The hunting season for feathered game has opened in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      From April 1, the spring hunting season for feathered game opens across the hunting grounds of the Nizhny Novgorod region. According to the regional Ministry of Forestry, hunting for male ducks using live decoy (manna) ducks is allowed until May 10. "Many hunters are eagerly awaiting the start of the spring hunting season for feathered game. Each hunter must carry the necessary permits while hunting. In the absence of these documents, violators will be held accountable. To ensure legality and safety, hunting inspectors from the ministry will conduct enhanced monitoring of hunting grounds and organize raids to combat poaching. I urge all hunters to strictly adhere to hunting rules and safety measures, as well as to comply with fire safety requirements in anticipation of the fire hazard season," said Roman Vorobyov, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife Protection of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The Ministry of Forestry also added that hunting dates are traditionally determined based on zoning principles, with a hunting period of 10 days in each zone.

      Permitted hunting dates in the Nizhny Novgorod region:

      - Game birds (capercaillie, black grouse) and woodcock: southern zone* – from April 11 to April 20, northern zone** – from April 18 to April 27;

      - Waterfowl (geese, male ducks), except for hunting male ducks using live decoy (manna) ducks: southern zone* – from April 18 to April 27, northern zone** – from April 25 to May 4.

      "The spring hunt is strictly regulated: hunting for male capercaillies at the lek from approach, for male black grouses at the lek from cover, for woodcocks during the evening flight, for male ducks from cover with a decoy duck or with decoys and calls, as well as for geese and brent geese from cover — with decoys, profiles, manna geese, or calls. It is important to note that during the spring period, the hunting of the listed species (woodcocks, male ducks, geese, male capercaillies, and black grouses) is allowed exclusively with the use of hunting smoothbore long-barreled firearms," the ministry added.

      In the hunting grounds, hunters are required to carry a hunting ticket, a permit for the storage and carrying of weapons, a permit for the extraction of hunting resources, and in the case of hunting in designated areas, it is additionally necessary to have a hunting voucher.

      In the case of hunting without the necessary permits, the violator will be held administratively liable, and for illegal extraction of hunting resources, administrative or criminal liability is provided under Article 258 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, as well as compensation for damage caused to wildlife by illegal extraction.

      Residents of Nizhny Novgorod who witness violations of hunting rules by citizens are asked to report this to the round-the-clock environmental dispatch service at the following phone numbers: 8 (831) 433-22-11, 8 (800) 200-99-25 or to the interdistrict departments for the protection, control, and regulation of hunting resources, as indicated on the Ministry of Forestry's website in the "Territorial Bodies" section.

      Reference: Division of the Nizhny Novgorod region regarding the dates of the spring hunting season

      The southern zone includes: Ardatovsky, Arzamas, Bolshie Boldino, Bolshie Murashki, Vachsky, Voznesensky, Gaginsky, Dalnekonstantinovsky, Knyagininsky, Krasnooktyabrsky, Lukoyanovsky, Pilninsky, Sergaichsky, Sechenovsky, Sosnovsky, Spassky, Shatkovsky municipal districts, Bogorodsky, Buturlinovsky, Vadsky, Diveyevsky, Lyskovo (right bank of the Volga River), Pavlovsky (except for the hunting grounds of the Nizhny Novgorod regional public organization of hunters "Temino"), and the Pochinkovsky municipal districts, urban districts: Vyksa, Kulebaki, Pervomaisk, Vorotynsky (right bank of the Volga River), Navashinsky, Perevozsky, as well as the Kstovsky district of Nizhny Novgorod.

      The northern zone includes: Varnavinsky, Vetluzhsky, Volodarsky, Voskresensky, Gorodetsky, Krasnobakovsky, Tonkinsky, Sharangsky municipal districts, Balakhna, Koverninsky, Lyskovo (left bank of the Volga River), Tonshayevsky, Uren municipal districts, urban districts: Bor, Vorotynsky (left bank of the Volga River), Dzerzhinsk, Chkalovsk, Shakhunya, Semyonovsky, Sokoly, and the hunting grounds of the Nizhny Novgorod regional public organization of hunters "Temino".

      Photo provided by the press service of the governor and government of the Nizhny Novgorod region.