Blue sheep

Scientific name: Pseudois nayaur

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Stocky build with slate-blue to grey-brown coat; males darker and larger. Both sexes have short, backward-curved horns; males' horns thicker and longer. White belly and inner legs contrast with darker flanks.

Size and weight

Males 60–75 kg, females 45–55 kg. Body length 120–140 cm.

Habitat

Alpine and subalpine rocky terrain between 2,500–5,500 m elevation. Sparse grassland, shrubland, and scree slopes with minimal tree cover.

Distribution

Central Asian high plateaus: Tibet, Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Tian Shan ranges from western China through Nepal to Tajikistan.

Diet

Alpine grasses, sedges, and low herbs year-round; browse on dwarf shrubs and lichens in winter when ground forage is scarce.

Behaviour

Diurnal and crepuscular; most active dawn and dusk. Live in mixed-sex herds of 10–40 animals, moving between high pastures and lower slopes seasonally. Sure-footed on steep, broken ground.

Hunting tips

Look for droppings (pellet clusters) and worn trails on ridges and benches. Approach from above when possible, using boulder fields for cover. Move slowly into wind; glassing distant slopes from high vantage points reveals stationary herds. Target individuals on open faces at dawn or dusk when they graze.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Nepal
Pakistan

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.