Hollek has been meeting with Egyptian wildlife officials for over a year now and called us last month after returning from Cairo with the good news. He says he will be offering hunts for Nubian ibex and Barbary sheep in an area near the Red Sea starting this coming October. The hunts will take place in the low mountains on foot or horseback. Guides are local Bedouins who know the area and the game movements. The terrain is not very steep, says Holleck, but hunters will need to be in good shape as there is a lot of walking and climbing in arid terrain will be involved. Expect 90 degree heat. Accommodations are a rustic tent camp. Hunters who wish to bathe in camp should bring their own sun shower.
As for trophy quality, Holleck says 35- to 40-inch ibex and 25- to 29-inch sheep are a reasonable expectation. Because there has been a lot of poaching over the years, he says hunters should not expect to take world record animals. The allure of this hunt is the ability to hunt a new destination for species that originated there. As for importing trophies into the US, Holleck says US Fish & Wildlife Service has given him the green light.
These hunts will run for 11 days with an additional night in Cairo on each end. The cost is $24,000 with hunting licenses. Clients take either a plane or train from Cairo to Edfu where they continue on to the hunting area. In-country transportation is not included in the hunt price. The same is true of tips, the two overnights in Cairo and travel to and from Egypt. Hollek has only three slots for this October but hopes to have twice as many next year.........(continued)
