This hunting is based on the winter habit of black grouse to spend the night and even spend part of the day under the snow and is especially common in Siberia. As long as the snow is not yet deep (less than half an arshin), black grouse spend the night in a thicket, trying to hide under a bush, hummock, etc. places not covered with snow; but then, when severe frosts and snowstorms begin, in the middle lane, usually not earlier than in December, they already rest during the day and spend the night in snowdrifts, on the edges, in logs and ravines. Most often, overnight camps are found in fresh clearings, in large forest clearings covered with nekos, in forest swamps and logs, as well as on the edges of large forests (deciduous) or in rare shrubs and tussocks near a large forest. Each flock has two or three or more favorite places to sleep and spend the night on them from year to year. In each place, black grouse spend from two to ten nights, depending on whether they will be disturbed on it.

At the end of winter, as soon as cuttings and incrustations of black grouse begin, they choose looser snow in the forest thicket for the night or climb under the bushes, and hunting for them becomes more difficult. From this it follows that the most convenient time for shooting from the pits is the middle of winter, when the entrance on a sledge becomes already difficult. It is also understandable why in the middle provinces, where the snows are never as deep as in the northern and eastern provinces of the European part of Russia and in most of Siberia, shooting from pits is almost not known at all and is not possible every winter. In western Russia, black grouse almost never spend the night in the snow.

Usually black grouse, having eaten birch buds and catkins, quickly rush down; each bird, having broken through the snow to the very ground, makes a so-called hole in it (in some places - a “hole”) and, having moved a little forward, punches a hole for the passage of air with its head. Each hole is several steps away (up to 10-20) from the other, but the whole flock is placed to rest or spend the night in a large space. A fresh hole is always solitary, has an oblong shape with snow (scree) scattered in front of it. If at a distance of half an arshin (or 10 inches) from each hole there is another, then this means that the birds have already left their shelter. An experienced eye still from afar distinguishes fresh holes, without an exit hole, from old ones, but still, if there was no powder for a long time, old holes often knock down.

Knowing approximately the place of feeding of black grouse, it is not difficult to find pits on freshly broken twigs and husks of birch buds, especially since (in the middle of winter) these pits are visible for several tens of fathoms. Usually the hunter rides in a sleigh or skis through the edges, clearings and woodlands and looks out for birds or signs of their recent presence. Even better, find a flock first and watch it until the birds fly off into the snow. The hunter, after waiting for some time (up to an hour), drives up on a sledge to the noticed place, as far as possible (200 fathoms), then gets on his skis and approaches him, holding his gun at the ready and cocking the triggers. If the snow is not very deep, then it is much more convenient to get off the skis, under which the snow, if it is not loose, is very crunchy and frightens the bird away. Often, if the depth of the snow allows, this hunt is connected to the entrance, although in severe frosts the black grouse hide in the snow in the middle of the day, after morning feeding. Just before dusk, the black grouse are already sleeping and, not hearing the approach of the hunter, they let him in almost close and fly out not at once with the whole herd, but one by one.

It is best to approach the pits against the wind, since the birds then do not hear the approach of the hunter so much. In addition, the deeper the snow, the more secure they consider themselves and the more reluctant to leave their shelter, especially on cloudy gray days. Under such conditions, up to 6-10 shots can be fired from a gun loaded from the breech without leaving the spot. In addition, you usually have to shoot in a relatively open place. Shotguns are therefore just as inconvenient here as for shooting effigies, and in general as for any short-term hunt, the main condition for the success of which lies in the speed of loading. It is very important, therefore, that the hunter be dressed as lightly as possible. Since black grouses have to be beaten here in flight, and, consequently, the feather does not fit as tightly to the body as in sessile ones, the bird is much weaker on the wound than when shooting from the entrance, and therefore No. 4 shot is sufficient.

In February, with the onset of thaws, black grouses begin to sit in the snow in thickets, where the snow is looser than in open places, or hide under bushes, in thickets. But if there is no frost, and there is a lot of snow, especially after powder, which, unfortunately, is rare, then in February hunting for black grouse is even more convenient than in January, for the reason that, having got used to going to bed very early, they go down to lodging for the night is quite dark and sometimes you can have time to visit two overnight stays.

Partridges, which also spend the night in the snow, can be shot in the same way in winter, but, as it seems, no one has yet tried this hunt, at least it has not yet been reported anywhere.

Night shooting of black grouse

In Western Siberia, there are quite original way winter grouse hunting - at night, by moonlight or with fire. This is the same shooting from the pits, with the difference that it is carried out very late - in strong moonlight or, on the contrary, on the darkest night - with artificial lighting. This hunt, therefore, serves as a supplement to the previous one, and many hunt at first after dark, and then go to another overnight stay and shoot already with fire or wait for the moon to rise. In the latter case, a perfectly clear night and a full moon are necessary. Holes are looked out in advance, and approach them so that the moon shines from behind. For hunting with fire, on the contrary, the darkest nights are chosen and it is necessary to be together: one shines, the other shoots. For lighting, they use torches made of salted or tarred tow, wrapped on a dry stick, two arshins long, or pine, spruce cones (also called pitch, that is, resinous and dry chips from stumps) in a frying pan with an iron handle. You should not shine very high, but it is better to keep the beam at the height of the belt. The hunter, having reached the nearest hole, tramples down a black grouse, which, having got into the illuminated space, half-awake, cannot come to his senses for several seconds and is spinning in one place, a few steps from people. Siberian industrialists therefore very successfully catch flying black grouse with large nets on long handles. Since you have to shoot at the closest distance, in the spring it is useful, even necessary, in order not to smash the bird to smithereens, to slightly reduce the charge of gunpowder, and especially shot.

Hunting in the spring from the approach

This hunt begins even on the crust, in March, when the mowers, having just got out of the supports, will fly out to the edge, listening to the still quiet and abrupt muttering of the old tokovik - the leader of the pack. It often happens that a herd of scythes, especially a small one, completely breaks up, and the black grouse sit on trees at a considerable distance from each other - a condition that is very conducive to their hiding. At this time, the snow has already settled, freezes at night, becomes covered with crust, which easily withstands, sometimes until noon, a person. This is the most convenient time for the first spring hunting - from the approach. Its whole essence lies in the fact that, having seen one or several scythes sitting on birches, approach them unnoticed at a distance of a rifle shot.

It follows from this that it is possible only when it is light enough and the black grouse can be seen from afar; otherwise, it is necessary to notice in advance where the black grouse fly in the morning. Creeping, you should not go out into the open for a minute, but always be behind some kind of closure. As soon as the scythes begin to lek alone, you can start the approach, and they try to move only at the time when the scythe mumbles. Since it is very rarely possible to approach a black grouse at close range, it is necessary to shoot them from a gun with a strong and sharp fight, and large shot, from the first numbers. It is even better to beat the scythes with a small-bullet rifle.

Shooting on current from a hut

This hunting begins in central Russia not earlier than the first days of April, but the most the best time- the last half of April and the beginning of May. The current should be chosen not too exposed, but not too overgrown. In the first case, you can add a few bushes and trees, that is, make a perch; in the second - to cut down extra bushes and trees that interfere with shooting. The most suitable place is when several grow on the current: two, maybe four, low trees, no higher than three or four fathoms, and then the rest of the space is covered with very small and rare birch trees or, which happens more often, bushes. Then, under a tree or between two trees located near the center of the current, it is very convenient to arrange an inconspicuous shelter for yourself and shoot in all directions. Huts should be arranged in advance, several days, even a week before the current - it is best in March, as soon as the center of the current is designated. The device of the hut is very simple, but it must be consistent with the terrain. Where there are no Christmas trees, you should completely avoid them and limit yourself to handy material. The smaller the hut, the better; to make it more convenient for the hunter to sit, it is good to dig a foot hole in the hut. It is best to make the frame of a hut from six to eight birch trees, the pointed and significantly shortened tops of which are stuck into pre-prepared holes in the not yet completely thawed ground, "and the butts are tied together with twine. The height of the hut should not exceed the height of the hunter, and with a pit it can be The top should not be taken away at all, as in autumn effigy hunting, on the contrary, one should pay more attention to the base and make it more frequent, carefully interlacing with knots, for which you can use the lower branches of trees and bushes that interfere with shooting.

You should get into the hut at least half an hour before the arrival of the tokovik. It is best to come to the hut late in the evening or at night and wait for dawn in it. The hunter should be dressed warmly, for example, in a short fur coat, and take something with him to lay on the ground, so that it would be more convenient to wait for the arrival of the scythes. The first is the tokovik, but he should not be beaten, because if he is killed, then the current can be completely upset. Black grouse flock to the current very early, sometimes quite dark, but you should shoot when you can see the rear sight on the gun, otherwise there will be a lot of misses. Shot for this shooting is most suitable No. 4-5. Before the end of the shooting, you should not leave the hut. In no case should you visit the same lek for more than two mornings in a row. It is best to shoot on it first every other day, then after two, three or even more, but in general, hunting on a rare current is successful even a third time. If the current is very large and is divided into subflows located at some distance from it, then it is useful to disturb these subflows the day before, since then more scythes arrive at the main current.

Black grouse hunting from a boat

It is produced in high water on large spills on small light shuttles called sidings. These porches are made from a single aspen trunk, which is hollowed out and then flatly bred with the help of fire. They rarely can fit more than three people, but they, despite the danger during strong winds, have the advantage over boats that they can be driven almost everywhere, with the exception of the thickest thicket: In places, however, these shuttles are preferred by light, plank which are much more stable and safer.

Usually they ride together: one shoots, the other rows with one oar, but just in case he also has a gun. Noticing the places where the current black grouse sit down, early in the morning, at a little light, the hunters go to the noticed place. Approaching the flock, you must keep to the edge. Kosachi sit on tall, not yet dressed birches, especially aspens, on which they feed in the spring. The flock usually sits in different trees; it is rare to see two or three kosachs on one tree, especially early in the morning - and for the most part they sit closer to the top. Tokoviki, on the contrary, almost always occupy the lowest branches, almost above the water. Very young kosachs sit more distantly, higher and more closely - and they are the first to show concern at the approach of a sailing boat - they begin to squirm, shift, walk through the branches, stretch out and squat, as if about to fly away. rarely let him go as far as the first time.

Black grouse are allowed closer on a boat than on a horse. The higher and longer the spill is, the easier the entrance from the boat and the more you can shoot black grouse. In general, black grouse are very willing to swim in spills, near the water itself, if only it does not have a fast current, as they are afraid of noise.

Shooting scythes on the current from the approach

In many localities, the kosachs do not gather in large currents, but mumble one by one or flock in small numbers - a couple or two. Building huts on such a few currents is not worth it, especially where one or two black grouse flies. But in such areas, kosachi are still available to the hunter, and with a skill that is acquired by practice, he can kill a couple, or even two males, on a good morning.

For a successful hunt, you need to be in place long before dawn, and it’s best if the area where the black grouse is not close is to go there in the evening and spend the night by a fire.

Hunting begins in the early morning, long before sunrise, as soon as the scythes begin to snort. Approaching the current male for several hundred steps, the hunter begins to lure him by imitating the male's snort, and later - in the second half of April - the voice of the female. A solitary flowing black grouse often mutters in the thicket, in the middle of the undergrowth, choosing by its stay some bump on a small lawn, sometimes even paths, along which it runs, looking for a responding enemy or a black grouse beckoning him. The hunter, approaching him as close as possible, goes out onto a path or a small clearing where he could see a running scythe, chooses a juniper bush, willow tree, even better a spreading Christmas tree, and, hiding behind them, begins to beckon, as it is said higher. The more ardently the kosach flows, the further the nearest neighbor mutters from him, and the less black grouse in the forest, the more likely it is that the kosach will come running to semolina. It is necessary to beckon carefully, skillfully, otherwise an experienced scythe only calls to one another. It is better to abandon such a cautious bird and look for another one. You should not chuff or imitate the grouse's voice too often, but it is enough to repeat these sounds two or three times, then you have to wait until the scythe responds in turn with a chuff. If the call is correct, then after 10-15 minutes the male runs towards the voice, and sometimes even flies low and, sitting on the ground, first in the bushes, generally in a closed place, begins to snort. If the bird is close, the hunter should no longer respond, otherwise the black grouse often runs up to him unnoticed and, seeing, flies away. Sometimes it is useful to exhibit a scarecrow, but no more than one, and moreover, on the ground - on a path or lawn.

With some dexterity and favorable terrain for the approach, it is possible to conceal a single-handed kosach. At the same time, open places have to be crawled over, which is not particularly convenient.

You can sneak up only at the time when the kosach is chufying, since at this time he closes his eyes. The hunter's costume also should not be dark or very bright, generally sharply different from the surrounding objects.

In most cases, there is no need to shoot sitting or running black grouse and it is much more convenient and reliable to beat them in flight. The fraction is then used No. 4-5.

Hunting for grouse broods with a dog

First of all, you need to know where to look for broods. The best thing is to find out in advance where there are burnt and sich nearby, and where there are most of the berries and which one. July hunting, without exception, is carried out only in berry fields. At first, the cubs keep in more or less open areas with dense and tall grass. Mowing near the edges with sparse bushes, more or less extensive forest clearings, the most open places of cuts and burnt areas, sometimes even swampy meadows overgrown with willow and willow, but still adjoining the forest or solid shrubs - this is where the initial residence of the broods. In general, the broods are placed near the currents, exactly where single mowers were noticed, flying away from the current or here lekking alone.

You can determine the proximity of the brood early in the morning (as early as June) by tangled grass and finding grouse droppings. With the beginning of haymaking in the forest wastelands, grouse broods gradually get out of the mowing and move to neighboring, not yet mowed, harvest fields or closer to the edge of the forest, and sometimes migrate to a large forest. From the second half of July, the broods keep to a larger and cleaner forest and, being scared away, sit on trees. In August, the broods again get out of the forest to the edges, closer to the fields, especially to oats and buckwheat, less often peas, and where they are not nearby, that is, in very forested areas, they often migrate from deciduous to mixed and coniferous forests, where they feed on lingonberries. Starting from sunrise until 9-10 o'clock in the morning, then until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the brood can almost always be found feeding, always in relatively more open areas, and, consequently, more convenient for hunting. It is best to adjust the start of the hunt by the time the dew has already begun to dry, since even fairly large grouse do not like sputum. For the night, the broods leave the earlier, the stronger the dew. In general, grouse go out to feed on strong dew, where it is higher, the forest is more often, and therefore drier. In rainy times, broods are selected to more open places, to the very edge of the edge.

When hunting for broods, one should try to go to the edge of the edge of the forest, and direct the dog to more open places, i.e., where the cubs are expected. This circumstance is of particular importance when the dog is searching near a thicket, since then the brood, having heard the search for the dog, often manages to run to the support, and here shooting is already inconvenient. In general, as soon as the dog, sensing fresh tracks, begins to search, it is necessary to restrain it and give time to scatter the brood; through this, it is achieved that the brood does not rise all at once, but the cubs jump up one by one, two by two. Even better, as soon as the dog stops and makes a stance, call it back, move 50 steps to the side and start up the trail again after 10 minutes; meanwhile, the cubs often scatter apart and then rise one by one. In most cases, especially with a small brood, the stark rises first, which usually begins to lead the dog away, which is why the latter must be recalled and sent where it should be. Hunting for grouse broods usually stops in the last days of August, when young males dress in black feathers.

Industrialists and even many hunters, having found a grouse brood, first of all kill the queen, on the grounds that she will lead away the young, and then they lure the latter. Such a kill is unworthy of a real hunter, especially since it is essentially pointless and you can sort out almost the entire brood without killing the queen, if you don’t rush and be more careful. After the shot, you need to wait until the uterus collects a brood, 10-15 minutes, and then go there. Some manage sometimes to sort out the whole brood without twining the queen, even without a dog. For this, having raised a brood, they will certainly shoot in order to break it; then they notice the place from where he got up, and retreat 100-150 steps, tapping and whistling as noisily as possible. The grouse, making sure that the person is removed, usually runs to the old place and begins to call the grouse. After some time, they go there and round up the brood. This is sometimes repeated several times and almost in the same place. However, a very frightened brood becomes cautious and the uterus begins to collect the young in silence, approaching each of the responders, who whistle in a muffled voice. In general, if there is another brood nearby, it is more profitable to leave the first one, from which two or three pieces have already been taken, until the next day; a brood raised two or three times is best left alone, as it becomes more cautious, rises at once and lurks for a long time.

Very important in grouse hunting is the search for a dog and the manner of eyeliner. A fast and noisy search, especially a fast eyeliner, is extremely inconvenient, since the bird, which usually has time to run a little during the first stance, rises far. With a quiet eyeliner, the brood mostly scatters and lies each separately. A real eyeliner for black grouse is when the dog sneaks like a cat, carefully stepping over the branches, as the hunter always manages to choose a convenient place for shooting, goes where he needs to and then sends the dog forward to pick up the bird. With a quick eyeliner, it is necessary, as said, to withdraw the dog from the rack. However, in order for the brood not to rise immediately and run away, it is also enough to approach a stopped dog and hold it back, talking loudly to it: the cubs are afraid of the human voice and usually scatter to the sides and then begin to rise one by one.

Shooting moulting scythes

At the end of May, kosachs finish displaying everywhere and retire to the lining for molting. When the berries (strawberries) ripen, by the end of June, they gradually begin to get out of the thicket and depth of the forest to the edges and cuts. However, you can certainly find them only in the early morning and in the afternoon, since they feed from three hours in the afternoon all night until early morning, up to six hours (in July), and sit in the thicket during the day. They go out on foot and like to run along forest paths, where you can often find their feathers and judge their proximity. On the berry fields, the scythes stay throughout July and even part of August, until the spring bread ripens, where they then move. Most of all they seem to love buckwheat.

Hunting for scythes, especially when they have not yet shed, is rather difficult, as they are very thieving, reluctantly rise to the wings and always try to escape into the thicket. An experienced and instinctive dog is required here, which would not begin to disassemble the tracks, but immediately discovered the scythe and made it fly up. It is best to force it to go from a strong place in order to cut off the bird's path to retreat. Shooting scythes in the summer is quite difficult, because they do not rise above the bushes and generally try to fly low.

Autumn hunting with a cop

In the second half of August (in the middle lane), young black grouse fade, young black grouse begin to grow braids, old kosachs completely shed and all keep mainly along lingonberries or near them along the edges, and where there are no lingonberries, near spring fields. This time, until mid-September, is almost the best time for shooting black grouse from under the pointer. Although they do not stand point-blank and often run in front of the dog, but, contrary to the opinion of most hunters, hunting can be very lucrative, and since you have to shoot at a mature bird, it is much more interesting.

The main condition for a successful hunt for autumn black grouse is a polite and intelligent pointing dog, which would search not at a gallop, but at a trot, sometimes even, at the order of the hunter, at a pace. The most suitable for this purpose are French or German legacies, partly setters, especially Gordons, but by no means pointers, who, with a few exceptions, with an overly fast and difficultly moderated search, rarely quietly approach strange game, as if hiding it, i.e. almost do not have the so-called pulls, which, for hunting strict, close game, are more important than the strongest stand.

As soon as the dog sensed the black grouse, whether they were following them or themselves on horseback, it should make a stand and, when the hunter approached it, slowly, carefully, only with a quiet step, lead to the bird; it is good if she often stops and goes on only when ordered to do so. The hunter, in turn, must follow her as carefully as possible, without making any noise, by no means allowing himself to shout at the dog and call him with a whistle. If these conditions are not met and the dog allows himself to make sudden movements, jump or gallop, when he temporarily lost his direction, then the black grouse rises far beyond the shot. Otherwise, they always let in at a distance of an average shot, and since the brood at this time rarely stays in a bunch, for the most part you have to shoot at several birds, and it happens that the hunter takes the whole brood. If the black grouse keep close to each other, which can be guessed from the manner in which the dog picks them up, then you should moderate its search even more and keep it on the racks. Then the brood begins to run, which is required, since it only runs a few fathoms in a heap, and then scatters in different directions. Later, in September, the broods unite, old scythes and single black grouse stick to them, and the hunt can be even more successful.

Shooting grouse at this time is not at all as difficult as it is considered by most hunters, but, of course, more difficult than in July, when the grouse fly quieter and worse than the corncrake. You usually have to shoot in the forest. But the black grouse at this time immediately, like a candle, rises above the forest and only then flies over it, and to beat over the forest and forest is almost always shallow, it is not at all simple. The black grouse always takes off from the hunter for a shot: in August at 20-30 steps, later - at 30-40 and it is necessary that the gun hit hard and heaped, since they are already strong on the wound. It is best to beat them in August No. 5, later No. 4. They hunt in this way, in favorable weather, until October, in August mainly in the mornings and afternoons; when it gets cold, then in the middle of the day.

Shooting black grouse on a stuffed hut

This hunting begins in the second half of September or early October, when the black grouse gather in large flocks and begin to sit "on the forest" - and ends when deep snow falls and severe frosts begin. In general, in case of crop failure, grouse berries fly out “on the lobe” earlier than usual.

The first condition for successful hunting for stuffed animals is the right choice of a place for a hut or huts, which must be arranged (in advance) exactly where black grouse most often sit down on the way of flight from overnight (mostly a swamp in the forest) to fattening (first for stubble and winter, grain stacks, where bread is not brought to the threshing floor, later to the birch forest) and back. It is best to set up a hut on the edge of a large birch forest, which stands out as a cape in the field, on islands in the middle of the field and on copses between arable land, in general in a rare forest and between the tallest trees (on which black grouse most readily sit down), under or between two adjacent standing, several trees. If there are several huts, then they should be at least at a distance of a double rifle shot. In a mixed forest they make a hut from fir trees, in a deciduous forest - from birch trees, of an ordinary conical shape, up to a sazhen high, so that you can shoot at it while standing; if, however, a yard-sized hole is dug in the center of the hut (which is not always possible), then the hut can be much lower, therefore, less noticeable, and it is much more convenient to sit in it. You shouldn’t pile on a lot of branches, but just carefully take the top of the hut to the side, facing those trees on which, according to assumptions, most black grouse will sit.

Stuffed animals that serve as bait for black grouse flying past are made of various materials: black grouse skin, papier-mâché or wood, and finally, they are sewn from cloth. The first stuffed animals are very fragile and, if not placed against the wind, they are very ruffled; the second must be bought in stores; wooden ones are heavy and ugly; cloth is the most comfortable and durable.

They are made as follows: from a new, unwashed, black (stuffed grouse, as less noticeable from a distance, are of little use) cloth, a pattern is carefully cut out, that is, two halves that have the shape of a braid without a tail; these halves are sewn together, then turned inside out and the resulting crooked bag is carefully stuffed with hay or tow (sometimes wound on wire) through a hole left unsewn in the belly. This hole is sheathed inside with leather, to which a strong twine is tied; sometimes an ordinary tin cartridge (without a partition) is inserted into it. A real grouse beak is sewn to the head; black beads are inserted instead of eyes; strips of red cloth or red cloth (eyebrows) are sewn over the eyes, and a braided tail is sewn to the end of the body. The scarecrow must not have a neck that is too horizontal or too vertical and very long.

Stuffed animals are displayed on trees on long (two sazhens) and straight poles - studs, the top of which is pointed, and the butt is split by 10-12 inches with an ax. drag the hawk and other predators); then the scarecrow is fixed on one of the middle branches of the tree, near the hut, so that the scarecrow is as close as possible to the top (but, however, not higher than it and not outside the branches) and would stand correctly, tail down, head up, without tipping over into any side and head against the wind; in calm weather, in the morning - to the east, in the evening - to the west. The number of stuffed animals can be very different, but usually three or four are enough. Best of all, especially in early autumn, when black grouse do not sit close, put stuffed animals on those trees or from the top side, where it is most inconvenient to shoot. More often they put stuffed animals on all sides of the hut. Perched trees are best identified in advance by a trial run. If the hut is located near the stubble, then in the fall, before the snow, it is very useful, in addition, to put one or two stuffed animals on the stubble.

Before the hunter climbs into the hut, he should look around, check the number of steps from the hut to the nearest trees and remember on which stuffed animals stand, so as not to mistake them for black grouse later and vice versa. Then he cuts off all the branches sticking out inside the hut, makes windows in it where necessary, and, also orienting himself here, begins to wait for black grouse, and even if it’s cold, make a small fire in the hut (black grouse are not afraid of light smoke).

If the place is chosen very well, then the black grouse sit down to the stuffed animals without the help of the beaters; but without assistants, you can shoot a lot of birds only if the night before the hunter noticed the place (swamp) where the flock descended for the night, and at night frightened them away with the help of a cop or mongrels. Black grouse scatter in different directions, spend the night where they have to, and in the morning, when they see stuffed animals (it is better to put a hut in this case near the usual overnight place), they fly up to them one by one, and not by the whole flock. In most cases, they hunt for stuffed animals with one or two (rarely three) beaters - on foot (later on skis) or on horseback. The beater must be so familiar with the area that he knows where to look for black grouse - carefully push them in a certain direction and not let them eat up (so that they fly longer). Having found a flock, the beater, making a big circle, bypasses (or goes around) it from the side opposite from the hut and, lightly tapping on the trees and occasionally shouting, goes to the birds (to the farthest), quietly, but not stealthily. As soon as the birds become alert and stretch their necks, the beater stops, and if at least one has flown to the hut, it even steps aside, without losing sight of the birds, however. Soon, one by one, all the rest will fly off, and fly after the first. Duty of another beater to take over the bird; flying past the hut or flying off the perch from a shot, and drive it back. A good beater can successfully drive even black grouse that have sat down to the hut outside the shot.

Hunting for stuffed animals is carried out in the morning at dawn, continues until 9-10 o'clock, then in the afternoon from three, later from two o'clock, almost until sunset. Evening hunting is usually more successful than the first, as the black grouse are full and more willing to fly and sit on trees; in addition, it is very cold in the late autumn in the morning, and with the sunrise a strong wind often rises, in which the black grouses do not sit well on the trees. Hunting is most successful in calm, clear and not very frosty weather; in fog and strong frost, black grouse are very quiet, but they are far from being so willing to plant 1g stuffed animals. In frosty and calm weather, the flock usually makes very short flights. On a warm and windy day, flights reach two or more miles. Before good weather, black grouse sit on the very tops of birches, and before rain or a blizzard, half a tree or even fall directly to the ground. In calm and warm weather, they sit more readily on the most extreme trees; with a quiet frosty - somewhat retreating from the edge; with a small wind - from the leeward side; in frost - more often. In warm windy weather, as well as in a snowstorm, black grouse do not go to stuffed animals, they fly high and fly far away.

On this hunt, it is necessary to have either a center gun or two double-barreled pistons: the black grouse land one after the other, so time is very precious. The fraction must be no smaller than the 4th number; the charges must be real and prepared as carefully as possible; moreover, one must try to aim at the side and avoid shots in the goiter. Who shoots well with a bullet, it is more convenient for him to beat a bird from a rifle (also breech-loading, best of all caliber 320, that is, three lines and two points), since a shot from it does not frighten black grouse so much and gets them at a much greater distance. If the flock is not frightened, not very large, and there are many young ones in it, then it is often possible, not only with a rifle, but also with a shotgun, to shoot first at the black grouses sitting below, then at the top ones - and in this way kill several pieces before they fly away rest. Killed birds are always picked up at the end of the hunt, carefully, however, noticing where the shot ones fell (watching them is part of the beaters' duties). It is very useful to take with you (to the hut) a polite dog to search for the dead and wounded, it is better to have a husky or a mongrel, since a pointer, not covered by something warm, will become very chilly without movement. It is necessary to look for the lined ones near the stumps, in the bushes and brushwood.

Black grouse hunting with husky

Autumn hunting with husky, as well as hunting for stuffed animals, usually begins in the first days of September. Having lowered the dog from the fold, the hunter enters the forest and, whistling from time to time, walks (or rides on horseback, even in a cart) along the edge or forest paths. Laika (or several huskies), having found black grouse, picks them up if they are sitting on the ground (in a swamp, overnight or in a clearing) while feeding, and drives them with sonorous barking until they sit in the trees. A good husky usually does not run from one bird to another, but barks and whines in one place, and occasionally, and only watches the black grouse, which fly from tree to tree or fall down again into the grass or thick thicket. She also should not rush to the tree and jump on it, as this frightens not only the nearest bird, but also others sitting in the neighborhood. Not only is the black grouse not afraid of the barking of a dog, but, apparently, he turns all his attention to the persistent dog, walks on a branch (always with his head to the dog), stretches out his neck to her and purrs, as if teasing her. For successful hunting, it is necessary that the hunter does not move too far away from the dog, does not lose sight of it or from hearing it, manages to be in time in time and drive up so that the birds do not notice him. To do this, having heard barking (in one place), he approximately determines his place, goes (depending on the distance of barking, quietly or running) to the dog and, approaching it, carefully goes against it, hides the bird and shoots (usually from a rifle) . In case of a miss, the hunter must not show himself, and the dog must not rush to the tree after the shots. A black grouse, occupied by a dog, often withstands several shots (from a rifle). If the bird is killed, then neither the hunter nor the dog should pick it up: the former remains in place, and the latter barks at another, the nearest black grouse.

Shooting from the entrance

When hunting from the entrance, a meek, not afraid of shots, horse is harnessed to ordinary peasant sledges, mostly on high spears. Before the snow, along the black trail, they ride on simple peasant carts or lashes, but this is rare, because this hunt is mainly carried out on snow, and without it it is difficult and slow due to the sound of wheels and hooves on frozen ground. In addition to the shooter, a person also sits in the sleigh to control the horse. In order to shoot better and more accurately, especially if you have to use a rifle, you can tie low, light and certainly liquid, i.e. flexible bipods to both sides of the sled so that they do not break if they touch overhanging trees and branches. If the black grouses are sitting in such a way that they have to be fired on the right side—and it is very awkward to shoot from the sled like that—you must move in advance with your back to the coachman and shoot after passing them a little. Black grouse always sit with their crops against the wind.

The hunter leaves the house very early in the morning (it is best in cloudy and calm weather) and, seeing black grouse, tries to drive up to them for a sure shot, which, at least relatively not very frightened and, most importantly, hungry flocks is not very difficult. It is important at the same time never to ride directly on black grouse and especially from behind, but to go step by step along the road past them, as if inadvertently, and, having approached the shot, stop the horse and shoot quickly. While the black grouse are nibbling birch buds or sitting ruffled, rounding their necks, until then you can safely drive up to them, but as soon as they begin to spin, stretch their heads, stomp on a branch and slowly cackle, then you need to shoot without yawning. This is the surest sign that the black grouse will fly away. Morning and evening, that is, when the black grouse are hungry from spending the night or are going to spend the night, the best time to hunt from the entrance. Well-fed black grouses are badly allowed to shoot from an ordinary shotgun and they can only be shot from a rifle. At this time, the black grouse, especially the scythes, become very strong to the gun and it is almost impossible to kill the scythe on the spot, aiming at the goiter, the weight is very close. In general, a shotgun must be fired no further than 15 sazhens, with a shot no smaller than No. 2 and better flying than sitting.

When shooting with rifles, one should never aim for a long time, which is called keeping on target. best manner aiming is when the shooter from below brings the end of the rifle along the sight under the black grouse sitting on the tree, and as soon as the fly begins to approach the game - immediately, without stopping, you need to pull, but not pull the trigger. In most cases, you have to shoot at a distance less than the rifle is usually shot at, and therefore you need to pull the trigger when the legs of a sitting bird hit the front sight.

You should never keep a rifle barrel in a warm place, such as under a sheepskin coat, under a blanket, or even in your hands. From this, when aiming in the cold, an air vibration will immediately appear on the barrel, as they say, the rifle will begin to play, which is why the grouse will appear on the sight of the black grouse either higher or lower than the front sight, which also happens when you have to shoot immediately after the shot, when the barrel warm up a bit. You should also not rub the outside of the barrel with oil before hunting: this causes evaporation - the same vibration and the same consequences of the sight. The rifle barrel must always be dry and at ambient temperature. All these seeming trifles have a big impact on rifle shooting.

The most uncomfortable shooting is against the sun; therefore, every shooter on a clear day should drive up to the black grouse so that the sun is on the side, especially when it is low on the horizon. At the same time, the sight is extremely inconvenient even when low beams hit the rifle from behind. Here it also happens that the rear face of the front sight is not visible at all, and that is why many hunters paint over the back of the rear sight (fly) with red paint, which sets off the sight well and is visible when aiming black grouse on pines. In windy weather, shooting black grouse from a rifle is also extremely difficult and requires great skill and skill. Here it is necessary to apply to the tempo of the swinging of the bird; but, if it not only shakes, but chatters in different directions, which happens with a strong and uneven wind, then there can be no rules here, only the sharpness of the shooter remains. If, however, an even breeze pulls, and the tree on which the black grouse sits is so strong that it does not swing, then with a side wind, depending, of course, on its strength, it is necessary to take into the wind, i.e., aim the bird not in the middle, but , for example, on the tail, on the fluff; and with a strong wind, it happens to aim past the black grouse, which is extremely inconvenient. Rifles should not be greased too much; this has a considerable effect on lightness of wounds.

Access hunting continues until deep snow falls, that is, depending on the area, until mid-November (in the north), sometimes almost until the end of December.

Black grouse hunting from the entrance in winter

Access hunting often continues until the end of December. They usually travel from morning or afternoon to evening. It rarely happens that the black grouse let the hunter in at noon, because at that time they are full and lodge and, having risen, fly very far away. In the morning they fly away not far, transplanted in a split, often singly, and sit firmly; the same can be said about the evening.

Morning trail hunting does not start too early and therefore there is no need to get up before light.

Usually black grouse rise from the night when the sun is already rising, and earlier on warm days. Waking up and getting out of the hiding places, they immediately fly to feed on birches and pines, and if there are berry bushes, they go to them.

The hunter needs to know well the area and those corners where black grouse mainly spend the night and where they feed. Otherwise, he will uselessly drive around empty seats, toil a horse, get tired himself and lose a convenient time for hunting, and, belatedly, although he will find black grouse, but already when they had breakfast and became guards. If the shooter soon finds or stirs up black grouse from their place of lodging for the night, then the hunt is successful, just do not rush - and systematically in circles, step by step, go around the black grouse fattening on trees. Knowing the area well and not finding black grouse at a certain time for feeding, many hunters deliberately shoot into the air, which is why the hidden black grouse either immediately rise from their roost or show their presence somewhere, flying from tree to tree. on the contrary, i.e., so that the black grouse sit badly and do not let the hunter in even in mild weather, but in a strong cold they sit stubbornly, ruffled, and let the hunter in. The first usually happens before a change in the weather, and the last during a heavy hoarfrost. In general, black grouse, before a change in the weather, especially to a snowstorm, not only do not let them in, but fly especially smartly. When the snow on the trees freezes, the bird always lets it get closer than usual. In severe frosts, black grouse sit in a thicket or even do not fly out at all and sit, buried in the snow, for two days - and then, if they are raised, they no longer sit on trees, but again fall into the snow.

Evening road hunting usually begins at two o'clock and continues until sunset, rarely a little more. It is easier to find black grouse in the evening entrance, because, before their dinner, they will begin to fly from one place to another and thereby show themselves, or you can see them feeding in the trees, which can be seen far from the birch trees. Where there are grain stacks, black grouse love to feed on them too, but this is not every year, but it also happens that they do not go for bread at all.

If the black grouses are not given to the entrance from the first time, and the weather is good, then this is still a small problem - they can be driven in: you just have to skillfully follow the direction of their flight, do not lose sight of them as much as possible, and stubbornly pursue, i.e. .not stopping to drive after them. Quite often black grouse give way to stubborn pursuit and begin to let the hunter within a shot.

What in the morning, what in the evening - the rules for lifting are the same, both on wheels along the black-foot, and along the winter path on a sleigh. The hunter, having found black grouse, always approaches them at a step, slowly, without haste, and does not ride directly at them, but, as it were, past, by a detour, and, having crept up to the extent of the shot, quietly stops the horse, without getting out of the carriage, puts the rifle on the bipod, arranged on a sleigh, aims and pulls the trigger. You should never go to the middle of the herd, but on the contrary, you should always try to drive around the herd and shoot the extreme ones. In addition, when approaching for black grouse, it is necessary to know the area and drive in such a way as not to steal the bird somewhere behind a canal, a deep ravine, a ravine, etc., where it is impossible for a hunter to get. In general, you should never drive up to a black grouse from behind, from the tail, but if possible from the side or from the chest. A rare black grouse will endure an entrance from the tail, and then it will almost always turn sideways or chest to the hunter, and most often fly away or change to another tree. If the black grouse withstand the entrance well and sit, sometimes huddled, several at a time, on one tree, which happens more often in mild warm weather, then you should always shoot the lower one and then the next one higher; following this order, you can knock down several pieces from one place and from one tree. Since the autumn, almost every rifle has taken a black grouse: but towards the end of November, when the frosts get stronger and the snow falls, it is difficult to kill a black grouse and many wounded fly away from the shooter forever.

If a wounded black grouse falls somewhere dead, then the magpies immediately begin to peck at it; if the prey is still alive, then they usually sit down somewhere right there on a tree and begin to chirp, which is what calls the hunter. If the snow is deep and soft, then the black grouse often rush into it with such force that the loose snow instantly falls asleep to the bird, so that even having taken the place where the prey darted, it is difficult to see the hiding place of the fleeing black grouse. Noticing its premises, you need to fall on this place and get a cunning bird from under you, otherwise you will miss once and miss it again.

Some hunters do this: they take an evening hunt and notice where the black grouse stayed for the night, and in the morning they go to this very place and find them immediately, without losing time. This is good because the black grouse, pursued since the evening, did not have time to eat and therefore eagerly fly to the fattening, sit tight and let the hunter come closer.

Kosachs from the beginning of autumn and all winter keep mainly near clean places near fields, along the edges of pine forests, while black grouse prefer more forest, a thicket of pine forests and like to feed on coniferous lobe.

The entrance is possible as long as the snow is not enough for the horse to the knee; if it exceeds this limit, it is extremely difficult to ride a sleigh and the horses soon become exhausted.

If the black grouse is very watchful and does not allow the entrance, then this kind of trick succeeds: the hunter stops, takes an ax and begins to cut stumps, moving from place to place with songs. Such a pause in stopping the entrance makes the black grouse look closely at the cry, and then they begin to let them in for a shot.

In total it is quieter than black grouse in warm, rainy and silent days; it is most severe on cold, clear and windy days.

Hunting in the first month of winter

We continue to talk in our section Hunter's Calendar about the features of hunting for each month. And, since December has begun outside the window, it is quite obvious that today we will talk about the features of hunting in December. Let us remember that for whom the hunting season is still ongoing, for which game the hunt is closed, who can be picked up from a snowy hole or found in a snowy forest thicket. So, all the features of hunting in December ...

December in nature

The month of December is both frosts and snowfalls, and short days and long starry nights ... And, while the majority of the population is preparing for the imminent New Year, hunters, under the curtain of the old, in spite of frost and cold, go to the forest to hunt. And, in the forest ... in it you can hear the sonorous voices of northern birds, the crunch of snow under the frozen ground under your feet. And, on this snow, all kinds of traces of animals and birds are very clearly visible. It's just that they won't say anything to a newbie. And, here, an experienced hunter will definitely “read” from them what kind of animal passed here, how long ago, and even dare to guess whether he will return home today with hunting trophy or not. By the way,

Well, and who can be hunted at all - it’s a wild boar, and a deer. So, as you can see, you have chances, and everything else will depend on the accuracy of your shot...

Closing of the hunting calendar December 2014

If earlier you were unlucky with a deer, fallow deer or roe deer, then you still have a whole month ahead of you. Indeed, the hunting season for roe deer, deer and fallow deer closes on New Year's Eve. So, you have every chance to be in time for the New Year's table with such a good trophy. As for elk hunting, it closes in January, so we won't talk about it yet. We are interested in those forest animals that can be shot with the last December shot - these are ungulates (except for elk), waterfowl, feathered game, marsh-meadow, field, steppe, mountain and upland game.

Continuation of the hunting calendar December 2014

In the month of December, hunting for fur-bearing animals and for is continued (until the beginning of February). Also, you can safely hunt a white hare, a hare, and other types of a hare, walk a wild rabbit, a raccoon dog, a wolf, a fox, a jackal, a corsac, a beaver and an otter, a mink, squirrels, wolverines, ermines, ferrets, raccoons - poloskunov, wild cats, sables, arctic foxes, muskrats and water voles ...

As for ungulates, until mid-January you can go to all age and sex groups of elk, mouflon, bison and bison hybrids, and wild boar - until the end of February.

Features of the December hunt

Moose hunting

Boar hunting

Wolf hunting

Wolf hunting

In December, wolves lack food, therefore, it is not surprising that hunger pushes these predators to come closer to villages, catch cats and dogs, and climb into the barn for sheep. Earlier in Russia they practiced hunting for a wolf with a piglet and with a dog. Hunters sat in a wide sleigh, into which an obedient horse was harnessed, and a pig planted in a sack was placed on the hay. And behind the sleigh they tied a bag with pig manure or hay. The sleigh traveled along deaf forest roads, and, hearing the piercing squeal of a piglet, wolves from all over the forest rushed to the sleigh. When they appeared near the wagon, the hunters had to open simultaneous and rapid fire on them. Instead of a pig, dogs can also be used - one dog sits in a wagon and barks, and the other runs after the wagon, tied to it with a rope.

You can also hunt wolves with the Pskov surge, without flags. But, here it is important to know the terrain and the habits of the animal well, and to be able to properly conduct a surge (it is desirable for him to have 3 people). Hunters must disguise themselves in white coats, while beaters may wear ordinary clothes.

Depending on the area where hunting is carried out, the method of hunting is also chosen. So, you can go for a bait with a salary and with flags, for the steppe regions you can use greyhounds, and if the snow is deep and loose, then you can drive a wolf on a hardy horse.

01/30/2012 | Winter hunting for black grouse

Black grouse hunting methods

In addition to hunting on grouse currents, you can hunt these beautiful birds in other ways. One of these ways is hunting with stuffed animals. At the same time, the habit of black grouse in the fall to gather in flocks and rest on trees is used. Such flocks with scythes begin to form, to which black grouse and the younger generation then come. Before the snow gets deep in the mornings and evenings, black grouses tend to perch near where they sleep and eat on trees, usually birches.

Having found a place where the black grouse liked to sit in the trees, the hunter sets up his hut at a distance of one and a half or two dozen meters. Shelter should not be too noticeable on the ground and give good review arrow. The prepared stuffed animal is planted on the tip of the dummy (this is a thin straight pole). If the scarecrow is short, then its butt needs to be fixed on a tree branch, next to the trunk, but long scarecrows can be fixed on the ground.

It is necessary to properly position the scarecrow. It should not tilt in any direction, if there is a wind, then the chest is turned against the wind, but if there is no wind, then navigate along the sun (in the morning to the east, in the evening to the west). It is necessary to fix three or four stuffed animals in this way, and one as close as possible to the top.

When the black grouse landed on the stuffed animals, then you need to shoot first of all at the lower bird. Between morning and evening hunting, you can take a break of four or a little more hours, while black grouse fly to rest. In addition, in order to increase the chances of black grouse arriving at the chosen place, you can turn to the services of a beater - he will have to drive the flock from the night and adjust some of the black grouse to the ambush. Cartridges for such hunting will be suitable in autumn No. 5, and when it gets colder, then already winter shells with shot No. 3, 2.

Another method of hunting can be used on the first snow, and until that time, until deep snowdrifts are covered. This is hunting for black grouse from the approach and entrance. For this hunt, you need to know well the places and ways of moving the grouse flock. For this hunt, you can use all day time, as soon as the black grouse went to feed. If the flock is large, then it is better to disperse it, and then get close to small groups and single black grouse. When the snow is deep, it will be better to take skis so that you can get closer.

Unsuccessful trip for black grouse

Well, winter has come with snow and frost. Hunting for a hare with a dog has stopped because of the frost and it's time to go and see how the black grouse is doing. On Saturday at 7.30 I was in the hut with a frost of -27, heated the stove, drank some tea and at 9.00 moved out to the swamp.

When I went out to the swamp, I realized that the hunt would not take place. Through binoculars, I saw a flock sitting in trees - it looks like they spend the night there, but why? I did not approach, since the place is visible from all sides, I decided to look for others (maybe someone spends the night in the holes).

Passing through an open place, I understood everything: crust and snow 20-30 cm deep do not allow the birds to hide under a warm blanket of snow, so they sit all night on birch trees. I still found holes, but one or two each, and a flock - about 20 pieces (I don’t understand, maybe black grouse keep separate from scythes). There is no crust under the birches, but there is less snow and the birds dive only halfway. In the afternoon, the sun rose and became spring-like fun, and it was a pity that such a beautiful day was coming to an end. But next weekend - again in the forest ...

Morning black grouse hunt

Got the first black grouse this winter. I left early, it was still dark. I had to go alone, as my partner once again let me down, but this is a separate issue. I took 4 stuffed black grouse with me. I arrived at the place, chose a rare well-visible birch forest and put stuffed animals on high birch trees. I sat down under the tree and waited. Beginning to light up. Less than 10 minutes before I heard the flapping of wings.

Since I didn’t pay much attention to camouflage, I shot right away, I didn’t wait for the black grouse to sit on a tree. Beat with pay 1 from forty meters. He hooked it with the first shot, knocked it down with a stone with the second. The thought that smashed to smithereens passed. Immediately forbade the place of the fall and went to him. But I didn’t notice that the second black grouse was flying behind the first one, which immediately photographed me and turned me aside.

My third mistake was that instead of sitting down and disguising myself, I took pictures of my trophy on my mobile phone. Immediately, he heard the sound of flapping wings behind him. Mobile phone in the snow, gun in hand, but it was too late. In any case, the trophy has been obtained and is enough for today.

He returned home with a sense of competent hunting. He did everything right and the result was not long in coming. My wife tried to pull at home, no way, the feather climbs with the skin, poured boiling water over it, it still doesn’t help. I had to take the skin off. Tomorrow we'll simmer.

Photo by Oleg Panteleev Boar (wild pig) has long been a coveted trophy for hunters all over the world. It is a serious, intelligent and quick-witted beast. In the old days it was called a boar. He is always ready to stand up for himself and at the same time is very dangerous. Here is what Alexander Alexandrovich Cherkasov writes about this in his book Notes of a Hunter of Eastern Siberia: "... look at the billhook, when the dogs catch up with him, stop him, hunters fly up and surround him from all sides, and he, seeing trouble, will begin to defend himself All the hair on it will stand on end, its eyes burn with courage and throw terrible sparks, white foam pours out of its mouth in clubs, and the billhook either stands motionless, waiting for an attack, puffs and sharpens its huge white fangs with fury, then rushes at the enemies with an arrow and the brave, swift, elastic swoop knocks down brave fighters, crosses in two, like a mitten, throws up his snout, smacks his fangs like a knife, makes terrible mortal wounds, releases his guts ... One turn of his snout is enough to kill a careless hunter who decides to approach him too close and somehow blunders ... "It is not for nothing that the Russian people still have a saying:" You go for a bear - take a straw, you go for a wild boar - drag a coffin. And yet, one should not tremble before the boar. Just always when meeting with him you need to be careful and restraint. And most importantly - you should not fuss and let fear paralyze your mind. In the external appearance of the wild boar, one can clearly see the adaptability to life in dense forest thickets and reed supports. A large wedge-shaped head, which occupies almost a third of the entire body, a massive neck and a powerful, laterally compressed body, allow it to run in impassable forest creases and through thickets of thorny bushes with amazing speed in case of danger. The legs of the boar are short, strong, covered with hard hair.
The tail is of moderate length, with a brush at the end, reaching the heel joint. Running away from danger, the wild boar is able to reach speeds of up to 40 km / h, jump up to 4 meters in length, up to 1.5 meters in height, run 10-15 kilometers without rest. It swims quickly and easily, coping with a rather strong current, confidently walks through swamps, climbs steep slopes. The wild boar is a born all-terrain vehicle, and only deep snow hinders its maneuverability. He just seems bulky and clumsy. In fact, the boar is fast and agile. Its throws are lightning fast, the Adult boar reaches an impressive size. With a height at the withers of 120 cm, its length sometimes exceeds 2 meters, and its weight reaches 300 kg or more. It is perfectly "armed". He has well developed fangs. They are so big that they stick out. The fangs of the upper jaw are blunt and short, emerging from the gums, bent upwards. The fangs of the lower jaw (triangular and very sharp) grow in males throughout their lives and by the age of 7 reach a length of 8-10 centimeters. They are never blunt, since the upper ones, which are in close contact with them, serve as a touchstone for their constant sharpening. It is with the lower fangs that the wild boar "does wonders: with them it breaks, stabs, flogs and flogs", It is not for nothing that the male wild boar is often called billhooks. Although the female has fangs, they are much smaller than those of males and do not protrude, and therefore she is not so dangerous. The hairline of wild boars is well developed. In winter, it consists of stiff and long bristles, split at the end, which form a kind of mane on the back, and coarse thick undercoat. The color of the bristles is dark brown with light ends, sometimes grayish, almost white. The undercoat is chestnut-brown. The most characteristic of wild boars is a dark brown or dark brown color with darker colored legs, sometimes completely black. Summer hairline consists of sparse and short bristles. The color is brownish-gray, sometimes ash-gray. The boar is very cautious and, as a rule, leaves when a person appears, but when wounded or enraged by the persecution, it often leaves all caution and rushes at the hunter. He has excellent hearing and sense of smell. Vision is less developed. However, it cannot be underestimated. Even for 100-150 meters the wild boar notices the slightest movement of the hunter and immediately changes the direction of its movement. The way of life is gregarious, and only old males live alone. In each herd there is a strict order of subordination. The leader of the herd, as a rule, is the oldest pig. Before the start of estrus, which occurs in November-December, a male billhook enters the herd and becomes its leader. By this time, the skin on his neck and sides thickens - up to 4-5 cm. This thickening is called a Kalkan. It consists of strong elastic fibers, between which there are inclusions of fat cells and sweat glands. Kalkan protects the sides, neck and chest of the boar from the sharp fangs of rivals with two strong shields. All young males older than 9-10 months of age are expelled from the herd. Cleaver copulates with all sexually mature females of the herd and jealously protects his harem from the invasion of other males. A wild and terrible fight is tied up with the alien, and more often than with other animals, the fight ends in death or terrible wounds of one or another male. But especially fierce battles take place between fighters of equal strength and the same age. They always end with the death of one of the opponents. The strongest, liveliest and most dangerous are males aged 6-7 years. At this time they are in their prime. After all the females of the herd are covered, the bulls leave the herd and take refuge in the strongest places, where they live "in splendid isolation." In their place are young lovers who live with the fertilized females until the beginning of spring. The age limit for wild pigs in a herd is 8-10 years. Pregnancy of females lasts about 4 months. In the second half of March or April, piglets are born, usually 5-7 in a litter, in some cases up to 10. The weight of newborn piglets ranges from 750 to 1200 grams. Piglets are born sighted, well pubescent and striped - against a brown background of wool, longitudinal light stripes about 2 cm wide pass along the back and sides. Hunters call piglets at this time "sailors". In the early days, piglets do not leave their mother. In cold weather, they do not appear outside until two weeks or more.
Pigs are very caring mothers, they boldly protect their cubs and are especially aggressive in the first month after farrowing, rushing towards any animal or person who dares to approach the brood closer than 30-40 meters. In the herd, every pig protects every piglet as if it were her own. The fact is that quite often several females with piglets are combined into one herd, which is joined by gilts driven away during farrowing. Piglets grow quickly and already in December weigh about 15 kg. The habitats of wild boars are floodplains, reed thickets, dense mixed forests, especially rich in shrubs. In the North Caucasus, they live in almost impenetrable forests, overgrown with a keep-tree and intertwined with thorny vines. Although omnivores, wild boars mainly consume easily obtained plant foods. They feed on rhizomes of cattail, reed, reeds, grass, fruits of wild apple trees, nuts and acorns. From cultivated plants they prefer corn. In addition, crops of wheat, barley, potatoes, and especially buckwheat and millet are exposed to their raids. They also eat mollusks, worms, frogs, snakes, and sometimes carrion. During feeding, they always move against the wind in order to smell the danger in advance. In summer, wild boars feed throughout the night, rising from their beds before sunset. In winter, especially in severe frosts, they are active during the day and feed during the warmest time of the day. characteristic feature in their behavior is bathing. They bathe daily, even in cold weather. At the same time, they prefer dirty clay reservoirs and potholes and puddles filled with water. Swimming in rivers with clean water is extremely rare. Water for wild boars is so necessary that they make transitions to find it no less than to look for food. Wild boars cause great harm in their habitats. environment. It is known that an increase in their numbers is always accompanied by a sharp decrease in the number of upland game. Observations carried out in the spring of 1976 showed that about 50% of capercaillie clutches, more than 80% of black grouse and about 30% of hazel grouse clutches die from wild boars. The numbers are impressive! Eating a large number of acorns, wild boars significantly undermine the food base of deer and almost completely stop the seed reproduction of oak. In the cold season, they often lay on anthills, which are first torn apart. After that, the anthills freeze through, and the ants die. Wild boars cause great damage to plantings of agricultural crops, and fields located in forests or in their immediate vicinity suffer more from their raids. At the same time, they do not so much eat as trample. That is why in Western Europe they are allowed to shoot all year round. And look what they do with the turf layer? Where a herd of wild pigs fed, it was dug up to a depth of 30 cm, raised and turned over. As a result, tens of square meters of land remain in an extremely unsightly state for a long time. And the last. Many believe that the meat of billhooks has an unpleasant specific smell, which reduces its palatability, and sometimes makes it completely unsuitable for eating. This is a deep delusion. The unpleasant smell of wild boar meat is not its primary property. It is acquired as a result of careless and improper cutting of carcasses. More recently, the range of the wild boar in Russia was limited to the North Caucasus, the lower reaches of the Volga, the southeastern Altai, Transbaikalia, the middle reaches of the Amur and the Ussuri Territory. In the central part, including on the territory of the Moscow region, it was not. But in 1941, driven by the war, wild boars appeared in the Volokolamsk district of the Moscow region. In the winter of 1950, they were already noted on the territory of the Voronezh Reserve, and from January 1953 they began to be systematically observed in the Arkhangelsk region. They are rapidly developing more and more new spaces. By 1970, wild boars had already populated most of European Russia and became quite common throughout the Moscow region, often found in its forests and agricultural lands. At present, the northern border of the wild boar range in Russia reaches the White Sea in the European part to the northern coast of Baikal in Asia. This border is very unstable, since peculiar ebb and flow is observed all the time, the so-called "pulsation" of the range, characteristic of the wild boar at the northern limit habitats in Eurasia. Now three subspecies of wild boars live within Russia: - European-Caucasian, which is firmly established in the European part of the Federation and in the North Caucasus. Adult individuals weigh from 160 to 260 kg; - Mongolian (Transbaikalian), widely spoken in Transbaikalia. This is the smallest of our boars. Its weight is 55-90 kg; - Far Eastern (Ussuri), inhabiting the territories of the Amur Region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. This is the largest boar. The weight of adult males reaches 320 kg.
HUNTING METHODS Wild boar is a game animal that provides meat, skin and bristles. The hunt for him is very emotional. Hunting methods are varied. Let us dwell on the main ones and, first of all, on individual methods of hunting.
Hunt from ambush on grass This method is practiced when pigs begin to raid fields of ripening crops. The main conditions for the success of this method are good shelter and suitable wind direction. The wind must blow from the forage field towards the landing and in no case vice versa. Sittings are usually arranged on suitable trees near the edge of the field, not far from the boar trails, since it is better to observe the beast from above. At the same time, the sector of the intended shooting is always chosen in such a way that the shooting is carried out in open space, and not in the direction of the edge, since at dusk, and especially at night, wild boars will be invisible against the background of the forest. You can, of course, arrange a hiding place on the ground, but below it is more difficult to see wild boars, as the stems of plants will interfere, and animals can smell the hunter faster. Skradok should be taken at least an hour and a half before the arrival of the boars, so that during this time the smell of your tracks disappears. The approaching herd is heard from afar (the crunch of deadwood, the stomping, the squealing of pigs). In front of the field, the animals usually stop and listen. The gilts are the first to come out into the open, then the pigs with piglets. Cleaver always comes out last. Hunting from ambush in the North Caucasus has its own characteristics. Wild boars have a sweet tooth and love to eat melons and watermelons, and they always choose the most ripe ones. They also hunt for apple orchards. With the onset of moonlit nights, some hunters dig deep ambush during the day right on the melons and in the gardens. And with the onset of darkness, they wait for hours for the arrival of wild boars in them. No matter how careful the wild boar, but sometimes he approaches the shooter literally 10-15 steps.
Hunting from a tower at top dressing This method is a kind of hunting from ambush and fundamentally differs little from it. The difference lies in the fact that you do not need to look for and choose a place for a sit-in, since it has already been chosen, and the sit-in itself has already been made and, as a rule, thoroughly. There is no need to look for wild boars either, they will come on their own and will huddle in a clean place some 15-20 meters from the tower. The whole point of hunting in this way is to wait for the arrival of wild boars without smoking and coughing, and then shoot from a gun at a large and motionless target. It seems that everything is business! However, in practice, things are much more complicated. This is only for the "cool" feeding grounds near the towers are illuminated, and in their hands they have large-caliber hunting carbines with night vision sights. Ordinary mortals, especially if there is no moon, often have to sit in pitch darkness. Shooting in these conditions is not easy. If it is still possible to aim in the direction, since the wild boars are quite clearly visible against the background of snow, then it is almost impossible to aim correctly in pitch, because neither the front sight nor the aiming bar of the gun is visible. Sticking strips of white paper on the aiming bar or coating the front sight with a luminous composition does not give the desired effect. Someone came up with the idea of ​​​​using LEDs complete with a 1.5 volt round battery. And it went! One LED began to be mounted near the front sight, the second - in the middle of the aiming bar. Well, then who will adapt. This "system" is activated only at the moment of aiming.
Hunting from under the dog from the approach This is one of the most interesting and prey ways of hunting. But in this case, you need to have firmness of mind, iron restraint and self-confidence, and your dogs should “keep” the beast well. Otherwise, I do not recommend tempting fate! Perhaps yes, I suppose they are unacceptable here! If dog barking is heard all the time from one place, then the dogs have stopped and are "holding" the boar. In this case, you need to rush to the aid of your four-legged friends without delay. If the voices of the dogs move, then the beast is leaving, and the dogs are chasing it. It is necessary either to go to the interception, or to set off in pursuit: it all depends on the nature of the terrain and the prevailing situation. You should always approach the boar from behind or from the side and as close as possible. Be sure to shoot while standing, and not from a knee, so that in case of a miss, the charge goes into the ground, and does not rush somewhere into the distance. After all, besides you, there may be other hunters in this part of the forest, and just random people. For a long time, when hunting for a wild boar, huskies and hounds were used. The latter, by the way, soon had to be abandoned, because, baited by a wild boar, they refused to work on other objects. But likes are still used and deserve the highest praise. They were out of competition. West Siberian Laikas work recklessly on the boar, with great malice, stop it with painful grips from behind (in place), deftly bounce off the blows of the beast, preventing it from moving. However, due to their gladiatorial temperament, they often die.
Sneaking without a dog This is the most difficult way to hunt. It is best to hide wild boars after dark, in mild, windy weather, when they are on the fattening. A feeding herd of pigs usually makes a lot of noise. Hunters take advantage of this and sometimes come close to the boars. But for this you need to see the beast before it detects your presence. You need to approach the boar from the leeward side and do this only when he eats (champing is heard) and wags his tail. If he stopped eating (no champing is heard), and his tail hung, then he paid attention to something and listens - freeze and do not move, The movement can be resumed when champing is heard again. You can also hide wild boars on the haul-outs, but this is done during the day, along the white path. You should move carefully, stopping often and carefully examining all suspicious places: dug up anthills, black spots under the paws of spreading fir trees, where wild boars like to arrange their gayna. Some individuals sleep so soundly that you can literally approach them for 20-30 steps.
Watching for wild boars in the reeds This method is especially emotional, since there are no trees to hide behind if necessary, no stumps or boulders to jump into to evade the boar's attack. Yes, and there is always a quagmire underfoot, which significantly hinders the hunter's movements. Once, while in Poland, I happened to take part in such a hunt. There were three of us. The thorny paths along which the wild boars move in the reed jungle were shown to us by the huntsman. It is appropriate to note here that wild boars are by nature conservatives. They like to walk the same trails, fatten and spend their daytime rest in permanent places. I chose a place about 10 meters from the manhole trodden by wild boars, loaded my gun and waited. Twilight was rapidly gathering. The place, which I recklessly stood on, turned out to be rather swampy, and within a few minutes my ankle-deep feet were immersed in a black, fetid goo. “It would be necessary to put a board under my feet,” an afterthought flashed through my head. But, as they say, “a good thought comes later!” There was no question of stepping from foot to foot. Immediately such a chomping sound it would spread that further stalking the boars would lose all meaning. shot, there was a squeal of a gilt and the clatter of a fleeing herd. I took off my "Merkel" safety and prepared to meet this running crowd. But, fortunately for me, this did not happen. The chomping sound of dozens of hooves began to move away and soon completely disappeared. The ringing silence was again established With great difficulty I freed my legs from the quagmire and lit a cigarette.Hands were trembling treacherously... And now, if possible, let's dwell on the collective hunting of a wild boar.In the most massive and popular way such a hunt is undoubtedly a paddock. Outwardly, it is very reminiscent of an elk hunt. However, it has its own characteristics, since it is associated with a certain risk for both beaters and shooters. It is almost impossible to drive wild boars to where they do not want to go. They will defend themselves in the strongest places, rush in front of the beaters and eventually break through the line of the latter. I remember one of my first hunts in Germany. Then, in the very first corral, we successfully overlaid a small herd. They were mostly wild boars of last year's litter, which now and then flashed before the eyes of the beaters, preferring their noisy neighborhood to the ominous silence standing on the shooting lines. We combed this area three times, but the boars were never set against the shooters. Obviously, the herd was led by someone with solid experience and who knew that the silence ahead was deceptive and that it could explode with a roar of shots at any moment. Then we left the shooting line only at the end of the paddock, and all the rest, in a dense line, once again tried to push this cunning company under the shots. In the event of a breakthrough of wild boars through the chain of beaters, it was allowed to shoot in salaries, but only "to steal". And when the line of beaters for the fourth time approached the shooting line, the boars went on a breakthrough. One of the participants in the hunt later said: “I hear how a wild boar “hooted” ahead and the bushes crackled. The first thought was to determine the direction of its movement and give way.” As soon as he managed to jump aside, a huge billhook jumped out of the thicket, about two meters to the left. The bristles on the back of the neck stand on end, white foam falls from the fanged mouth ... Without having time to properly attach the gun, he fired. Naturally, by. Following the billhook, a large pig jumped out and just under the bar of the hunter's gun. The shot hit the slaughter place, and yet the pig ran another 100 meters. They found it without much difficulty: the bushes on the left and right in the course of its movement were abundantly spattered with blood. If there are no dogs in the corral, then the pigs with piglets always leave the salary first. In front of the shooting line, which, as a rule, stands on a clearing or along the road, they usually stop, mark time, sniff and only then go for a breakthrough. At the same time, nothing can change the direction of their movement: neither the sight of the standing shooters, nor the screams of the beaters , nor the roar of shots. As a rule, this occurs in areas with the most dense vegetation and poor visibility. It is useless to wait for the boars to come out in a clean place. If there are dogs in the salary, and even more so if they have already discovered pigs and are chasing them with a voice, the latter always leave their pursuers on the swings and no longer make any stops. Rush, as they say, "headlong". In Germany and the countries of Eastern Europe, Jagdterriers and Dachshunds are often used as hounds, which the beaters usually carry on their hands and release "in the crawl" only with the start of the corral. Of course, they cannot stop the boar, but they indicate the direction of its movement quite clearly. Cleavers during battue hunts almost always stand in one place. They carefully listen to what is happening, sniff and leave their "sucks" only after the end of the rut and the removal of the hunters from the shooting numbers. Sometimes they go in the direction of the most noise and break through the chain of beaters. Unlike their counterparts, billhooks usually go out of service where it never even occurred to anyone to put shooters: in bare clearings, towards the village, etc. Bulldogs are not afraid of dogs. To get an old billhook on a raid is a matter of chance, and this happens extremely rarely. I will tell about one such case. It was in Germany. That time we hunted together with the Germans. And according to their rules, shooters are placed on numbers with their backs to the corral, and shooting is allowed only at an animal that is out of salary. I was placed on a forest road that ran through a dense plantation of a young spruce forest, the tops of which barely reached my chin. From above, a fine rain mixed with snow continuously poured. We were all pretty wet and chilled. So that the cartridges in the bandolier would not swell, I hid it under a camouflage suit and fastened it with all the buttons. In the first two paddocks, the animal did not enter the shooting line, and, frankly, I did not count on meeting with the wild boar. But as soon as the horn sounded, announcing the beginning of the rut hunters, something incredible began to happen behind my back: barking dogs, shooting, screams of beaters. It feels like with a large crowd of spectators at clay shooting competitions, you are standing on the fourth number of the round stand area and waiting for the plate to fly out, only you don’t know when and in which direction you will have to shoot, and therefore you look to the left, then to the right. As the beaters approached, the tension mounted. The furious barking of dogs and the cries of the beaters are still in the salary, but on my number it is muffled, "like in a tank." I was about to commemorate the head of the hunt with an unkind word, when a branch crunched on the right. I sharply turn my body to the right: about 12 meters away from me, a huge billhook runs across the road. At some point, he blocked it all, like a dam on a river. I shoot offhand. Past! And the front part of the boar's body has already disappeared into the spruce forest. Almost with a throw, I make the leash with the gun to the left and pull the second trigger. There is! I see how the tops of the spruce forest "boiled", denoting the movements of the boar. Having run 10 meters by inertia, he vigorously turns in my direction. I convulsively tear the fasteners on the camouflage suit, trying to get to the bandolier, the valves of which (what carelessness! ) are also fastened. The neighbor on the left is running down the road to my rescue. But I have already pulled out one cartridge and put it in the chamber. "Stop!" I give him a sign with my hand and see how a whole herd of wild boars is rushing through the place on which he had just stood, pursued by dogs. And in front of me, in the spruce forest, there was an angry bark and some sort of squelching wheezes. The tops of the Christmas trees have calmed down. I catch my breath. Finally, the forest is announced by the sounds of a horn - the all-clear signal. I begin to wade through the spruce forest to my trophy, focusing on the voice of the dog. Yes, here he is! He lies with his head in my direction: his ears droop, his stubble does not bristle. The dog, sensing my approach, boldly rushes to the carcass and begins to pull the boar for the "nickle" - no response. Seems to have "reached". But nevertheless I go around the side of the boar in order to approach from behind, the gun at the ready. I touch the boar with my foot, his body swayed like a jellied meat. Now it's definitely ready. Neighbor nearby. Other hunters appear. The head of the hunt comes up, breaks a spruce twig and, moistening it in blood, solemnly attaches it to my headdress.
The behavior of a wild boar after a shot A wild boar is surprisingly strong on the wound. If an elk wounded in the stomach passes 200-300 meters, a wild boar with such a wound goes several kilometers. Sometimes, after a successful shot at an elk, the forest giant falls like a mowed down one and remains in place. But when hunting for a wild boar, I don’t remember a single case, so that even after a shot “on the spot”, a wild boar fell dead. He usually runs for a while. With a broken heart, he can go 100 meters. The wild boar is especially strong on the wound in late autumn, when a kalkan forms under its skin. A sure sign of a wounded boar is a lowered tail. Compared to other ungulates, a wounded wild boar produces significantly less blood, which is explained by the tightening of the wound with adipose tissue. Even with a serious injury, blood does not appear on the trail immediately, but only after two or three jumps. Usually, blood in the form of rare drops appears after 100-150 meters. Therefore, it is imperative to follow the tracks of the shot animal for at least 250 meters, even if the shooter claims that he missed. The abundance of blood in the snow indicates a serious injury. If the blood beats in jerks, the heart is broken. The presence of many sprayed droplets of blood indicates a lung injury. Sometimes, when a charge hits, the boar makes a groaning sound, gilts squeal. When a charge hits the upper part of the body, the boar writhes, and jumps into the lower part. If the animal tries to rise to its front legs after a fall, the spine is damaged. If, after the shot, the boar falls and beats on the ground for several seconds, and then rises and rushes away, this indicates a tangential wound to the skull.
Precautions If possible, always take your shooting position near a tree, stump or boulder so that you can hide behind them in case of danger. Standing on the number, first find out the location of the neighboring numbers, indicate yourself by raising your hand, and only after that load the gun. In no case do not shoot at a target that is not clearly visible, at a rustle or noise. Do not leave the room until the "hang up" command is given. But even after this command, approach the fallen beast carefully, with a gun ready to fire. It is best to approach from behind or from the side. You can't go ahead. Quite often, a wild boar that seems to be killed is actually still alive and has enough strength to rush at a hunter approaching him. Always pay attention to his ears and the coat on the neck: if the ears are pressed back, and the bristles on the neck stand on end, then the beast is still alive and dangerous. But getting too close, make a control shot in the ear. Keep in mind that the old billhook can rush at the hunter after barely a shot, even without being wounded. Never shoot at a boar "with a bayonet"; it's better to miss it and hit it in 6ok or on the ridge to steal. The best shots are under the ear and under the front shoulder blade. Pursuit of a wounded boar; always dangerous. In these cases, he clogs into the very support, hides and, as a rule, rushes at a suitable hunter. You can dodge his throw by jumping to the side. Having run past, the boar rarely repeats its attack. An accidental fall of a hunter in this situation usually ends tragically. Never start trailing a wounded boar at dusk, and also do not let two dogs follow the trail at once, as they lose their caution in a pair.
Boris Abramov National hunting magazine "Hunting" No. 5 - 2002


The common capercaillie is a typical taiga bird. Leads a settled way of life, only occasionally, irregularly and not far migrates in the autumn winter period. Distributed in the forest belt of Europe, western and central Siberia (up to Baikal). It starts to current even before the appearance of the first thawed patches. The current male spreads his tail like a fan, softly clicks, chirps. Where there are few capercaillie, males lek singly. The height of the current coincides with the intense melting of snow in the forest. After the mating period, capercaillie begin to molt, and they hide in dense and cluttered areas of the forest. Only the female participates in the upbringing of the offspring. Chicks appear in mid-June and later. In the first days they feed on ants and other insects, later they begin to peck at plants - green shoots, inflorescences, berries and seeds. In winter, capercaillie feed almost exclusively on needles. In the larch forests of Eastern Siberia, the stone capercaillie lives - a close relative of the common capercaillie, with which it sometimes forms hybrids. The stone capercaillie differs from the common one in its smaller size, black beak, and long tail. It flows on the ground (although it often begins to sing on a tree) and does not stall. His song also sounds different - without clicking and chirping. The hazel grouse is distributed from the western border of the CIS to the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Inhabits spruce and mixed forests with dense undergrowth. Sedentary bird, occasionally and irregularly roams in winter. Willingly settles in the valleys of streams and small taiga rivers. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of one year. During the mating season, which begins in late March - early April, hazel grouse can form pairs. The male is always near the incubating female, and then the brood. Usually there are no more than 10 eggs, rarely up to 15. They are brilliant brown in color with rare reddish spots and strokes, sometimes without them. The female sits firmly in the nest, takes off from under her very feet and sometimes allows herself to be taken with her hands. Incubation lasts about three weeks. Young hazel grouse, barely dry, leave the nest and, together with the female, go to forest clearings and edges, where they find food in abundance. The first broods occur in mid-June. Three-week-old hazel grouses already spend the night on trees, and in August they are already indistinguishable from adults. They feed on insects, molluscs, berries, alder, birch leaves, peck tree buds, birch inflorescences and young shoots. Broods break up in autumn. Grouse spend the winter in pairs or alone in the same places where they nest.
Black grouse lives in the forest and forest-steppe zones of Europe and Asia. Prefers edges, clearings, sparse deciduous forests, alternating with fields; deaf taiga avoids. Sedentary bird, only occasionally making long migrations in winter in search of places rich in food. In the past, when there were a lot of black grouse, wandering flocks of 300-500 birds were not uncommon even for the European part of the country, but now their winter flocks do not exceed several dozen. Winter food for black grouse consists mainly of plant buds, primarily birch. During the day, the flock feeds on trees, at night it burrows into the snow and spends the night there. In frost and snowstorms, black grouse can sit under the snow for a long time, until noon, but usually they fly out to feed at dawn. If at night the thaw is replaced by frost, the black grouse sleeping under the snow in the morning find themselves in an ice trap. This is one of the reasons for the death of black grouse in winter. In the spring - in March - with the first thawed patches, grouse currents begin. A place for currents is chosen at the edges, among the swamp. The scythes that have flocked here “sniff”, “mutter”, spread their tail like a fan, and fight. Where there are few black grouse, they lek singly, sometimes in the middle of the field, away from the edges or on the trees, without descending to the ground. The height of the currents falls on April. Black grouse do not form permanent pairs, and males do not take part in incubation and care for offspring. Nests are arranged under a bush or a small tree, not far from the current and near the berries. If the eggs of the first clutch die, then the female lays 2-4 more eggs. In June - early July, chicks hatch from eggs, in which feathers on wings grow in a week. In the morning they feed on berry fields, in burnt areas and unmowed meadows and clearings; when the bread ripens, the birds visit them regularly. In late August and early September, young black grouse fight off the female and lead an independent life. Black grouse's summer food is berries, grains of cereals, inflorescences of forest herbs, and partly insects.
The Caucasian black grouse lives in the alpine belt of the Main Caucasian Range and the Lesser Caucasus. It differs from the ordinary one in smaller sizes; in males, the tail plaits are bent down; in females, a smaller “striated” pattern on the chest. In winter, it descends from the mountains into tall fir forests.

White partridge - (Central Russian subspecies is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation). The distribution area of ​​​​this bird occupies the north of the European part, Siberia, Northern Kazakhstan. In the tundra it nests in moss swamps and burnt areas, in the southern parts of the range - along river valleys and willow thickets. In winter, it makes irregular migrations, the length of which depends on the forage yield. In the alpine belt of mountains and the tundra, partridges roam, moving to more suitable places for wintering. These birds are interesting for the protective change of plumage. In winter they are snow-white, with a black beak and black outer tail feathers, plumage is red-brown in summer. Various combinations of red-brown and white are characteristic of the spring and autumn plumage of these birds. In winter, a flock of partridges keeps among shrub willows and birches, occasionally flies up to trees and pecks at buds. At night the birds crawl under the snow. Their paws are densely pubescent with feathers, so the birds move easily on soft snow, almost without falling through. In addition to buds in winter, partridges feed on shoots and berries dug out from under the snow. In early spring, even before the thaw, males begin to lek. Then the birds break into pairs and are placed in nesting areas, which are vigilantly guarded from other males. At this time, fights are common among cockerels. The nest is arranged in a fairly secluded place and is well camouflaged. An important condition for the chosen place is the possibility of a quick take-off and a good overview. In the tundra, where man does not bother birds, there are open nests. The incubating female sits very firmly. Only the female incubates, but the male is near the nest. Chicks appear in late June - early July (depending on weather and terrain). Having barely dried, they leave the nest and with both parents go to dense shrubbery, to the berry fields, where they stay until the young rise to the wing. Often several families join together. Partridges are characterized by several molts: three for the female and four for the male. The white partridge is a herbivorous bird. Grass shoots, tree buds, plant seeds and berries form the basis of her food. Chicks, in addition, willingly eat insects.
The tundra partridge is a medium-sized bird. The build is dense, the head is small, the relative length of the wings is somewhat longer than that of other grouse birds, the tail is relatively short and slightly rounded. In winter, the fingers are completely feathered. The tundra partridge lives in the arctic and moss tundras, subalpine and alpine belts of mountains and penetrates farther to the north than other grouse birds. Like the white partridge, this species has a circumpolar distribution, but its range is less extensive and has a more complex configuration. The tundra partridge lives in the north of the Kola Peninsula, the northern parts of the Ural Mountains and the Yamal and Gydan Peninsulas, in Taimyr and in the Yakut tundra. Further, the northern border of the range runs mostly along the coast of the mainland, while the southern border captures the Verkhoyansk Range and the Aldan Highlands and goes along the southern slopes of the Stanovoy Range to the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. There are no partridges within the indicated boundaries in the lowlands of Kamchatka, the Anadyr and Penzhina valleys, and the tundras of the lower Kolyma and Alazeya. The tundra partridge also inhabits the mountain systems of Altai, Sayan and Khamar-Daban, is found on the Commander and Kuril Islands and Franz Josef Land. This species lives in North America, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, northern parts of Great Britain and Scandinavia, and the Alps and Pyrenees. Within the range, 26 subspecies are distinguished in partridges. The color of the plumage in winter is white, with the exception of black tail feathers (at their ends there are white apical stripes), a black beak and dark claws. The shafts of the primary flight feathers are also dark. Males have a so-called "bridle" - a black stripe running along the sides of the head from the corner of the mouth through the eye. Females do not have such stripes, only some individuals have separate black feathers in these places. In spring, males acquire a breeding outfit, characterized by the presence of brown feathers scattered over the head, neck and shoulders. Females have no spring attire. The summer outfit is variegated: the color of most of the body is formed by gray feathers with transverse black, white and yellowish stripes, the belly and wings remain white. Autumn attire is similar to summer, but white winter feathers are already appearing in it. The winter molt is extended, which is an adaptation of birds to living in landscapes where snowless tundra alternates with snow-covered spaces. In general, for appearance the tundra partridge is very similar to its relative - the white partridge, and in the field (especially in winter) it is not easy to distinguish them. It differs from the latter by a more gray plumage color in the snowless period, dark claws and cores of primary flight feathers, the presence of a “bridle” in males, a thinner and more elegant beak and somewhat smaller sizes. The tundra partridge leads a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle and moves well both on solid ground and on loose snow. Like white partridges, in winter, birds sometimes fly up trees when feeding, but this behavior is much less common in tundras. Periods of feeding activity - morning and evening. In winter, when daylight is short and feeding time is limited, daytime rest is weakly expressed. In winter, tundra partridges stay in flocks, which, however, are smaller in size than white partridges, and, as a rule, do not exceed 60-90 individuals. Most often there are flocks of 5-10 birds. In places of joint habitat, white and tundra partridges often keep in the same flocks; the ratio of species in this case, as a rule, is in favor of the former. Living in mixed flocks, tundra largely adopt the behavioral traits of white partridges: they stay in stages that are uncharacteristic of them - willow forests, become more cautious and, in case of danger, are guided by the reaction of their more "vigilant" relatives. By themselves, tundra partridges are very trusting birds: even a relatively large flock of them in every second case can be quite openly approached at 40-50 meters before they begin to show signs of anxiety. Single birds let a person even closer, and it is often possible to get closer to them by 5-10 m. If you do not make sudden movements, the birds do not take off, but try to run away. Tundra partridges are silent. Only during the breeding season or on the eve of it, you can hear the voice of the male, reminiscent of the rolling "Krrrr ...". The female makes soft moaning sounds. The favorite habitats of tundra partridges are stony tundras, characterized by alternating stone placers and areas with grassy, ​​moss, lichen or sparse shrub cover. In the flat tundra, partridges usually stay on the tops and slopes of hills. During the snowless period, these birds avoid thickets of bushes. In winter, the distribution of partridges is determined by areas of the tundra bare of snow, where birds can find food. In many areas, they migrate from the nesting area. In wintering areas, they stick to shrubs (alder forests, dwarf birches, thickets of elfin cedar, less often willow forests), since their buds and catkins form the basis of bird nutrition during this period. The nutrition of tundra partridges within the range is very diverse. In the snowless period, the basis of the diet is seeds of various plants, flowers and leaves of blueberries, blueberries, andromeda, bulbs of viviparous buckwheat, berries, leaves and stems of crowberries, blueberries, lingonberries and bearberries, dryad leaves and various kinds willows, boxes of mosses. In the north Far East along with the listed feeds, the birds eat nuts of the dwarf pine. Animal food in the diet of adult partridges is rare, in chicks - more often, although they are not as important in their diet as in other grouse birds. Tundra partridges are monogamous. Birds become sexually mature by the end of the first year of life. In spring, the male occupies the nesting area, which protects others from intrusion. First of all, the birds occupy the territories freed from snow. As a rule, males lek in the morning and evening hours. The timing of nesting is determined by the geographical location of the area and the weather conditions of spring. The nest is primitive and differs little from the nests of other grouse birds. Usually the female arranges a nest in an open place among stones or low shrubs, sometimes among a hummock; the variegated grayish plumage of the female makes her invisible against the background of the surrounding area. The size of a full clutch usually ranges from 5 to 9 eggs, although in individual cases maybe more. The duration of incubation is 20 days. The chicks leave the nest a few hours after hatching. One-day-old chicks weigh 13-14 g. Chicks grow quickly and at the age of 10 days they can already fly, and after one and a half to two months they reach the size of their parents. In most of the range, tundra partridges make seasonal migrations. The direction of migration of partridges is determined primarily by the direction of the riverbeds, along the valleys of which partridges migrate. The return of tundra partridges to their nesting sites is timed to coincide with the onset of intense snowmelt.
Woodcock is widely distributed throughout the forest zone of the CIS, with the exception of its northern strip. It winters in South and Central Asia and in the south of Europe, partly in the Crimea, in the Caucasus. The woodcock arrives in April. Shortly after arrival, draft begins - the current of the woodcock. The draft begins at sunset, continues until dark, and stops briefly, resuming at dawn. This upland sandpiper nests in dense and dark forests, rich in ravines, country roads and wet lowlands. It feeds mainly on soil invertebrates (worms and insect larvae), which it extracts with a long beak from soft ground, and in smaller quantities - on plant foods. One female incubates and raises chicks. Having barely dried, the chicks can run and feed on their own. In case of danger, the female carries them through the air, holding them between her paws.
Pigeons Of the representatives of this detachment, the wood dove or the pigeon are most often found in our country. It is distributed in the European part of the CIS, Western Siberia, east to the Irtysh and in Central Asia. Migrant. Appears in late April May. Soon after arrival on a tree (mainly coniferous), he builds a nest or looks for a suitable (empty) crow. Both parents participate in incubation of eggs and in all other cares for the chicks. Young chicks are completely helpless. Adult birds feed them by regurgitating "milk of the goiter". The grown up young animals, like adults, eat plant foods. In the autumn wood pigeons often fly out to feed on the fields. They often and willingly drink, fly to the watering hole in the same place several times a day. Wood pigeons spend the night on tall trees. In addition to the pigeon, other pigeons are found in the hunting grounds of our country - smaller and less important for fishing and amateur hunting: rock pigeon, stock dove, common and ringed turtledoves, etc. A trip abroad is always a responsible step and in order not to "fly" it is better to book tickets in advance. Early booking will allow you not to worry if the tickets you need will be sold on the day of departure.





Good and predictable results in terms of accuracy and lethality are given by bullets of Russian designers Viktor Polev (Polev bullet 1, 2, 3, 3E, 5, 6, 7) and Viktor Shashkov (PPTS-E, "Grizzly-35", "Grizzly-36" , "Grizzly-40"). Bullets "Grizzly-35", "Grizzly-36", "Grizzly-40" are intended primarily for firing from "paradox" weapons, but can also be used in smoothbore weapons. The PPTs-E bullet is produced specifically by order of the Tula Cartridge Plant (TPZ) under the name "Sub-caliber target bullet (expansive)", abbreviated as PPTs-E. The Tula Ammunition Plant supplies WOLF cartridges with PPTs-E bullets. When self-equipping the above bullets, it is better to use gunpowder "Sunar-42" and "Falcon".
Bullets for smoothbore weapons Bullets Polev, PPTs-E, "Grizzly" Good and predictable results in terms of accuracy and lethality are given by bullets of Russian designers Viktor Polev (bullet Polev 1, 2, 3, 3E, 5, 6, 7) and Viktor Shashkov (PPTs -E, "Grizzly-35", "Grizzly-36", "Grizzly-40"). Bullets "Grizzly-35", "Grizzly-36", "Grizzly-40" are intended primarily for firing from "paradox" weapons, but can also be used in smoothbore weapons. The PPTs-E bullet is produced specifically by order of the Tula Cartridge Plant (TPZ) under the name "Sub-caliber target bullet (expansive)", abbreviated as PPTs-E. The Tula Ammunition Plant supplies WOLF cartridges with PPTs-E bullets. When self-equipping the above bullets, it is better to use gunpowder "Sunar-42" and "Falcon". Shooting with Polev sub-caliber bullets and PPTs-E bullets can be carried out from smooth-bore weapons with choke up to a full choke (1 mm) inclusive. All of the above bullets allow their use from semi-automatic and magazine weapons without restrictions. To catch a large (300 kg or more) elk, it is hardly advisable to use Polev bullets (except for Polev 1; 6) at a distance of more than 70 m, despite excellent accuracy.
Rubeykin Bullet The prototype of this bullet is the famous Blondeau bullet, invented in France by engineer Roland Blondeau. The Rubeykin bullet is not manufactured industrially and is not equipped with industrial cartridges. Bullet material is brass. Bullet quality: 1 - good stopping power. Even if hit in the wrong place, the beast quickly dies. Due to the sharp edges of the head part, the wound does not heal and always bleeds profusely; 2 - good accuracy and accuracy of combat even when firing at extreme distances; 3 - the bullet confidently overcomes the bush, does not change the flight path. Equipment: 1 - match the diameter of the container with a bullet with the diameter of the barrel; at the same time, the stiffening ribs in the container, which prevent the free placement of the bullet, must be removed; 2 - separate the obturator from the container and remove the jumpers connecting them; 3 - cut the container with the connecting bridges removed lengthwise into two parts. 2.3–2.5 g of Sokol gunpowder is poured into the sleeve, preferably plastic. A plastic obturator without a hole is sent to it with a force of 5–6 kg. A set of thin cardboard spacers with a total thickness of 2 mm is installed on it. One wood-fiber wad is placed on the gaskets; if felt is used, it should be soft, and it should be cut lengthwise into 4 parts to soften the blow to the bullet during the aftereffect. A set of thin cardboard spacers with a total thickness of 1 mm is placed on top of the wad. The thickness of all wads should ensure the height of the neck of the sleeve for twisting is approximately 5 mm. The halves of the container are put together, a bullet is inserted, sent into the sleeve and rolled with a regular twist. The petals of the container should not protrude above the bullet, the protruding part must be cut off. A cartridge loaded in this way guarantees an accurate shot. Bullet Sauvestra (BFS - Balle Fleche Sauvestre)
Until recently, the most popular in Europe were only a few types of bullets for smoothbore ammunition - these are the bullets of Brenneke, Gualandi, McElvin. All the mentioned bullets at a distance of 80 meters show an accuracy of 5–8 cm. The only exception is the French sub-caliber bullet, designed by engineer Jean-Claude Sauvestre. The Sovestra bullet maintains a flat trajectory up to 100 m, which allows it to be successfully used for shooting a large animal. At the same time, there is no need to make vertical corrections when shooting at a distance of up to 100 m. The probability of hitting in real conditions depends on this. We can say that the flatter the trajectory, the less the shooter's error in determining the range to the target affects the probability of hitting a bullet. In rapidly changing hunting conditions, it is easy to make a mistake of 10-15 m, as a result, you can miss. The difference between the points of impact of the Sauvestre bullet at distances of 50 and 75 m is only 6 cm. The lowering of the trajectory at a distance of 100 m from the aiming line is 18 cm. It should be noted that the responses of hunters about the accuracy of the bullet are far from ambiguous. In a word, each barrel must have its own cartridge. For confident shooting at a distance of 100 meters or more, you must use an optical sight. When firing a Sovestra bullet in winter, when the air temperature is -25 °C and below, it is not recommended to use choke narrowings of more than 0.25 mm, since the container may break, which will affect the accuracy of shooting. Time-tested samples of imported bullets include bullets such as Brenneke and Gualandi.
Bullet Brenneke Despite the fact that the Brenneke bullet was patented over 90 years ago, it has not undergone significant changes. The Brenneke bullet has proven itself well in our country and abroad, it gives good accuracy and lethality up to 80 m. The classic Brenneke bullet was specially developed for rifles with chokes. And the best performance, according to the manufacturers, is achieved precisely from full chokes (for the 12th - 1 mm), this statement also applies to the Brenneke-Magnum bullet weighing 39 g. companies "Tekhkrim" and "SKM". For game hunting, I would still like to recommend Brenneke-Classic and Brenneke-Exakt cartridges from RWS, because. all experiments in the fatherland with this bullet often led to inadequate results. This bullet is too simple in design, but as experience shows, this “simplicity” ruined many attempts to recreate it anywhere.
Bullet Gualandi is available in three versions: Gualandi 28 g; Gualandi 32 g; Gualandi 40 g Bullet Gualandi 28 g Sub-caliber bullet designed for firing from barrels with choke. At the same time, the complete safety of the muzzle constrictions is guaranteed. Comfortable recoil when firing a sub-caliber bullet will undoubtedly contribute to shooting accuracy. It is not recommended to use this bullet in weapons with chokes of more than 1 mm, due to the possibility of dismantling the plastic pallet of the bullet in the choke, as well as in weapons with an underbarrel magazine.
Bullet Gualandi 32g This is a typical 12 gauge hunting bullet. With this cartridge, you can get a medium elk and a large wild boar. It must be remembered that the effective firing distance of such a cartridge does not exceed 50–60 m. The cartridge can be used in most 12-gauge guns. Frequent firing of a 32g Gualandi caliber bullet from a 1mm choke barrel is not recommended. It is impossible to shoot from guns with a barrel with “reinforced choke” choke (more than 1 mm) with this bullet. It is better to use chokes of 0.5 and 0.25 mm. Bullet Gualandi 40 g Bullet Gualandi weighing 40 g has a good stopping power. At a distance of 50 m, the lethality of a bullet exceeds the stopping effect of almost all bullets of a rifled weapon of 7.62 mm caliber and practically corresponds to a shot from a rifled weapon of 9.3 mm caliber. Cartridge with Gualandi 40 g bullet can be successfully used for catching large elks and wild boars. This bullet is used in magnum cartridges, so your weapon must be chambered at least 76 mm. Good ballistic characteristics of the bullet and excellent stopping power allow it to be effectively used at a distance of up to 70 m. Due to the design features of the forty-gram Gualandi bullet, shooting from guns with any muzzle narrowing (only a cylinder) is strictly not allowed. AT recent times the number of different models of bullets made of materials alternative to lead (steel, brass, bronze) has sharply increased. Steel with a specific gravity of 7.8 g/cm3 is a material that is resistant to deformation at the time of the shot, and allows you to give the bullet a complex shape, favorable from the point of view of flight aerodynamics. It should be noted that most of these bullets have a good stopping effect, acceptable flatness and accuracy at distances up to 100 m, a reduced ricochet probability, as a rule, the ability to shoot from barrels of any drill, the ability to overcome obstacles in the form of branches and grass without changing the trajectory. Steel bullets in a frame made of polyethylene elements are well developed today. The most successful bullets from this group in terms of design are: Ivanov bullet, Udar bullet, Blondo bullet, Rubeykin bullet, D Dupleks bullets (Dupo 28; Monolit 32; Monolit 28; Rossa 32; Hexolit 32). To increase the efficiency of energy transfer, the front of these bullets is made straight and flat. Such bullets partially lose their aerodynamic qualities, but they have a strong impact effect due to the wide and flat frontal surface. Experience and statistical data on the range of shots on a hunt show that the degraded aerodynamic characteristics of a flat frontal surface cannot have a negative effect on a sufficiently strong impact effect of a bullet even at a distance of 120–140 m. Despite the fact that the high aerodynamic drag of a flat frontal surface of a bullet is undeniable , tests have shown that the stopping action of a flat-faced bullet is effective at very long ranges. This is explained simply: the large frontal surface of the bullet, even at a great distance at the moment of impact, provides a more efficient return of kinetic energy than a small diameter bullet. In addition to high drag, other factors are crucial for accurate and successful shooting at long range - starting speed bullets and the nature of the recoil of the weapon, which determines the angle of the bullet relative to the reference point of the weapon. These bullets are indispensable, especially when shooting a wild boar in driven hunting, stalking and shooting from under a dog. For confident shooting on animal hunting, you need to know the anatomy of the animal. Shooting practice shows that the most successful and guaranteed shot is either a shot at the lungs or at the front shoulder blade. It is desirable that the bullet opens up, while holding the mass, hitting the vital organs and leaving a good wound channel. This allows you to more effectively search for the beast on the blood trail. Right choice the type of bullet and caliber for a successful shot is very important. And, of course, the weapon must be well adjusted with the appropriate type of cartridge for hunting.





Rifle bullets All of the calibers listed work well in elk and wild boar when combined with Norma bullets (Oryx; Vulkan; Alaska; Nosler Partition; Swift A-Frame; Barnes Triple-Shock).
Oryx The Oryx bullet has high hit accuracy, good projectile diameter expansion, high penetrating power and very high residual weight (up to 96%), as well as high impact efficiency on all European ungulates.
Vulkan The Vulkan is a classic, time-honored bullet with a thin front shell that allows rapid expansion in diameter and high energy return (up to 78% residual weight).
Alaska The Alaska bullet is a classic among Scandinavian elk hunters. The tried and tested lead-tipped tombac-jacketed projectile is known for its fast and good expansion.
Nosler Partition Bullet Nosler Partition - with controlled (limited) expansion (residual weight up to 64%). For a large and hard-to-wound animal.
Swift A-Frame Swift A-Frame bullet with very high residual weight (up to 98%) and high penetration. For a large and hard-to-wound animal.
Barnes Triple-Shock The Barnes Triple-Shock is a new bullet with the highest resistance on the market (100% residual weight). This is a bullet for high speeds and hard bones of a large animal. Oryx, Swift A-Frame and Barnes Triple-Shock bullets allow you to catch elk and big boar from any angle with high efficiency, where including a flat shot is required. Cartridge 308Win. it is better to use it for hunting elk weighing up to 200–250 kg with Oryx, Nosler Partition, Swift A-Frame, Vulkan bullets. RWS cartridges give the best results when hunting wild boar and elk in combination with Evo, DK, HMK, Uni Klassik, KS, TMR bullets.
Evo The Evo bullet is the new Evolution bullet with high accuracy. Evolution provides a very good stopping power even at long ranges, its high penetrating power makes the bullet particularly effective when hunting large game. Thanks to the design of the Rapid-X-Tip ballistic tip, the process of bullet deformation begins immediately after hitting the target. Already at the very first stage, the Evolution bullet transfers enough energy to the target, providing the required stopping effect. The residual mass of the bullet after hitting is close to 100%.

Some hunting bullets have a negative effect on barrel survivability. It has to do with shell design. The new Evolution bullet does not have this disadvantage. Due to the presence of a recess in the bottom part, the bullet has less rigidity and causes less wear on the bore. Nickel plating of the bullet prevents the formation of deposits in the bore.

DK The DK bullet is double-core, consisting of two lead cores of different hardness and a tombac bullet jacket. The weight ratio of the cores is 50:50. Features of the bullet: - a good and clear trace of the affected game; - a very short distance for leaving the game after the shot; – bullet design (cutting edge) ensures smooth cutting of wool at the inlet; – optimal expansion in the first half of the game body; – slight damage to game meat.

HMK Bullet HMK - A feature of this bullet is the famous H-bridge, which defines the exact border of deformation in the middle of the shell. Two cores of different hardness are responsible for the double action of the bullet. The front part, after hitting the body of the game, unfolds very quickly with great expansion and the formation of a large number of fragments. Cylindrical posterior splits along the H-groove, allowing penetration even when hitting big game bone. Bullet features: - limited fragmentation due to the H-shaped bridge; - reliable provision of the outlet; – slight damage to game meat; - quick death of game from shock.

Uni Klassik The Uni Klassik bullet has high rigidity and good residual weight. The design of the bullet is two cores of different hardness, where the rear, more rigid part, enters with its end into the front, which is softer. This design, when hit in game, leads to a mushroom-shaped deformation of the front. The back of the bullet, which has more than a third of the increased area, provides good external ballistics of the bullet. Features of the bullet: - a good and clear trace of the affected game; – the front part of the core is characterized by fragmentation with limited fragmentation; – the rear part, more rigid, retains its shape and reliably provides the required outlet; – bullet design (cutting edge) ensures smooth cutting of wool at the inlet; – slight damage to game meat.

KS Bullet KS – provides controlled deformation and uniform expansion regardless of game size. The external shape of the bullet creates ideal conditions for high accuracy and flatness. Bullet features: - very high accuracy, thanks to the long leading belt; – small formation of fragments; - a groove in the design of the back of the bullet provides the required exit hole.

TMR Bullet TMR - with a very high degree of expansion in the body of the game. Sometimes fragmentation of the bullet is observed, as a result of which a through shot is not always possible. High stopping power and insensitivity to obstacles allow this bullet to be widely used in driven hunting. Bullet features: – high breaking capacity in hunting small game; - good value prices and quality. Federal Premium cartridges equipped with Barnes Triple-Shock X-Bullet, Barnes MRX-Bullet bullets will do a good job of reliably defeating the beast; Trophy Bonded Bear Claw; Nosler Partition.
Dmitry Kopaev Photo by Viktor Kozlovsky

Wolf hunting is allowed in December
The hunter's calendar for December records that a hungry beast at this time often approaches the village, catches dogs and cats in the backyards, climbs into the barn for sheep, and sometimes even attacks dogs.

Earlier in Russia, hunting in sledges with a piglet or a dog was based on this. Hunters and a driver sit in a wide large sleigh harnessed by an obedient and not fearful horse, put a pig planted in a sack on the hay. Behind on a strong 10-meter rope, a bag with pig, sheep manure or hay dragging behind the sleigh is tied.

Driving along the deaf forest roads far from the villages, the hunters pull the piglet by the ears, which makes it emit a piercing squeal that spreads far in the silence of the night. Hearing him, the wolves rush in pursuit, soon overtake the sleigh and rush to the "slut", mistaking him for a pig. Here the hunters open rapid simultaneous shooting.

Sometimes, instead of a piglet, they take two yard dogs with them. One of them is allowed to run behind on a rope, the other is kept in a sleigh, forcing them to give a voice from time to time. This serves as an even more natural bait for wolves, and they especially boldly rush in pursuit. At the very last moment, the little dog manages to jump into the sled, and the predators fall under the buckshot of the hunters. Hunting with a piglet or a dog is successful only on moonlit, bright nights and in areas where there are many wolves.

The first half of winter, when the snow is not yet deep, is the best time to hunt wolves with the Pskov surge. This hunt is carried out without flags, and therefore requires a particularly good knowledge of the terrain and the habits of the animal, as well as the ability to conduct a correct and accurate surge.

First, a salary is made, and when the wolves are bypassed and remain in the circle, it is necessary to calculate where their transition can be. Indeed, when hunting without flagging, animals can move in any direction. So that they do not smell a person from afar, the hunters take their numbers against the wind or at an angle to the wind from the alleged manhole. Where wolves are likely to break through, a colored scarf, hat, jacket, mittens, or other conspicuous item can be hung in plain sight to alert predators and avoid the area.

It is desirable to conduct a surge with three of us. One beater follows the trail, the rest - on both sides of it. If the wolves begin to turn before reaching the shooters, then the corresponding flank beater runs to the side and trims the course of the animal in the right direction.

Hunters must be in white overalls, beaters remain in their normal clothes.

Hunting is also carried out with a salary with flags, on a bait, and in the steppe regions - with greyhounds and in deep loose snow - killing a wolf on a fast, hardy horse. The latter method of hunting is even more successful than the black trope.