American hunts highest-rated Astore Markhor in Skardu

GILGIT: An American citizen has successfully hunted an Astore Markhor, a rare species in Gilgit-Baltistan, by paying a licence fee of $186,000 during the current hunting trophy season.

According to the Gilgit-Baltistan wildlife department, Joseph Bradford Coore hunted the highest-rated Markhor in the Rondu conservation area in Skardu on Friday.

The horns of the hunted animal measured 44 inches.

In 2021, the experienced hunter achieved a record by hunting a Kashmir Markhor with 40-inch horns in the Toshi Shasha conservation area of Chitral using a bow. This was the first trophy hunting performed with a bow. He had paid approximately Rs13.12 million for the permit.

Friday’s hunt marked the second Astore Markhor hunt of the current hunting season 2023-24.

The first trophy hunting of the Astore Markhor for the 2023-24 season was recorded on December 2 last year when a Belgian hunter bagged a 40-inch trophy at a community hunting area in Astore district for $177,000, approximately Rs54 million.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, trophy hunting is conducted in collaboration with local communities. These communities receive 80% of the hunting fee, while the government uses the remaining 20% for forest preservation and biodiversity conservation.

For the trophy hunting program of 2023-24, the Gilgit-Baltistan wildlife, environment, and forest department has auctioned only four permits for Astore Aarkhor, 14 for blue sheep, and 88 for Himalayan ibexes.