Poaching has helped to reduce the hangul population drastically from a crudely estimated 1,000-2,000 in 1947 to under 200 in 1965- 1970.
Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir- India, contains the only known truly viable population of Cervus elaphus hanglu. Dachigam is vital as a refuge for the hangul. In the Overa sanctuary park, (same area as Dachigam), in 1978, the hangul population was estimated to total about seven animals. Effective implementation of conservation measures has helped the population within Dachigam to steadily increase. 250 were estimated in 1976-77, 320 in 1978 and, based on censuses carried out by the Indian Wildlife Protection Department, 347, 430, 482 and 554 in 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively.