To kill or not to kill
Post categories: Student blog
| 22:26 UK time, Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Many cruel and arguable things happened in Belarus last days. So I'm cruel today, and decided to tell you about a debatable hobby that even attracts foreigners to Belarus.
These tourists prefer forest and fields and its riches of fauna to beaches and sights ...They are hunters. And Belarus is really interesting for them. There are national parks in all regions of the country and the diversity of animals there let carry out hunting tours all over the year. In summer for example it’s ‘birds’ season , while autumn and winter imply hunting for fur-bearing and big animals such as red deer, wild boars, elks. There is a game-preserve just 120 km far from Minsk. Hunters are often join hands with each other via hunters’ clubs. There are some in Belarus too. A member of one told me that such international communication and sharing experience help them to revive and develop traditions of hunting. If it could be considered a trade in Soviet Union times, now it is sooner kind of elite hobby. Changes are obvious even in hunters’ look, whose equipment doesn’t look like an old military uniform. Moreover they notice themselves that the level of service in this sphere is growing as well as the professionalism is getting better. Private hunting grounds are also developing. Trophy and collective hunting is getting more and more popular. The processes look like ceremonial with its obligatory parts such as forming and instruction. All signs are given by signalmen with bugle. And there are no mobiles phones! At the end prey laying-out is meant to be, starting with the biggest, or with most important animals like deer and finishing with harmful ones. Lucky hunters are congratulated by the head one with shaking a hand and getting a fir twiggy. They keep their trophy as souvenirs. Those who come here from abroad Belarusian laws let took it away and the price depends on antlers or fangs length and an animal’s age, size or weight. Sure all hunters must have special documents, for getting it people here take exams (and foreigners use ones from their countries). So hunters tell that they are not so cruel as people think, mentioning that it is the only way today to control the number of some wild animals, though it doesn’t mean to annihilate them. They say, hunters have their own professional ethics and culture. For example, they won't shoot at females and juveniles... It’s their way to connect with nature and they consider that its protection is not less important that their leisure. And what do you think about hunting?
Comment number 1.
At 23rd Dec 2010, Maria wrote:Hi Veronika!
In my opinion the professional hunters, who are joined in special clubs, are important and needed in our world. As you said, it is the only way today to control the number of animals. They have guidelines how many particular animals they can kill. It is much more better and 'humanitarian' that poachers. However, I will never be able to be a hunter. ;)
Merry Christmas
Maria, Poland
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Comment number 2.
At 23rd Dec 2010, dadan ramadhan apriyanto wrote:I like hunting, because hunting can make the people more challenges and adventure. but hunting for eating delicious foods, I like it :)
merry christmas
Dadan, Indonesia
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Comment number 3.
At 23rd Dec 2010, Antonio wrote:This is the same kind of discussion (and sometimes argument) debated here in Italy. The most mature hunting community says to us that this is the right and most proper way to control fauna, killing weaker or ill animals to grant space and food for the others, creating a stronger population.
Maybe... but a recent law, criticized by a lot of people, permits to walk over all private fields, and we have a hundred people per year shot dead by mistakes' hunters.
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Comment number 4.
At 23rd Dec 2010, Descamps Aurélien wrote:Hello Veronika!
Thank you for your post.
I discover this blog today and I read all your articles. These make me want to go to Belarus.
Thank you!
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Comment number 5.
At 23rd Dec 2010, syljohns wrote:Good morning Veronica, you make me register with this question...
To say what I think about hunting.
When I was young, about thirteen fourteen, I accompagnied my big brother by the country to hunting.
I liked to walk through the fields and woods with him. But I had the secret hope he shoudn't kill
Nowaday, I am close to fifty, I have always the same sentiment, but reason, right thinking surpass it.
What sort of life man has choosen? More confort and less risk.
For that, he moves from the country to the city. He has moved away, or keep them in some controled areas, dangerous animals for him, but natural predators for the others, and species without natural prédateur have turned on excessive number. So, yes I think hunting is the solution to this problem, since it has rules and reprimands.
But, if this way to hunting is necessary, and certainly less cruel than natural predator, (Personnaly I prefer to be on a bullet trajectory, than have to meet a wolf pack), there is something, we have to tence to forget.
The fear, felt by the hunted. Is it not the same of ours? If not, why we can read it on their eyes in some pictures?
If I am agree with this way to hunting, as long as we have in mind fear, pain, and respect.
Never, never, I will give one's support to private hunting.
And..., how thinking about hunting with hounds «Chasse à courre» in French !!!
Philippe France
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Comment number 6.
At 23rd Dec 2010, syljohns wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 7.
At 26th Dec 2010, bokinhvan_20 wrote:Hi Venonika
Thanks for your post very much
i have read some your blogs, I feel they are good and helpful, i like it. I hope you will write more and more.
i live in Viet Nam. Here, i do not have condition to hunt animal and i never go to forest although i visited zoo several time. As you say, i feel interested in belarus, i hope i can come to your country even once.
I am pleased to make friend with you.
lucky to you
See you around
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Comment number 8.
At 26th Dec 2010, ph_mustafa wrote:hello veronica
it is really wonderful to know that even hunters have mercy and Ruth with animals ,, its really great principles not shooting females and juveniles of the animals ....
but i just want to ask how can the human beings kill each other in a cold blood...
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Comment number 9.
At 5th May 2011, jerry wrote:Hi Veronika,
Thank you for your post.
I like hunting, because hunting can make the people more challenges and adventure. But I only can touch hunting in TV or game. I come from Taiwan, Taiwan doesn’t have place to hunt. Taiwan has a little people who live in forest. They don’t live in city, so they should hunt for eating. We call them “indigenous people”. Although I like hunting, I still hope we can protect animal. People are more and more. If we don’t have food to eat, what should we do? My answer is not to kill.
Sincerely,
Jerry
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Comment number 10.
At 15th Nov 2011, Dolfi Gustav wrote:I agree with Jerry
.... Hunting it's popular sport and in history was too :)
So why we shouldn't have a fun? But it isn't only about fun. What you hunt you must pay... And you can take this animal to eat ;)
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