This beautiful animal is found in the arid low hills of the Salt Range of Pakistan in the province of Punjab, which covers four large districts viz: Kalabagh, Mianwali, Jehlum & Chakwal.
One of the main privileges of hunting in these meadows is that these areas are quite close to the capital city of Islamabad compared to the far-flung Northern regions. Our access to these areas will be through good roads (+ freeways) on which we run our first-class air-conditioned motor coaches. The average driving time from Islamabad to these habitats is approximately 02 hours; however, upon arriving at the road end of these habitats, we sometimes need to use 4WD jeeps to go deeper into the meadows, but mostly, we stalk on foot.
The walks are easier on the undulating but dry & small hills, ravines, and gorges studded with shrubs and grass. Since these areas are far below the snow line, temperatures during the peak Hunting Season (Dec-Jan) are moderate (ordinary fleece or a jacket is sufficient). It will become warmer by mid-February, but it will still be bearable by March. So, jeeping, camping, walking, and stalking are much easier than in the mountainous habitats of our Northern Areas.
All permits are auctioned by the Provincial Wild Life Department of Punjab, and licenses are given to the highest bidders (Pakistani Outfitters). There are only 14 Hunting Permits, so one must book the hunts well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Taxonomy & Game Profile
Biological Name: Ovis Orientalis Punjabiensis
Local names: Urial in Punjab, Gad in Balochistan
Shoulder Height: 76 -to 91 cm (30 -to 36 inches)
Body Length: 127 -to 140 cm (50 to 55 inches)
Weight: 45 -to- 48 kg (99 -to- 105 lbs
Horn Length: 63 -to 105 cm (25 -to 41 inches)
About Punjab Urial
The Punjab urial (Ovis orientalis punjabiensis) is the principal mammalian game species of the scrub forest in the Salt and Kala Chitta Ranges. This subspecies’s distribution area in Pakistan is enclosed by the Indus and Jhelum rivers and the forest belt of the Himalayan foothills at elevations of 250-1500 m.
In the Salt Range, it is typically associated with lower-rounded stony hills sparsely covered with wild olive (Olea ferruginea) and phulai (Acacia modesta). Punjab urial is also found in small scattered populations in the Kala Chitta and in the Salt Range up to 1,500 m asl and in the Districts of Attack, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, and Khushab.
Urial males have large horns, curling outwards from the top of the head, turning in to end somewhere behind the head; females have shorter, compressed horns. The males’ horns may be up to 100 cm (39 in) long. The shoulder height of an adult male Urial is between 80 and 90 cm (31 and 35 in). Females have slender upward curving horns about 12.7cm(5in) long. Noticeable features include the long reddish-brown fur that fades during winter; males are characterized by a black ruff stretching from the neck to the chest and large horns. The face is generally grayish, the long, slender legs and belly are creamy-white, and the body fur is reddish-grey. There is no extensive white area in the caudal region. The tail is always the same color as the dorsal hair and lacks a longer or terminal tuft. The sub-orbital glands are deep and conspicuous, often exuding a viscous substance that mats the hair. The iris is pale yellowish-grey, with the retina contracting to a horizontal slot.
Reproduction:
Gestation Period: 150-180 days. Young per Birth: Single or occasional twin lambs are born mid-April to early May in Punjab and often as early as late March in the Kirthar Range in Sindh. Rut: Rams show no sign of sexual interest or rut until their third autumn when they are two and a half years of age. Sexual Maturity: At 4-5 years. Life Span: 10-11 years.
Social Behaviour :
The Punjab Urial is a gregarious, sexually dimorphic, non-territorial, promiscuous, and ungulate. The reproductive cycle begins with the rut in mid-October and November, with a peak activity in the first half of November. Females give birth to one or two lambs in early April. The main predators are leopards and jackals. Feeding activity is confined to the early morning and evening in the summer months, often commencing well before dawn. During the day, they rest, usually under an overhanging bush or rock where they are well concealed. Their sight, hearing, and sense of smell are all acutely developed. They are excessively wary, depending upon early detection of approaching danger and flight for their survival.
Habitat & Diet
Urials’ habitat consists of grassy slopes below the timberline. They rarely move to rocky areas of the mountains. Their preferred food is shrubs and grasses. When fodder is scarce, they browse the leaves of acacia modesta and sometimes pink mucilaginous fruits.
Group Hunt : Up to ? people
Trip Summary
Hunting Season: 01 Dec to 28 Feb
Hunting Area: The Salt Range (Punjab Province) see area map
Altitude: 498 meters (1,633 ft) to 671 meters (2,200 ft)
Average Temperatures: 04º to 13º Celsius
Fitness Grade: A: Easy to B: Moderate … see fitness grades
Arrival & Departure: Islamabad International Airport
Domestic Flights: Nil
Long Haul Driving: 02+02 hours (in & out)
Short Haul Driving: 20 to 30 minutes daily
Stay in Pakistan: 05 to 07 days
Hunt Duration: 03 days (fixed)
Lodging: Guest house &/or camp
Meals: All breakfasts, lunches & dinners
Local Sightseeing: Optional at extra cost
Sketch Itinerary: (detailed itinerary available)
Day 01: From Home
Fly from your home to Pakistan.
Day 02: ISLAMABAD
Arrive Islamabad. Drive to the hunting area (02 hours).
Day 03 -To- Day 05: Hunting Area
03 Days in the hunting area for Punjab Urial with the complete support of our team. Overnights at private guest houses or camps. All meals included.
Day 06: Islamabad
End of hunting safari. Drive back to Islamabad (02 Hours).
Day 07:
Fly back to home.
Services Included : (as per terms)
- Cost of hunting permit of 01 Punjab Urial.
- Car from Karachi or Quetta to the hunting area.
- 4WD Jeeps inside hunting Area (03 days)
- 03 Nights in a room or tents in a hunting area.
- Full board meals in the hunting area.
- Soft drinks, tea/coffee in the hunting area.
- PH, game scouts, porters & security guards.
- Wages, meals & accommodation for staff.
- Liaison with Govt offices for issuance of permits.
- Free baggage allowance of 25 Kg on the trip.
- Free sightseeing in Karachi or Islamabad.
Services Not Included :
- Hotels, meals, transport & other services before & after hunting safari.
- Costs for import of hunting rifle & shooting license.
- Charges for skinning, dipping, trophy export, quarantine, packing & shipping.
- International or domestic air tickets & airport taxes for any client or staff.
- Arm, ammunition, tripod, binoculars, scope, clothing & personal gear.
- Portage, cargo, shipment, and transportation of excess baggage.
- Sleeping bag, rucksack, ponchos, umbrellas, rain gear & hunting gear.
- Phone & fax calls, room services, meals on ala carte, or special food.
- Costs of medications, immunizations, hospitalizations & services of doctors.
- Charges for evacuation or rescue by ground ambulance, helicopter, or airplane.
- Hard drinks / Alcohol (liquor), room services, and meals on a la carte.
- Any service or product not agreed to or mentioned in our quotation & contract.
- Tips to servers, bellhops, drivers, and porters at airports, hotels, restaurants & sites.
