In the first place, China, at just over $28,000, is more expensive than Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan. What's more, the higher price is being charged for a crack at a trophy that there is no immediate prospect for Americans being able to import, though Europeans, Mexicans and possibly other nationals can. Even if imports are legalized, Tajikistan appears to produce bigger trophies, and Kyrgyzstan has more comfortable camps, more experienced guides and a higher standard of outfitting, with trophies of at least the same quality as China, if not better. The two hunters who went to China this past October, one American and one Mexican, took sheep measuring 48 and 51 inches respectively. The smaller sheep was wounded and not found until three days later.
At press time, we could not reach either of these hunters, but word reaching us is there were significant problems on these hunts, which resulted in lost hunting days. To be sure, the problems on the hunt were mostly due to inexperience and, with time, will probably be cleared up. As for trophy size, there is considerable anecdotal evidence that bigger sheep - perhaps much bigger than those taken last winter - occur on the........(continued)
