Hunting Season In Hunza

Hunting at Hunza

Hunza is famous for hunting of its Marco Polo sheep, a unique sheep of its kind and only find on peaks and glaciers at high altitude. People of Hunza are fond of the meat obtain from the hunting. It was a tradtion in past to go pastures and peaks of higher altitude standing on the back of the region.

The hunters were supposed to return within a week carying with one of the delicious meat ever tasted. With the passage of time, this custom has been transformed due to establishment of World Life Fund to protect the spacies. Now, this is done in specail season with a great fun.
I personally remember that once he brought and when I tasted, it was so delicious that I still remember.
Espcially, forneigners are fond of this hobby who get special permission from the local authorities.

Marco Polo ships can run with at a speed of 74 Kilometers per hour and it has high potential to leap on long distances. And it can be hunt while hiding somewhare and ambush suddenly on a cliff.

Ibex Hunting in the Region

Both the European or Alpine population, and Himalayan population of Ibex share common certain distinguishing features. The Himalayan Ibex can be separated from the Alpine population by the horn shape which, in adult males, grows much longer, curving round to form 3/4 of a complete arc and tapering to relatively slender points. The record horn from Pakistan measured 140cm (55 inches) and came from Gilgit. It had a basal girth of 26.5cm (10.5 inches) and a gap of 63.5cm (25 inches) between tips and certainly in Gilgit a head with horns over this length would be considered an exceptionally good trophy.Confined to relatively arid mountain ranges of the inner Himalyas, living well above the tree line only in the higher more precipitous regions. They occur from about 3660m (12,000 feet) to over 5000m (16400 feet) in Pakistan, though they sometimes migrate from one mountain range to another in winter and in so doing have been seen crossing vallies below 2135m (7000feet)

Himalayan Ibex

They are fairly wide spread through the higher mountain ranges of Baltistan in the Karakoram Range, the Haramosh range, and the probably the highest population of Ibex now survives in Northern Hunza, specially in the water shed of Khunjerab, and to the east of Khunjerab. In Gilgit, they are still fairly plentiful in Ishkoman, Yasin and Hunza. Further west they occur in the Hindukush range of mountains and throughout Northern Chitral down to about 32 kilometers north of Chitral and in the higher mounain regions of Chilas and on the slopes of Malika Parbat. Saphaid Koh range in the North West Frontier Province and this is the southern most limit of its range. This is a smaller animal than the Himalayan Ibex.

Himalayan Ibex has a wider distribution and is plentiful and its future survival is not so threatened in Pakistan largely due to the inaccessibility of its haitat provided by the very extensive concentration of very high mountain ranges in the extreme north western regions. Baltistan and Hunza are undoubtedly the strong holds of the Himalayan Ibex in the region today. In the early spring the Ibex are half starved and eagerly seek new sprouting grass when it is available at lower milder elevations. This is the only time when they descend as low as 2450m (800 feet) and are thus much easier to hunt.

Things to Know

Rifles: Rifles with common hunting caliber are allowed
Ammunition: maximum 100 rounds per hunter
Equipment: normal hunting dress, sleeping bag, portable hunting seat, tough boots, binoculars.
Weather: In the day time its pleasant and at night is very cold
We need at least 6 weeks for clearance of hunters for processing the permission for Ibex hunts.
1. hunting season is from October to March.
2. 100 % guaranteed trophy hunt.
3. Hunting area Northern Areas of Pakistan.
4. Hunters age dose not matter, but good physical and health condition is necessary.
5. Normally hunter can shoot animal in the 4th or 5th day after starting the hunting trek. We are always doing our best try to scout and search for the good trophy by our professional hunting guides before starting the hunting expedition.
6. All the charges and government fee are non refundable after obtaining the hunting permit.
7. Hunter will pay in advance very well in time to book the Ibex hunting permit for the coming season.
8. Only one hunter can join expedition, and no limit for non hunters to join the expedition.
9. Non hunter member will pay only service charge.

Expected Time Span for visitors for an Open Ibex Huning Program

Day 1 Arrival in Islamabad and transfer to hotel. City with an good transportation service.
Day 2 Drive to hunting area in North of Pakistan but it requires a night stay at hotel.
Day 3 Drive to hunting camp.
Day 4 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex hunt.
Day 5 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex hunt.
Day 6 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex hunt.
Day 7 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex hunt.
Day 8 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex hunt.
Day 9 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex hunt.
Day 10 Stalking with expert professional guide for Ibex t hunt.
Day 11-12 Drive back to Islamabad and transfer to airport for departure to hunter destination.