American citizen hunts the highest-rated Astore markhor against a $181,000 permit

An American citizen hunted the highest-rated Astore markhor after paying a $181,000 fee for the permit. 

As reported the hunt was carried out in the Doyan Community Controlled Hunting Area (CCHA) in Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday.

This was the fourth highest-rated Astore markhor hunt in the current season of the trophy hunting program.

Meanwhile, the base rate fees for blue sheep and Himalayan ibex permits were $9,000 and $5,500, respectively. 

According to GB wildlife officials, a US citizen named Brian Douglas Williams successfully hunted an Astore markhor (Capra falconeri) in Doyan, with a trophy size of 40-inch horns.

The hunter paid a $181,000 trophy hunting permit fee to the GB Wildlife Department (GBWD) for the hunt.

Last year in October, the GB Forest, Parks and Wildlife Department auctioned four hunting licenses for the prized Astore markhor, one of which fetched a record $186,000.

As reported, the permits to hunt over a hundred rare species were auctioned as part of the trophy hunting program for 2023-24.

On Feb 13, a US national Colglazier John Michael hunted an Astore markhor in Sai Damote CCHA in Gilgit after paying $171,000.

On January 27, another American citizen Joseph Bradford Coors hunted the highest-rated Astore markhor in the SKB community control hunting area in the Roundu area of Skardu after paying $186,000 to the GBWD.

Meanwhile, on December 2, 2023, Jan Jacob T. Dams from Belgium hunted an Astore markhor in the DMT hunting area of Astore after paying $177,000 for the hunting permit.