The spring hunting season is open

Starting from March 9 of the current year, the spring hunting season for game birds – geese and male ducks – will commence in the republic. From March 16, hunting for male woodcocks "on the wing" will also be permitted. This year, the spring hunting season will last until May 12.

In accordance with the Hunting Regulations, the total duration of the spring hunting season cannot exceed 28 days (with the exception of hunting for male woodcocks). Each hunting ground has the right to independently set the specific opening and closing dates for the spring hunting season for geese and male ducks, depending on the availability of game species in the hunting grounds.

It should be noted that the migration of birds this year began significantly earlier than usual.

Hunters must remember that spring hunting for geese and male ducks is permitted using the ambush method and only with decoys (using calls, live decoys, or decoys (silhouettes)). This type of hunting may be conducted during daylight hours, excluding the period between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM.

Hunting for male woodcocks is permitted using the ambush method ("on the wing"). The permitted time for this hunt is from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

We remind you that shotgun hunting for game animals of unregulated species is permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, holidays established or declared non-working in accordance with the legislation, and on certain working days if they are postponed by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus to weekends. Spring hunting for woodcocks "on the pull" is also permitted on Fridays. Hunting grounds may establish additional days of the week permitted for hunting (no more than two) for the hunting season.

Traditionally, during the spring hunting season, hunters are permitted to take:

migratory geese – white-fronted geese, bean geese, greylag geese, Canada geese of any sex;

male (drakes) ducks – mallards, Eurasian wigeons, common goldeneyes, northern shovelers, tufted ducks, garganeys, and common teals, and grey ducks;

male woodcocks "on the pull".

Smooth-bore hunting weapons loaded with shot-loaded cartridges are permitted for hunting. Hunting dogs – terriers, dachshunds, pointers, spaniels, retrievers, water dogs – may be used to search for and retrieve downed game.

During the period of prohibition on the use of small vessels by citizens in fishing grounds during the spring hunting season, hunters are permitted to use non-motorized small vessels for the installation and/or removal of decoy ducks, decoys, silhouettes, and for retrieving harvested game.

We remind you that during the spring hunting season, only game bird species specified in the hunting permit may be harvested. The harvesting of other bird species, or of female ducks and woodcocks, is prohibited and constitutes illegal hunting, which entails administrative (Part 1 of Article 16.27 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses) or criminal (Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus) liability, as well as the obligation for the violator of environmental legislation to compensate for the harm caused to the environment as a result of the illegal taking of the specified animal.

We also remind you of the prohibition on carrying and/or using in hunting grounds during hunting of game animals of non-regulated species, rifled hunting weapons, hunting bows and crossbows, as well as cartridges loaded with bullets or buckshot.

We draw hunters' special attention to the need for strict adherence to the safety rules of hunting during the hunting process, as set out in Chapter 6 of the Hunting Rules. Practice shows that non-compliance with these requirements is the main cause of accidents during hunting, including those resulting in fatalities. In addition, violation of hunting safety rules entails administrative liability (Parts 5 and 6 of Article 16.27 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses) in the form of a fine of up to 15 base units, and in case of repeated violation within a year – from 10 to 30 base units or deprivation of the right to hunt.

For additional information or to report cases of poaching, please contact the Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora at the address: Verkhnedvinsk, Sovetskaya St., 193/2, or by calling the "hotline" at 6-17-23.