The Ovis World Slam

[Northern Safari]

Are the Marco Polo considered to be different from the other Argali Species? It looks like you can hunt a Marco Polo for about $40,000 whereas I'm following another hunter who is hunting an Argali in Mongolia for $225,000.

Quite the price difference.

 

[WRO]

Are the Marco Polo considered to be different from the other Argali Species? It looks like you can hunt a Marco Polo for about $40,000 whereas I'm following another hunter who is hunting an Argali in Mongolia for $225,000.

Quite the price difference.

There are several different sub species of argali.


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[Northern Safari]

Yeah I’m seeing 7 or 8 listed on GSCO, however there seems to be a drastic price increase from Marco Polo to the rest.

 

[Northern Safari]

Anyone here hunted one of the Urials?

You don’t hear much a about them.

 

[Northern Safari]

Same with these Russian snow sheep, I believe there are 5 of those?

Has anyone completed the snow sheep
Slam?

Understandable that there likely aren’t too many western hunters over there now due to the political climate. In terms of the experience of hunting big horns, it sounds like you can hunt all 5 for about the price of a Rocky Mountain bighorn today.

 

[BurdockLeatherwood]

The founder of the company I work for has his Ovis World Slam, he started his adventure hunting back in 1997 after a health scare and quadruple bypass surgery. I’ve been lucky to spend a lot of time with him listening to his stories and looking over his photos, he even has one where he’s shaking hands with Putin in Red Square back in the 90’s, never a dull moment when the Old Boy is around!

 

[Starbailey]

There are currently 8 snow sheep on the Ovis list. I knew of 7 until I looked to make sure & now am seeing an 8th. Splitting hairs but whatever. I've havent hunted one before but have one on the schedual for next year. It should be a great adventure if the weather will cooperate.
The urial hunts can be fun but tough at times. I have not hunted one my self but have been on Quite a few with a buddy. I thought I had Afghan urial permit on one hunt but ended up being sold. In Pakistan I've been on Afghan, Blanford, Punjab hunts & a Bukharan urial hunt in Tijik. Cool fun hunts

 

[idig4au]

Anyone here hunted one of the Urials?

You don’t hear much an about them.

yep I have blanford and Punjab urials. Fun sheep to hunt

 

[S-3 ranch]

Is an international slam even possible anymore?
Global politics and decline in sheep populations, cites import permits

I wanted to do a tur hunt and only one subspecies is still available
Was going to do mid tur and the eastern then on over to a mid Asian ibex
All in one trip under the same outfitters, now they say mid tur is not available

 

[Starbailey]

Is an international slam even possible anymore?
Global politics and decline in sheep populations, cites import permits

I wanted to do a tur hunt and only one subspecies is still available
Was going to do mid tur and the eastern then on over to a mid Asian ibex
All in one trip under the same outfitters, now they say mid tur is not available

I have asked & have been told mid tur are still huntable. Mater of fact they have opened up 2 weeks of hunting for them in the spring.
Ovis world slam is still a very doable achievement in my opinion. 4-8 from North America. Tur if you choose. 6-7 snow sheep, European mouflon, French mainland Corsican, urials from Pakistan, & the US has been issuing cities for all the huntable argali’s.

 

[Northern Safari]

Is an international slam even possible anymore?
Global politics and decline in sheep populations, cites import permits

I wanted to do a tur hunt and only one subspecies is still available
Was going to do mid tur and the eastern then on over to a mid Asian ibex
All in one trip under the same outfitters, now they say mid tur is not available

I think it's still very doable, for those with deep pockets.

You need 12 total right, so for the hunter that already has his North American Grand Slam and an aoudad, "only" 7 international Ovis to go.

You could take 1x Snow Sheep, 1x Argali, 1x Blue Sheep, 1x Tur, 1x Urial and 2x Mouflon.

Hell those 7 might cost less than the 4 in North America if we're talking todays prices.

 

[Starbailey]

I think it's still very doable, for those with deep pockets.

You need 12 total right, so for the hunter that already has his North American Grand Slam and an aoudad, "only" 7 international Ovis to go.

You could take 1x Snow Sheep, 1x Argali, 1x Blue Sheep, 1x Tur, 1x Urial and 2x Mouflon.

Hell those 7 might cost less than the 4 in North America if we're talking todays prices.

Hunt 2 of the snow sheep, 2 tur and skip the blue & argali hunts and cut cost by more.
But I think both those hunts are great hunts and shouldn’t be skipped other than for financial reasons.

 

[SethB_9]

As a follow-up to my thread on the Capra World Slam, how many here are either working towards or have successfully completely the Ovis World Slam?

It involves harvesting 12 of the wild sheep listed below. No easy feat for sure.

View attachment 866894

I have 1 of the species. I'm just hoping I can accomplish the North American Slam in my lifetime.

 

[Spiral Horn]

As areas close (like Iran) or become more difficult to access (like Russia) and fewer permits issued, it puts much greater demand/pressure on the remaining Ovis Species. Combine that with seeing guys honored at GSCO for completing their 5th, 6th, 7th …. NA Grand Slam and one begins to understand why sheep prices are skyrocketing.

Most guys I know who’ve completed the Ovis World Slam (and especially the Super 20 and above) have Iran and/or Russia on their resume. The World Slam is still very doable - just fewer options on where to go and much more expensive than it was 7 years or so ago. If willing to travel to Russia (still legal and Americans still go), I believe there are currently 8 Ovis Species available - most at seemingly bargain prices in today’s market.

Also, not all Ovis Species listed on the GSCO form are still currently huntable. Due to the many closures there is constant pressure on GSCO to declare slight variations in a given sheep species throughout its range as a separate sub-species. So it pays to do some research and confirm GSCO accepts entries for the targeted species from the area one will be hunting.