Other News From The Ovis Convention

Other news from the OVIS convention is that the organization has partnered with Safari Club International to produce a new record book for free-range mountain hunting species. That's right, free-range only. It will include all the North American and international wild sheep and goats, with a few new categories that had not been previously adopted by SCI. These new categories will include Helanshan blue sheep from China. You'll remember we told you about some new hunts for this species last month. Also, a sheep found in Iran is being re-classified as a Persian desert ibex, a transition species between Bezoar and Sindh ibex. The Persian ibex was previously classified as a Bezoar. Another new category of sheep found in Iran is the Shiraz mouflon, which lives in the wildlife reserves around the city of Shiraz and south and east to the cities of Jahrom and Darab. Researchers and record book committee members have found a dramatic difference between the Esfahan, Shiraz and Laristan mouflons. The Shiraz was previously considered a Laristan.

In addition to these, there will also be a category for free-range hybrids that occur naturally in the wild. GSC/OVIS Executive Director Dennis Campbell says the organization is now accepting one hybrid for the Capra World Slam, the Super 20 and Super 30. These hybrids include a Mallorca goat from Spain and an ibex from Turkey that seems to be a hybrid between ibex and domestic goats.

The new sheep and goat record book will not be available until the 2009 SCI Convention. In the meantime, you can read about some of these new categories as well as revised listings on the GSC/OVIS web site at www.wildsheep.org. Campbell says that he and SCI's director of record books, Doug Luger, and SCI record book committee chair, Douglas Yajko, are hoping the new record book will increase awareness of hunting for wild sheep and goats around the world, as well as encourage more hunters to enter their trophies. GSC/OVIS will continue to track and maintain records for the Grand Slam of North American Wild Sheep, the Ovis World Slam and Capra........(continued)