Mongolia

With horses and mobility central to its nomadic pastoral culture, Mongolia's centuries-old hunting traditions have been shaped by spiritual connections with nature. Fast forwarding through history into contemporary times, the genesis of professional hunting in Mongolia actually pre-dates most major hunting countries of Asia.

Hunt success in Mongolia is still dependent on the time-tested skills and tactics of local guiding teams. But the operational know-how and oversight of a handful of carefully vetted outfitting companies ensures vigilant monitoring of game populations, pinpoint hunting area selection, and seamless logistics to penetrate remote territory effectively. This tight integration of centralized and local capabilities has enabled consistent success on trophy-class game in Mongolia especially.

Hunters will experience a unique blend of challenging hunting, breathtaking landscapes, and cultural immersion. Mongolia's diverse environments of sprawling steppes, arid deserts, towering mountains, and dense forests are home to elite game species. Most notable in the Mongolian species portfolio are the four Argali species; Northern, High Altai, Hangai, and Gobi. They are among the world's largest wild sheep and are highly prized for their massive horns, making Mongolia a premier destination for worldly Ovis hunters.

The High Altai and Northern Argalis roam a large expanse of the Altay Mountains in the far west. The Altai Ibex overlaps a significant portion of that region along with dense pockets of remarkable Maral Stag. In 1997, the Mid-Altay Argali was classified as the Hangai Argali for record keeping purposes. They inhabit the central part of the country in the vicinity of Öshig Mountain and the throughout northern stretches of the Hangai Range. The Gobi Argali, "smallest" of the Mongolian Argali, inhabits its namesake region of the Gobi Desert along with companion species of Gobi Ibex and White-tailed Gazelle. In the central north are the forests that hold concentrations of Maral Stag, Siberian Roebuck and Wild Boar. Incidentally, Mongolia holds the largest population of Maral (Asian Wapiti), and each year some monstrous racks are taken that rival trophy-sized North American elk.

The high cost of Argali hunting permits, which is in part attributable to persistent high demand from international sheep hunters, combined with limited annual quota, positions these hunts among the world's most exclusive. For some hunters, it is not until they have walked up on their trophy and gazed at the mass of golden horns do they realize the full extent of their precious value. We believe that Mongolian Argali are worth it for those who have the means or have the will to find the means to hunt them. Many global hunters would list the Argali among the Top 10 or 20 game animals of the world, and for some, Argalis are the pinnacle achievement of their hunting careers.

Caprinae Safaris has been hunting Mongolia since our inception. We have guided many of the world's most prolific hunters – Weatherby, Conklin Foundation and SCI Award winners – to grand trophies. With a keen ability to interpret hunting conditions and assess local capabilities in real-time we are able to select hunting areas and local partners that match up with hunters' requirements precisely.

Why is this so important? As usual in hunting everywhere, certain areas within the total eligible hunting territory of a country produce trophies of higher quality on average historically. This is a key factor of Argali hunting in Mongolia. So, it is common to see the cost of Argali hunts partitioned into two tiers – trophy and premium trophy – with associated cost differences. Caprinae Safaris goes further with bespoke arrangements when required, often configuring special permit hunts, adding extra levels of pre-scouting, and bolstering local scouting and trophy judging abilities with Caprinae PHs.

For those in quest of the world's sheep, prioritizing Argali is wise and advised. In the last 10 years, we have witnessed the impact of import bans, quota reductions, harsh winters, human encroachments, and industry development in prime territory. Now that the US Fish & Wildlife Service is granting import permits, demand for Argali hunts is surging beyond the normal year-over-year growth rates. Consequently, Argali hunts must be planned in advance in order to acquire specific permits and secure local guiding teams that will deliver on hunters' specific objectives.

On occasion, however, we gain access to additional permits within an upcoming or active hunting season enabling shorter notice hunts. So, we encourage and welcome an exploratory conversation where we will share the latest insights, provide an update on permit availability, and offer advice on all Mongolian species, including all the species available as combination hunts.