Mouflon

Appearance

A small wild sheep. The coat is reddish brown with a white belly and lower legs. In winter rams show a pale saddle patch on the flanks. Rams carry strong horns curving in a spiral, which grow throughout life; ewes are usually hornless.

Rams weigh 35–50 kg, ewes 25–35 kg.

Native to Mediterranean islands. In Central Europe it thrives in dry, rocky, stony hill and mountain forests; on wet, soft ground its hooves overgrow, which can cause disease. In Hungary it lives mainly in the North Hungarian Mountains, the Bakony, the Mecsek and the Buda Hills.

It lives in groups; ewes move with lambs and young animals, while rams form separate groups outside the rut. The rut lasts from October to December, when rams clash head-on. Lambs are born in April–May.

It feeds on grasses, herbs, shrub shoots, acorns and bark.

• Track: pointed, narrow hoof print, 5–6 cm long, with clearly separated claws.
• Droppings: small pellets, clumped or scattered, often around resting places.
• Trails: well-trodden paths on rocky slopes.

The trophy is the ram's horns. CIC scoring considers horn length, base circumference and circumferences at the thirds, spread, and beauty points. The gold medal threshold is 205 CIC points.