Hunting

About 60 percent out of 618 vertebrate species, that occur in Poland, live in forests. Civilization progress imbalanced longtime stability of forest ecosystem and its rules, which also impacts animals that live there. Therefore, the number of animals, the manner of keeping and possibilities of preventing damages caused by animals are regulated by the Polish and EU law.
02.02.2014

About 60 percent out of 618 vertebrate species, that occur in Poland, live in forests. Civilization progress imbalanced longtime stability of forest ecosystem and its rules, which also impacts animals that live there. Therefore, the number of animals, the manner of keeping and possibilities of preventing damages caused by animals are regulated by the Polish and EU law.

Hunting is an element of a natural environment protection – this is how hunting is defined by the Act on ‘Hunting Law’ of 1995. Game (20 percent of mammal species and 12 percent of birds that occur in Poland) is a national asset and a property of the National Treasure. The responsibility for managing the game in accordance with ecology rules and sustainable forest, agricultural and fishing management rests with foresters and hunters affiliated in the Polish Hunting Association.

The State Forests’ Game Breeding Centres

Foresters play significant role in managing the forest animals. Within the area managed by foresters there are 232 game shooting districts which constitute 147 game breeding centres. They cover an area of over 1,8 million hectares.

The State Forests’ game shooting districts are very popular among national as well as foreign hunters. The State Forests’ Game Breeding Centres organize over 50 thousand huntings annually.

What is our role in hunting?

Foresters participate in estimating the number of forest animals, which is necessary in conducting adequate game population management. It allows to maintain the number of game on a level that on the one hand guarantees preservation of forest stability, on the other – guarantees the proper growth of the animal population.

Other foresters’ responsibilities within the game management include:

  • managing hunting grounds, for example by preparing hunting plots in forests and enriching the species composition of a tree stand and forest outskirts,
  • feeding animals especially during winter, in order to help animals over the period of limited access to the natural feed; the feeding should limit damages caused by animals in fields and forests,
  • introduction of animals into forest areas that were inhabited by those animals before (reintroduction) as well as animals which population decreased drastically (species restitution). An example of this may be the reintroduction of the European bison that until 1925 has been almost completely exterminated within the area of Poland. Currently, the foresters conduct the reintroduction of the black grouse. The current restitution includes: the grey partridge and hare breeding in the Świebodzin Forest District and the fallow deer breeding within the area of Brzeziny Forest District,
  • conducting trainings within the scope of hunting, including internships for a new members of the Polish Hunting Association,
  • cooperation with research units within the scope of conducting research studies, implementation of engineer, M.A. and Ph.D. thesis.

Culling is an element of the game management. It is performed in accordance with Polish and EU law, determining a/o a hunting season – time when it is legal to hunt and kill a particular species. The aim of culling is to maintain optimum number of game – safe for the population itself as well as for the environment.

Hunting is an persistent part of Polish national culture. It was reflected in national art and literature. Hunting formed permanent social and moral values.Contemporary hunters make every effort in order to cultivate, develop and enrich those values. They not only obey regulations, statutes and the law, but also they cultivate old-time customs and act in accordance with ethical standards that have been accepted for ages.