The Hangai argali (Ovis ammon) is a large wild sheep inhabiting the Hangai Mountains and surrounding steppes of central Mongolia. Although not recognized as a distinct subspecies, trophy organizations distinguish it from Altai and Gobi argali based on geographic range and horn size. Rams are stockier than Gobi argali but smaller than Altai argali; mature males carry massive curling horns and inhabit high, open hillsides. For hunters, pursuing a Hangai ram is as much about the adventure of the Mongolian back‑country as it is about securing a world‑class trophy.
Hangai argali hunts are conducted during Mongolia’s summer and early autumn (1 July–30 September) when rams are most visible. Guides travel 6–8 hours by vehicle from Ulaanbaatar to remote base camps, then spend 5–7 days glassing mountain slopes for feeding or resting rams. Spot‑and‑stalk is the norm: hunters spend long hours behind optics judging horn length and mass before making a careful stalk over broken rock and grassy ridges. Success requires good fitness and patience because sheep inhabit elevations over 2 000 meters and can detect movement at great distances.
Argali are regulated under Mongolian wildlife law and CITES Appendix II. The International Single Species Action Plan notes that trophy hunting can support conservation if quotas are scientifically determined and revenue reaches local communities. During the socialist era thousands of argali were harvested, but little was reinvested in conservation. Today only about 45 Hangai/Gobi permits are issued annually and high fees discourage over‑harvest. Concerns remain that benefits often fail to reach herder communities and that more robust population monitoring is needed.
Hangai argali live in open grassland and semi‑desert interspersed with rocky outcrops. Rams feed on grasses and herbs in early morning and evening, then bed down on windy slopes where they can watch for predators. Given the limited permits and remote camps, hunters often combine this adventure with visits to nomadic gers or Naadam festivals to experience Mongolian culture.
Hangai Argali can be found in the following location:
Hangai Argali has the following variations:
- (Varieties to be confirmed)
