Well, as some of my posts have explained, I believe that one of the greatest trophies is the Altai Argali from Mongolia. It's the king of the wild sheep, maybe not longer of horn than the Marco Polo, but bigger in body, and greater horn mass. It's not called the Ovis ammon ammon for no reason.

Well, I saw a post on the GSCO/Ovis forums that scared me, so I emailed Dennis Campbell of GSCO and Safari Outfitters from Montana.

Apparently, Mongolia has closed 2 of the 3 Altai hunting areas. And for 2008, the US Fish and Wildlife Service only issued 3 import permits, 10 were issued in 2007. 2 of those permits were used this year and the hunters took two monster rams. . . a 60 incher and a 59x58 incher. The 3rd permit for 2008 was used by a hunter that had taken his ram in 2007 but had not been able to import it.

The implication, in my mind at least, is that Altai argali may not be huntable for a whole lot longer, and maybe not importable within the next couple of years.

It feels like a little piece of me has died. I have been dreaming of an Altai argali hunt for years and years, and have no chance to hunt in the next two or three years because of finances (my wife and I are just starting out, we're young, and recently learned that we have our first child on the way). This is a dream that I cannot let die. Yet it seems like it is passing, and in a few years, unless drastic action is taken by Mongolian officials and areas are set aside for the Altai argali and for hunting, that this magnificent animal may be lost to us sport hunters forever.

I wish there was something I could do. I wish I was in a position to create a Selous-like reserve in the high altai mountains of Mongolia. No human settlements, set aside solely for animals and for sport-hunting. Alas, I am no Ionides or Nicholson.

With Sadness,
Bake

Here are two pictures of a magnificent Altai at the Kansas City Cabelas. I gawk at these pictures daily, and dream