I always thought that where the common sense of the administration did not reach, which is probably the least common of all its senses, that of the hunter should prevail, from a logical, rational and conservationist perspective, establishing its own limits, defining limits in The hunt.
And the truth is that many times I perceive it, but there are many others in which I miss it.
Where do you have your limit as a hunter?
In these «17 Hunting Spains», which impose a very different normative reality on us, depending on the community in which the steps of the hunter and the dog take place, you can find yourself with a restrictive quota of three woodcocks in Cantabria or with absolute debauchery in Andalusia.
And it is curious that this nonsense also gives applause on an Andalusian hanger, which in turn would be sanctioned in my Tierruca.
It is possible that in this scenario you question me about the ratio of deaf people that can be found in Andalusian hunting grounds and you will not be lacking in certainty, but here I will tell you that, in the same way, it is not a reason or reason to exceed that personal limit, the same which the administration does not reach, but that we should reach ourselves.
It would remain to be defined, of course, and that is the key, what is your limit as a hunter…
The example of the thrush and the lack of quota…
Whenever I think about the limits on hunting and the personal restrictions that each of us can apply to ourselves as hunters, the thrush and those hundreds of tapestries come to mind at the foot of smiling faces and at their height of satisfaction .
Nothing objectionable legally speaking, since it lacks quota and therefore conditioning, however, allow me to once again question the existence of that personal limit, which should lead us to separate the finger from the trigger when the time comes.
You see that once again we find ourselves with the same uncertainty… What is the moment? Where do you have your limit as a hunter?
Since I don’t know your limits in hunting, I share mine with you…
From these lines, if you have not done it before, it is easy that you are already sharpening the dagger, but do not flagellate yourself so soon.
I do not pretend to be a purist, nor do I attempt against that “religion” that you have turned into a Decree Law.
Nor is it my goal to impose my habits and yet I want to share them, perhaps to achieve a minimum reflection in you, if this is possible and mainly, to make those new generations think that they are not yet lost in their usual customs and that they have in their power to make this noble art of hunting last.
Because I do know my limits in hunting…
My own limits in woodcock hunting
Going back to the deaf one, since I mentioned it at the beginning, I have a series of habits, some more recent than others, that are directly related to the almost magical respect that I profess for the species and with the search for a predator-prey relationship, which fairest and noblest possible.
For example, I never load more than 10 cartridges, 4 in the right pocket of the vest, another 4 in the left and 2 more that go directly into the barrels of my superimposed. The day I miss more than necessary and they don’t hit me, bad luck and a break for the bird, but I don’t think the Lady should take responsibility for our lack of aim.
I hunt with English Setter, that is, with pointer dogs, which leads me to respect and value their work above any of my instincts. This means that I do not shoot at any deaf that throws me off my feet, that crosses me through the air and in general lines, that they have not stalked and blocked my dogs.
I also don’t solve advantageous sets and as an example, that typical woodcock “kidnapped” in the undergrowth comes to mind, which sticks with the branches and cannot escape, remaining at our mercy, without risk of error…
I replaced my beloved Benelli Premium Superlight with an overlay, in order to force myself to do without that treacherous third shot and more recently, I changed to 20 caliber, partly for generating a more demanding challenge, but also fleeing from that rifled barrel that I call a watering can and that has led me to kill deaf without even aiming, when I am clear that it must be my ability and not the benefits of the weapon, the who manage to successfully resolve a set.
I have self-imposed a quota of two scholarships…
In the same way and going back to talking about quotas, this season I have imposed on myself a personal restriction of two woodcocks… That is my limit as a hunter.
Why?. Mainly because they seem to me more than enough to enjoy a good hunting day, but there are greater motivations that have led me to make this decision.
We have experienced a great deafness campaign, but the numbers are not always so flattering and I have come to the conclusion that, what I remove one day from the mount, the next is no longer there and yet I prefer to keep it in its proper measure, because the enjoyment of my dogs and myself depends on it.
Without going any further, last year, much poorer in density, I pardoned a deaf one in December that we continued to fly throughout the month of January and part of February, generating a daily challenge that otherwise would not have existed and allowing us to learn to dogs and hunter based on flights, pawns, sets, samples, patterns…
A priceless school that he would not have been able to take advantage of if he had killed her when he can.
But it is also that I hate leaving the mountain out of obligation and that quota of two woodcocks allows me to unload the weapon, place it on my shoulder and continue twerking with my dogs, something impossible when the third already travels in the backpack, because the guard can interpret that I continue in hunting action and sanction myself, in the same way that I cannot return to the car to leave the shotgun, since it is considered abandonment of the weapon.
These are my principles…
Groucho Marx said that “These are my principles…” only in my case, if you don’t like them, I don’t have others.
These are also my limits as a hunter… Have you considered what yours are?
A hug and to the mountain!
Surely you have a lot to contribute and we are looking forward to hearing it, so I encourage you to leave a comment on the form with your opinion.
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