Yakut Snow Sheep

The Yakut Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola lydekkeri) is closely related to the Okhotsk Snow Sheep but is generally smaller throughout its range. This subspecies has less white on the forehead compared to the Okhotsk variety. The body length of the Yakut Snow Sheep ranges from 4.6 to 5.3 feet (140 to 160 cm), with a shoulder height between 3.1 and 3.6 feet (93 to 108 cm), and a weight range of 132 to 264 lbs (60 to 120 kg). Their coat is grayish-brown, with a small patch of light-colored hair on the buttocks, and their legs are dark chocolate brown with some whitish markings on the rear edges. A dark band runs across their nose between the eyes and muzzle, creating a sharp contrast with the bright white rostrum. Male Yakut Snow Sheep grow horns up to 35 inches (89 cm) long, but their horns tend to be shorter and thinner compared to other Snow Sheep subspecies. The Yakut Snow Sheep is the most widely distributed, found throughout the Yakutia Region of Siberia, from the Lena River eastward, north of 62º N, and it ranges across the Verkhoyansk, Chersk, Mom, Kolyma, and other mountain ranges. All sheep found in the Yakutia Region are considered Yakut Snow Sheep. In the Magadan Region, the eastern boundary is marked by the Kolyma River, extending to where it intersects with the southern route of the Trans-Siberian Highway.

The hunting area for Yakut Snow Sheep is located in the north-western Magadan Region and the Yakutia Region, specifically in the Verkhoyansk, Mom, and Chersk mountain ranges. The hunting season runs from August 1 to November 30, with the optimal hunting period falling between August 1 and September 1. There are two travel options for getting to the hunting area. One option is to travel to Magadan, similar to the Okhotsk or Kolyma Snow Sheep hunts, and then drive about 300 miles to the northern town of Sejmchan. From there, hunters fly by helicopter for about 1.5 hours to reach the hunting area. Alternatively, hunters can fly from Moscow to Yakutsk, a 6-hour flight. Upon arrival in Yakutsk, they will be transferred by helicopter to the base camp, which takes nearly two hours.

Accommodation during the hunt is provided in tented camps located in mountain valleys at an elevation of 2,800 feet. Each tent can accommodate up to four people, but typically two to three hunters share a tent. The camps are equipped with stoves and portable cots, and field showers, as well as a dryer for clothing, are available. Electricity is primarily supplied by generators, and each camp has a cook who provides Russian-style meals and high-quality service. If the sheep are found far from the base camp, small fly camps are set up for 2–3 days. The Yakut Snow Sheep inhabits rocky mountainous areas ranging from 3,200 to 6,500 feet (1,000 to 2,000 meters) in elevation, and hunting is done using the spot and stalk method with one guide and one assistant per hunter. Hunters should expect to walk between 5 to 10 miles a day. Special footwear, windproof camouflage clothes, binoculars, and a rangefinder are essential for the hunt.

In terms of climate, the daytime temperatures in August range from 50 to 70 ˚F (10 to 20 ˚C), while nighttime temperatures drop to between 32 and 50 ˚F (0 to 10 ˚C). As the season progresses, rainy, snowy, windy, and cold weather becomes more common, especially toward the end of August and the beginning of September.