About the Afghan Urial
General Information
The Afghan urial is a striking wild sheep native to the arid mountainous regions of Central and South Asia. These agile animals are easily recognized by their reddish-buff coats, bluish-gray faces, and impressive, wrinkled horns.
Description of the Afghan Urial
Size and Body
- Height and Weight: Stands about 32 inches tall at the shoulder with a relatively small, sinewy build weighing around 100 pounds. Females (ewes) are noticeably smaller than males.
- Coat Color: The main body fur varies from reddish-buff to yellowish-brown in summer, fading to a lighter shade in winter.
- Markings: The underparts and rump patch are white. The face has a distinct bluish-gray tone. During winter, rams develop a small black saddle spot on their body.
Distinctive Features of Rams (Males)
- Neck and Chest Fur: Rams sport a striking white bib coupled with a long, prominent black ruff stretching from the throat down the neck and chest.
- Horns: They carry massive, strongly wrinkled (corrugated) horns that are triangular in cross-section. The horns grow outward and curve backward behind the head, with record lengths exceeding 41 inches.
Females (Ewes)
- Horns: Unlike the dramatic spiral horns of the males, females have much smaller, thin, and nearly straight horns.
- Mane: They lack the prominent black neck ruff and white bib seen on the rams.
Suitable Weapons
A long-range flat shooting rifle in the 6.5 to 30 caliber will be sufficient to bring down an Afghan Urial.
Hunting Area
Hunt Afghan Urial on Texas high fence hunting preserves.
Trophy Expectations
A good Afghan Urial trophy has horns measuring between 27 and 34 inches long.
Cost to Hunt
It costs between $5,500 and $7,500 to hunt Afghan Urials at a Texas hunting preserve.
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