With the ever increasing price of a North American Sheep hunt, where are the best values internationally?

[Northern Safari]

I'm sure I'm not the only one here that has had a case of sticker shock looking at 2024 guided Sheep hunt prices (6 figures here in Canada).

I'm starting to look into international options that present a higher degree of value for a sheep hunt.

Who here has hunted sheep outside of North America? How did it go? Would you recommend the trip?

European Mouflon?
Russian Snow Sheep?
Asian Argali?
Asian Blue Sheep?
Mid-East Urials?

Would be interested to hear about goat hunts outside of NA as well.

 

[Nickziegler]

Tahr and chamois hunts on the west coast of the south island of New zealand has to be the best bang for the buck on an adventure mountain hunt. Just be sure to actually do a backpack/ hiking type hunt vs a helicopter shoot or assist type hunt alot of outfitters like to do. The mountains there are incredible.

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[OMB]

I'm sure I'm not the only one here that has had a case of sticker shock looking at 2024 guided Sheep hunt prices (6 figures here in Canada).

I'm starting to look into international options that present a higher degree of value for a sheep hunt.

Who here has hunted sheep outside of North America? How did it go? Would you recommend the trip?

European Mouflon?
Russian Snow Sheep?
Asian Argali?
Asian Blue Sheep?
Mid-East Urials?

Would be interested to hear about goat hunts outside of NA as well.

If by 6 figures, even accounting for loonies, you mean certain outfitters for Stone sheep, right? I just booked another NWT trip and it was basically double what I locked in from 2018, but certainly not 6 figures at this point. If looking for a deal compared to Canadian or Alaskan outfitter prices on sheep, ibex would definitely be on my list ahead of anything you have listed there outside of mouflon.

 

[WCB]

I'm with Nick above....Tahr and Chamois in NZ. I'll echo the none helo gunning/assist hunts. We got dropped off by Helo for Chamois and spent 3 days tent living almost on the very top of the West Coast. Awesome experience. I shot my Tahr on a foot hunt.

 

[Northern Safari]

If by 6 figures, even accounting for loonies, you mean certain outfitters for Stone sheep, right? I just booked another NWT trip and it was basically double what I locked in from 2018, but certainly not 6 figures at this point. If looking for a deal compared to Canadian or Alaskan outfitter prices on sheep, ibex would definitely be on my list ahead of anything you have listed there outside of mouflon.

Yeah mainly refering to a stone sheep hunt although the cheapest sheep hunt I'm seeing on BookYourHunt.com is $88,000 for a rocky mountain bighorn.

Are you finding better prices than that in NWT?

 

[ozyclint]

NZ without a doubt.

 

[OMB]

Yeah mainly refering to a stone sheep hunt although the cheapest sheep hunt in seeing on BookYourHunt.com is $88,000 for a rocky mountain bighorn.

Are you finding better prices than that in NWT

Not every outfitter has a published price list but here's one from Gana River for example: https://www.ganariver.com/price-lists/

 

[Northern Safari]

Not every outfitter has a published price list but here's one from Gana River for example: https://www.ganariver.com/price-lists/

Nice, $36,000 USD or $49,000.CDN sounds like a downright deal for a sheep hunt in 2025. About half of the other prices I've been seeing online.

 

[Wapiti1]

Tur and Ibex hunts are the best value at this time. There are no cheap sheep.

If you want a really fun and challenging hunt, Dagestan tur is it. I did that in 2015. Ibex in Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan are also a good hunt. Both can still be done for <$15000.

Jeremy

 

[Happy Antelope]

Mongolia Ibex is a steel at around 13k

 

[cbeard64]

I understand the hunt cost. But how much extra are the travel/other costs vs. a North American hunt? 2-3 days of international travel/lodging on both ends, pack/dip/crate costs, international trophy shipping costs, etc., etc.?

I priced Ibex hunts in Spain at the recent DSC show. The hunt was $8500 but the trip was closer to $17K all-in when all the other costs were added. Which did not include plane fare.

Surely going to somewhere like Turkey, Kyrzykstan, etc. would mean even more added costs?

 

[kybuck1]

Make sure to figure in success rates with some of the proposed prices. A hunt may be cheaper but you might be doing it a couple times to be successful.

 

[S-3 ranch]

ibex in one of the zakatan countries, get in shape ( 4000+ meters shape)
Preferably sharpen your horsemanship and shooting skills ( 400+ + meters)

 

[Vadimbrutskiy]

Fallowing

 

[Suera]

Like the folks said my vote is also for NZ, for tahr and chamois. Real mountain hunt, and is very well rated price, you can shoot all the animals you want because is free, the only problem is the weather that sometimes can ruin a little your hunt. But the good is you have only to buy your flight, study the area that you want hunt , rent a helicopter is good option for go good areas and camp.
Europe mouflon is also very good option, you can find them in 3000 USD, also ibex in my country Spain could be cheap you can find representative trophies in also 3000 USD, add the flights and some expenses and you can make the hunts in less than 8000 everything.
In the Stan countries you can find some ibex hunts about 6000-8000 USD but you have to add flights , export and expenses more near 12-13k.

The blue sheep is not cheap, nowdays around 30k-40k and rising the price is happening the same that with the north american rams, in some years price will be double, but without doubt hunt it in Pakistan is one of the best hunts in the world.
Urials are very over priced, are nice animals and the mountains you hunt them are ok, but minimum 20k and at the end is same like and European mouflon, only if you make slams this animals have sense.

Argali their price is just like crazy, only Marco polo is affordable still around 20-30k depend country ,the other argalis if you are well budget you can hunt them but minimum 70-80k and some of them 120-140k.

Finally snow sheep is a really amazing hunt, you have 6 different for hunt, now the prices are very good due to the war maybe price drop about 30% ,but also is not the best moment for go, if you are adventurous you can go and save a lot of money compared with last years , could be a great opportunity. Same with Dagestan tur in Rusia area.

 

[Suera]

I understand the hunt cost. But how much extra are the travel/other costs vs. a North American hunt? 2-3 days of international travel/lodging on both ends, pack/dip/crate costs, international trophy shipping costs, etc., etc.?

I priced Ibex hunts in Spain at the recent DSC show. The hunt was $8500 but the trip was closer to $17K all-in when all the other costs were added. Which did not include plane fare.

Surely going to somewhere like Turkey, Kyrzykstan, etc. would mean even more added costs?

This price is very over rated, you can hunt a representative ibex in 3000 USD, add the international flight 1500 USD, export trophy add other 1000-2000 USD depend and some little more expenses, you can make it in less than 8000 USD everything.

 

[Mojave]

We have Spanish hunts for Beceite ibex. They are a heck of a lot cheaper than 8500.

 

[Wapiti1]

I understand the hunt cost. But how much extra are the travel/other costs vs. a North American hunt? 2-3 days of international travel/lodging on both ends, pack/dip/crate costs, international trophy shipping costs, etc., etc.?

I priced Ibex hunts in Spain at the recent DSC show. The hunt was $8500 but the trip was closer to $17K all-in when all the other costs were added. Which did not include plane fare.

Surely going to somewhere like Turkey, Kyrzykstan, etc. would mean even more added costs?

The 15k I quoted is all in for a Dagestan Tur hunt. For Ibex in Asia, that would be pretty close as well. These hunts run about 10k, and there are about 3000-5000 in extra fees, and flights. You can find deals on these occasionally that will shave a couple thou off.

Neither has a dip and pack, you fly your trophy home with you, at least I did. Not a ton of extra fees. Hotel in and out, flights, vet fee ($500-1000), and tips. That's about it. If you are good with cattle class on flights, it's not expensive. Hotels will run 100 per night.

Jeremy

 

[Cactus kid]

NZ chamois hunt is the best bang for the buck. Just returned from a foot hunted chamois and it was a fantastic true mountain hunt. It’s the working man’s dall sheep hunt.

Not the best time for US hunters to go to Russia, very risky at this time.

Blue sheep is very expensive at the moment. I did this hunt in 2022. Maybe the finest mountain hunt I will ever do in my lifetime, but was definitely not budget friendly.

Ibex hunting in Kyrgyzstan or Tajik is a great value and a hell of an adventure. I’m not sure if Kyrgyzstan is open for hunting at the moment unfortunately.

 

[Duckhunterbrad]

I had a friend recently return from bear hunting in Russia. Definitely a great value if you don't mind the risk factor. He never felt uncomfortable from a risk perspective besides his nerves going through customs. I won't be going to Russia anytime soon, but he's going back for moose and sheep!