G.O.A.T.

The iconic Markhor stands apart from its Capra cousins. Once you ascend to hunt them on their terms, the rarity of the hunting experience sinks in. In the Capra world, G.O.A.T. is a fitting label for the various Markhor species, whether in Pakistan, Tajikistan, or Uzbekistan.

I had previously been in Uzbekistan in 2024 on a special trophy hunt for Mid-Asian Ibex. We took a tremendous specimen that taped a little over 51 inches. So, it was great to be back in Uzbekistan in December of 2025 to hunt Kugitang Markhor and reunite with our local partner.

I was hunting with global hunter, Al Schimpf, who has been dividing his time between Africa and Asia over the last few years. We had hunted brown bear on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the spring of 2024, and Al took two bears that crossed over the 11-foot square mark. We joined up again in Mongolia in September of that year and Al took a beautiful High Altai Argali. In November of 2025, he also took a fine Bukhara Markhor in Tajikistan.

Just 6 weeks prior to our arrival in Uzbekistan, Riza Gozluk, one of my Caprinae Safaris partners, accompanied another acclaimed global hunter, Renee Snider, on her hunt for Kugitang Markhor. You will find her trophy pictured in the overview of Central Asia under the Worldwide Hunting Adventures section of the website.

Kugitang Markhor inhabit a large but isolated piece of geography in the southern part of the county just a few clicks north of the border with Afghanistan. After landing in Tashkent, we spent a short overnight at the new T City Hotel and then flew to Termez the next morning. From there it was a 2.5-hour drive to the fine hunting lodge owned by our outfitting partner that we used as base camp. It was a multi-building complex so well-appointed and comfortable that it felt more like a remote country hotel.

The terrain was steep and, in some places, absolutely sheer making it impossible to make a direct climb up. However, our expert guiding team took us on a long gradual hike up a long valley that revealed several more mountain faces as we went. We stopped and glassed continuously at 45° angles and greater from various vantage points well below the peaks.

The Markhors were there! We spotted several trophy-class specimens during the hunt, especially later in the day when they mystically appeared from the shadows and tree cover where they had been bedded. Al is a very disciplined long-distance marksman, and he made a great shot at a very severe angle upward at just over 700 yards with a 7PRC. He dropped his Markhor decisively. It was an amazing moment that stood out among many others over my 50 years in the field.

Uzbekistan is the most under-hunted country in Central Asia and a wonderful country to experience. It has become a favorite destination of ours. We will be returning in 2026 to hunt a different region for Severtzov Argali and Bukhara Urial.

Contact Mark for deep dive into the country's major species, hunt strategies, its rich culture, and 2026-2027 openings.