Location
Found in Armenia, possibly the extreme southwestern tip of Azerbaijan, eastern Turkey, the northeastern corner of Iraq, and northwestern Iran east to Tabriz and south to the central Zagros Mountains. The first major reserve where the Armenian mouflon lives is Haftad Gholleh, which is near the town of Arak. If you examine the geography, you will see that Arak is about 150 miles southwest of Tehran and the traditional red sheep areas. For all practical purposes, the Armenian mouflons are located west and northwest of the city of Qom. A small free-ranging herd is presently found in West Texas on the Clayton Williams Ranch.
Description
Shoulder height 28-32 inches. Weight 100-140 pounds. A graceful sheep with relatively long, slender legs. General color is reddish-tan with a narrow, grayish-white saddle patch. Under parts, lower legs and muzzle are white. Chest is dark brown. There is a narrow brown flank band and brown markings on front of the upper legs. In winter, there is a short black ruff on the lower neck and brisket. No bib. Horns are supracervical, curving above and behind the neck.
Remarks
In the last two decades, hunting in Iran for this species has been sporadic, depending on the political climate of Iran. There have been a few GSCO members who were able to hunt in Armenia recently and successfully take the Armenian mouflon. Most of the hunting for the Armenian mouflon occurs on the Williams Ranch in West Texas. These sheep are accepted toward the Ovis World Slam.
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