Astor markhor hunting is done by the classic spot-and-stalk method, typical for most mountain hunts. The hunters use optics to spot the animals (usually in the morning, when they are most active), and when the suitable old male is located, approach it carefully within range. Mountain animals don’t usually expect danger from above, and the stalk often requires a long and weary detour to rise above the markhor and approach it downwind. In the first years of the program some hunters reported that local guides, while knowing the animals and the territory like the palm of their hand, were not too competent at trophy estimation and other requirements of trophy hunting. Now, however, this problem seems to be a thing of the past.