Lepel Interdistrict Inspectorate of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection informs about the start of traditional hunting seasons in Belarus. What a hunter should remember

Traditionally, the most widespread and popular hunts in Belarus begin in autumn – driven hunts for ungulates and hunts for fur-bearing game animals.

Driven hunts for ungulate game animals are permitted from 1 October and will continue until 31 December of the current year. The most popular targets for driven hunts are elk, red deer, roe deer, and wild boar. In accordance with the Hunting Rules, driven hunts are permitted during daylight hours. In addition, it is allowed to take ungulate game animals of any sex and age, taking into account the established quotas for their removal for hunting grounds, including by sex, age, and quality (trophy, non-trophy).

For the taking of elk, red deer, fallow deer, and adult wild boar over two years of age, it is permitted to use rifled hunting weapons with a muzzle energy of over 3000 joules, smooth-bore hunting weapons using slugs, hunting bows, and crossbows. For the taking of sika deer, roe deer, mouflon, and young wild boar (under two years of age), it is permitted to use rifled hunting weapons with a muzzle energy of over 1500 joules, smooth-bore hunting weapons using slugs or buckshot, hunting bows, and crossbows. The breeds of hunting dogs used in driven hunts are determined by the decision of the hunting grounds user.

We inform you that the procedure for using wild boar resources has changed in the country. The taking of wild boar is still permitted without regard to removal plans, as well as without restrictions on the number of wild animals taken, their sex, and age, in order to maximally reduce the population size.

At the same time, in accordance with the legislative amendments that came into force on 25 September of the current year, a differentiated (dual) mechanism for the removal of wild boar is provided, with or without the use of hunting products, according to which the taking of wild boar is carried out:

— without charging fees for permits and hunting permits for them, with the provision of compensation payments (monetary reward) for each wild boar taken and mandatory disposal of the taken animals,

— or, by decision of the regional executive committees – with charging fees for permits and

hunting permits and products obtained by hunters from hunting, after mandatory veterinary control, including laboratory tests for dangerous diseases. Until the results of laboratory studies are obtained, hunting products shall be stored by the users of hunting grounds.

In addition to driven hunts for ungulates, the autumn-winter hunting season for fur-bearing animals starts on October 5 (from the first Saturday of October), which traditionally begins with the opening of hunting for the European hare and mountain hare with trained hounds. From November 2, the list of fur-bearing animals permitted for hunting will be supplemented by the squirrel, pine marten and stone marten, American mink, muskrat, and European polecat.

Hunting for fur-bearing animals is permitted during daylight hours by both firearm and non-firearm methods. Smoothbore hunting firearms using shot cartridges are allowed as hunting weapons. For hunting squirrels, martens, American mink, muskrats, and polecats, rifled hunting firearms with a muzzle energy of 400 to 1500 joules (22 (5.6) Magnum, 22 Hornet), traps, and snares (excluding loops) are also permitted.

Hunting for hares from October 5 to November 2 requires the mandatory use of hounds with a field diploma for hares or foxes (no more than three hunters may hunt with one dog). The autumn-winter hunting season for fur-bearing animals will last until January 26, 2025.

We also remind hunters that they are permitted to hunt wolves, jackals, foxes, raccoon dogs, grey crows, and magpies, and to shoot stray cats and mongrel dogs whenever lawfully present in hunting grounds for the purpose of hunting.

We draw the special attention of hunters to the fact that the failure of participants to comply with elementary safety requirements – shooting at game animals along the firing line, leaving one's post without permission, shooting at noise, rustling, or unclear targets – are the main causes of accidents during driven hunts.

It should be remembered that driven hunting is a collective hunt, often involving 20 or more people. Each participant in such a hunt is required not only to be highly attentive and cautious but also to strictly follow the instructions of the hunt leader.

In accordance with the Hunting Safety Rules, **hunters are prohibited** during driven hunts:

to conduct it in conditions of poor visibility;

- to move to the middle of the firing line, including a clearing or road, or to its side opposite the shooters' positions (stands);

- to swap stands, independently choose positions and leave a stand before the end of the drive, except in cases where a hunter must provide immediate assistance to another person in distress;

- to use semi-automatic weapons with a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds, as well as cartridges for rifled weapons with full metal jacket bullets and for smooth-bore weapons with round balls;

- to shoot at game animals along the firing line, outside their sector, after the signal to end the drive.

A shot along the firing line is considered a shot at such an angle to it that the projectile or part of the projectile will fly within 15 meters of an adjacent stand.

Each shooter standing at a stand must accurately know the location of adjacent stands and the entire firing line. Adjacent shooters must show each other their positions before masking at their stands. When hunting by drive, weapons may only be loaded at the stand. Weapons must be unloaded before leaving the stand.

Shooting during a drive hunt is carried out in accordance with the requirements established by the hunt leader.

Shooting during a drive hunt is carried out after the game animal has crossed the firing line. In individual cases, with the permission of the hunt leader, shooting inside and/or within the enclosure is permitted, provided that safety is ensured. The hunter making the shot is responsible for the consequences of shots fired inside and/or within the enclosure.

A hunter may only shoot after first ensuring that there are no people, agricultural or domestic animals in the direction of the shot.

Prohibited:
- to board or disembark from a vehicle with a loaded hunting weapon;

- to remove an assembled hunting weapon by the barrel(s) from a vehicle;

- to shoot at noise, rustling, at a poorly visible target, in conditions of poor visibility (in dense fog, heavy snowfall, against the sun, etc.);

- to shoot and be with a loaded hunting weapon within 200 meters of the nearest building of a populated area;

- to shoot in the direction of people, populated areas, agricultural or domestic animals (except for stray cats and mongrel dogs), vehicles

from firearms with smooth bore for hunting at a distance of less than 500 metres from them and from firearms with rifled barrels for hunting – less than 2 kilometres;

- to aim hunting weapons, including unloaded ones, at a person, agricultural or domestic animals (except stray cats and mongrel dogs) or their places of accommodation;

- to fire unnecessarily, to cock the hammer of an external-hammer weapon or to release the safety catch of an internal-hammer weapon;

- to finish off a wounded game animal with the butt of a weapon.

Illegal hunting (without proper permit, in prohibited areas, at prohibited times, with prohibited tools, by prohibited methods) entails administrative (fine from 10 to 30 base units with or without confiscation of hunting tools and deprivation of the right to hunt), criminal (fine, imprisonment for up to 6 years with deprivation of the right to hunt) and civil liability (compensation for damage caused to the environment) responsibility.

For violation of the requirements of the Hunting Safety Rules, administrative responsibility is provided (fine up to 15 base units, and for repeated violation of these rules within a year – fine from 10 to 30 base units or deprivation of the right to hunt).

Illegal movement (transportation) or butchering of wild animals, which are hunting objects in accordance with legislative acts, including dead ones, or their parts entails administrative (fine from 20 to 30 base units) or criminal (fine, imprisonment for up to 4 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities) responsibility.

If you have information about an impending or committed violation of environmental legislation, do not be indifferent – report such a violation to the 24-hour hotline of the State Inspectorate: 8(017) 390 00 00 or 8(033) 333 60 00.

Good luck to all hunters!