The spring hunting season is open

Starting from March 8th of the current year, the spring hunting season for waterfowl – geese and ducks – has commenced in the Republic of Belarus. From March 15th, hunting for male woodcocks during their display flights will also be permitted. This year's spring hunting season will last until May 11th.

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 ducks, depending on the availability of game species in the hunting areas.

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 ducks is permitted using the ambush method and only with decoys (using calls, live decoys, or decoys/silhouettes). This type of hunting can be conducted during daylight hours, excluding the period from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

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

We remind you that shotgun hunting for non-quota game species is allowed on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, officially declared non-working holidays, and specific working days if they are rescheduled to weekends by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus. Spring hunting for male woodcocks during their display flights is also permitted on Fridays. Hunting grounds may establish additional days of the week for hunting during the season (no more than two).

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

Migratory geese – White-fronted goose, Bean goose, Greylag goose, Canada goose of any sex;

Male (drakes) ducks – Mallard, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Goldeneye, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Common Teal, Eurasian Teal, Grey duck;

Male woodcocks during their display flights.

Smooth-bore hunting firearms loaded with shot cartridges are permitted as hunting implements. Hunting dogs – terriers, dachshunds, pointers, spaniels, retrievers, water dogs – are allowed for tracking and retrieving 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 decoys, stuffed birds, 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 such an animal.

We also remind you of the prohibition on carrying and/or using in hunting grounds during the hunting of game animals of non-regulated species, rifled hunting weapons (barrels), 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 hunting accidents, including those resulting in fatalities. Furthermore, 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 instances of poaching, please contact the Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for Wildlife Protection at the following address: Verkhnedvinsk, Sovetskaya St., Bldg. 193/2, or by calling the "hotline" at 6-17-23.