Indians For Guns

Surprised to see this from The Tribune http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090918/punjab.htm#4

Hunting of female wild boar at night allowed
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17
Forest and Wildlife Minister Tiksan Sud, at a meeting of the Sub-Mountain Kandi Area Committee on yesterday said the Board of Wildlife had approved hunting of female wild boar even at night.

Sud added the committee had also recommended the farmers who did not have licensed weapons be allowed get services of the farmers who had weapons.

Sud said a decision to compensate farmers at the rate of Rs 4,000 per acre had also been approved.

However, wildlife activists criticised the decision going against the provisions of Wildlife Protection laws which state female animals cannot be hunted at night especially during mating season. The rules also forbid hunting near ponds.

Jagriti—NGO head Prabhat Bhatti said the Wildlife Department had failed to address why wild boars preyed on fields. He said habitat of the wild boar had shrunk in the Kandi belt and people were farming in forest areas.

A former wildlife official said earlier restrictions on the hunting of wild boar did not suit hunters as hunting of this animal was easier at night. Moreover, it was easier to hunt females who roamed around with brood of 10 or 12 piglets.

He said since wild boar had not been declared vermin in the state, the new relaxation was not in order.

Chief Wildlife Warden R. K. Loona, said the Wildlife Board accepted the proposals following complaints of farmers it was difficult to distinguish male and female wild boar at night.

Besides, getting permits from subdivisional magistrates for hunting wild boar and then disposing of the carcasses was cumbersome and it was felt that this should be made simpler.

The board meeting was presided over by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal

..............in states like punjab farmers use electric fences to kill boars..................and as you said they have allowed female boars to be shot it is very unfortunate because a female boar could be having piglets in its stomach............check the hunting laws in the US they dont allow hunting of female deer so that the population stays........

-- Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:04 --

One more thing...........this is the exact reason why people say hunting is cruel because most people dont follow rules.......................hunting should be humane...........thats why in the united states only head shots are allowed on Turkeys and specefic calibers are used for particular animals so that animals do not suffer

Most states in the US with a feral pig population allow hunting at night, hunting of both sexes and hunting with any weapon. They also allow baited hunting of feral pigs.

Timnorris wrote:..............in states like punjab farmers use electric fences to kill boars..................and as you said they have allowed female boars to be shot it is very unfortunate because a female boar could be having piglets in its stomach............check the hunting laws in the US they dont allow hunting of female deer so that the population stays........

-- Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:04 --

One more thing...........this is the exact reason why people say hunting is cruel because most people dont follow rules.......................hunting should be humane...........thats why in the united states only head shots are allowed on Turkeys and specefic calibers are used for particular animals so that animals do not suffer

You are quite misinformed about hunting laws and practices in the US. For one, there are fifty different sets of game laws and hunting regulations. Some states allow what others don't. Some states have caliber restrictions, forbidding .22 caliber or smaller for deer, others allow it. Further, shooting for a turkey's head is a practice, not a law or game regulation.

Mixed response to decision on wild boar hunting
Bipin Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 27
The state government’s decision on the hunting of wild boars has evoked mixed response with wildlife experts saying hunting be allowed under the supervision of the department. The decision wil also affect conservation of endangered species as hunters may target them besides the wild boar.

Wildlife experts favour hunting in the trouble areas only after establishing parameters to avoid illegal culling of wild boars.

Experts apprehend the vague decision of the government will encourage poaching instead of helping poor farmers suffering losses due to damage caused by the beasts to crops. Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa, former honorary wildlife warden (Gurdaspur), Punjab, claimed t no doubt the government had taken step in favour of farmers but the hunting of wild boars should be supervised by wildlife officials.

He adds in absence of a monitoring authority, the hunters may kill other wild animals instead of boars.

Gurnarj Singh Saini, former honorary wildlife warden, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, claimed allowing killing of wild boars was to legalise poaching.

Giving US government’s reference Saini said the government should charge certain fee from hunters before issuing them permits. Moreover, the government should fix limit (number of animals to he hunted) in a season. He added hunting should be allowed in a way that animal population in different segments of hunting was not disturbed.

Certain NGOs, including Jagriti, have questioned this decision of the government. Farmers of the Kandi area, welcomed the decision.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090928/punjab.htm#3

Regarding the crop damage due to wild boar in Punjab I have seen the damage first hand. Its a tough argument because farms have been pushed right into the buffer area of wildlife habitat on the other hand the farmers are caught between rock and the hard place for their sustenance. Electric fence well they hardly get enough power for irrigation due to power cuts let alone wiring and Diesel is really expensive too. This is a good opportunity for the govt to sell / auction hunting licenses and institutionalize hunting and conservation. But this requires fortitude and a vision which is a tall order especially with the anti raving and ranting against it. Sorry for the OT

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