Guide Hunting Pol and

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"
Copyrights Hubert Zdunek "I allow to copy and spread" "I forbid any transformation or publishing in other form than an electronic one"
Hubert Zdunek, Dominikaska Str. 20, 02-738 Warsaw, Poland URL: www.directhunter.com , www.argali.pl Email: hubert.zdunek@gmail.com 1
A.
Hunting system in Poland
The Polish Hunting Association (PZ) is the basic authority that supervises hunting management and ensures that the law, principles of ethics, hunting customs and traditions are complied with. Approximately 110,000 hunters are associated in the Polish Hunting Association. The Polish Hunting Association commenced its activity in 1923; already in the interwar period it was the only representative of hunters in Poland. In 1928 Polish hunters were co-founders of the International Hunting and Animal Protection Council (CIC), which still exists. This organisation, whose members are representatives of approximately 140 countries from all over the world, is the biggest hunters' forum. Since 1994 the Polish Hunting Association has been a member of the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the European Union (FACE). The basic structure of the Polish Hunting Association, and at the same time an entity responsible for hunting management in Poland, is a hunting club. The number of hunting clubs in Poland exceeds 2500. They unite 95% of all members of the Polish Hunting Association. Hunting clubs have been existing in Poland for over a century. They are one of the most characteristic features of the hunting model. They have their legal personality and are completely independent in the economic aspect. Poland's territory is divided into 5,000 hunting districts. 4,700 districts are administered by hunting associations, 240 - by the State Forest National Forest Holding, 16 - by the Polish Hunting Association and the remaining ones are administered by state universities of agriculture. The Polish hunting model does not enable private organisations to purchase or lease hunting districts. Hunting districts in Poland are rather big - ca. 5,000 ha on average, the smallest district should be of the area of 3,000 ha according to the regulations in force. Hunting districts are responsible for hunting management. They are financed from membership fees, sale the game and from sale of hunts to domestic and foreign hunters. In compliance with the Polish hunting law, a hunter may buy a hunt in the territory of Poland only through a company that possesses all required permits and civil liability insurances. You will find out in the next chapter how to find such a company.
B.
1.
HOW TO ORGANISE A HUNT

Choose a professional hunt organiser from Poland
Choosing a company that will professionally organise your hunt is the first and the most important step to be taken as regards preparations for a successful hunt. In Poland there are plenty of very good and wellorganised hunting districts; however there are quite a few districts that are already in a worse condition, with poor condition of game and poor organisation. Thus, you must be very careful where you plan your hunt and which company you choose because the company you choose will be responsible for the place you go to. Below you will find several hints that can help you choose a professional hunt organiser from Poland.
It is much more complicated to choose a professional hunt organiser in Poland than to choose a professional agent in your motherland; however, it is much more profitable for the following reasons: First of all, in most cases hunt organisers from Poland have a better knowledge of hunting districts in which hunts take place. Secondly, when buying a hunt directly at organisers in Poland you can save from 15 to 30% of the agents' commission. OK then, let's get into details.
a. Find a company
The first step is to find a company that specialises in holding hunts in Poland. If none of your acquaintances can recommend such a company to you, unfortunately you will have to find it on your own ... what I recommend is searching through the Internet - there you can find companies operating on the market, the only thing is to choose the right one. The best option is too contact several companies and ask a few questions... You will quickly find out who you are dealing with - a professional or an amateur. What you can also do is ask for contact to a person who has already participated in a hunt organised by the particular company. That is how you will check whether or not the clients recommend the services provided by the particular company. The company may refuse to give you the contact. However, the only reason why a company refuses to do so is that it either has no clients or its clients are dissatisfied.
Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland" b. Check if the company conducts its activity legally
Before you make the ultimate decision, you should make sure that the company you are talking to is entered into the registers maintained by the two entities listed below: Central Tourist Organisers Permit Register and Central Hunt Organiser Register The companies willing to be entered into the above-mentioned registers should buy a relevant civil liability insurance every year. The easiest way to verify it is to ask the particular company to show you the policy. The company's representative is obliged to present relevant insurance policies to the client. If it is not possible, the best idea is to submit a question to the nearest consular section of the Republic of Poland. The next chapter focuses on how to organise a hunt in Poland, in particular what steps to take if you want to transport a weapon abroad, whether or not you need a visa and how to carry your trophies home.
2.
How to prepare for a hunt in Poland?
There are three important issues that you should take into account when preparing for a hunt in Poland and in other countries. These issues refer to carriage of a weapon and trophies across the border as well as issues with regard to crossing the border.
a. Get a permit for exportation and importation of weapons

In most cases, there are additional procedures as regards crossing the border with a weapon. Procedures vary depending on the hunter's country of origin and the documents he possesses. In fact, we usually deal with the two situations described below: 1) the client has a European firearms passport (permit to possess weapons in compliance with the directives of the EU) 2) the client only has a weapon permit in compliance with the regulations in force in his country Situation 1) This is the best option as it requires hardly any additional formalities. Everybody possessing an European firearms passport may cross the Polish border provided that he has a proof that his stay is aimed at hunting. A voucher issued by a licensed hunt organiser from Poland may serve as a proof. Situation 2) If you have no European firearms licence, the situation is a little bit more complex. Before you go hunting you should get a permit to carry weapons into Poland. This duty concerns both citizens of the EU and all hunters that are not citizens of the EU. The permit to carry weapons into Poland can be obtained in the nearest Polish consulate. The list of consulates is available under www.projectvisa.com
Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland" b. Check whether or not you need a visa
In order to check whether or not you need a visa to come to Poland, see the website www.projectvisa.com , where you can find an updated list of countries where visa-free entry is in force. Of course, if you are a citizen of the EU, you have the right to enter Poland without a visa. However, if it turns out that a visa is required, you should submit a relevant application for a visa in the nearest consulate in Poland. In most cases the required documents are as follows: an application containing a passport photo (3.5x4.5 cm) a valid passport (minimum 3 months from the date of planned exit from Poland, passports with a shorter validity date are not accepted) a copy of your passport (the page with the photo) confirmation of the purpose of the stay. In case of hunting, the purchase of the hunt will be confirmed by means of a voucher issued by a licensed hunt organiser from Poland or an invitation.
c. Get your trophies safely home

After the hunt, during which you managed to get a hunting trophy, there is time to complete formalities that are essential to export trophies from Poland. In fact, the formalities can be divided into two stages: 1) valuation of hunting trophies by relevant authorities of the Polish Hunting Association 2) drawing up and signing of a hunting protocol Stage 1) Each trophy gained in Poland both by Polish and foreign hunters must be valued by relevant authorities of the Polish Hunting Association. The valuation is aimed at establishing whether or not the game was shot in compliance with the Polish regulations in force. Stage 2) Another stage is drawing up and signing of a hunting protocol. "A hunting protocol" defines the kind, number and quality of trophies. The hunting protocol is a proof that the hunt was held legally and constitutes a basis for exporting the trophies and game referred to in the protocol abroad. The hunting protocol must be signed by you, the hunt organiser and a guide. As a rule, the protocol is signed in three copies. You should get one of the copies. When you have the signed protocol, you are entitled to legally export trophies from Poland immediately after the hunt has been finished. Bear it in mind that all trophies you gained should be included in the protocol. Otherwise, if you are controlled on the border, you may get into trouble.
C.
HUNTING IN POLAND
Poland belongs to the countries that hunters from European countries like visiting and visit the most frequently. This popularity results from hunting grounds rich in game, beautiful and extremely diversified nature, hunting traditions cherished for centuries and quite competitive prices. Poland offers many opportunities of hunting throughout the year. The following four chapters of the guide you will find out more about the most popular types of hunt in Poland, in particular how to hunt the following game:
Red stag
Roe buck
Wild boar
Red stag hunt

Red deer stag, which hunters hold in deep respect, is deeply rooted in the Polish hunting tradition. It was selected to be a symbol of the Polish Hunting Association and its trophy is a cause for pride for each real hunter. Owing to diverse scenery, very good condition of deer population, Poland offers foreign hunters lots of interesting opportunities as regards deer stag hunts.
Where? Generally, deer can be observed throughout Poland; however, there are tendencies for bigger or smaller concentrations. The provinces where the biggest numbers of deer are observed are as follows: Zachodniopomorskie, Pomorskie, Warmisko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Lubuskie and Podkarpacke. As regards the quality of trophies, Poland is characterised by big diversity, owing to which each hunter can find a trophy he can afford. In most hunting districts, the average weight of trophies of red stag ranges from 4 to 5 kg. Deer males with trophies above 9 kg are rare but they can be found in the best hunting grounds every year, in particular in Mazury and Bieszczady mountains. When? Deer stags can be hunted in Poland from 21 August to the end of February. Yet, the best and the most beautiful period for red stag hunt is the rutting period that usually takes place in the second half of September. Depending on the region and weather conditions in the particular region, the period referred to above may vary a little. It is worth remembering that in September forests are intensely penetrated by mushroom-pickers, which poses a big problem in some hunting districts. When there are too many people in the forest, red stags move to areas that are not available to mushroom-pickers, such as swamps, densely-overgrown river banks or nature reserves. How? Hunting for red deer stags during the rutting period is one of the most beautiful experiences one can imagine. During the rutting period deer males are often hunted from high seats; however, the hunting method that evokes the most emotions is by means of stalking. Weather permitting, it is possible to approach the stag at a short distance. More experienced hunters may try decoying the male by means of imitating the voice of its rival. However, in order to do it, one must be really experienced because the tone should be adjusted to the tone of the bugling stag that we are trying to decoy, which is not easy at all... Experienced hunters are able to say how old the given stag is on the basis of its voice. Stags bugle in the most intensive way in the evening, at night and at dawn. Polish regulations forbid to hunt for deer at night, so a hunter may go hunting in the morning and in the evening. Unfortunately, the degree of bugling considerably depends on the weather. Stags bugle when it's cool, even a few degrees below zero. When it is too warm, bugling can be too quiet.
Roe buck hunt

Roe buck hunt is one of the most popular hunt types organised in Poland. It enjoys great popularity because it is very light, enjoyable, in beautiful scenery and with great chances of success. Owing to a very good condition of the roe deer, hunters have may opportunities to shoot the roe they are interested in every day. Besides, Poland still offers hunting at competitive prices when compared with other regions of Europe where this hunt type is possible. Where? In Poland each hunter can find a hunt that he can afford. In some hunting districts roe bucks are comparably weak, i.e. their trophies range from 200 to 300 grams, medium trophies range from 250 to 350 grams and very strong trophies range from 300 to 500 grams. Of course in the best hunting grounds there are very strong roe bucks every year whose trophies exceed 500 grams. When? Roe bucks can be hunted in Poland from 11 May to 30 September. However, there are two periods when the hunt results are the best: 1. At the beginning of the roe buck hunting season, i.e. in the second half of May when roe bucks come to the fresh green grass. At that time grass on the fields is quite short and that makes roe well visible and contributes to successful hunting. 2. During the mating season that usually takes place at the end of July and at the beginning of August. Roe bucks fighting and competing with each other are easy to decoy in that period, which makes hunting a very exciting event. This is the time when chances to shoot older and much stronger roe bucks grow as roe bucks are very active then. How? Roe bucks are usually hunted at dawn and in the evening. At dawn various parts of the hunting district are usually penetrated by car. Next, after the proper game has been located, the next step is stalking. In case of such hunt types, a hunter must often make a quick decision whether or not to shoot, which makes this method really exciting. In the evening hunters usually wait in the high seats, i.e. special platforms situated in the places where roe bucks prey. It is a much calmer hunting method as the hunter has more time to watch and shoot the game.
Wild boar hunt

Beyond the shadow of a doubt, wild boar hunt is the most popular hunt type in Poland. The reasons for the popularity of this hunt type are that wild boar is common throughout Poland, there are many boars in hunting districts, it can be hunted almost all year long and it is the only big game (except carnivores) that can be hunted at night. Where? Big numbers of wild boars can be found near developed agricultural areas, that is in the western and northern parts of Poland; however, in the recent years they have been moving towards the eastern border. How? As a rule, boars can be hunted in two ways: individually and driven - during drive hunts for big game, which will be described in more detail in the next chapter. Individual boar can be hunted by means of in stalking and stand hunting; however, the most effective and emotional method is hunting by stalking at night. Wild boars prey the most intensively at night, that's why in good hunting districts a chance of successful hunt at full moon is really big. When the wind is good, the boar can be approached very closely, which is a really unforgettable experience. During a well-prepared hunt that takes five days a hunter can expect to hunt 3-8 wild boars. The weight of most of shot boars ranges from 30 - 60 kg. One can come across big trophy wild boars; however, there is no guarantee that it will be case. When? Wild boars are hunted almost all year long, except March. The high season starts on 1 April and lasts till the end of February. Sows, which are an exception, can be hunted from 15 August to 15 January. Driven boar hunts are possible between 1 October and 15 January.
Driven big game hunt

Poland is one of the most interesting places in Poland as regards organising driven big game hunts. It is prohibited to hunt in fenced districts; thus, hunting can only take place in natural conditions. On the one hand, it is very interesting for all real hunt lovers; on the other hand, however, it involves certain risk related to unpredictable hunt results. Of course, in well-managed districts there are big chances to get a good result. During a collective hunting, one can hunt for deer stags, hind and calves, all boars, female roe deer and such carnivores as foxes, badgers, raccoon dogs and martens. In some hunting districts it is also fallow stag, hind and calf that can be intended for shooting. What one has to pay attention to is types of game intended for shooting during a driven hunt in the territory of the given hunting district as red deer, fallow deer and roe deer are not hunted everywhere. All these factors affect the ultimate price of hunting.
How? A driven hunting consists in rounding up various parts of the forest with dogs and beaters, which is aimed at startling the game towards the hunters waiting in the relevant stand-places. The average number of drives that take place during a day ranges from 7 to 10, this number depends on area characteristics, the leader's organising abilities and hunt results. As regards a well-organised collective hunting, the number of beaters should equal or exceed the number of hunters, there should be 3-5 dogs for flashing the game and at least one dog for tracking the wounded game. According to the hunting tradition cherished in Poland, when the hunt is over, disposition of hunted animals in a proper row should take place and respect should be paid to the game by means of playing the hunting horn and the leader of the hunt should make a speech.

Where? Collective big game hunts are organised throughout Poland; however in some regions hunt results are much better than in others. Caution! A good area does not guarantee that the driven hunt will be successful. It happens, though, that in a theoretically well-managed district the results of a hunt are poor. There is usually one reason for such a situation: the hunt was not prepared and run properly. In well-organised hunting districts one hunter can expect to shoot minimum 1 big game per day. What it means is that in case of a 10 hunters' group the entire group can shoot approximately 30 big game within 3 days. When? In accordance with the hunting calendar, driven hunts can take place from 1 October to 15 January. There are good and bad points as regards hunting in particular months; however, when choosing the dates of hunt, one has to realise one essential thing that can affect the result of the entire hunt, that is what is happening on the cultivated fields at the given moment. It is corn crops that are particularly important. Corn present on the fields effectively causes animals (in particular boars) to leave the forest, which directly contributes to the result of the hunt. The reason why it happens so is that a corn field is a place rich in food and at the same time a perfect shelter; in fact it is hardly possible to make boars leave the fields. Corn is harvested usually in mid-November; however when the weather is bad, it can be postponed till the end of December.
Good luck and hope to see you in polish forests,
Hubert Zdunek Co-owner of Hunting Outfitter www.argali.pl Editor of www.directhunter.com

Guide Hunting Pol and

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Guide Hunting Pol and

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Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Hunting system in Poland

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

HOW TO ORGANISE A HUNT

How to prepare for a hunt in Poland?

a. Get a permit for exportation and importation of weapons

c. Get your trophies safely home

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Red stag hunt

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Roe buck hunt

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Wild boar hunt

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Driven big game hunt

Free Guide "Secrets of Hunting in Poland"

Good luck and hope to see you in polish forests,

Hubert Zdunek Co-owner of Hunting Outfitter www.argali.pl Editor of www.directhunter.com

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