Like any other hunt day, the day started early. By the time we woke, the sun still hadn’t risen and it looked set to be wet, gloomy and overcast, so it was straight on with the warm coats and wellies.

Due to the decrease of the Hungarian brown hare population, we had a 2-hour drive from the North Hungarian Mountains to the Great Plain that ranges from the central to the southern and eastern borders of the country. This is the region where numerous brown hare populations can still be found.

As we arrived at the edge of the small Hungarian village the sun decided to greet us although the beauty of it wasn’t enough to quell our hungry stomachs. Fortunately, you can always trust in Hungarian hospitality and we were welcomed with hot coffees and teas and freshly baked “pogácsa” (a traditional tasty Hungarian treat similar to cheese scones).

So with our stomachs finally content, we could turn our thoughts to the day’s schedule.

By the time we arrived, one out of three captures of the day had already been completed, so, after the introduction and the quick breakfast, we were placed on two tractors and headed to the field where the second capture was to take place.

After lining the beaters up in the muddy field (which was definitely not an easy task) we were ready to go...

But how exactly does a live capture work?

There is this common argument that I often hear that if left to its own devices wildlife would thrive but one thing that the lockdown has actually demonstrably proven is that this is not the case at all. 

And why so many estates and syndicates are turning to online booking systems to improve profitability 

Az Egyesült Államok vezető szabadtéri rekreációs szoftver szolgáltatója, az iSportsman a napokban véglegesítette együttműködését a magyar Bit and Pixel Kft. által fejlesztett HAMS.online-nal, Európa egyik legjelentősebb vadgazdálkodási szoftver szolgáltatójával. A hírt Doug Howlett, az iSportsman LLC operatív vezetője jelentette be az amerikai Vadgazdálkodási Intézet és a Nemzeti Katonai Halászati és Vadvilág Szövetség által szervezett 86. Észak-Amerikai Vad és Természeti Erőforrások konferencián.

Wildlife crime is a broad term and from many (far too many) conversations over the years it’s clear there’s a lot of healthy and lively debate surrounding the subject.  

So, for the moment, let’s put the ethical and moral arguments to one side and let’s start by stating the legal parameters by which we define the term.

The first in a series of articles examining the essentials of deer management using measurable and scientifically backed up data. An essential read for anyone involved in game management.

In Part 1 of the series, we meet Attila, an experienced keeper who had recently taken over a large estate in Hungary and discuss the challenges he faces in optimizing his deer population.

In Part 2 of our series, we take a look at the various issues that wildlife managers face and why an online booking and management system can help identify and resolve these.

Some practical advice for shoots and estates that are suffering due to the current lockdown.