him. Well over the magical 50 inches. Since then, Turkey has done a wonderful job and their ibex have flourished. Nobody has produced as many big Bezoar ibex as Shikar Safaris but, at the time, Joe Bishop’s monster was the largest ever taken in Turkey.

Since then, I’ve hunted with Kaan and Shikar Safaris in Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Russia, and several more times in Turkey. I’d like to say every hunt has been successful, but that’s not quite true. Once, after a tur hunt, with time to spare, we tried to get a European roebuck on the Asian side of Turkey, just too late in the year. So, no more than any outfitter, Kaan isn’t a magician…but he’s pulled a lot of rabbits out of hats for me, wonderful hunts, many great memories…and many of my best Asian animals. Twice, Donna has left me at home and hunted with Shikar Safaris on her own and enjoyed great hunts. So, on Asian mountains, I’ve often trusted Kaan and his Shikar Safaris team with my life…and I’ve also trusted them with my wife.

Across the vastness of Asia, Shikar Safaris has been on the ground floor with community programs. Bringing back markhors, snow leopards, Mideastern brown bears, and other depleted wildlife. And creating hunting opportunities that, just 30 years ago when we were all younger, I considered impossible.

I hope I share more adventures with my old friend Kaan Karakaya and his Shikar Safaris team. A great outfit, and an important branch of our CBEO family.

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