Why in Austria are these called mouflon but in Texas they would be cross hybrids

Because they are cross hybrids and Austria does not want to call them that.

Wowsers!

What are they crossed with?

I have no idea. You tell me.

Idk but they are studs

I think those are just mouflon with better genetics

Kinda like a Midwestern whitetail will look different than a Texas whitetail which look different than Florida whitetail

wouldn't matter as long as it was in my CROSS-hairs

I thought that the European Mouflons that are in Austria and the Czech Republic were introduced in the 1800 and the original stock came from Corsica. I know I read that...now whether that is true or not I cannot guarantee.

I also thought that the European Mouflons in the US (not just Texas) were from zoo stock that came from Europe.

So I always assumed that the Mouflons that are hunted in Europe had better horns because they were older and might have also had better genetics.

So I am confused when someone says that the ones in Europe are hybrids and the ones in Texas are not.

Oh..and for the record I'd shoot one in a nanosecond!

I've wondered this myself and have even seen a pic of ram with a real faint patch from Spain and it was still being called a pure a mouflon.

I would shoot one of the rams above and be thrilled with it.

B/C in Texas curl out like that is 99% of the time a cross with a Corsican. Really big Central European mouflon will curl out like that - they aren't purposefully crossing them, they have just selected for certain traits over centuries of controlled harvest.

Most of our really good mouflon look closer to the Spanish and southern Med Mouflons - at least the ones I have seen over there.

Some of the European Mouflons will have some domestic sheep in them - somewhat inevitable since they live in close proximity - this is why, particularly in France you will see some with white points on them.

First of all I believe there are as pure of mouflon here in Texas as anywhere in the world. However due to demand (and some bad outfitters) a lot of cross breeds are being pawned off as pure. Therefore Hunter better beware and educated.


My question to you Sir,
I also agree there are some of those 1% in Texas. If top Texas mouflon ranches decided to improved their mouflon herds by breeding to the 1% with huge curl out horns would they be accepted as pure mouflon here?

Okay...I'd be interested to hear what Rickey Hunt has to say.

Way back 30 or more years ago when Louis Stumburg was developing his Sheep breed he had 2 results. One being the Stumburg we are familiar with and a Mouflon looking type that the horns flared out. He decided there was not a good market here in the States for a sheep like this. He kept the Stumberg type and since he was originally from Austria sent the Mouflon type semen there where the gov. impregnated as many of the wild Mouflon as they could. Thus that is why they now have the Mouflon with the flared horns.

WOW.. Now that is some information.

donk and SheepHunter,

I just emailed Gary Ploch at the Patio Ranch and asked if this is true. Recall you see the flared horns on the Mouflons in Austria as well as the Czech Republic (where some of the largest horns come from). Artificially inseminating a bunch of wild sheep seems like a pretty big undertaking. I will post Gary's reply.

I posted this on another thread, but given the posts about the European Mouflons and the post about the Patio Ranch, I thought it might be appropriate to also post it here?





Here is an excerpt from that newsletter. I also attached the link. They do not state what the exact hybrid was, but someone did tell me it was Transcaspian Urial x European Mouflon (25% Europen Mouflon), but I do not know if that is correct. Regardless, I would love to shoot a ram like that.

"The second was a hybrid Trans-Caspian urial ram that had been an experiment in genetics. It produced a sheep that is a one in 10,000 type sheep: large body, long horns, massive bases and the intelligence of the true wild sheep."

http://www.thepatioranch.com/timbo-s-dream-come-true-sheep-hunt/

I can't believe anyone believed that line of BS I wrote this morning. It was raining and cold outside and my mind was full of it. You all have to take with a grain of salt about half of what I write. Kind of good story though, Huh?

don K, You SOB..... I thought you were being serious. I'll get even

You made my day Tony

WOW.. Now that is some information.

Case solved.

Mouflon from Austria


Hybrid from Texas



I'm looking for a Austria mouflon in Texas

Too funny! When I saw the post, I thought 'that's bull' and I'm glad to see that was confirmed. On my mouflon hunt in Austria, I saw several younger rams that had the typical Texas look. So, I thinks its an age/genetics thing.

On a similar, but true note - my guide told me that all of the alpine ibex in Austria were wiped out and then reintroduced. Other than the ibex, all of the other species have been there naturally.

utcb,
I remember your original post on your hunt. As I recall your wife killed a HUGE Fallow buck. I believe you hunted with Klemens Bugeling who is the guy behind Hunting in Austria, Miesenbach.

How old is a trophy ram in Austria?
How common are flared out horns?

Thanks