The forests and mountains of the Pyrénées-Orientales will soon be echoing with the sound of gunfire, as hunting season begins in the region.
The season opened officially on Monday 14th August 2017 until 28th February 2018.
Last year, an estimated 11 000 wild boar were hunted down and killed by hunters in the P-O. .
More than 6, 500 of the expected 9, 000 hunters have already bought their 25€ ‘timbre’ which authorises them to hunt down wild boar over the winter months.
The season for all other hunting (pheasants etc) will begin on 11th September, and a little later in the vineyards. The closing of the general hunting season will be 28 February.
According to the Indépendant, hunters play an important ecological role in the maintenance of the countryside by keeping down a wild boar population which is responsible for increasing damage to crops and our environment.
