- Harve Hollek of the Hollek Company says he did not send any clients on Marco Polo hunts last season, but he did go to Kyrgyzstan himself and spent three weeks there inspecting the hunting areas and meeting with the operators he works with. Hollek says he has a number of hunters scheduled to go this year. His hunts run $19,999 for 16 days.
- Bob Kern of the Hunting Consortium says he did not send clients to Kyrgyzstan nor Tajikistan last October until he could assess the effects on the hunting areas. Satisfied all was well, he then sent about a dozen hunters between November and December. He says all clients were successful, with the largest trophy taken measuring 63 inches. Kern reports they encountered no problems, and that he has numerous clients scheduled to go to Tajikistan and a smaller but still significant number scheduled for Kyrgyzstan this year. "Due to the slightly reduced hunting pressure from last year, we are looking forward to a great season," Kern says. He charges $26,900 for 16 days.
- Jeff Neal did not have any Marco Polo hunters travel last season, cautiously asking his clients to hold off until he could assess the situation in that region. This year he says it will be business as usual, and he is actively marketing these hunts again. Neal charges $25,900 for a 14-day hunt in Tajikistan and $23,500 for 12 days in Krygyzstan.
- Wes Vining of The Trophy Connection reports postponing all but three Marco Polo hunts last season. The clients who went were from Spain and, according to Vining, successfully killed trophy rams in the 56- to 57-inch range, with one coming in at 58 inches. Vining says he has over a dozen hunters........(continued)
