Hunting for Markhor, Urial & Blue Sheep

A markhor from Pakistan is currently one of the most exclusive and difficult trophies to obtain in the world. With a trophy fee of up to 135,000 USD there are very few hunters anywhere that have managed to add this trophy to their collection. On the other hand, the large amounts of money raised helps to secure the species survival.  Exactly the same is true for the other exclusive species of wild sheep and goats found in Pakistan. Our partner Zoon Safari arranges hunts for all of them, dependant on the availability of licenses.

Pakistan has had great success in implementing nature conservation programs base around high trophy fees, which brings many benefits to the loco people living around the huling district, and has saved the countries large mammals from extinction.  These efforts have met with approval from many bodies including the IUCN, and are the main reason why the numbers of these animals is increasing and populations can now support limited trophy hunting.  Over just a few decades this policy has succeeded in positively transforming the populations of all these animals, so they are now classified as being significantly less threatened  that they were when things looked the worst. Here we can really see how trophy hunting functions as an effective wildlife conservation tool!

Markhor

The Markhor is the world’s largest wild goat. It only inhabits some of the most inaccessible mountains of Central Asia, and has been one of the world’s most sought after hunting trophies since the days of the British colonisation of India. Because of the many different you mountain ranges that occur in its distribution range, a fair number of different sub-species have arisen, that are largely separated on the basis of horn shape.. Zoon Safari offers hunting for three Pakistani sub species, according to the availability of licenses.

• Astor or Astore markhor (Capra falconeri falconeri)
• Kashmir markhor (Capra falconeri cashmiriensis)
• Suleiman markhor (Capra falconeri jerdoni)

The hunts are individually tailored, but a typical hunting package will last 12-days and include 6 hunting days. The hunts take place during the winter (November to April), when these animals come down from the high mountains to overwinter at an altitude of  2,500-3,000 m. above sea level, and forage in meadows close to the local villages. As a rule the hunt is both physically and technically challenging, demanding that you are physically well prepared and that you have first rate equipment. During this time of year you can expect temperatures of between 0 to -15 degrees Celcius. The success rate of these hunts is very high.

The cost of the whole package is the sum of the price for the hunting plus the cost of the trophy fee (which is divided between the state and the local population in the ration (20/80)). Please request a quote if you are interested. You can expect the combined price to be around 1,000,000 DKK. (2018-19)

Urial

The urial is a central Asian mountain sheep, of which a number of different subspecies occur over its range of distribution. In Pakistan Zoon Safari offers hunting for three subspecies, depending on availability of licenses.

• Blanford Urial  (Ovis orientalis blanfordi)
• Punjab Urial (Ovis orientalis punjabiensis)
• Afghan Urial (Ovis orientalis cycloceros)

The hunts are individually tailored, but a typical hunting package will last 7 days including 4 days hunting. The hunts take place during the winter (November to April), and are in lower mountains – typically under 1.000 m. in height. As a rule the hunt is both physically and technically challenging, demanding that you are physically well prepared and that you have first rate equipment. The success rate of these hunts is very high.

The cost of the whole package is the sum of the price for the hunting plus the cost of the trophy fee (which is divided between the state and the local population in the ration (20/80)). Please request a quote if you are interested. You can expect the combined price to be around 200,000 DKK. (2018-19)

Blue Sheep

Blue sheep or bharal (Pseudois nayaur) is a central asian, mountain dwelling mammal closely related to both wild goats and wild sheep, without being easily classified as one or the other of these two groups. Blue sheep live high up in the Himalaya and offer some of the most challenging mountain hunting on the planet. In part this is because the hunt takes place at altitudes of up to 4,500 meters above sea level, and partially because the mountains they live in are extremely steep and rocky.

The hunts are individually tailored, but a typical hunting package will last 16 days including 9 days hunting. The hunts tare carried out during the winter (November to April), and take place in high mountains – typically up to 4,500 m.above sea level. As a rule the hunt is both physically and technically challenging, demanding that you are physically well prepared and that you have first rate equipment.

The cost of the whole package is the sum of the price for the hunting plus the cost of the trophy fee (which is divided between the state and the local population in the ration (20/80)). Please request a quote if you are interested. You can expect the combined price to be around 150,000 DKK. (2018-19)

General

Only a limited number of licenses fare available for the whole country, and the price of these license will vary from year to year.  Pakistan actively uses the trophy fees as an important incentive for wildlife preservation simply by distributing 80% of the funds raised to the local population living in the district where the game was shot, while the final 20% goes to the state’s game administration service. As a hunter it is important that you are aware that the license is used and the trophy fee due at the moment you take your shot – regardless on wether it results in a kill, a wounding or even a miss.

Pakistan is a muslim country and the culture here is very different from Europe. Expect to enjoy an exciting meeting of cultures. Your own weapons can be brought into the country without problem, but expect a processing time for an import permit to take at least four months.

There hunts can be supplemented with reasonably priced wild boar hunts in the Punjab province.