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bakerb
.224 member

Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 48
Loc: SW MO

Bleak Picture for the Mongolian High Altai Argali
#116581 - 10/10/08 07:35 AM

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

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Shots rang out. . . as shots are wont to do.

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Cinghiale
.333 member

Reged: 15/04/08
Posts: 406
Loc: Northern Territory

Re: Bleak Picture for the Mongolian High Altai Argali [Re: bakerb]
#116604 - 10/10/08 03:18 PM

BakerB,
Firstly congratulations on your first born, a new generation of hunter to teach the true meaning of natural beauty and wilderness. Secondly this is an unfortunate situation for an obviously marvellous game species. I have never hunted any species of sheep but the passing of any species is a sad thing for all who dream of hunting the wild places of the world.

Regards,

MOG

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iqbal
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Reged: 05/02/03
Posts: 778
Loc: Karachi,Pakistan

Re: Bleak Picture for the Mongolian High Altai Argali [Re: bakerb]
#116628 - 11/10/08 12:06 AM

It may not be an Argali but the Marco Polo sheep is just as majestic with horns to match.High in the snow clad mountains where only the super fit can hunt it,it is a trophy of a life time.Alas it is also not huntable presently as it exists in the mountains bordering Afghanistan.Perhaps in better times....

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bakerb
.224 member

Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 48
Loc: SW MO

Re: Bleak Picture for the Mongolian High Altai Argali [Re: iqbal]
#116642 - 11/10/08 05:45 AM

Thanks for the kind comments. I've made some more inquiries, and am waiting for replies to see just how bad the situation has become. Hopefully it's not as bad as I'm thinking it is. However, it does sound like hunting for the Altai argali is not going to be around forever. Too bad, because it is a magnificent animal.

I would also like to hunt a Marco Polo argali someday as well. They are currently huntable in Krygystan (spelling?) and in Tajikistan as well. Although Tajikistan shares a border with Afghanistan, supposedly the hunting is safer now in Tajikistan because of the presence of troops at the border, and the presence of troops in Afghanistan. Someday I would like to hunt this magnificent animal as well, and this is also a hunt that shouldn't be put off by anybody, becuase it also may not be around forever.

In my personal, humble opinion, and in my twisted, weird mind, I believe the greatest trophies in the world, in no particular order, and for different factors such as pure beauty, magnificence, sheer size and enormity, scarcity, difficulty to hunt, etc. are . . . Altai argali, Marco Polo argali, large tusked elephant, bongo, and mountain nyala. There are many others that could grace anybody's list such as Lord Derby eland, cape buff, North american sheep, the markhor of Asia, ibex and other goats, polar bears, etc. etc. However, for me, the five I listed above are at the top of the heap. Maybe someday

Bake

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iqbal
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Reged: 05/02/03
Posts: 778
Loc: Karachi,Pakistan

Re: Bleak Picture for the Mongolian High Altai Argali [Re: bakerb]
#116685 - 11/10/08 11:47 PM

bakerb,you must add one more to your list as an outstanding trophy i.e. the Sable. It is such a beautiful animal.

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bakerb
.224 member

Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 48
Loc: SW MO

Re: Bleak Picture for the Mongolian High Altai Argali [Re: iqbal]
#117013 - 16/10/08 12:53 AM

Iqbal. . .

THere are many other animals that I would add to my list if I thought it was ever possible. The sable is beautiful, kudu are magnificent, the petite lesser kudu is stunning in my opinion, the bongo, mountain nyala, Common nyala are absolutely gorgeous, the list could go on and on. I have just looked at some of these hunts in a realistic light, and realize that if I get to go on three major hunts, for major species that are expensive to hunt, I would make it the three mentioned above, namely, Altai and Marco Polo Argali, and elephant.

Non-hunters do not understand the obsession. I could travel to some African park and ride around in a Land Rover and take pictures of elephant, lion, plains game, just about anything, but that animal won't be mine. I won't have worked for it. I won't have the experience of the looking, the tracking/stalking, the shot, and the euphoric sadness/joy that goes along with the harvest of a trophy animal. And I won't have that trophy to hang on my wall, and look at and remember the miles driven over bumpy trails in a Land Rover/Jeep, the miles spent looking for tracks or glassing, the walking/tracking/hiking/stalking. I won't be able to look at that trophy and wonder how he got the chips in his horns, what kind of battle that must have been, or look at the tusks and wonder how many dang trees he's pushed over and what kind of bush he must have been fighting through to tear his ears up like that.

I need to go hunting

Bake

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