Game Hunted: The Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis)

Dates: 02/25/2011 through 03/02/2011

Area Hunted: Kalabagh game reserve, Punjab, Pakistan

I have hunted for the Punjab Urial many times but never had an opportunity to hunt in the Kalabagh reserve, and during those previous hunts in the “good old days” 25-30 years ago I saw many young Urial but never saw a mature animal that I wanted to shoot.


In December I received an invitation from Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan, whose great grandfather had established the Kalabagh game reserve (KGR) in the early 1930’s. It is located about 25km south east of the town of kalabagh, in Jaba masan valley, Mianwali district, Punjab province in a massif that forms the most westerly extension of the salt mountain range. For many generations, this land has been the private property of the Nawab of Kalabagh (The ruling Family of the area prior to the formation of Pakistan) and holds the largest and the best protected unfenced population of the Punjab Urial in world.


I did not need a lot of time to make up my mind, this area is very safe and under the direct control of the Malik family, patrolled by their armed game guards, the nearest Taliban are 100 miles away, so I booked my flight and arrived in Lahore, Pakistan on 02/21/2011.

My parents live in Lahore, so I spent a few days with them and also visited the Lahore fort built a 1000 years ago and expanded by the Mughals.


My parents house



Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Tomb in Lahore, he was founder of the Sikh kingdom


Gate of the Lahore Fort



Wall of the Fort


Inside the Fort


Inside the Fort

We drove to Kalabagh on 02/25/2011 and stayed at Malik Amad’s guest house overnight, prior to the hunt. The main guesthouse is located on the bank of the Indus river it was a rest house built by the British about a hundred years ago and has a huge banyan tree in the yard estimated to be 800 to 900 hundred years old. This guest house has housed everyone from the Shah of Iran to the Royalty of England.


View of the Guest House from the Indus River


You can see the water marks on the guest house walls from the recent floods




Marker in the yard indicating levels of prior floods


The Banyan tree


View of the river Indus and the old bridge from the guest house


Malik Amad's Stables


Ramparts and gate of the Nawabs residence built by Malik Amad's grandfater



The main guest house was closed for repairs after surviving one of the worst floods in decades, so we stayed in a side guest house that had just been repaired.


The hunting area is a 45 min. drive and we arrived there before sunrise. There is a nice hunting lodge with European mounts of Urial and Chinkara (Indian gazelle) on the walls.


Hunting Lodge


Hunting lodge


The name Salt Range, is given to the hill system situated in the Northern Punjab, in
Jhelum, Chakwal, Khushab and Mianwali Districts. It was so named in 1808 by Elphinston, a British Envoy, when he observed the extraction of salt in the area. The salt deposits of the area were deposited as a result of the evaporation of Tethys Sea and formation of Indus plains from collision of Indian plate with Asian plate resulting from continental drift.


The Kalabagh reserve is an unspoiled paradise, with abundant and well managed game population of Punjab Urial and Chinkara as well as a multitude of small game and birds including the grey francolin, Chukar, See-see Partridge and Quail (during migration season).







Unfortunately after the rut (November/December) the Urial population suffered an epidemic of Sarcoptic Mange most likely transmitted by contact with domestic animals causing a huge die off affecting mostly mature males.


I had four game guards with me armed with AK 47’s; each one of them carried a Swarovski binocular.


In the field with the Game guards


Game guards glassing for Urial




I was hoping for a 30 inch trophy but the recent epidemic had decimated the older male population and we saw a few skeletons of grand trophy males during my stay there.

I ultimately managed to shoot a respectable 26 inch male with a broomed right horn. He also had signs of the Sarcoptic Mange but had survived and was recovering, so the cape was not in its prime, but I had no complaints, after many years I had my trophy Punjab Urial.








The Maliks Staff at the hunting lodge


A group of Urial that were raised by the staff of the hunting lodge, they roam free but will come up to the lodge

Aziz

Bahut acha Aziz!

Wonderful country and great photos. You really live the dream with your hunts!

Wonderful report. Amazing country and history.

Aziz Sb, great hunt and report. Love the photos and history. You didn't had a chance to hunt Sind Ibex or Urial in this trip?

Great Report!
Thank you very much for sharing, Aziz.

gret trip aziz wish i knew u r in lahore was an oppertunity to meet u anyways next.regards

Very nice report!

well done

Aziz, that is impressive.

Amazing report and great pictures! Looks like a great time

Aziz,

Once more what a beatiful report !!!!

Thanks for those fantastic pictures.

L

What a wonderful experience! Thanks for sharing and congrats on a great trophy!

Thanks for the fine report and pictures. I need to check this forum more often!

Very cool, indeed. !

Very nice, I always enjoy your reports!

What a great trip in a place wit so much history! I hate to hear that the mange has done so much damage though.

You are a very lucky man/hunter to have had this experence,thank you very much for sharing a wonderful trip. I dream of hunting there but sadly never will be able to.

Congratulations, Aziz! Your hunting trips and fine reports and photography are always novel and interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Very nice.

Very interesting adventure.

Excellent reports and very nice pics.Many thanks for sharing.

Best-
Locksley,R

Great urial!
Thanks for sharing

Great hunt, Aziz sb. and nice trophy

Great look at a special place.
Thanks for sharing.
Matt

Thank you Aziz
Another of your great reports

Good HUnting

CF

Another unique adventure in an unusual location for a superb trophy! Great pictures Aziz, well done!

Game guards with Swarovski binos!
Thanks for the marvelous photos.

Another fantastic advenure, with a hunt thrown in to boot.

Aziz, I admire your style. Well done.

Enjoyed the tour and your report Aziz. Glad you got your ram after so long. Well earned!

Aziz, congratulations!!

Your reports are always outstanding and your destinations unique! Thanks so much for posting.

Regards,
Scott

Great report Aziz bhai. I get nostalgic when I see such grand reports of the subcontinent. thanks for sharing.

What a visual feast, stunning architecture, magnificent vistas, i think i will cook a Nihari t'morow.
Tks fr sharing Azizji.

That is a terrific report Aziz, thanks for sharing.

Aziz,
As always, great report

Aziz, I always look forward to your reports. There is a reason. Once again,great pictures, great hunt.

Aziz, Great ram......Congrats.

Thank you very much,Aziz!
You are the best!
Great!

good report and excellant photography, well done. :-)

Great job Aziz! Very nice animal and pictures!

Aziz Sahib a great mixture of history and hunting...congratulations

Thanks for sharing and congrats on a great trophy.