The Hunting Consortium

"For almost a decade now, I have asked Bob Kern & Corey Knowlton to provide me with the best international hunts on planet earth. They have always came through and provided me with some of the most exciting adventures that I have had in my career."

-Jim Shockey

Ibex and Wild Goats

“The finest test of nerve, endurance and physical fitness is surely to be found in the pursuit of wild goats of the crags and precipices, and they must be accorded the highest honors of the stalking world.” (C.H. Stockley, 1936). Ibex hunting requires physical stamina and good shooting ability; more than are required in the pursuit of less-challenging game. Ibex inhabit the roughest and most precipitous terrain in the world, and they live in some of the wildest and most remote places. They have extraordinary eyesight and hearing. These characteristics explain why ibex and wild goats are accorded so much respect in the hunting world and why so many hunters seek them. All belong to the genus “Capra” and are closely related to sheep. The Hunting Consortium Ltd, offers hunts for all the ibex and wild goats of the world.

EXPERIENCE - “Wisdom from Experience!” is no hollow epithet. Bob Kern and his experienced staff have traveled throughout the world and hunted or visited all of the major destinations available to hunters today. We know who is reliable and who isn’t.

This experience is time consuming and expensive to amass, but costs our clients nothing extra. In fact, it has spared our clients countless problems, saving them precious time and money, while maximizing their chance for success and a positive experience.

RESEARCH - Current and accurate information is essential to the success of any hunt. No other company engages in more field research and scouting than The Hunting Consortium Ltd. Our experienced staff are traveling continuously throughout the world gathering up-to-the minute information on active hunting areas, programs and outfitters, as well as exploring new areas and creating new programs. The Hunting Consortium has built a far-reaching network of expert advisors who periodically furnish us with news in their respective areas of expertise.

SERVICE- Our multilingual, multi-national, travel experts make all travel arrangements including; air tickets, hotel reservations and firearm permits, as well as arranging other tourist services to complement the hunt arrangements. Our staff is the finest team ever assembled in the hunting industry, providing all types of services to our clients before they leave and even while they are in the field. The Hunting Consortium also advises its customers regarding firearm regulations, licensing and permitting requirements, taxidermy, and a variety of other technical subjects according to the needs of each client.

Wisdom from Experience

The Hunting Consortium Ltd. offers its clients unparalleled experience in Europe and Asia, having arranged more hunting trips in these regions of the world during the last three decades than any other company in the world! Bob Kern and his staff have explored the remotest parts of Asia for more than 20 years, as well as the far corners of the Alps and Carpathian Mountains in Europe.

No other hunting company employs as many regional service representatives as The Hunting Consortium Ltd. We have full-time representatives in the Balkans, Romania, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan, as well as customer-service offices in Europe and in Russia. No other company provides this depth of service.

Europe

Alpine Ibex

Perhaps the most revered trophy of Europe, the Alpine ibex is native to the mountain range of the same name. This species is currently huntable in Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia and we offer hunts in all of these countries. Permits are strictly limited; advance booking is required. The hunting season varies by country, but spans September through December.

Kri Kri Ibex

This wild goat is a diminutive form of the bezoar ibex, which has migrated into the western-most reach of the range of this species. Macedonia is the only source for this ‘ibex”, other than the Greek island of Sapienza. Hunting takes place year-round by special permit in two game reserves in the mountains south of Skopje. Permits are limited; 12 - 18 month advance booking is advised.

Spanish Ibex

The ibex of Spain are not true ibex, but rather wild goats, which hunters respectfully include in their discussion of ibex. There are four different subspecies of Spanish “ibex”, : the Gredos ibex, Southeastern Spanish ibex, Beceite ibex, and Ronda ibex. Hunting seasons vary by region, but generally span September through May. Spain is one of the most popular venues for hunting in Europe, because of the pleasant climate, great food and ambience, and the professional hunters of Spain are some of the finest in Europe.

Chamois

Although the various subspecies of chamois are not true goats, as hunters we include them in the wild goat family for hunting culture and trophy recording purposes. There are thought to be two species - western and common chamois, which are subdivided into 10 subspecies. Of these the following are huntable. The Hunting Consortium Ltd. offers hunts for all of them:

Carpathian chamois - the largest of all chamois, it is native to the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.

Balkan chamois - second largest of all chamois, it is native to the mountains of Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Greece.

Alpine chamois - the most widely hunted chamois, it is found throughout the Alps, from France through Switzerland, Germany and Slovenia, to Austria.

Tatra chamois - found in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia. Very few permits are issued, so advance booking is required.

Pyrenean chamois - found in the Pyrenees Mountains of southern France and northern Spain.

Cantabrian chamois - found in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain

Asia

The majority of the ibex and wild goats of the world are found in Asia. Among these are two subspecies of chamois:

Caucasian chamois - found in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Anatolian chamois - found in the mountains of central and northern Turkey.

Bezoar Ibex, Persian Ibex, or Turkish Ibex (Capra aegagrus aegagrus)

This colorful “ibex” is not a true ibex, but rather a wild goat. Nevertheless, it makes an impressive trophy. Found in the mountains of Turkey, Armenia, Iraq, Turkmenistan and Iran, it is currently huntable in all of these, except Iraq and Turkmenistan. The hunting season varies by country, but is generally from October through February.

Persian Desert Ibex

A paler, smaller form of the bezoar ibex recognized by Grand Slam - OVIS club, (not by SCI or Rowland Ward), it is found in the desert of central Iran.

Sindh Ibex

A paler, smaller sub-race of the bezoar ibex, found in the deserts of both Sindh and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. The hunting season is December through February. Very few permits are issued, so advance booking is required.

Mid-Asian Ibex or Tien Shan Ibex

Largest of all true ibex, this species is found throughout central Asia, and is currently hunted in the countries of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. There are minor differences in body size and horn length within these several republics. Good trophies measure 43 - 45 inches; the best can exceed 50 inches in length. The world record is over 60 inches. The hunting season varies by country and is generally September through February. Hunts for this great ibex are popularly combined with hunts for the Marco Polo sheep and other Asian game.

Siberian Ibex or Altai Ibex

Found in large numbers in the Sayan and Altai Mountains of Mongolia, northwestern Kazakhstan and the Altai Republic in Russia, this popular game animal is often hunted in combination with Asian elk (maral stag), Altai argali and other Asian species. Average horn lengths vary between 38 and 43 inches, but every year ibex of up to 47 inches and more are taken. The hunting season varies by country, but generally runs from July through November.

Gobi Ibex

Found in the Gobi Desert, this ibex is identical to the Siberian ibex (Altai ibex), except that this ibex is much smaller. Trophies average less than 38 inches. The hunting season is 15 July through the 15 October.

Himalayan Ibex

Similar to the Mid-Asian ibex in coloration, stature and conformation, but with smaller horns, it is found in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The hunting season for Himalayan ibex is December through March.

Caucasian Tur

Currently three varieties of tur are recognized by international hunting organizations: (West Caucasian, or “Kuban” Tur, Mid-Caucasian Tur, and East Caucasian or “Dagestan” Tur). This large ibex of the Caucasus Mountains provides mountain hunters with very challenging hunts, which take place in some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery on earth. The hunting season varies by country, but generally runs from July through November.

Himalayan Tahr

The tahr family of animals, is, like chamois to which they are closely related, neither true ibex nor goats, but they are considered among the wild goats of the world by hunters. Only one of the three subspecies is huntable today - the Himalayan tahr, found in India, Nepal and Bhutan; it is huntable only in Nepal. This species has also been transplanted to New Zealand and is huntable there as an exotic species.

Markhor

The various sub-species of Markhor are the most coveted trophies of mountain game in the world and they are also the rarest. They include the following; Bukharan Markhor, Kabul Markhor, Kashmir Markhor, Sulaiman Markhor, and Astor Markhor. Occasionally, by special permit, specimens of the Bukharan, which may be hunted in Tajikistan, are available by application. Sulaiman, Astor, and Pir Panjal (Kashmir) Markhors may be taken in Pakistan according to carefully controlled CITES quotas.

All markhor hunts require significant financial contributions to the respective governments and local authorities and are therefore quite expensive. Complete information is provided upon request. We assist our clients in obtaining permits for these hunts by application only.

"5 Stars" The Hunting Consortium is the premiere hunting/travel consultant in the world today. I've done more than a dozen hunts with THC and they never fall short. I can't recommend Bob Kern and his efficient crew highly enough.

(and after more than thirty years of traveling and hunting, my standards and expectations are pretty high).

-J.Y. Jones

Bob Kern and the team at The Hunting Consortium are the “A-Team” of international hunting in the world today! I depend on Bob’s intensive research and the exceptional experience that he and the members of his staff have accumulated working in the farthest reaches of the hunting world. My own business occupies most of my time, so I depend on Bob to keep me abreast of the latest developments in hunting and to get my trips right the first time, every time. They have never let me down!

- Jonathan Arn

“Bob and his crew are experienced professionals. Every trip is meticulously planned with true military precision. I have very much enjoyed my trips with Bob and would not trust anyone else to outfit my hunts in Europe!”

-Craig Boddington

"Bob Kern and The Hunting Consortium have been arranging hunts for me for more than 10 years. His staff always does a great job. I've been to very remote hunting areas and have never had any major problems. I collect quality trophies consistently, including, 22 Ovis species and 26 Capra. With The Hunting Consortium's help, I hope to achive the Super 30 of each. Bob Kern and The Hunting Consortium helped me earn the SCI Hunting Award Ring and The Conservation and Hunting Award."

- Page Mays