Thursday, March 31, 2011

Incredible Adventure in Nepal

Safari Outfitters just had 3 hunters return from the wilds of the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal in a quest for blue sheep. All were successful in taking nice rams and had the added bonus each taking a muntjac (barking deer) and one was able to also take a wild boar. This is one of the best adventures in the world! Here is a comment by Bernie M. :

Dear Clark,
It is Sunday and it has been 8 days since I returned from Nepal. It has taken most of the week to get back to the world I left. I wanted to write sooner, but I wanted to be sure what I wanted to say.

First of all, I can't thank you and Safari Outfitters enough for arranging my trip. It was first class all the way. I have never had a greater experience with all my hunting than my trip to Nepal. It is one of the most beautiful and exciting countries that I have visited. You can't help yourself to become spiritual and emotional all at the same time.

Bernie M.






Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Shikar in Iran


I recently returned from a shikar in Iran arranged by Clark Jeffs with Safari Outfitters. I encountered huge populations of sheep and ibex in several areas of the country. Upon arrival I was escorted to a hunting reserve bordering Tehran where I observed nearly 600 red sheep. Unfortunately, the only thing I killed was time as the Red sheep was not one of the species I was after on this trip. I had a day to spare prior to the beginning of the hunt so why not spend it viewing sheep?

My actual hunt started about 5 hours south of Tehran for the Esfahan Mouflon. The first day provided numerous opportunities to harvest a mature ram. It was obvious that finding a trophy class animal would not prove too difficult. So, I decided to give it a couple days before settling on any particular one. The result was an eleven year old ram with decent horn length and very good horn mass. I also harvested one of the 4000 Persian Goitered Gazelles that roam the reserve. One that should rank well into SCI Top Ten awards.

The next stop was nearly 10 hours north of Tehran near the Turkmenistan border where I was to hunt the Trans-Caspian Urial. The drive was lengthy but the scenery was spectacular. Having been my first trip to Iran, I didn't realize there were so many mountain ranges. As in the other areas, I observed large herds of sheep and harvested a mature ram on the third day of the hunt. Since, the close of the hunting season in Turkmenistan I thought I would never have an opportunity to hunt this magnificent sheep. Thankfully, the record was set straight regarding Americans hunting in Iran and I was able to hunt and harvest an animal that would otherwise not have been possible.

Finally, I would travel back to the south of Tehran near the town of Shiraz where I would hunt the Persian Desert Ibex. Like the sheep populations, the ibex populations were astonishing. There is no doubt I could have settled on any one of numerous trophy quality animals encountered during a four day period. However, I had my heart set on one in particular and through patients, sweat and persistence was able to collect my prize just minutes before last shooting light on the last day of the hunt. His horns were well broomed but they still measured nearly 43 inches with incredible mass.

Iran is a treasure soon to be rediscovered by American hunters. Safari Outfitters works with only the most trusted names in the industry whether it be in the Middle East or elsewhere. Thanks Clark, for yet another truly great adventure to the remote reaches of the globe.