Pregledom kataloga lovačkih trofeja s međunarodnih lovačkih izložbi uočeno je kako su trofeji muflona iz sredozemnih područja malo zastupljeni kao eksponati u odnosu na one iz kontinentalnog dijela Europe. Osim toga, malobrojni eksponati rogova ove divljači iz toplijih područja pokazuju nešto niže trofejne vrijednosti od kontinentalnih tuljaca. Postavlja se pitanje jesu li tome uzrok lošiji stanišni čimbenici ili ekstenzivnije gospodarenje muflonom. Stoga je analizirano 852 trofeja (tuljaca), s 4 lokaliteta u Hrvatskoj, od čega su 2 bila iz sredozemnog područja, a 2 iz panonskog. Ako se usporede trofejni parametri sredozemnih i kontinentalnih ovnova, tada se javlja relativno velik broj (13 od 36) interaktivnih odnosa u
kojima sredozemne populacije pokazuju intenzivniji rast u mladosti, odnosno intenzivniji rast vrijednosti trofejnih parametara kontinentalnih ovnova u poznijoj dobi. S gledišta kontinentalnih populacija to se zove kompenzacijski rast. Primjerice, ovnovi sa sredozemlja u kategoriju kapitalnih grla ulaze minimalno godinu
dana prije onih s kontinenta. Za razliku od muflona s kontinenta, grla sa sredozemnog područja pokazuju veću rentabilnost u uzgoju jer i bez prihrane krepkim krmivima postižu više trofejne vrijednosti od grla iz kontinentalnih lovišta.The study comprised the analysis of mouflon trophy parameters from four sites in Croatia, of which two were from the Mediterranean area (Senj and Rab), and two from the Continental area (Garjevica and Psunj). Within each area, it was possible to differentiate a site with high density of large game and high quantity of concentrated fodder supplementary feeding (Rab and Garjevica), and a site with low density of large game and low quantity of supplementary feeding (Senj and Psunj, Figure 2 and 3). The influence of age on development of a particular trophy parameter as well as on trophy value is quite variable both among parameters and among sites. The strongest age influence is on horn length, since it controls between 36 % and 78 % variability in horn length. After horn length, quite a strong age influence is found on total trophy value (age controls between 34 and 71 % of trophy value) and on horn circumference at 3nd section (38% to 71 %). Other parameters (horn span, horn circumference at 1st and 2nd section) do not show correlation as high as the first three parameters, while it should be noted that horn
circumference at 1st section is in certain cases non significant. Data comparison was made by using the ANCOVA method, in cases where interaction between trends was not found. In the cases of interaction, the Posttoff modified Johnson-Neyman method was used for calculation of significant trend difference intervals. The comparison
of male mouflons aged three years or older over the whole observation period showed a total of 13 cases of interactions between Mediterranean and Continental sites, out of which four interactions with Continental values were shown at Rab site and nine at Senj site.
The highest number of interactions within the same parameter was found for horn length (4 interactions). For the same parameter in two cases there was no interaction, where between Rabi and Senj sites there was no statistically significant difference in horn length. Rab
mouflons have longer horns than Garjevica mouflons until 8 years of age, while Psunj mouflons until 9 years of age. Horn length of Senj mouflons compared to those from Garjevica do not show significant difference in length until the age of 5, after which longer horns are
found on Garjevica mouflons (this is the first out of three cases of significantly higher values of Continental mouflons). However, the Senj mouflons have longer horns than the Psunj mouflons until 8 years of age. Regarding horn circumference at 3nd section and trophy values, out of six cases, interaction was found in three cases where the mouflons from Mediterranean sites showed higher values then the Continental ones within the same parameter (also in the cases where no interaction was found). According to the dynamic of horn length
growth we can conclude that mouflon rams in continental habitats show compensatory growth. This indicates that horn length (combined with 3rd circumference) might serve as an index of monitoring population quality in the future. In cases of interaction, significantly higher values of Mediterranean mouflons in comparison to Continental ones appear until the age of 6 (i.e. trophy value Senj and Garjevica),
until the age of 10 (i.e. trophy value Rab and Psunj), and significantly higher values of Continental mouflons after the 5th year (horn length at Senj and Garjevica sites), and 6th year respectively (i.e. 2nd circumference at Senj and Garjevica sites). This indicates that compensatory growth is present in Continental mouflons, that is, the Mediterranean sites are more favorable for raising mouflons compared to Continental sites since horn growth in length as
well as in total trophy value is more intense. Mouflons from Mediterranean Croatia “enter” into medal on average at 3 years of age, those from Garjevica at 4 years and from Psunj at 5 years of age. Hence, reaching the capital trophy value for Continental mouflons is at least one year later in comparison to Mediterranean
populations. In warmer climate conditions supplementary feeding of mouflons does not contribute significantly to increasing trophy values. It can be concluded that from the game management point of view, raising mouflons on Mediterranean sites is more cost effective
due to lower feeding costs
