While there is still no "official" word out of China regarding the hunting season, I just received and e-mail from our counterparts in Beijing that states: "We are all expecting China hunts could be reopened this fall through all of our efforts and we are continueing to work hard on it. Let's expect the best."

Stay tuned for details...I will keep you informed as best I can with any updates or any official word from there.

Cheers,

Clark Jeffs
Safari Outfitters, Inc.

It will be nice 6 years from now, when I can hunt in places like China, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe without the Navy dissaproving the leave papers.

Dreaming of Blue sheep, Hymalayan Ibex, and those big Zambezi Tuskers till then!

Clark, are they hunting 3 species of Blue sheep in Asia? Nepal, and the two in China?

Hi Seth!

There are three recognized species of blue sheep (bharal)...Tibetan a.k.a. Chinese blue sheep (China), Himalayan (China, Pakistan, Nepal), Dwarf Blue Sheep (China).

Currently China is still closed to hunting. Nepal is also closed and Pakistan is offering very limited blue sheep permits.

I am getting word out of China that the Qinghai province may be the first to reopen this year, but nothing official yet. One day at a time...

Clark Jeffs
Safari Outfitters, Inc.

Hot off the email Press....


SCI - First For Hunters
In the Crosshairs -- e-news from SCI's Washington Office
The latest and hottest news on federal, state, and international
political and conservation events|
June 14, 2007

** CITES UPDATE **

China Open to Re-Opening Hunting

Past President John Monson and Governmental Affairs Director Rick Parsons met with the Minister of Forestry for China during the CITES conference that is taking place right now in The Hague in Holland . Minister Jia Zhibang told Monson and Parsons that China was ready to reopen hunting by foreigners but was debating different approaches to the management of hunting. Minister Zhibang asked for SCI’s views and assistance.

The meeting was arranged by Dr. Xianlin Meng, who is the director of the CITES office for China . Meng has met Parsons at CITES meetings over the last several years and has expressed his support for trophy hunting in China.

In the last few months, SCI President Ralph Cunningham has sent two letters to Minister Zhibang urging the reopening of sport hunting by foreigners in China and offering the help of SCI. Clearly, all these contacts and efforts are bearing fruit.

Follow-up communications to the Minister are being developed through the SCI Foundation.

Hopefully China will open soon for Blue Sheep and Ibex. Cant wait.

I hope so too, but it does not look promising for this fall (2007). They are "talking" but not acting. The government (China) was suppose to send some survey teams, bioligists and such, into some of the hunting areas back in May. By mid-June nothing had happened and no one had been dispatched from the central government. Our people on the ground there are no longer as optimistic as they were 4 months ago, when they were saying there was a 60% chance it would open this fall.

The 2008 Olympics (Aug.) may also be playing a role in this. There is some speculation that the Chinese will hold out until after the Olympics to re-open hunting. I hope I am wrong, as I have many hunters waiting patiently for this to re-open.

China offers so much...it is sad to see it sitting idle. I guess the plus side to this is that those sheep, ibex, deer, takin, etc. will all be that much bigger when it does open!

Stay tuned.... SAFARI OUTFITTERS, INC.

Cheers,

Clark
(307) 587-5596
Safari Outfitters, Inc.
"Serving Sportsmen Since 1952"