Trophy hunting season has arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan

Trophy hunting season has arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan!

The department auctioned permits for 119 of the rarest species under the trophy hunting program 2022-23.

A large number of national and foreign hunters acquired the permits for the region’s hunting season set to run from November 2022 to April 2023.

Read more: US hunter pays $110,000 to kill Pakistan’s national animal Markhor

The first successful trophy hunting of the season was done in Hoshe village of Ganache District, Gilgit-Baltistan.

As reported, Edvardo Crespo from Spain managed to hunt a 41-inch horn Himalayan ibex.

The hunting season for Markhor, Ibex and Blue Sheep continues from 1st November till 31st April.

While December and January are considered the most suitable months for trophy hunting of Markhor and Ibex in the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan.

As reported earlier Thomas R. Lemmerholz, a German citizen, bagged the season’s first blue sheep with horns measuring 29 inches at Shimshal Community Control Hunting Area (CCHA) in Gojal, Hunza in November.

According to Gilgit Baltistan (GB) wildlife department, the hunter paid $22,000 to the department for the permit.

The hunting permit of the endangered Astor Markhor received the highest license cost in trophy hunting ever, i.e, $100,000.

As reported, five Astor Markhor hunting permits were auctioned off for $100,000, 14 blue sheep for $8,500, and 100 ibex for $3,600.

A company named Mehran Safari is reported to have acquired the license to hunt the Astor Markhor in the Gilgit Conservation Area after winning a bid of 1 lakh 65 thousand dollars (3 crores 71 lakh 86 thousand rupees).

Markhor, Pakistan’s national animal, is a distinctive species of wild goat identified by its long hair and spiralled horns.

It is a protected species in Pakistan unless permitted by the government to kill it under trophy hunting programmes.

The local authorities hand over 80 per cent of the permit money to the respective local communities which is spent on the development of the area., while the remaining goes to the government exchequer.

Chitral Trophy Hunting permits for the year 2021-22 were sold for $575,500.