New Season In France

[lonespade 51]

I'll bet anyone a tenner that if I was digging there I'd find bloody roots, LOL.

too funny..ha!

[chilli 381]

Sure as eggs is eggs i'd find a slab of stone to break through

[Blaise 2,321]

Some recruits for next season

[kaas 174]

Nice ones sir

[rob284 1,682]

Pups look well. When does your season start blaise?

[Blaise 2,321]

Pups look well. When does your season start blaise?

 

The 15th of may.

Pup's will start on badger later, may be July because I'm waiting 12 months.

[Blaise 2,321]

 

Pups look well. When does your season start blaise?

 

The 15th of may.

Pup's will start on badger later, may be July because I'm waiting 12 months.

 

five days waiting for

[Rabbit Hunter 6,613]

I bet you can't wait. Good luck.

[dillydog 8,462]

Seems like an early start, cubs are still small and haven't had a chance at life yet. Even if I had the right to dig in this country I wouldn't, best of luck, but it wouldn't suit me.

Edited May 10, 2017 by dillydog

[Apache... 2,588]

Is there a reason why you start this early, my thinking is that its too warm for us to dig, too warm to work the dogs, too many flies, too much cover, cubs are too small, but then it could be different where you are.

[Waz 4,252]

Seems like an early start, cubs are still small and haven't had a chance at life yet. Even if I had the right to dig in this country I wouldn't, best of luck, but it wouldn't suit me.

 

I dont disagree, but.. The french digging style/rules must be doing something right as they are still at it.

For years ive been out digging on the 15th May or the next weekend after if it didnt fall on a weekend, but weirdly havent landed on cubs very often. & when we have, we've been sporting about it.

At the age theyll be now they are capable of looking after their selves apparently, the odd small batch but them and their mum have been given respect.

 

Im not fussed about the opening date nowadays, we've got some dates next month though. Only trouble is most lads that dig have got hounds & come 15th of August you can hunt boar to protect crops, so between the 15th of May and the middle of August theirs 13 weekends plus bank holidays, that 30 local villages expecting you to show up.

Its a service at the end of the day aswell as everything else.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Waz

[pablo esc 1,598]

Surely depends on what part of the world your in.3 months from now you could have a little start maybe. But I'm sure blaise explained or will about his quarry and season time is different in what's getting near adult size. Respect though too leaving stuff alone as you say with mothers and young going on to fend themselves or move on. Depends if the doing harm. Killing stuff at the end of the season or all year round has the game fkd in places but pests different matter

[Blaise 2,321]

The beginning of the season is a matter ever debated. Each year anti try to change but the court's last decisions are in favour of the middle of may. Why ?

First, general principles concerning hunting. We have a great experience with managing big games. If you want to keep healthy population, you have to respect male/female ratio and age ratio. So you have to kill approximatevely 1/3 male adult, 1/3 femal adult, 1/3 young. You have to respect similar principles with badger.

Secondly, the peculiar case of badger. Rut and birth are in the same period , beginning of february. It's clearly different than other mamals. Consequently, you have to stop the hunt earlier (mid january) and you can begin the season earlier (mid may).

Thirdly, what about weaning ? It's a real debate between anti and hunters. But We rarely catch female with milk at the end of may.

At last, what about catches ? In fact, few young badgers are taken in may or June. Their weight is 3 or 3,5 kg. Some are able to escape to the dog because they are faster than bigger badgers and youngs can reach very narrow tubes.

I think it's easier to take a badger seven month's old in october than to catch a four month little badger in june.

[Apache... 2,588]

Thanks for the info Blaise.

[Blaise 2,321]

Opening meeting, two badgers. The female hadn't any young this season.

The tunnel is rebuilted with some roof tiles.

Enzo

Edited May 17, 2017 by Blaise