Hunting animals. Game animals in private ownership. A matter for the soul

Hunting animals

Brown bear. Body length is from 130-150 to 240-250 cm, weight is from 58-80 to 250-300 kg, some specimens reach 640 kg. Distributed in the forest zone of the CIS from the western borders to the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and from the forest-tundra to the forest-steppe, it is also found in the Transcaucasus, the Caucasus, the Pamirs and the Tien Shan. The usual habitats of the brown bear are vast dark coniferous or mixed forests with swamps, burnt areas and berry fields. It feeds mainly on plant foods: berries, angelica, unripe oats, acorns, nuts, wild fruits; Animal food also plays a large role in its diet: ants, beetles and their larvae, rodents, frogs, lizards, birds and their eggs; the bear greedily eats carrion, the hungry bear eats the buds of trees. “Connecting rods” that have not laid down for the winter attack domestic animals and even humans. The brown bear lies in its den in late autumn; emerges from it in April-May. A female bear mates once every 2 years; the rut occurs in June-July; cubs appear in the den in winter. Bears molt once a year - in summer. Hunting for brown bear is permitted only with licenses. Hunting methods: in a den and from hiding on oats.

Wolf. This is a large, squat animal with a wide forehead, a narrow muzzle and a always drooping tail. The size and color of wolves in different regions of the CIS varies markedly. The largest wolves live in the taiga and middle zone. Their usual weight is from 32 to 50 kg, the color is quite dark. Tundra wolves are smaller and lighter in color. Even smaller are steppe and desert wolves, which are reddish in color. Wolf tracks are larger than dog tracks - the length of a regular wolf's paw print is 12-18, width 5.5-8 cm. In addition, a wolf's track is longer and its fingerprints are longer. This animal always maintains the correct trot and puts its paws in the trail. The wolf lives wherever there is food and remote corners for breeding wolf cubs, but prefers open places, alternating with copses, thickets of bushes, ravines and swamps. It feeds on ungulates, hares, birds nesting on the ground, gophers, and, on occasion, young domestic animals, geese, and dogs, therefore it is considered a harmful animal and is subject to year-round extermination by all means. Wolves form permanent pairs. Their rut occurs in January-February, pregnancy is 63-63 days, wolf cubs (4-6) appear in April. In the fall, the brood of two seasoned wolves and the newly arrived ones, that is, those who appeared in the spring of the same year, is joined by pereyarki - young wolves born the year before. A pack of 8-15 wolves is formed, which all roam together. Hunting methods are as follows: with flags, in dens, in bait spots, from an airplane, with poisoned baits, with bait, and trap fishing. The cartridges are loaded with large buckshot.

Fox. An ordinary animal. Body length 49-90 cm, weight 2-10 kg. The fur on the back is bright red with a dark cross along the ridge; The chest and belly are white. There is great geographical and individual variability in the color of the fox. There are red foxes with fur colors ranging from fiery red to gray, gray foxes, crosses and black-brown ones. The footprint of a fox is easy to distinguish from a dog's: in dogs, the pads of the lateral toes extend beyond the rear edges of the front toes, covering them from the sides, and in foxes, like wolves, there is free space between the middle and lateral toes. In addition, the fox track (mark) stretches evenly, like a chain - all paw prints are on the same line. The fox lives throughout Kazakhstan. Common habitats are forests interspersed with fields and meadows, and river floodplains. The fox feeds on mouse-like rodents (mainly), large insects, various fruits, birds, hares, even carrion and food waste (in winter). Foxes rut ​​in January-February. For puppies, parents dig a hole with holes and several entrance holes, and sometimes they occupy someone else's hole, for example, a badger. The number of foxes is subject to large fluctuations from year to year due to widespread diseases or the absence of mouse-like rodents. Hunting methods: with flags, decoys, from the approach, with hounds, drive, trap fishing.

Mink. Body length 28-40 cm. The coat is brownish-brown, shiny; the lips and chin are white, and there are often white spots on the chest and lower neck. This animal has swimming membranes between its toes. Mink tracks are more rounded compared to ferret tracks; the nails are noticeably shorter, the mink sets its paws wider, and its jump length is much shorter. Distributed from the western borders of the CIS to the river. Irtysh. Lives near forest rivers, oxbow lakes and lakes. In winter it stays near wormwood, non-freezing streams and riffles. Lives in a hole that it digs itself or expands the hole of the muskrat and water rat; underwater entrance. The main food is water rats, mouse-like rodents, fish, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, and, on occasion, birds. In autumn and winter, minks stock up on snakes, water rats and fish. Rutting in March-April; in a brood there are 4-7 cubs, which stay together until autumn. Minks molt, like other aquatic mammals, slowly and gradually, and therefore hardly noticeable. European mink is caught with a gun and a hunting dog, traps, as well as self-catchers and a net.

Badger. It has a squat, wedge-shaped body, tapering towards the head, its length is 50-63 cm, the tail is short - 16-20 cm, its weight in autumn is up to 25-30 kg; legs are short, strong, with long claws; The wool is coarse, brownish-gray in color. Badger subspecies have dark brown or black stripes running around the ear and covering the eyes, with a white stripe running between them along the neck and head; smaller badgers living in Sebir, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Altai have a brown-gray stripe on their heads; badgers living in the lower reaches of the river. Ussuri, even smaller, their head is dark brown, their back is dark. Lives in forests and steppes, in places with uneven terrain and bushes; sometimes lives in deserts and mountains up to an altitude of 2500 m. The badger digs a hole with a large number of passages, holes and dead ends. In it he rests, takes out his children and spends the winter in hibernation; leads a nocturnal lifestyle. The badger is an omnivore; it eats roots, berries, acorns, insect larvae and caterpillars, frogs, lizards, rodents, and sometimes birds and their clutches. By the time it goes into hibernation, it becomes very fat. Estrus begins in late June - early July; completion - in October or November; Whelping from the end of December to the end of March. There are 3-4, sometimes 6 badgers in a litter. A badger sheds once a year - in summer. They hunt badgers with burrowing dogs or watch for them at dawn with a gun. The strong-smelling glands at the base of the tail must be immediately cut out of a killed animal, otherwise the meat will be impossible to eat.

Otter. This is an animal adapted for swimming with an elongated (63-90 cm) streamlined body; tail length 35-50 cm. The head is flattened, the neck is thick and long, the paws are relatively short, with membranes between the toes, the tail is thick at the base and long; the body is covered with short, dense and sliding brown fur with a whitish tint on the abdomen. Otter tracks are similar to badger tracks, but they can be easily distinguished by their widely spread toes with short, barely noticeable claws and by the large distance between the prints (80-90 cm, and for a badger 20-25 cm). The prints are in groups of 3 or 4 in each oblique row, on each of them 5 toes are visible, sometimes 4. The front edge of the swimming membrane is often imprinted on the sand, and a furrow from the tail is visible in the snow between the paw prints. If the snow is deep, the otter leaves a trail in the form of a continuous furrow. The otter also leaves traces in the form of droppings consisting of undigested remains of fish, crayfish, frogs, and water beetles; it can be found near the water on stones, logs, and sandbanks. Lives in fish-rich waters that do not completely freeze in winter. The otter swims and dives well, catching up with prey in the water. It hides in burrows with entrances below the water level or in rock crevices. Sheds gradually throughout the year. Hunting is permitted only with licenses. Otters are caught with a gun and a dog or traps.

Muskrat. A small rodent with valuable fur, imported from North America and successfully acclimatized. Its weight is about 1 kg, body length 30 cm, tail 23 cm. The tail is flattened on the sides, covered with scales, the hind legs have swimming membranes, the fur is brown on top and yellowish-red underneath. Distributed everywhere, especially developed in Northern Kazakhstan. Inhabits water bodies with rich vegetation, which is also accessible in winter. It feeds on aquatic and coastal plants, sometimes mollusks, worms and insects. It builds living and feeding huts from plant debris held together by silt, and digs holes with underwater exits in steep, densely overgrown banks. She has from 1 to 4 litters per year, depending on climatic conditions. Each litter contains 7-8 cubs. The number of muskrats is now so great that in many areas it has become the main commercial species, but its numbers fluctuate from year to year. Muskrats are caught mainly in traps.

Squirrel. Its color depends on its habitat: in the western regions it is brown or reddish-red, in the eastern regions it is reddish or copper-gray with a blue tint; All squirrels have a white belly. In winter, tassels grow on the ears. Squirrel tracks in the snow are easy to identify - these are two large prints in front and two smaller ones behind; Like the hare, the squirrel lifts its hind legs behind its front legs when jumping. The paw prints are located as if at the corners of a trapezoid; The width of the footprint is about 11 cm, the length is 7 cm. In the fine snow, five long toes on the hind legs and four on the front legs are clearly visible. Most often found in tall forests. It feeds on seeds of coniferous trees, nuts, willow and aspen inflorescences, mushrooms, berries, insects; on occasion, it eats chicks and eggs of small birds; in hungry years it eats spruce buds. Breeding time, number of litters and number of young depend on seed harvest and weather. The first litter of squirrels is in April-May, the second - after 2-2.5 months. The number of squirrels in a litter ranges from 2 to 12. The number of squirrels in the same area decreases noticeably in the years following a poor harvest of spruce seeds, and increases several times in years of abundant food. Methods of catching squirrels: hunting with a husky, by eavesdropping, by nuts (nests). Shot for loading cartridges No. 6, 7; You can fire reduced charges.

Hare-Rusak. The largest of the hares: body length 55-68 cm, weight 4-6 g. The color of the coat is yellowish-red, lighter in winter, but never white. A wavy stripe of dark gray hair is visible on the back; the tail is dark on top. While galloping, the hare brings both hind legs behind the front ones and places them side by side, while the front ones are located one after the other. Therefore, two larger paw prints are visible in the snow in front and two smaller ones behind; the prints are small and oblong. The hare's droppings are nuts, and in winter they are dark brown in color. The hare is common in the northern part of Kazakhstan. It is an inhabitant of cultivated fields, meadows and steppes; it also lives on the edges of forests and near villages. It feeds on herbaceous plants, in winter it eats winter grass, bark, buds and young shoots of fruit and berry plants. In central Kazakhstan, female hares give birth in March and August, and in the south - up to 4 times a year. The number of hares varies noticeably from year to year, as they suffer from putrefactive infestations and other diseases, especially in rainy summers; young animals often die during spring frosts. The main methods of obtaining are hunting with hounds, greyhounds and on blinds, trailing through powder. When shooting from under a hound and at ambush, shot No. 4 is used, and when shooting a hare raised from its rest, shot No. 2 and 3 are used.

White Hare. Significantly smaller than the hare: 45-55 cm, weight 2.5-5.5 kg. The coat is reddish-brown in the warm season, snowy white in winter, only the tips of the ears are black. The paw prints are larger than those of the hare, the toes are more rounded and wider on the loose snow; the droppings are yellowish-brown in color, lighter than those of the hare. Distributed in forest and forest-steppe zones of Kazakhstan. Common habitats are forests with dense undergrowth, swampy thickets, and shrubs in the steppe. In summer it feeds on grasses and shoots of bushes, in winter on dry grass and tree bark; he especially likes to gnaw on the bark of aspen trees fallen in the fall. In the steppe, white hares in herds of 15-20 animals make seasonal migrations from north to south. During the rutting season they make loud squealing sounds. Males find females using their sense of smell. In the tundra, females give birth to one, but very numerous (up to 13-14 pieces) litter, in the middle zone - two. Like hare, white hare is susceptible to various infectious and putrefactive diseases, and they often suffer from pestilence. The main methods of extraction are hunting with hounds and hunting. In some places they are also hunted by driving; in fishing areas they are caught with snares and traps. When shooting, shot No. 2-4 is used, and at close range - half-charges with shot No. 6.

Marmot. Body length 40-70 cm, tail - 8-22 cm, weight up to 7 kg (in autumn). Its body is dense, its legs are short, with strong claws; the ears are small, barely noticeable, semicircular in shape; the wool is thick and soft, light yellow or dark brown; the meat is tasty, the fur is of high quality; gives up to 2 kg of edible fat with medicinal properties. The baybak, gray marmot and tav-rabagan are common in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of Eastern Kazakhstan in the steppe areas of the Tien Shan, the Menzbir marmot and the red marmot are found in the western part of the Tien Shan at an altitude of more than 2000 m. Marmots live only in unplowed steppes, living in colonies. They lead a diurnal lifestyle. They dig complex burrows with nesting chambers, burrows, numerous passages tens of meters long and exits 20-30 cm in diameter. Each family also has simpler protective burrows. Earth thrown to the surface forms a marmot up to 1 m high. There is a visual-sound connection between the animals, the alarm signal is a whistle. The food of marmots is green grass; in spring they eat underground parts of plants, shoots of cereals and sedges, in summer - flowers and unripe fruits. At the beginning of September, they hibernate, having blocked the entrances to their burrows with plugs. Marmots mate in March, while still in their burrows, and emerge from their burrows in April. There are 4-6 marmots in a litter. With excessive fishing, the number of marmots recovers slowly due to the late onset of sexual maturity, high yield of females and large mortality of young animals. Their range is rapidly declining due to land plowing. Methods of hunting marmots: hiding or lying in wait near a hole with shooting from a gun, catching with traps (arc No. 3).

Boar. A close relative of the domestic pig. It differs from it in its large cone-shaped head with long, protruding fangs in adult males, a relatively high front part of the body, and coarse and long hair. Body length up to 2 m, height at the withers up to 1 m, weight reaches 150 kg. The color of the hair is dark brown in winter, grayish-brown or gray in summer; piglets are light brown with dark longitudinal stripes. The tracks have small hoof prints of the lateral toes pointing to the sides. It lives in dense, cluttered forests, reed thickets along the banks of rivers and lakes, broad-leaved and tall-stemmed cedar forests, and high-mountain meadows. The wild boar is an omnivore; it eats acorns, beech nuts and chestnuts, pine nuts, young shoots of reeds, cattail rhizomes, water chestnuts, as well as animal food - insect larvae, earthworms, fish. Adult male cleavers, or singles, stay alone and only during the rut they unite with pigs. Rutting in November-December. Piglets appear at the end of March - April. There are from 4 to 6 of them in a litter. Two or three females along with piglets form a herd of 10-20 heads and stay together. In the summer, they are often joined by piglets from last year, gilts, and sometimes barren females and immature males in their third year. The number fluctuates sharply depending on weather and food conditions. During snowy, frosty winters, many of them die due to lack of food. The methods of hunting wild boar are as follows: with dogs, in blinds, in a pen. They shoot it with large buckshot or a bullet. The most lethal place is the neck in the spine area.

Roe. Body length up to 1.4 m, height at the withers 1 m, weight 25-60 kg. Males have small horns sticking up with 3-5 shoots. Summer wool is yellowish-red, winter wool is grayish-brown; There is a white spot around the short tail, hidden by fur. Distributed in Eastern and Western Kazakhstan, in the mountains of Central Asia and the Tien Shan. Inhabits forests and forest patches of the forest-steppe zone, the southern part of the taiga, bush thickets in the steppes, mountain forests, and reed thickets. The roe deer avoids places with a snow depth of more than 50 cm. The usual diet is various herbaceous plants, fallen leaves, and less often - twig food. Rutting season in July-August. Pregnancy lasts 9 months, of which 4.5 are in the resting stage. Cubs (1-2) will be born in May and are spotted in color. Hunting for roe deer is prohibited in some places; in others they issue a license for it. Elk Body length 2.5-3 m, weight 300-500 kg. The head is hook-nosed with a long muzzle; the upper lip hangs over the lower; under the throat there is elongated hair in the form of a beard. The male has spade-shaped horns on his head with shoots along the edges. The color is dark brown, lighter on the legs. The marks of the sharp hooves of an adult moose are clearly visible even along the black trail. They are larger than cows (males are approximately 15x25 cm); The hoof prints of females are smaller and longer than those of males.

Elk. Distributed in forest and forest-steppe zones in the Crimea, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It lives in forests with burnt areas and clearings, in swamps overgrown with willow and pine trees, in young deciduous plantations, floodplains of rivers and lakes. In spring and summer it feeds on succulent herbaceous plants, leaves and young shoots of trees, and eats marsh and aquatic plants; in the fall it switches to woody food - aspen and willow bark, thin branches of pine and juniper. Moose live alone or in groups of no more than 8-10 animals. The rut is in August-September, pregnancy lasts 8-9 months; calves (usually two per litter) appear in May-June. Males shed their antlers in November-January; new antlers grow in the summer. Moose are shot only with licenses. The main method of hunting is in pens; they are hunted using huskies. The cartridges are loaded with a bullet. The killing spots are the neck, shoulder blade, chest near the shoulder blade.

Saiga. Steppe antelope, 110-146 cm long and weighing 20-25 kg. The muzzle is humpbacked with a movable trunk at the end; light yellow horns are sharp, as if corrugated, curved forward at the ends; The fur on the back and sides is yellowish-red, on the chest and belly it is white. The tracks are heart-shaped; in the male they are large and wider, with a blunter anterior end. The litter is large and cylindrical in shape. Widely distributed in dry steppes and deserts of Kalmykia, Astrakhan region, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In terms of numbers, they rank first among wild ungulates, with more than 2 million heads in the CIS. These are valuable game animals that provide tasty meat, medicinal raw materials (from horns), and expensive leather used for the production of chrome. Saiga antelopes usually graze in lower areas of the steppe or semi-desert, relatively close to water, as they go to water every day. They do not live on plowed lands. They feed on cereals, wormwood, and succulent plants of salt marsh meadows. They live in herds of several dozen animals; During migrations they gather in herds of thousands. Rutting in November-December (one male fertilizes more than 10 females). Cubs appear in May, two per litter. Saiga hunting is commercial in nature. For this purpose, special teams are created.

Game birds

This section describes, in addition to game birds, some species of birds included in the Red Book, the hunting of which is currently prohibited. This was done to prevent tragic mistakes leading to the death of rare and valuable representatives of the fauna. The hunter needs to know these birds in order to refrain from shooting when encountering them. In addition, familiarity with the appearance and biology of birds prohibited from hunting also has educational value, expanding the hunter’s horizons and his knowledge of his native nature.

Capercaillie. The length of an adult male reaches 1 m, weight 5 kg. The plumage on the back is gray; on the upper coverts and shoulder feathers there is a brown coating, a crop with a metallic greenish tint; belly with white streaks or completely white; wedge-shaped tail; tail feathers are black with white streaks at the base; the beak is whitish; the feathers on the chin and throat are elongated. The female capercaillie is significantly smaller than the male - her weight does not exceed 2-2.5 kg. The feathers on her back are brownish in color, her crop is red, often with dark streaks. Young wood grouse are colored like females before the autumn molt. It is a permanent inhabitant of pine and cedar forests, as well as large tracts of mixed forests: it leads a sedentary lifestyle. Wood grouse are polygamous birds - they do not form pairs. Females are fertilized during spring mating by different males. The peak of mating is in April; at the end of April - beginning of May, the capercaillie lays 6-8 eggs in a nest on the ground; incubation lasts 25-27 days. Immediately after hatching, capercaillies can run, and after two weeks they can flutter; They feed on insects, snails, ant pupae, and berries. Broods disperse in September. The autumn food of wood grouse is withering, “souring” aspen leaves and larch needles; at this time they greedily swallow small pebbles; in winter they eat buds and needles of pine, spruce and fir, rowan berries, viburnum and juniper, and in shallow snow - lingonberries and wild rosemary leaves. The methods of hunting wood grouse are as follows: in the spring on a lek - stealthily; in the fall - with a pointer, a spaniel, a husky, shooting on aspen trees, from the approach or from a hut and on pebbles. In August and September, shot No. 5 and 6 are used, later - No. 2 and 3. The capercaillie, which lives in Eastern Siberia, is distinguished by darker, almost black, plumage, white spots on the wings and tail coverts, a significantly longer body and tail, smaller head, beak and wingspan sizes; the female is dark brown.

Black grouse. Body length 40-50 cm, weight 0.8-1.4 kg. The plumage of the male (slasher, scaup) is black with a bluish or greenish tint on the chest (in young males there are brown specks on the shoulder feathers). The wing lining, undertail and “mirror” on the wings are white; the outer tail feathers are long and curved to the sides. Grouse and black grouse are brown on top with reddish transverse streaks; the ventral side is lighter, the streaks on it are dark; the middle feathers are shorter than the outer feathers. In males and females, the metatarsus is feathered, and there are red leathery folds above the eyes. Little grouse emit a quiet melodious whistle, adults cluck; The mowers on the lek mutter and chuff. Black grouse are widespread in the zone of mixed forests and forest-steppe. It lives on the edges of forests and clearings with shrubs, in small pine forests in moss swamps, birch and alder copses, young coniferous plantings interspersed with deciduous trees and shrubs. Does not form permanent pairs. Orcas fertilize females on leks. At the end of April-May, grouse lay eggs (8-10 pcs.), Grouse chicks hatch in early or mid-June. They feed on insects and berries. In September, the cockerels turn black and look like adult braids. At this time, the broods break up, and at the end of September the black grouse gather in flocks. In October, when the leaves have already fallen off, flocks of black grouse perch on trees and often fly to grain fields to feed. In winter they feed on birch buds and catkins.

White partridge. Slightly larger in size than the gray partridge, weight 550-700 g, wing length 188-202 mm. The plumage in winter is snowy white, only the tail feathers are black; in early spring, the head and neck of males are rusty brown, the rest of the plumage is white; at the height of spring, the back is black-brown with transverse stripes of a rusty color; in autumn the plumage is lighter; The flight feathers are always white. In females, the back is black-brown with yellowish spots and light edges on the feathers, the underside is brown with dark transverse stripes; autumn plumage is darker, very similar to young partridges. The beak is massive, 9.5-13 mm high at the base. The bridle is white in winter. Ptarmigans inhabit the Arctic and mountain tundra, moss swamps in the forest zone, birch, aspen and alder groves and copses of the forest-steppe part of southwestern Siberia and Northern Kazakhstan. During the nesting period they live in pairs; in the fall, the broods form small flocks. In winter, they migrate from the tundra and accumulate in large numbers in sparsely populated parts of the forest-tundra, where they serve as objects of intensive fishing. There is no hunting for ptarmigan in the spring. In the fall they are shot from under a cop's gun. The brood found by the dog first runs, then rises together on the wing and flies quite far away. Finding it can be difficult, since the flight direction usually changes. The second found white partridges lie tightly, stand up well and allow the hunter to come close to them. The cartridges are equipped with shot No. 7, 8, in autumn and winter No. 6. Fishermen catch partridges with snares and guards.

Grouse. A relatively small bird weighing 400-450 g. The plumage on the back is gray with dark transverse streaks, sometimes of a reddish tint; The male's throat is black, the female's is whitish; on the abdomen the feathers are brown with a light edge; on the head there is a tuft of elongated feathers; on the tail there is a black apical stripe 1-3 cm wide. It lives in mixed forests, preferring spruce-alder plantations and young forests with well-developed juveniles and undergrowth. In summer and autumn it eats lingonberries, rowan berries, raspberries, and rose hips; in winter it eats buds and seeds of alder and birch; in spring and early summer - last year's seeds of deciduous trees, as well as young lingonberry and blueberry buds; during the snowless period, it swallows small pebbles, which are needed to grind coarse plant food in the stomach. Grouse, unlike other grouse, are monogamous; in the fall they pair up for the breeding season. The mating season begins in April, when the buds on willow and alder open. At the end of April, the female lays 6-12 eggs in a nest built on the ground and incubates them for 18-20 days; chicks hatch in late May - early June. By the end of August, young hazel grouse differ little from adults in size and plumage. Broods of hazel grouse often die in cold and rainy springs; many young birds are destroyed by feathered and four-legged predators. Nevertheless, their numbers, especially in Siberia, are still high. Methods of hunting hazel grouse: from the approach, using a pika (shot number 8), fishing with loop and wooden traps.

Wood pigeon.(vityuten; Columba palumbus), a bird of the pigeon family; the largest pigeon found in Russia. Length about 45 cm; weight 420-620 g. In flight, a wood pigeon can be easily distinguished from other pigeons by white spots on the wing, and a sitting pigeon can be easily distinguished by white spots on its neck.
The wood pigeon is distributed throughout Europe, with the exception of its northern regions, in North-West Africa, Asia Minor and Western Asia, the Himalayas, Central Asia and Western Siberia. In temperate latitudes, the wood pigeon leads a migratory lifestyle and only in the south of its range is it sedentary. Wintering areas are located in the southern parts of the nesting area or slightly beyond its limits. In spring it arrives relatively early, in March in the south, in April - early May in the north of the range, when the ground is completely free of snow and food becomes available.
The pigeon lives mainly in coniferous forests, sometimes settling in parks. In the forest it stays secretive, choosing trees with a dense crown, and it is quite difficult to see it, unless it is flying by. During the mating season, the wood pigeon can be easily detected by its peculiar, far-audible cry (“ghu-u-huhu, ghu-u-huhu”), unlike the cooing of other pigeons. The male calls, usually sitting at the top of the tree, but sometimes in the middle part of the tree, on a horizontal branch; in this case, he walks around the dove, spreading his neck plumage. From time to time, the male makes a lekking flight: flapping his wings vigorously, he flies obliquely 10-20 m up, and then slides down on his outstretched wings and, having described a wide circle, returns to the same place or close to it.
The pigeon's nest is usually placed on the side branches of trees, less often on bushes. It consists of a flat flooring of thin dry branches, rather loosely folded. The diameter of the nest is 30-40 cm, and the height is 7-14 cm. There are two pure white eggs in the wood pigeon’s clutch. The female does most of the incubation, although the male also takes part. Incubation lasts 17-18 days. Both parents feed the chicks - first with the curdled secretion of the crop walls, and then with food brought and softened in the crop. The chicks remain in the nest for about 20 days.
For the first time after departure, the young stay with their parents, who continue to feed them for several more days. Having begun to fly, the pigeons return for a while to the night on the tree on which the nest was located. Soon they fight off the old ones, form flocks, which, apparently, are joined by single old birds, and wander through the surrounding forests. These migrations gradually turn into flights to wintering areas.
Nesting in the forest, the pigeon flies to feed in fields and other open spaces. This is the only Russian pigeon that collects food not only on the ground, but also in trees. Its main food is the seeds of cultivated cereals and wild plants, especially cereals and legumes. It also eats various berries - honeysuckle, rowan, currants, rose hips, mulberries, blossoming tree buds, and where there is oak, it readily eats acorns.

Common turtle dove. Unlike the wood pigeon and the clawfoot, its entire metatarsus is bare. The turtledove's tail is strongly rounded; tail feathers, except for the middle two, with white tips. The color of the body is dominated by dove-pink and coffee tones; on the neck on each side there are three dark spots surrounded by a light outline. The voice of the common turtle dove is a gentle murmuring coo. Inhabits deciduous forests, gardens and parks of the European part of the CIS, Western Siberia, Kazakhstan and Northern Asia; in the east - to Altai; it is not available in high mountain areas. The turtle dove's habitats are copses, forest edges, groups of trees along the banks of rivers and overgrown gardens. They arrive at the end of April and fly away at the end of August - beginning of September. The turtle dove is quieter than other pigeons and does not gather in large flocks. It's much easier to hunt. Hunting methods - from the approach and from ambushes using shot No. 8 and 9.

Mallard. The largest of the river ducks. The weight of a drake is 1.1-1.3 kg, a duck is 1.0-1.2 kg. The drake in breeding plumage has a head and neck of a shiny dark green color, with an incomplete white ring on the neck; the crop and chest are dark brown; the back and lower part of the body are gray with a streaky pattern of thin transverse streaks; the tail is bordered by a narrow white stripe, the middle tail feathers are curved upward in the form of a braid; on the wing there is a purple mirror with black and white stripes on the sides; the beak is greenish, the legs are red. The duck is dark brown on top with rusty speckles, below - brownish-gray with longitudinal speckles; the beak is olive-colored, yellow on the sides, with dark spots; legs are gray-orange. The plumage of young ducks before the autumn molt is the same as that of adult females; they can be distinguished only by their legs - dark or yellow-orange with dark membranes. It lives in overgrown shallow water bodies, feeding on aquatic plants and insects, frogs, and in the fall - cereal grains. Its arrival coincides with the formation of meltwater edges and polynyas when the air temperature rises slightly above zero. This usually happens at the end of the first half of April. During the breeding season, mallards pair up. The number of eggs in a clutch is 8-12; incubation lasts 26 days. Ducklings hatched from eggs can immediately run and swim, and after 2 months. - and fly. Drakes do not take any part in making nests and raising ducklings. During the incubation period, they gather in flocks and fly off to molting sites - to the Volga delta, to large shallow lakes in Kazakhstan and Western Siberia, the Rybinsk Reservoir, where they stay in hard-to-reach places and change their bright spring attire to modest summer plumage, becoming like ducks. During molting, the flight feathers fall out all at once, and for 20-25 days the birds become completely helpless, as they cannot fly. Together with the drakes, “single” and lost ducks fly away. The hatched ducklings molt at the nesting sites in August. In September, the autumn molt occurs, and mallards again acquire a dense and bright (for drakes) winter plumage. Departure from the central regions begins in late September - early October. Methods of hunting mallard ducks: with decoy; from the approach and access by boat; on flights. The cartridges are loaded with shot No. 5-7.

Pintail. It differs from the mallard in its smaller size, more elongated body, long tail and narrow wings. The drake's head and upper part of the neck are brown, with a white stripe running along the side of the neck; the back and sides are gray with a dark wavy pattern, the crop and belly are white; on the wings of the drake there is a bronze-green mirror with a brown stripe on top and velvety black and white on the bottom; undertail black; The middle tail feathers are dark (up to 20 cm long), sticking out back like knitting needles. The duck is grayish-white with a light belly; tail feathers with oblique light stripes. In summer plumage, drakes look like ducks. Pintail is widespread throughout the world. The main nesting sites are in the forest-tundra. Spring migration in the middle zone and at the end of April, autumn migration at the end of September - beginning of October. In nutrition, the pintail prefers animal feed; in the taiga it eats blueberries.

Teal whistle. Drake is the size of a pigeon (250-450 g). The head is chestnut-red with a shiny black-green stripe on the sides, the crop is yellowish with black spots, the sides are gray, the speculum is shiny green with a velvety black edge; beak black. The female is brown above with reddish streaks, whitish below, the speculum is pale; The edges of the beak are yellowish with black spots - a good distinguishing feature at any time of the year. This is the most numerous duck. The teal is widespread everywhere, with the exception of the Arctic coast, Eastern Siberia, Southern Kazakhstan and Central Asia. It lives in small ponds and lakes, in oxbow lakes, in large puddles and ditches, in close proximity to human habitation. Arrives in mid-April, departs in the second half of September.

Teal cracker. Slightly larger than a whistler. The drake's head is brown with a white stripe behind the eye, the back is gray-olive, the speculum is dove-blue, the crop and upper chest are brown with dark spots, the beak is gray. The female is dark brown with a light belly, the crop and sides have a reddish coating, the speculum is hardly noticeable in the summer feathers, the beak is dark gray. Distributed everywhere, but does not nest north of 62-64° N. w. and in Central Asia; rare in eastern Siberia. Lives mainly in mixed forests, forest-steppe and steppe, avoids taiga reservoirs and tundra. During molting, it feeds on plant foods. The rest of the time it eats animal feed. Arrives in the second half of April; flies away in September. Tufted Duck A medium-sized duck weighing 600-800 g. The drake has a black head with a purple tint, a crest of narrow black feathers on the back of the head, a black back, craw and chest, white belly and sides; mirror on the wings of the same color. In females and young birds, the back and chest are black-brown, the transition to light plumage is gradual, at the base of the mandible the feathers are lighter; the beak in the apical part is somewhat widened. The voice resembles a croak, the flight is noisy and fast. Distributed throughout most of Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the river basin. Amur; There is especially a lot of it on the lakes of the forest-steppe part of Western Siberia. It arrives at nesting sites early, but the nesting period is often prolonged. It makes nests near water and lays 8-10 eggs. It molts at nesting sites without accumulating into large flocks. It flies off in huge flocks quite late, sometimes lingering until freeze-up.

Coot. A bird from the rail family, but similar to ducks in habitat and lifestyle; the size of a medium-sized duck, wing length 192-222 mm. The head and neck are black, there is a white plaque on the forehead; the back is blackish-black, the belly is smoky-gray, from a distance it appears black. There are swimming blades on the front toes. Coots fly poorly, rise reluctantly, and scatter across the water for a long time when taking off. In case of danger, they prefer to hide in coastal vegetation. The voice is nasal, whining. Common habitats are ponds overgrown with water and slow-flowing lakes; stays in shallow water areas. It feeds on aquatic plants, insects and partly fish, which is why the meat often smells like fish. It arrives in the spring later than the ducks and flies away quite early in the fall. Hunting methods are from the approach and from lifting on a boat. The cartridges are loaded with shot Nos. 7 and 8.

Grey goose. This is a large bird. Its body length is about 90 cm, wings 398-495 mm, weight 3-3.5 kg. The back and rump are ash-gray, the belly is white, mature birds have small dark spots on the chest and abdomen, and transverse dark stripes on the sides; the beak is pink with a white nail, the legs are reddish. The color of the birds does not change all year round; there are no noticeable differences between males and females. The plumage of young birds is dark without spots on the abdomen; the beak and legs are greenish-yellow. The cry resembles the cackling of a domestic goose. It lives on large lakes overgrown with reeds and reeds in Western Siberia, Kazakhstan, the south of Eastern Siberia, as well as in places in the European territory of the CIS - from Karelia to the delta of the Volga and Danube rivers. Gray geese always, with the exception of the nesting period, keep in flocks. Usually the arrival begins in mid-March and ends in the second half of April. Nests are made on large lakes, surrounded by reeds and swamps, in remote, hard-to-reach places. The goose lays 4-5 white eggs and incubates them for four weeks. Chicks appear at the end of May-June. Males, unlike other waterfowl, take an active part in caring for their offspring and are always with their broods. In June, adult birds molt: all of their primary flight feathers fall out, and they escape from enemies only by diving or climbing into the thickets of the coastal and aquatic vegetation. Young geese stay with their parents all the time and almost simultaneously rise to the wing when the flight feathers grow. The food of gray geese is seedlings of grass and bread, aquatic vegetation; on lakes - crustaceans and leeches. After molting, the geese are united in 2- 3 broods together and begin regular flights to feed - in the field, steppe, in shallow water. Flight to the south from the tundra begins in late August - early September; in the middle zone they fly in late September - early October; winter in the southern part of the Caspian Sea. Methods hunting: on flights; stealthily; from the entrance; on profiles. The cartridges are loaded with shot No. 2-4.

Great snipe. Kulik, wing length 135-146 mm. The crown is black and white with a yellowish longitudinal stripe, the sides and belly are with large transverse streaks of dark color, often in the form of angles or brackets, the outer tail feathers are white. It can withstand a dog's stance better than a snipe, flies straight and low, moves relatively close - 100-200 m. It is easily recognized by the characteristic “convex” noise of its wings during takeoff. It wanders on the ground, gathering at night in favorite places that remain unchanged from year to year. At dusk you can see their flowing white tail feathers and hear the characteristic crackling sound. In autumn, during migration, it is often found on arable land and in vegetable gardens. Arrives at the end of April - beginning of May, flies away two to three weeks earlier than the snipe. Hunting for great snipes is allowed only in the fall, the best way is with a pointer, using shot No. 9 and 8.

Garnish. Wing length 101-117 mm. The back is brownish-brown with longitudinal ocher stripes on the sides; part of the feathers on the back and shoulder feathers with a metallic sheen of greenish and lilac shades; chest and crop with vague longitudinal streaks. Inhabits marshy swamps overgrown with reeds. It arrives at the same time as the great snipe, and in the fall it flies away even later than the snipe, when the swamps begin to freeze. The spearfish sits very tightly and takes off at the very last moment. The dog makes a stance on the spearfish at a close distance (“short”) due to its small size and habit of hiding in depressions in the soil and thick grass. Having taken off, the gunshot first flies against the wind, then, as if unable to fight it, to the side - or even downwind, forward again, etc., so it is not so easy to shoot it. The cartridges are loaded with shot No. 10.

Godwit. The sandpiper is the size of an ordinary pigeon; wing length 176-240 mm. The crown is black-brown with longitudinal streaks of rusty color, the throat is white, the crop and chest are red with dark transverse stripes, the belly and sides are gray-white with stripes; the back of the back is blackish; the rump is white, the tail feathers are black with white bases. The feathers on the back of young birds are blackish-brown with light edges, the abdomen is without mottled lines, the chest is light with an ocher-smoky coating. The godwit's voice resembles the cry of pigtails (lapwings). Inhabits grassy swamps in the forest-steppe and in the southern part of the forest zone of the CIS. Hunting for godwit is prohibited in spring. In the fall it is caught from the approach (it does not stand up) along with hunting for other swamp game; cartridges are loaded with shot No. 7 and 8.

Landrail. The body is oblong and laterally compressed. The corncrake runs quickly in the tall grass. The back is dark brown with yellowish and gray spots, the lower wing coverts and axillary feathers are reddish-brown, the sides are yellowish-red, the chest and crop are yellow with white transverse stripes, and buffy-red in autumn. The beak is short, no more than 25 mm, significantly smaller than the metatarsus. Chicks are black. Lives in damp and swampy meadows and fields; in autumn it is found in bushes and forest edges. The corncrake is often called the twitcher, since its loud, squeaky voice during the mating period can be conveyed by the sound combination “twitch, twitch, twitch.” The flight of the twitcher in spring, summer and early autumn is slow and clumsy (it flies with its back lowered, as if sitting), therefore it prefers to flee from danger; he rises onto the wing only as a last resort, if the dog forces him to do so. In late autumn, before departure, the corncrake rises even without a dog, and flies in a horizontal position and very quickly. Arrives in mid-May, departs in early October. In spring, hunting for corncrake is prohibited. In the fall they shoot him from under a cop's gun. He usually cannot stand the stance and runs away, so the dog must work well not only on horseback, but also on the scent, have a quick lead (preferably a throw), and be disciplined. The spaniel works great on the corncrake, preventing it from running away and quickly lifting it onto the wing. For shooting, shot No. 8 and 9 are used.

Pheasant. A medium-sized bird with a long wedge-shaped tail; wing length 190-240 mm; the feathers on the head and neck are shiny, blue or green. The plumage color of males of different subspecies is different, females are almost the same color. Distributed in the river valleys of the plains of Central Asia and Southern Kazakhstan. Inhabits thorny berry bushes, reeds, agricultural crops, bush thickets along the banks of rivers and lakes, and forests with dense undergrowth. Pheasants live sedentary, alone or in groups of 4-5 individuals; some subspecies make small migrations, gathering in flocks of 80-100 individuals. This bird is well bred in captivity and acclimatizes in the central regions of the CIS, provided it is fed and protected from predators. They hunt pheasants with a pointer, and a dog with a tight eyeliner is unsuitable for this. Hunting with a spaniel gives good results. When shooting, you need to take into account that the pheasant first rises vertically upward and only after that flies horizontally. The cartridges are loaded with shot No. 5-7.

Gray partridge. Small bird; male weight 400-500 g, female 350-450 g, wing length 143-159 mm. The back is gray with an olive tint and a black streaky pattern, the crown is brownish with light streaks, the throat and head on the sides are rusty, the crop and chest are light gray with a gray or speckled pattern, the neck in front is buffy, and there is a horseshoe-shaped dark rusty spot on the belly. In females this spot is small or absent at all; the upper wing coverts have transverse stripes. Lives in the steppe, in the north it is distributed up to 50-60° N. sh., in the east - to Altai, in the south - to Azerbaijan and the northern outskirts of Central Asia. In terms of physique and habits, the gray partridge resembles a domestic chicken; it easily tolerates captivity, so it can be bred in cages. In harsh winters with lots of snow, partridges die from lack of food, stray cats and dogs, poachers, under the ice crust after thaws followed by frosts. Therefore, in many places, despite a long-term ban on hunting it, the gray partridge has almost completely disappeared. In autumn and winter, partridges live in flocks, in spring - in pairs, in summer - in broods. In spring, gray partridges are not hunted. In the fall they are shot from under a cop's gun. For the first time, the brood rises all at once, often unable to maintain a stance and outside the shot, but moves not far. After one or two or three rises, the partridges hide tightly; They stand up well and rise one at a time. When shooting at a brood or flock, you need to aim at one bird, otherwise only an accidental hit is possible. The shot for shooting in the right barrel is No. 8, in the left - No. 7. In late autumn, partridges become very cautious and rise at a long distance. The bearded partridge (Daurian) lives in the steppes of the foothills of Central Asia. Unlike the gray partridge, its throat and head on the sides are buffy, its crop has yellow-buff feathers, and the spot on its abdomen is dark brown or black. In autumn and winter, tufts of hard feathers 18-20 mm long grow on the sides of the chin.

Quail. The physique resembles a partridge; slightly larger in size than a starling. Wing length 97-111 mm; the color of the upper part of the body is brown, on the crown there are three light longitudinal stripes (one in the middle and two on the sides), on the back there are sharp longitudinal streaks, the crop and chest are light rusty; The male's throat is brown (light in autumn); The female has a chest with dark streaks and a whitish throat. The call of displaying male quails (fight) consists of two sounds: “va-vva, va-vva” and “high-low”. He repeats the first quiet knee 2-3 times, followed by the second, i.e. the actual fight, which is heard at a great distance. Lives in fields and meadows, feeds on insects, grass seeds, and grains. In the middle zone it appears in early May and flies away in mid or late September. The breeding period is extended over 2-3 months, so quail can be found even in August. In spring, quail hunting is prohibited. In the fall, they are shot from under the gun and from the approach with shot No. 9. In the southeast of Siberia, the silent quail lives, characterized by its smaller size and brighter color; his throat and cheeks are rusty-red, white in autumn; The sides are red with longitudinal white stripes. Lives in damp meadows, less often in fields.

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ECOLOGY

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICY AND

HUNTING AND CONSERVATION REGULATIONS

HUNTING RESOURCES

FEDERAL STATE INSTITUTION

CONTROL INFORMATION AND ANALYTICAL CENTER FOR HUNTING ANIMALS AND THEIR HABITAT

HUNTING ANIMALS OF RUSSIA

BIOLOGY · CONSERVATION · RESOURCE SCIENCE · RATIONAL USE

Issue 9

STATE OF HUNTING RESOURCES

IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION

In

information and analytical materials

Edited by

Moscow 2010

HUNTING ANIMALS OF RUSSIA(BIOLOGY, CONSERVATION, RESOURCE STUDY, RATIONAL USE) ISSUE.

This publication represents a series devoted to the problems of rational use of hunting resources. The series covers monitoring, dispersal, game resource assessment results, and other topics related to the sustainable use of game resources.

The purpose of the series is to inform hunting specialists, game scientists, and zoologists about the state of the fauna resources of game animals, the protection and rational use of their populations.

Editorial team

(chairman),

UDC 639.05.053

STATE OF HUNTING RESOURCES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION Information and analytical materials. // Game animals of Russia (biology, conservation, resource science, rational use) Issue 9. M.: Physical culture, 20 p.

Data on the number and production of the main types of hunting resources in the cities are presented. at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and in Russia as a whole. An analysis of the current state of the main types of hunting resources is given. A general description of the work on state monitoring of hunting resources in the Russian Federation is given, as well as the volumes of materials used to assess the state of game resources.

Table 35, ill. 64.

ISBN 0159-0© Federal State Institution Tsentrokhotkontrol, 2011

Introduction ()……..……………………………..……….…..

Work on state monitoring of hunting resources

in the Russian Federation in ()………….….…

1. Red deer ()…...…………….………….…....…..

2. Roe deer ().………...…………………..……...………...

3. Boar ()...…………….……………….…..…….………...

4. Elk ()….………….………………………….…………..

5. Musk deer ()…………………………………...…...……….…

6. Wild reindeer ()....………………...…………...

7. Sika deer ()..……………………………………...

8. Turs, chamois, bighorn sheep, Siberian ibex ()………

9. Saiga ().………………………….…….………………...

10. Musk ox ()..……………………….……….……………….…

11. Sable ()..………………………….….…………………....

12. Lynx (,)...………………………….....….……

13. Beaver ()………………………….….………………………..

14. Otter ()………………….............………………………....

15. Squirrel ()…………..……...…….….……………………...….

16. Ermine ()..……….…………………...……….……

17. White hare ()………..….……………………….……....…...

18. Brown hare ()………..….………………………….………....…...

19. Column ()………….…….……………….………...…..….

20. Corsac ().….………..………………...…………….….

21. Martens ()..……………..……………..……….….……...….

22. Fox ()…………..………………….…..………..….

23. Wolverine ()..……….…………………..….………….…..

24. Hori ()………………………...……..…….………..…..…

25. Wolf ()..…………………………………………..……...….

26. Brown bear ()..…………………………………...…..…

27. White-chested (Himalayan) bear ()...……….….…..….

28. Badger ()……………………………..………………..….

29. Raccoon dog ()…………………………..….…..…..

30. Marmot-bobak ()……...……………………..………..….…

31. Capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse ()………………….…….…

32. Woodcock (,

,)…………………….…...…

33. Swamp-meadow game (,

)……………………………………………………….…...

34. Comprehensive analysis of the state of hunting resources

in the Russian Federation in ().…….……..

Appendix (maps of population densities of ungulates) .....

INTRODUCTION

This collection continues the series “Game Animals of Russia” in terms of resource management and rational use, started by the Federal State Institution “Tsentrokhotkontrol” in 2000.

The proposed collection presents information and analytical materials containing information on numbers, production limits, as well as actual production of the main types of hunting resources concentrated in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and in the Russian Federation as a whole in the years. An analysis of the current state of the main types of hunting resources is given.

The collection consists of several parts - characteristics of the state monitoring system in Russia, specific sections prepared by specialists from the Federal State Institution "Tsentrokhotkontrol", a comprehensive analysis of the state and use of hunting resources in the Russian Federation in the years. The appendix provides cartographic materials on the population density of the main types of hunting resources on the territory of the Russian Federation.

WORK ON STATE MONITORING OF HUNTING RESOURCES

IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The main task of state monitoring in the Russian Federation is the timely identification of changes occurring in game animal populations, providing government authorities with complete, reliable data on the condition, population dynamics, and distribution of game animals in Russia for making decisions in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources.

The state of the resources of game animals living on the territory of the Russian Federation is constantly changing, so annual monitoring of their numbers is a necessary and mandatory condition for obtaining reliable data. Violation of the annual rhythm of recording and processing of the results obtained can lead to a loss of control over the processes occurring in populations of game animals, since important “peak” and “depressive” years for many species of game animals may be missed.

Of the variety of existing accounting methods for the regional level, the winter route accounting (WMR) method is mandatory. ZMU is currently used throughout almost the entire territory of the Russian Federation. For most species of game animals living in the European part of Russia, ZMU makes it possible to obtain absolute abundance indicators at the municipal and regional levels with a high degree of accuracy, which do not require additional adjustments. For the rest of Russia, ZMU can be used both to obtain absolute indicators and to obtain “estimated” numbers at the regional level. In both cases, this method makes it possible to use the information obtained to determine the dynamics of species abundance.

The ZMU method is comprehensive, allowing to assess the resources of 23 species of game animals and 6 species of game birds, has a well-developed theoretical basis, and does not require large financial costs.

In addition to ZMU, censuses are used using the method of running on test plots, by concentrations, on feeding plots, etc. These methods make it possible to obtain accurate data in small areas corresponding to the scale of an individual hunting enterprise, and also allow for these areas to adjust the data obtained from the results ZMU.

For the types of hunting resources that do not fall under the above accounting methods: brown and white-breasted bears, beaver, otter, mountain ungulates (Caucasian and Dagestan turs, chamois, bighorn sheep, Siberian ibex), saiga, etc., the population indicators obtained from the results of species records or expert assessments.

In the period from 2008 to 2010, full-scale aerial survey work was not carried out in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Due to the transfer of powers for maintaining state accounting to the regional level, aerial accounting work is not financed from the federal budget, and most regional budgets do not plan funds for these activities.

Large-scale aerial survey work carried out in in most regions of Russia, made it possible to obtain reliable estimates of numbers at the level of constituent entities of the Russian Federation for elk, wild reindeer, and roe deer. With the help of these surveys in 12 regions of the Russian Federation, the number of wild reindeer was clarified. A comparison of the elk census results obtained from aerial surveys and ZMU confirmed that in 48 of the 52 regions where aerial surveys were conducted, there are no significant differences between the estimates obtained using these methods. The number obtained from the results of the survey is objective and corresponds to reality.

Every year, information from state monitoring of the number of game animals received from the constituent entities of the Russian Federation is summarized and analyzed by the Federal State Institution “Tsentrokhotkontrol”. The information base stored in the Federal State Institution “Tsentrokhotkontrol” is annually updated with new data sets. The information contained in more than 50 thousand registration cards and more than 10 thousand tracking cards is received from the ZMU alone. Figures 1 and 2 show data on the volume of incoming accounting material on health and medical management from the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to the Federal State Institution "Tsentrokhotkontrol" for the period.

Population data that has been compiled and analyzed by the Federal State Institution “Tsentrokhotkontrol” receives official status. Subsequently, this information is used by government authorities to carry out planning, conduct economic and security measures in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources, in state reports on the state of the natural environment of the Russian Federation, Rosstat materials, as well as in other official documents.

During the period from The volume of information provided on production from the constituent entities of the Russian Federation has noticeably decreased. Data on the production of most species of fur-bearing animals, bears, wolves, and game birds from the constituent entities of the Russian Federation have either ceased to be received altogether or are not received in full. There was practically no monitoring of the wolf. Carrying out full monitoring of mountain ungulates was difficult for a number of objective reasons in the North Caucasus Federal District.

Rice. 1. Number of survey routes completed in Russia as a whole

in 2000 – 2010

Rice. 2. The number of tracking completed in Russia as a whole in 2000 – 2010.

Due to the fact that, in accordance with current legislation, authorized bodies do not conduct monitoring in territories that have the status of protected areas of federal significance, thus, they do not always have complete information on the number of game animals in the entire region.

To carry out full monitoring of the condition of game animals in the Russian Federation in the very near future, it is necessary to take immediate measures to establish a unified accounting system throughout Russia, allowing for accounting work to be carried out using uniform, approved methods. In addition, it is necessary to organize a system for collecting, processing, providing and storing monitoring information according to uniform approved standards.

Improving state monitoring of hunting resources in Russia should follow the path of improving accounting methods through the introduction of modern technologies that will significantly reduce the cost of work, minimize subjective factors that arise during accounting work, allow recording of received materials on electronic media, significantly increase accuracy and objectivity of the data obtained.

Improving the quality of state monitoring of numbers in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and in Russia as a whole is not possible without well-established control over accounting work.

1. NOBLE DEER (Cervus elaphus L., 1758)

Post-harvest abundance of red deer in Russia in amounted to 180-190 thousand individuals (Table 1.), (Fig. 1.1).

Rice. 1.1. Dynamics of numbers and production of red deer in Russia

In the regions Central, Northwestern, Volga Federal Districts as a result of many years of acclimatization (reacclimatization) work, the number of red deer is currently about 12.0 thousand individuals, of which about 8.5 thousand live in the Central Federal District. The limiting factor for the wide distribution of deer is the depth of the snow cover. In the Vladimir, Moscow, Smolensk, Tver, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, Samara and other regions, where the average duration of snow cover is from 120-160 days, with a snow depth above 40 cm, deer exist mainly due to winter feeding. As a result, in the regions of these districts, especially in winter, the distribution of red deer is confined mainly to the territories of hunting farms; in the Moscow region they live in hunting farms of 13 districts, in other regions, as a rule, no more than in hunting farms of 4-6 districts.

The focal nature of the distribution is the main reason for the low accuracy of deer population estimates obtained during WMS. To establish the number of deer in the regions of these federal districts, more reliable results are provided by on-farm accounting methods, as a rule, by-run accounting, accounting at feeding sites, as well as materials from surveys of hunting farm workers (Fig. 1.2).

Rice. 2.2. Dynamics of roe deer numbers in the Central, North-Western,

Volga and Southern Federal Districts

IN Northwestern Federal District The number of European roe deer continues to increase, by an average of 4.6% compared to 2009, mainly due to the Pskov (6.3%) and Kaliningrad regions (2.8%), where the main population is concentrated. The number of European roe deer is also growing in the Novgorod region (10.2%), however, its population density here, on the outskirts of its range, remains low (2.6 individuals per 1000 hectares of total area).

IN North Caucasus Federal District in most regions there is a positive dynamics in the number of roe deer, on average by 3%. The largest increase in numbers was noted in the Republic of Dagestan (5.7%). The calculation of the number of roe deer in the district was carried out on the basis of regional data, except for the Republic of Chechnya, where, due to special conditions, an expert estimate of the number obtained from a specially authorized body is used.

IN Southern Federal District According to the expert assessment of regional bodies, it follows that the number of European roe deer, compared to 2009, has stabilized, but the trends in individual regions are different. In most regions there is an increase in the number of roe deer. Negative dynamics in the number of the species was noted in the Krasnodar Territory (-7.7%) and the Republic of Adygea (-15%), but nevertheless, the number of European roe deer, even in these regions, did not exceed the limits obtained in 2008.

IN Privolzhsky Federal The growth in the number of Siberian roe deer continued in the district, amounting to an average of 8%. The maximum increase in numbers occurred in the Republic of Udmurtia (33%).

The sharp decline in the wild boar population in the regions of the North Caucasus and Southern Federal Districts is associated with the implementation, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation in 2008, of the “Plan of recommended measures for monitoring the epizootic situation of African swine fever, reducing the number and depopulation of wild boars on the territory of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation included (at that time – author’s note) to the Southern Federal District.”

Volga Federal District is in second place in Russia in terms of wild boar reserves. Settled in a number of regions of the district in the early 70s of the last century, it became a common and fairly numerous species of hunting fauna.

In general, for the district for the period from 2008 to 2010. The number of wild pigs increased by more than 37% and in 2010 amounted to 85.4 thousand individuals.

On the territory of the district, wild boar are found everywhere, but with varying densities. The highest rates of wild boar population density per 1000 hectares of forest land are found in the Samara, Saratov and Orenburg regions, where they are 11.65, 13.05 and 6.17 individuals, respectively.

The wild boar population in the Republic of Bashkortostan is growing rapidly. Here, from 2008 to 2010, the population increased by 2 times, and between the decline in numbers in 2003 and the current state, the increase in numbers was almost 10-fold.

By Ural Federal District The growth rate of wild boar numbers has noticeably decreased, and in 2010 compared to last year it amounted to only + 2%.

In the regions of the district, wild boar settlement began in the 70s of the twentieth century. Until the mid-80s, population densities of the species had minimal values ​​and amounted, for example, in the Chelyabinsk region - 0.04 individuals per 1000 hectares of forest land, in the Sverdlovsk region - 0.02 individuals / 1000 hectares. Currently, these figures are 1.04 individuals/1000 ha and 0.97 individuals/1000 ha, respectively.

In 2010, an increase in numbers was noted in the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk regions and Khanty-Mansiysk. o., but the increase in numbers in 2010 compared to 2009 is not as significant as it happened in past years. For example, the growth in numbers in 2009 compared to 2008 in the Sverdlovsk region was 46%, in 2010 compared to 2009 - only 13%, in the Chelyabinsk region - 32 and 5%, respectively.

In Khanty-Mansiysk a. O. The wild boar lives only in the southern regions of the district and is distributed dispersedly, in small groups. Currently, there is a tendency to expand the range.

The territory of the Ural Federal District is characterized by harsh conditions for wild boar habitat. Frosty and often snowy winters have the most negative impact on the condition of wild boar groups.

Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)

The diving duck is slightly smaller than the red-headed duck. The breeding color of the male is black with a purple tint, the sides are white, and there is a pigtail (crest) of elongated feathers on the back of the head. The female is brown with a whitish belly; white feathers or a narrow light ring are often visible at the base of the beak; the crest is short. The male looks like the female at the end of summer. All plumages are characterized by a long white speculum along the posterior edge of the wing; yellow eyes. The young are like females, but without a crest; eyes brownish-yellow. Unlike dabbling ducks, the back of the body and tail of a swimming bird are submerged in water. It dives willingly and takes off from the water with difficulty after a run on the water. The flight is swift and noisy; the flock usually flies in a group. Quite silent, the female’s voice is a hoarse croak, the male’s voice is a two-syllable whistle (heard only in spring). It lives in open, relatively deep bodies of water with overgrown banks. Like the red-nosed duck, it often gravitates towards colonies of gull birds.

Red-nosed Pochard (Netta rufina)

The size of a mallard. The male is characterized by a golden-orange head, brighter and lighter than that of the red-headed pochard, and a bright orange beak. The head has a fluffy round crest, which makes the head seem very large. The female is grayish-brown, differs from females of other dives in the light plumage of the cheeks and upper part of the neck. On the water, unlike other dives, it sits high. It dives well, but can also feed like dabbling ducks, immersing the front part of the body in the water and sticking the back part vertically. The flight is noisy. Typically a silent bird. The male's voice is a low whistle, the female's is a hoarse, abrupt "kurk".

Red-headed Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Somewhat smaller than the mallard. The male in breeding plumage has a reddish-brown head, bluish bill, black chest and gray back; The iris of the eye is red. The female and male in the second half of summer have a brown plumage with a lighter head, especially the cheeks, and a darker chest. Wings without white mirror (in all outfits). The young are similar to adult females. The eyes of males are red, those of young birds and females are brown. The landing on the water is deep, the tail is not visible; dives often. It takes off from the water with difficulty, after a run on the water; flies quickly and noisily. The male's voice in spring is a nasal whistle, the female croaks hoarsely. Found in relatively deep bodies of water, clean reaches with overgrown banks; often settles near gull bird colonies.

Gogol (Bucephala clangula)

A large-headed duck, noticeably smaller than a mallard. The male in breeding plumage is white with a black head, back, tail and wing tips. There are oval white spots on the cheeks. The female and young are dark brown with a brown head, white mirrors on the wings, a narrow light collar and no spots on the cheeks. The eyes of adult males and females are bright yellow, while those of juveniles are dark. Swims with tail down; When feeding, it dives and swims quickly underwater, helping itself with its wings. It takes off easily from the water. The flight is swift and maneuverable; the wings emit a characteristic whistle in flight. Silent, voice - a rough quacking. It nests in the hollows of old trees growing near water bodies and readily occupies artificial nesting sites. They nest mainly where nesting boxes are hung specifically for goldeneyes. During the migration period it is observed on fish farm ponds, peat quarries, and floods of large rivers.

Sea duck (Aythya marila)

White-eyed Pochard (Aythya nyroca)

About the size of a red-headed pochard. The breeding color of the male is gray with white sides; head, neck and chest are black with a green tint. It differs from the Tufted Duck by its gray back and the absence of a pigtail on the back of its head. The female is brownish-gray, lighter than the female Tufted Duck; In contrast to the latter, there is a wide dirty white ring around the beak, and a light spot is often also found on the cheek. In all plumages, a white stripe runs along the rear edge of the wing, like a tufted duck; The eyes of males and females are yellow. Juveniles are similar to females, but the ring around the beak is either absent or may be narrow or incomplete; eyes yellow-brown. The male's voice is a soft whistle, the female's is a rough quacking. They are observed on fish farm ponds, large river floods and other large bodies of water.

Geese

White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)

Noticeably smaller than the gray goose and bean goose. Differs from them in a white spot on the forehead that does not extend to the crown; in flight, uneven dark transverse stripes are clearly visible on the belly (absent in young birds). The general coloring is lighter than that of the bean goose, the beak is pink, the paws are reddish. Landing on the water, flight, flock shape, behavior and feeding areas during migration are similar to those of the gray goose. Less cautious than the gray goose and bean goose. The voice is higher than that of these two types of geese - a ringing, rather melodic cackle. A northern species that nests in the tundra.

Lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythrops)

Smaller than the white-fronted goose, which it is very similar to. It differs from it, in addition to size, by a narrow yellow leathery ring around the eye and by the fact that the white frontal patch extends onto the crown; Unfortunately, these differences are clearly visible only at close range. The wings are somewhat narrower than those of the white-fronted goose; wing beats are more frequent. It differs from geese of similar size in its uniform brownish-gray color. The voice is high and somewhat shrill, which is why the species got its name. Breeds in the northern tundras. Listed in the Red Book of Russia (hunting is prohibited)

Bean grass (Anser fabalis)

About the size of a greylag goose or a little smaller. Compared to the white-fronted and, especially, gray goose, the coloring of the upper body, head and neck is darker; in flight, the dark head and neck contrast markedly with the lighter chest and belly. The beak is black with an orange transverse stripe. Landing on the water, flight, behavior and feeding areas during migration are similar to those of gray and white-fronted geese. Very careful. Migrating flocks fly at an angle or in an oblique line; individual bean goose birds can also be observed in flocks of white-fronted geese. The voice is a double loud guttural cackle. Northern tundra and taiga species.

Gray Goose (Anser anser)

Large bird; looks like a domestic goose, of which it is the ancestor of most breeds. It differs from the white-fronted goose by the absence of a white spot on the forehead and by its larger size, from the bean goose by its entirely pink beak and lighter, gray coloring of the head, back and wing coverts. Swims well, stays high in the water, and does not dive. The flight is direct and fast. Migrating flocks line up at a characteristic angle; during local feeding flights, the birds stretch out in a line. It feeds on herbaceous vegetation mainly on land (in meadows, winter fields) and along the banks of water bodies. Very careful. The voice is similar to the cackling of a domestic goose.

Rodents

Common squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

A small animal with an elongated body and a long fluffy tail. Body length 195-280 mm, tail 130-186 mm. The head is round, the eyes are large, black, the ears are relatively long, with tassels at the ends, especially developed in winter, the fingers are elongated, with tenacious claws. Coloration varies enormously from place to place and dramatically between seasons. In summer, the upper side is painted in various shades of red, brown or black; in winter, it is gray (sometimes with red), light gray, light brown or dark gray. The belly is always white. The tail is black, black-gray, brownish or bright red. The hair in winter is soft and fluffy, in summer it is coarser, shorter and shiny. Forest dweller. Mainly adheres to old coniferous and broad-leaved forests. Food consists of coniferous seeds, nuts, acorns, mushrooms, buds and shoots, chicks and eggs of birds, and insects. Stocks up for the winter. It is usually active in the morning and evening hours, in winter throughout the day, and on frosty and windy days it often does not go out to feed, but does not hibernate. Leads a predominantly arboreal lifestyle. She makes shelters in hollows (in deciduous forests) or builds a spherical nest with a roof and an entrance on the side (gayno) from branches on trees. One of the most valuable fur-bearing animals.

Mountain hare (Lepus timidus)

Large hare. Body length 44-74 cm, weight 2.5-5.5 kg. The ears are relatively short, bent forward, reaching the end of the muzzle. Hind limbs of medium length. Body color in summer is brown, gray or brownish-ocher. There is a reddish tint on the cheeks and paws, the tail is without black hair. In winter, all fur is pure white. The tips of the ears are black all year round. An inhabitant of forests and tundras, it is also found in the steppe. Feeds on herbaceous plants. In winter, it eats shoots and bark of willow, aspen, birch, hazel, oak, and maple. There is no permanent lair. In winter, it digs a shallow hole or hole in the snow to rest. Sheds in spring and autumn. An important fishery.

Brown hare (Lepus europaeus)

Large hare. Body length 55 - 69 cm, weight 4 - 6.5 kg. The ears are relatively long, bent forward, protruding far beyond the end of the muzzle. The hind limbs are long. In summer, the color is reddish-gray with blackish ripples, the sides are lighter, without ripples. Ears with black border. The tail is black on top. In winter, the coloring noticeably brightens, but not as sharply as that of the hare. Inhabitant of steppe and forest-steppe landscapes, enters forests. In the forest zone it inhabits edges overgrown with bushes, forest belts, fields, and is found everywhere in the steppe. In summer it feeds on herbaceous plants, in winter on dry grass, bark and shoots of various trees and shrubs. The number varies from year to year, but not as sharply as that of the white hare. An important fishery.

Beaver (Castor fiber)

The largest rodent of our fauna. The physique is massive. Body length 75-120 cm, weight about 20 kg. The eyes and ears are small, the forelimbs are shorter than the hind limbs. The tail is flat, wide, spade-shaped, covered with horny scutes and sparse hair. Between the toes of the hind limbs there are swimming membranes. The fur consists of long, coarse guard hairs and soft, wavy underfur. The color of the fur is varied, from light chestnut to black. Inhabitant of various landscapes, but always associated with water. Most often it inhabits the banks of slow-flowing rivers, lakes and ponds. In summer it feeds on leaves and young shoots of trees and shrubs, stems and flowers of various plants, in autumn, winter and spring it eats green bark, branches and rhizomes. For the winter it stores food reserves (branches and rhizomes). Supplies are stored in water near dwellings. Spends most of its time in water. It digs complex burrows in steep banks, their holes opening under water. On low banks and shallow waters it builds huts from branches held together with silt. To maintain a constant water level in a stream or river, dams are built from cuttings of tree trunks, branches, turf and silt. It is capable of gnawing trees up to 1 m thick. It gnaws a fallen tree into pieces and then floats it to its shelters. For rafting, it digs channels hundreds of meters long, up to 0.5 m wide and up to 1 m deep. Active at dusk and at night. A family of 4-6 individuals winters in one dwelling. Valuable commercial species.

Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

Comparative sizes of rodents:

Artiodactyls

Wild boar (Sus scrota)

A large animal with a short massive body, a thick, short neck, a large head, relatively thin limbs and a short tail. Length 125-175 cm, height at withers 80-100 cm, weight 150-200 kg. The ears are long and wide, the muzzle is elongated, ending in a snout; in males, the upper and lower fangs protrude upward from the mouth. Color ranges from black and reddish-brown to sandy and silver-gray. The hairline is rough and bristly. Females have a lighter build. The piglets are light brown, with bright longitudinal stripes on the back and sides. Inhabitant of various landscapes, from dark coniferous taiga to mountains and deserts. It feeds on rhizomes, tubers and roots of various plants, fruits, nuts, cedar seeds, and acorns. Often uses animal food: earthworms, insects, small vertebrates. In summer it is active from sunset to dawn, in winter it feeds during daylight hours. Leads a group or herd lifestyle; old males stay alone. It moves easily on marshy ground and swims well. The sense of smell and hearing are very well developed, vision is relatively weak. A valuable game animal that produces meat, skin and bristles.

Elk (Alces alces)

A very large, powerful and long-legged animal. Body length up to 300 cm, height at withers 225-235 cm, weight up to 570 kg. The head is large, strongly elongated, with a swollen upper lip, the neck is short and thick, the ears are long and wide, pointed at the ends, the tail does not protrude from the fur, and on the throat there is a skin outgrowth (“earring”) hanging down. Males have heavy horns that form a “shovel” with a varying number of tines. The color is single-colored, dark brown, the legs are usually light, almost white. There is no "mirror". The hair is rough and brittle. Inhabitant of lowland taiga and mixed forests, less common in mountain taiga. It adheres to wetlands, the edges of lakes, riverine willows, young overgrown burnt areas and cutting areas, forest areas with dense undergrowth and high grass cover. In summer, it especially willingly eats fireweed, meadowsweet, watchwort, horsetails, egg capsule, water lily, marigold, calamus, callus and many other herbaceous plants, leaves of willow, birch, rowan and other tree species. In winter, the basis of nutrition consists of branches of deciduous trees (willow, aspen, rowan, birch) and needles of pine, fir, juniper, as well as the bark of various trees. A valuable game animal that produces meat and leather. Hunting is permitted only with licenses. Experiments are being conducted to domesticate elk.

Red deer (European red deer, red deer, wapiti) (Cervus elaphus)

A large, slender animal with long legs. Body length is about 200 cm, height at the withers is 120-150 cm, weight is from 100 to 300 kg. The head is somewhat elongated, the neck is short, the ears are long, wide, pointed at the ends, the tail is short. Adult males usually have at least five processes on the horns. The color is uniform, without stains. Its main color in summer ranges from bright reddish-brown and yellowish to brownish-brown. Around the tail there is a large spot ("mirror") extending onto the croup of a reddish or yellowish (sometimes with white) color. The limbs and belly are darker; a longitudinal stripe often stretches along the ridge. Winter color is grayish or brownish-yellow. Juveniles are spotted before the first molt. The hair is rough and brittle. Inhabitant of taiga, broad-leaved and mountain forests. The food consists of branches, shoots, leaves, buds, bark and needles of various tree species, various herbaceous plants and lichens. A commercial animal that produces meat, leather, skins and valuable medicinal raw materials - antlers (unossified horns).

European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus)

A large animal of light and graceful build, with high thin limbs, a long neck and a small head. Body length 100-155 cm, height at withers 75-100 cm, weight 20-59 kg. The muzzle is relatively short, the ears are large and wide, and the fur tail does not protrude. Males have horns with 3-5 branches. The color is one-color, gray or brownish in winter, reddish or rusty-reddish in summer. The belly is whitish. The "mirror" is large, white or yellowish. The young are mottled with white or yellowish spots. The Siberian roe deer differs from the European roe deer in its fur color, large size, developed “mirror” and large tuberous horns. Inhabitant of deciduous and mixed forests, the southern edge of the taiga, and forest-steppe. It adheres to light forests with well-developed undergrowth and regrowth, with clearings, clearings and burnt areas. It feeds on shoots, leaves and buds of deciduous trees, pine needles and a variety of herbaceous plants. Object of commercial and sport hunting, shooting is permitted under licenses. Mined for meat, hide and skin (non-ossified horns).

Sika deer (Cervus nippon)

Body length 250 - 350 mm, tail 200 - 280 mm, weight 900 -1000 g. The auricle barely protrudes from the fur. The tail is strongly compressed from the sides, covered with sparse hair and small scales. The toes of the hind paws are connected by a small membrane. The fur consists of coarse guard hairs and soft undercoat. The color ranges from light, ocher-red to black, but more often chestnut-brown. Young animals are gray-brown. In the groin area of ​​adult animals there are glands that secrete musk. Acclimatized on the territory of Russia. The original range is located in North America. An inhabitant of different landscapes, where it settles along rivers, lakes, canals and swamps. Leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, relatively rarely coming onto land. Active at dusk and in the morning. It feeds on coastal and suitable plants. Much less often it eats mollusks, frogs and fish fry. It builds burrows and huts for housing. The hole opening is located under water, and the nesting chamber is above the water level. On the low banks it makes huts up to 1 m high from reed and sedge stems, fastened with silt. One of the most important objects of the fur trade.

Comparative sizes of artiodactyls:

Waders

Great snipe (Gallinago media)

Noticeably larger than snipe. It is distinguished by a dark, streaked underside (there are no streaks only in the center of the abdomen) and bright white spots on the sides of the tail, clearly visible during takeoff and landing. The white stripe on the upper side of the wings, almost invisible in the snipe, is more pronounced in the great snipe. A frightened great snipe flies straight and not quickly, silently or with low, short “grunting” sounds. Showing is most active on earth during the dark time of the day: males gather together on the dry manes of meadows, fight, and emit crackling, muttering and gurgling trills lasting several seconds.

Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)

A large, large-headed sandpiper with a long beak, slightly larger than a pigeon. It differs from other snipes by the uniformly variegated coloring of the upperparts, wide transverse black stripes on the head, a white stripe along the edge of the tail, and the transverse striped coloring of the underparts. In the spring it makes current flights, known as “thrust”, over clearings, forest roads and clearings in the forest. At the same time, the males make "grunting" sounds - "hrr-hrr-hrr-hr", followed by a "twirling" - "tsi-tsik". Females make only swirling sounds. When in danger, it hides and flies out a few steps away, trying to hide in the thickets.

Middle Curlew (Numenius phaeopus)

The sandpiper is the size of a pigeon. The upperparts are black-brown with small light spots on the back, a longitudinal light stripe on the crown and the same bright “eyebrows”. Dense longitudinal streaks on the light neck and chest turn into V-shaped spots or a cross-striped pattern on the sides. The abdomen is buffy-white. The back of the back and loin are white. The beak is long, curved down, black and brown. Legs are bluish-gray. Juveniles are somewhat lighter on top, while the breasts are more buffy in color. Inhabits southern tundras, raised bogs, steppes, and muddy sea shallows. The voice is a loud cry "bibibibibi...". It differs from other curlews by its striped head, and from the greater curlew by its smaller size.

Great Curlew (Numenius arquata)

A large sandpiper the size of a crow. The upperparts are brownish, pockmarked with an almost white back and rump, clearly visible in flight. The head, neck and chest are longitudinally mottled, the abdomen is white. The beak is very long, curved down, brown-black, the legs are long, gray. Juveniles are similar to adults, but the buffy color is more widespread on the chest. Voice - loud cries of "dewey-dewey", "queer-lu". It differs from other curlews in the large size of its body and beak, and the absence of longitudinal stripes on the crown. Populations of the southern and central zone of the European part of Russia are included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

The sandpiper is somewhat smaller than the pigeon. The back is black-brown, rusty-red coloring is common on the head, neck, chest and belly. The tail is white and has transverse dark stripes. The white color from the loin extends far forward onto the back. The narrow light stripe on the wing is almost invisible. The beak is long, slightly upturned, blackish; legs dark gray. In winter, the plumage is gray with narrow longitudinal dark streaks. Juveniles resemble adults in winter plumage, but the plumage is rusty yellow. Inhabits the tundra, raised swamps of the northern taiga, and muddy sea shallows. The voice is loud cries of “vyaka-vyaka-vyaka”, “how-how”. It differs from the Great Godwit in its somewhat smaller size, striped tail, and greater development of white on the back.

Garschnep (Lymnocryptes minimus)

Somewhat smaller than the starling, its color resembles that of a snipe, but much smaller, shorter-legged and noticeably shorter-billed. Brownish-black above, with a greenish or purple tint on the black areas; on the back there are longitudinal yellow streaks merging into stripes. Juveniles are colored like adults. He is very secretive. When approaching him, he hides and often takes off almost from under his feet. Unlike the snipe, it takes off silently and flies straight. In flight, it is noticeable that the tail is wedge-shaped, without bright spots. The male dances in the air, the sound and rhythm of the current song resembles the clatter of a galloping horse. Outside the breeding season it is silent.

Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

A long-billed sandpiper the size of a thrush. It differs from the snipe in the white color of its abdomen and the absence of noticeable white spots on the tail. From the spearfish - large in size, long beak and head color (in addition to the yellow stripes on the sides of the head, there is a light parting on the crown). The lower surface of the wing is striped with alternating white and gray stripes. Takes off with a characteristic cry, similar to a quack; a startled snipe flies in zigzags; the flight is swift. When mating, the male periodically flies up and rushes down with open wings and tail, making a bleating sound. The voice in the spring “ta-ke, ta-ke, ta-ke...”.

Comparative sizes of waders:

Musteluns

European and American mink (Mustela lutreola, Mustela vison)

A small animal with short limbs, a flexible elongated body and a relatively short, non-furry tail. Body length 28-43 cm, tail 12-19 cm. The fur is short and thick. The muzzle is narrow, flattened on top, the ears are small, rounded, almost do not protrude from the fur, the fingers are connected by a clearly visible membrane. The color of the fur is one color, from reddish-brown to dark brown, somewhat lighter on the underside of the body and darker on the limbs and tail. There is a white spot on the chin, covering the upper and lower lip. Sometimes there is a white spot on the chest. Closely associated with bodies of water.
The food consists of mouse-like rodents, fish, frogs, crayfish, aquatic insects and mollusks. It makes burrows near water, digs them independently, or uses old burrows. Valuable fur-bearing animal. Rare everywhere. The American mink is acclimatized in Russia, which differs from the European one in being slightly larger in size; the white spot usually covers only the chin and lower lip, sometimes extending onto the upper lip. The American mink is replacing the European mink in most regions. One of the main types of cellular animal farming.

Otter (Lutra lutra)

A medium-sized animal with an elongated, slightly flattened body, a thick neck, very short limbs and a long, somewhat laterally compressed tail. Body length 70-75 cm, tail up to 50 cm. The head is flat, the muzzle is short and blunt, the ears barely protrude from the fur. The fingers are connected by a well-developed membrane. The color is dark brown, shiny, uniform, without sharp transitions from the back to the sides. The head and back are colored somewhat darker. The lower body has a silvery tint. The otter's habitat is closely related to a variety of fresh water bodies. Swims and dives beautifully, staying under water for a long time. On land it is more clumsy than other mustelids. When running, the tail drags along the ground. It feeds on fish, frogs, and less often mammals, birds, crayfish and mollusks. It digs burrows in coastal erosion and often uses natural shelters. The most valuable fur-bearing animal. Hunting is permitted only with licenses.

Stone marten (Maries foina)

Very similar to the pine marten, but the tail is relatively longer and pointed. Body length 45-54 cm, tail 25-35 cm. The color is light, brownish-fawn, the tail and limbs are noticeably darker than the back. The throat patch is white, occasionally light fawn, and extends onto the front legs in two stripes. Inhabitant of mountain forested and treeless slopes, stone placers, floodplain forests, ravines, parks and even populated areas. It feeds equally on both animal and plant foods. Active at any time of the day. It climbs trees well, but usually hunts on the ground. In recent years, it has been settling and developing new territories. Valuable fur-bearing animal. Hunting is permitted only with licenses.

Badger (Meles meles)

A medium-sized squat animal, with a narrow elongated muzzle, a short neck and a relatively short shaggy tail. Body length 60-90 cm, tail 16-20 cm. The badger's ears are small, rounded, strong paws are armed with long claws, the fur is bristly and coarse. The color of the animal is quite variegated: the dorsal side and sides are brownish-gray with small ripples, a darker blurry stripe runs along the ridge, the throat, lower neck, chest and belly are black-brown or black, the muzzle is white, a black or black line runs through the eye and ear. brown stripe, the ends of the ears are linen, the tail is whitish. Inhabitant of a wide variety of landscapes from taiga to desert. It feeds on both animal and plant foods. Usually it digs complex burrows with numerous entrances, a system of underground passages, living chambers and dead ends. The nesting chamber is located at a depth of 2-3 m and is lined with dry grass and leaves. Unlike other mustelids, in the northern part of its range it is hibernating. The fishery is small. The hair is used to make brushes, and the fat is used in medicine.

Weasel (Mustela nivalis)

A small animal with a highly elongated thin and flexible body, short limbs and a relatively short tail. Body length 13-28 cm, tail 1.3-8 cm. The head is small, the ears are short and wide, the fur is thick but short. In winter, the color is pure white, in summer it is sharply two-colored: the head, back, sides and limbs are brownish-brown, the throat, chest and belly are white, the tail is the same color as the back, only occasionally there is a dark tip. It lives in a wide variety of landscapes, often found in fields, stacks, outbuildings and populated areas. It feeds on mouse-like rodents and shrews, and less often attacks water rats, birds and frogs. The nest is made in the burrows of other animals or uses natural shelters.

Black polecat (Mustela putorius)

A small (somewhat smaller than a cat) animal with an elongated body, short limbs and a relatively short fluffy tail. Body length 29.5-46 cm, tail 8.5-13 cm. The muzzle is elongated, with wide rounded ears. The color of the fur, especially on the belly, limbs and tail, is black-brown, on the sides the left-sandy underfur is noticeably visible, the spots around the mouth and the edges of the ears are pure white. An inhabitant of the outskirts of mixed and deciduous forests, sometimes found in populated areas. It feeds on small rodents, shrews, frogs, chicks and eggs of birds, and less often on fish. Active at night, less often during the day. Shelters are old, natural voids under the roots of trees, sometimes hollows and underground buildings. Valuable fur-bearing animal.

Ermine (Mustels erminea)

A small animal with an elongated, thin and flexible body, short limbs and a long, non-furry tail. Body length 16-38 cm, tail 6-11 cm. The head is small, with a short muzzle and low oval-rounded ears, the hair is thick but short. The color of the winter fur is white, the terminal half of the tail is black. Summer coloration is sharply two-tone: brownish-brown above and white below. Inhabitant of a wide variety of landscapes. Often lives in populated areas. The main food is small rodents, shrews, as well as birds, frogs, fish, and insects. It moves by jumping, and in winter it often moves through thick snow. It does not dig burrows, using natural shelters and burrows of other animals for housing. One of the most important objects of the fur trade.

Comparative sizes of mustelids:

Shepherdesses

Crake (Crex crex)

A small bird (slightly larger than a thrush), somewhat reminiscent of a quail. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed. The head is dark brown on top with small ocher streaks. The back is buffy-brown with dark streaks. The chest and crop are gray. The undertail feathers are buffy with white tips, the sides of the body are brownish-red with white transverse stripes. The upper wing coverts, axillary and lower wing coverts are reddish-brown. Legs yellowish. It differs from quail in its uniform reddish-brown wings. In flight, the dangling legs are clearly visible. It differs from the crake in its ocher rather than olive-brown color, reddish-brown wings and the absence of white specks throughout the body. During nesting time, it occupies various types of meadows, preferring damp tall grasses with areas of shrubs. Penetrates into various agricultural landscapes. It is most easily detected by its scream, which can be heard in the evening and at night. It sounds like a sharp, dry, usually two-syllable "kreks-kreks" repeated many times in a row.

Crake (Porzana porzana)

A small bird (larger than a starling) with the characteristic appearance of a crake or crake. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed. The entire dorsal side of the bird is olive with large dark and small white streaks. The front part of the body is gray with white specks. Transverse white stripes are clearly visible on the sides of the body. The beak is yellow with a bright orange spot at the base. Legs are olive green. Occupies marshy meadows, old peat mines, shores of lakes and ponds, low-lying swamps. Unlike other crakes (small and tiny), the entire lower body is densely dotted with small white spots, and the undertail is light buffy, without stripes. Unlike the shepherd, the beak is short and straight. Most often it is detected in the evening and at night by a voice that resembles the whistling of a herd-and-carrying whip, “Whee-Whee.”

Crake (Porzana pusilla)

Small crake (about the size of a starling). The upper part of the body is olive-brown with black streaks; some feathers have individual white streaks or speckles. The front part of the body is slate gray. The sides of the body are dark with a white cross-striped pattern. Females have slightly lighter underparts. Scream - various variations of the crackling sound "trrr". Inhabits the coasts of fresh, less often brackish, bodies of water with stagnant or slowly flowing water, adhering to thickets of reeds, cattails, lake reeds, and sedges. It differs from the small crake in its uniform greenish beak, a large number of white spots on the dorsal side of the body and pinkish legs.

Coot (Fulica atra)

The size of a duck. The color is uniform, dark slate, almost black; on the forehead there is a bright white leathery “plaque”, turning into a short white conical beak. The toes are long, with greenish scalloped membranes. Juveniles are brownish-gray, the throat and front of the neck are whitish, the beak is gray, without a “plaque.” The landing on the water is deep, floating, the bird evenly nods its head in time with the movements of its legs; dives often. Usually found on the water, rarely on the shore; flies infrequently. The voice is varied, some of the screams resemble ringing clucking. Inhabits water bodies overgrown with semi-aquatic vegetation - floodplain and other lakes, fish farm ponds, flooded peat quarries.

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

The size of a teal, on the water it resembles a small duck, on the shore it resembles a chicken. The plumage is black, the undertail is white, clearly visible on a bird sitting on the water. The head has a bright red short beak and a longitudinal red crest. Young are light chestnut, without comb. Stays hidden. Swims well, raising its short tail vertically and nodding its head in time with the paddling movements of its paws; deftly runs through shallow water and plant leaves, snags and other objects. When feeding, it turns over plant leaves, pebbles and anthropogenic debris with its beak.

Lesser Crake (Porzana parva)

A small bird (from a starling) with the characteristic appearance of a crake and crake. The male in breeding plumage has a slate-gray underside of the body, chest, neck in front and on the sides, and sides of the head. The dorsal side is olive-brown with dark brown wide longitudinal streaks. The back half of the sides bears transverse whitish-ocher stripes. The undertail is black with wide white stripes and spots mixed with ocher tones. The female in breeding plumage is colored on the dorsal side in the same way as the male, but the sides of the head are light gray, the abdomen is pale buffy, and the sides are brown. The beak is greenish with a darker tip and a red base. The legs are green. The calls of the male most closely resemble melodic croaking sounds that are repeated either with acceleration or deceleration. Inhabits various reservoirs with developed aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation.

Rail (Rallus aqvaticus)

A small bird the size of a crake, somewhat larger than a crake. Sexual dimorphism in plumage color is not expressed. The entire dorsal side of the body is olive-brown with dark brown wide stripes. The sides of the head, neck, crop and the front of the belly are steel-gray in color. On the sides of the body and on the middle part of the belly, transverse wide black and narrow white or yellowish stripes alternate. The undertail is white. The main difference from crakes and corncrake is the long, slightly curved beak, the beak and tip of which are black-brown, and the underbeak is red. The screams are very varied, the most characteristic one being reminiscent of the drawn-out squeal of a pig. It nests in various bodies of water with thickets of aquatic vegetation.

Comparative sizes of cowgirls:

Grebes, mergansers

Great Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

The size of a mallard, but much slimmer, with a long, straight neck and a sharp, awl-shaped beak. The landing on the water is deep (the entire back of the body is hidden under water). It differs from other grebes in the spring by its dark red “hood” with “horns” of tufts of feathers protruding above it, and the white front side of the neck. In autumn and winter there is no “hood”, the “horns” on the head are shortened, the front side of the neck, unlike the gray-cheeked grebe, is pure white; a white eyebrow is visible on the dark cap. The young retain stripes on the head and neck in the fall. In all plumages in flight, two white spots are visible on the wing - in front and along the rear edge of the wing; unlike the grey-cheeked grebe, these spots are connected at the base of the wing. Swims well, dives often, does not walk on land, and rarely flies. The voice is rare; it resembles a sharp, high-pitched croak.

Little grebe (Podiceps ruficollis)

The smallest of our waterfowl, noticeably smaller than the teal. It differs from other grebes in breeding plumage by the absence of a “hood” and decorative feathers on the head; The cheeks and the front side of the neck are rufous, at the base of the beak there is a bright lemon-yellow spot. In autumn and winter, the color is brownish with a darker back, the necks and the front of the neck are whitish. The young look like adults in winter attire, but have dark stripes on their cheeks. In all seasons, it is distinguished by a short (“bumpy”) body and the absence of a white “mirror” on the wing. The beak is sharp and straight. A very mobile bird, it easily spins like a top on the water and often changes direction of movement, sometimes flies. Often dives for a long time. Unlike other grebes, it can walk on land. The voice is loud: a double melodic whistle followed by a trill.

Greater merganser (Mergus merganser)

Noticeably larger than the mallard, it differs from other ducks, except the common merganser, by a long, narrow beak curved at the end. On the water, the male appears white with a large black head; the crest is absent, the beak is long and red. In flight, a large white spot is visible on the top of the wing, occupying most of the wing. The female is gray with a contrasting red head crowned with a crest; It differs from the female Merganser in its larger size and a clear border of red and gray colors on the neck. In flight, a large white field is visible on the wing. The young are similar to the female, with a shorter crest. Swims and dives well; when swimming, the back of the body is deeply immersed in the water. Very silent, the voice is a dull bark or a crackling croak.

Merganser (Mergus serrator)

About the size of a mallard or a little smaller; the beak is long, narrow, curved at the end. The color is piebald: the male has a black head and back, gray sides, a red craw, a “collar” and side wings that are white. Both males and females have a crest on their heads. The female is gray with a red head; The border between red and gray on the neck, unlike the female merganser, is indistinct and blurred. Large white mirrors are clearly visible on the wings of the male and female in flight. When swimming, it dives deep into the water and dives well and for a long time. The flight is fast, with frequent wing beats; rises from the water noisily, with a running start. Very silent, his voice is a hoarse croak.

Black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

The size of a teal or slightly smaller. In breeding plumage it differs from other grebes by its black neck; yellow tufts of decorating feathers stand out in contrast on the black head. In autumn and winter there are no decorative feathers, the cheeks and chin are bright white, the front of the neck is white and gray, and there is a dark cap on the head that goes down below the eyes. The best diagnostic sign in autumn and winter is a slightly upturned beak. On the wing, unlike other grebes, there is only one white area, along the rear edge of the wing. Juveniles are similar to adults in winter, but the white color is replaced by a dirty yellow. It dives well, does not walk on the ground, and rarely flies. The voice is varied; lingering squeaks, abrupt whistles and trills.

Lutok (Mergus albellus)

Half the size of a mallard, slightly larger than a teal. The color of the male is predominantly white, with a black back; a black mask stands out on the head. The female is dark gray with a red head and white cheeks. In all plumages there is a white speculum on the wing, larger in the male. The young look like females. It sits deep on the water - the head, shoulders and front of the back are visible. The neck is usually pulled into the shoulders. Dives well. It flies fast. Relatively uncautious. Silent, the voice is a short, crackling “crrr...”.

Gray-cheeked grebe (Podiceps griseigena)

Somewhat smaller than the great grebe, from which in breeding plumage it differs in the chestnut-red color of the front of the neck, light gray cheeks and less developed feather “horns” on the head. In the autumn feather, a dark gray cap goes down to the eyes, there is no white eyebrow, and there is a brownish coating on the front of the neck. The beak is straight, gray with a yellow base. The young retain stripes on their heads in the fall. In flight, two light areas are visible on the wing, like those of the red-necked grebe. The behavior is typical for grebes - it floats on water, rarely flies, and dives well. The voice is loud, rough, varied; it is compared to croaking, rattling, neighing, and a sharp squeal.

Comparative sizes of grebes and mergansers:

dabbling ducks

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

The size of a domestic duck. The male in breeding plumage is distinguished by the pattern of the head and front of the body, a wing with a gray top and a violet speculum. The female is motley, brownish-beige. In the second half of summer, the molted males also look the same, differing from the females, who have a dark beak with an orange border and an olive-colored beak. In flight, the white tips of the tail feathers are visible, forming a bright light border along the edge of the tail. Young birds are similar to adult females, but darker. It feeds in shallow waters, plunging its head and neck into the water or turning over with its tail up; capable of diving, although normally she does not do this. Takeoff from the water, like that of other river ducks, is easy, almost vertical, the flight is heavy and unmaneuverable; flies with its neck stretched out and often flaps its wings.

Gray duck (Anas strepera)

Somewhat smaller than mallard; It is clearly distinguished from other river ducks by the white mirror on the wing, visible from a great distance. The main color tone of males in breeding plumage is gray, females and young ones are gray-ocher with streaks. The male's voice is a ringing croak, the female's is a crackling quacking. Rare breeding migratory species. Inhabits fish farm ponds, floodplain lakes and oxbow lakes and other overgrown reservoirs of open landscapes.

Pintail (Anas acuta)

Slightly smaller than a mallard; It differs from other ducks in having a longer neck and a long pointed awl-shaped tail. The male has a brown head, sharply contrasting with the white neck, gray back, white belly (in older ones it is yellowish). The female is grayish-brown with large dark streaks and a poorly visible gray-brown speculum with a white edge along the posterior edge of the wing. The female pintail, in contrast to the female wigeon, is lighter, gray, and less red in color; the dark streaks of the chest gradually lighten on the belly. The young are colored like females, but darker. The male's voice is a melodic whistle, the female's is a quiet, hoarse quacking.

Whistling teal (Anas crecca)

Almost twice as small as a mallard. The head of a male in breeding plumage is chestnut-red with a wide metallic-shiny green longitudinal stripe passing through the eye. From a distance, however, this pattern is not visible and the head appears simply dark. There is a bright green mirror on the wing. The female and male at the end of summer are monochromatic, brownish-gray with streaks. Characterized by small size and rapid flight; It differs from the cracker in flight by the dark top of the wings and the whistling sound produced by the wings. Often it obtains food not by swimming, but by wandering through the water and filtering it with its beak, without plunging its head into the water. The female's voice is a high-pitched quack, the male's is a rattling whistle.

Wigeon (Anas penelope)

Smaller than a mallard; characterized by a high-browed and short-beaked silhouette. The male in breeding plumage has a bright red head with a high yellow forehead and a short gray-blue beak, and a reddish chest; in flight, a large white spot on the wing is clearly visible in front of a narrow, poorly visible green mirror. The female is dark brown with buffy streaks on the sides, the speculum on the wing is gray-green; It differs from the female pintail in having a shorter neck and a sharp border between the white belly and dark chest. Juveniles are similar to adult females, but duller. The flight is fast, easy, maneuverable. Capable of diving, but does so extremely rarely. The female's voice is a loud, rattling croak, the male's is a loud whistle.

Teal (Anas querquedula)

Almost twice as small as a mallard, slightly larger than a teal. The head and crop of a male in breeding feathers are brownish-brown; on the head there is a white longitudinal stripe, running in the form of a pigtail above the eye to the back of the head; in flight, the light bluish-blue top of the wing is clearly visible, the mirror is dull, new-gray, difficult to distinguish from afar. The female is grayish-brown with streaks, rather light; in flight, it is noticeable that the wings on top, unlike the whistler, are lighter than the back. The flight is fast and landing on water is easy. The female's voice is a ringing quack, the male's is a quiet "wooden" crackling. It is observed throughout the region. Inhabits small bodies of water overgrown with vegetation, mainly floodplains, and is also found on fish farm ponds.

Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

Noticeably smaller than the mallard; It differs from other species of ducks by its very long beak, which widens towards the end in the shape of a spoon. Males are piebald with a predominance of red on the belly, white on the rump and dark green, almost black on the head. The female and male by the end of summer are reddish-gray with streaks. In adults, in all plumage, the upper wing coverts are light, bluish, which is clearly visible in flight; green mirror. The young look like females. When feeding, it often plunges its head or beak into the water and filters it, quickly, like a top, spinning in one place. The male's voice is a soft smacking sound, the female's is a loud quacking. Inhabits shallow, densely overgrown reservoirs with a high biomass of small invertebrates: oxbow lakes, quarries, bays of rivers and lakes with open banks, sludge areas of wastewater treatment plants.

Comparative sizes of dabbling ducks:

Grouse, pheasant

Gray partridge (Perdix perdix)

A small, pigeon-sized prairie chicken. The color is brownish above, with dark streaks, and gray below, without streaks. The throat is reddish, and there is a dark horseshoe-shaped spot on the belly. The bright red side feathers of the tail catch the eye when taking off. The female is somewhat smaller and paler than the male. During the mating season, males emit rather loud two-syllable calls; the rest of the year they are silent. They move along the ground on foot and take off reluctantly, only when a person, car or dog suddenly appears next to them. Nest on the ground. Lives in tall grass meadows. The clutch size is maximum for our birds; the nests contain from 14 to 24 solid olive eggs.

Hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia)

A small, tightly built hen of the woods, the size of a large pigeon, with a wide fan-shaped tail. The color is brownish-gray, there are thin dark transverse stripes on the back, and the underparts have large semi-lunar streaks. Shoulders and sides are reddish-brown. The male is distinguished by a black spot on the throat, which has a thin white edge. A sedentary species of coniferous forests, prefers dense spruce forests. It stays on the ground, when frightened, it noisily flies up into the trees, where it hides, remaining completely motionless. The voice is a thin, drawn-out whistle, produced in the characteristic rhythm of “tiiii-tiyuti-ti-ti...”. Nest on the ground. It is quite easy to lure hazel grouse with a special decoy, emitting a thin squeak.

Quail (Coturnix coturnix)

Small, slightly larger than a starling, prairie chicken. The color is brownish-brown, with longitudinal dark streaks. Males in spring plumage, unlike females, have a black throat. It lives in dense grass, usually detected by the mating calls of males: a far-reaching, ringing “battle” (it can be translated as “hew-weed...”) and a quieter one, heard only at close range, “hvva-va...”. A terrestrial bird, flies rarely, in a straight line and over a short distance; nest on the ground.

Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

A very large bird, males are larger than females. The color of males is grayish-black, the wings are brownish-brown, the abdomen is black with white spots. The tail is relatively long, rounded, black with a white pattern. The beak is massive and light. Females are much smaller, brownish-red with dark streaky patterns (ripples). Inhabitant of coniferous forests, mainly pine. A sedentary bird, does not form pairs. In spring, males gather in pine-covered moss swamps or in forests, where they display, emitting quiet sounds that are difficult to convey in words. In winter, it often gathers in small flocks. It differs from the black grouse in its significantly larger size.

Black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix)

Medium sized bird. The male's plumage is black, with a metallic sheen on the neck, the undertail, underwings and wing patch are white; the female is brownish-red with a black pattern (ripples). Males have a longer tail, the outer tail feathers are lyre-shaped. Inhabitant mainly of the forest zone, but also found in the forest-steppe. Resident bird. Does not produce steam. It nests in small forests, overgrown clearings, along the outskirts of moss swamps, near meadows. Not found in dense forests. In the spring, males gather in groups in fields or forest edges and display, and females also fly here. In winter it lives in large flocks. It differs from the capercaillie in its significantly smaller size and is not found together with the Caucasian black grouse.

Comparative sizes of grouse and pheasant:

Predatory

Raccoon dog (Nuctereutes procyonoides)

A medium-sized animal, with a squat body on short legs and a short shaggy tail. Body length 65-80 cm, tail 15-25 cm. The head is small, with a short sharp muzzle, the ears are small, weakly protruding from the fur, blunt, with clearly visible sideburns on the sides of the head. The color of the upper half of the body is reddish-brown-gray, with a more or less clear black-brown tint; a dark stripe is noticeable along the back. The chest and limbs are brown-black. On the muzzle there is a black “mask” surrounded by a light field. The circumference of the nose and the bridge of the nose are light; a white blurry stripe stretches above the eye to the ear. The hairline is long and fluffy, but coarse. Widely acclimatized in many regions of Russia, where it has occupied various forest habitats. It feeds on small rodents, frogs, insects, chicks and eggs of various birds, fish, berries, and carrion. Game animal, caught under licenses. One of the carriers of rabies in nature.

Wolf (Canis lupus)

A large, proportionally built animal with relatively high, strong limbs and a fluffy, usually drooping, short tail. Body length 105 - 160 cm, tail 35 - 50 cm. The neck is short, inactive, the muzzle is relatively wide and elongated, the ears are pointed. The color ranges from whitish-gray to sandy-yellow, usually gray with a reddish or blackish tint, with darkening in the anterior part of the back (“saddle”). The belly and paws are somewhat lighter. The hair is thick and fluffy, especially on the neck, but rather coarse. An inhabitant of a wide variety of landscapes, it is most numerous in areas with free grazing of livestock. It easily gets along close to human habitation. It feeds on various ungulates (livestock, deer, roe deer), hares, rodents (mouse-like animals, ground squirrels), and uses plant foods (various fruits and berries). Object of hunting. The skins are used in fur harvesting.

Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

A medium-sized animal with an elongated body, slender, relatively short limbs and a long fluffy tail. Body length 60-90 cm, tail - 40-60 cm. The muzzle is narrow, pointed, the ears are high, pointed, wide at the base. The color ranges from reddish-orange to yellowish-gray, in most cases bright red with an indistinct dark pattern. The chest is white, the belly is white or black, the back of the ears is black, and the tip of the tail is white. Occasionally black-brown and silver-black foxes are found. The hair is thick, soft and fluffy. Inhabitant of a wide variety of landscapes from tundras to deserts. It feeds on mouse-like rodents, hares, various birds, insects and berries. It digs only shallow, simple burrows, and much more often settles in abandoned burrows of badgers, arctic foxes and marmots. One of the most important objects of the fur trade.

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

A large or very large animal of heavy build with massive thick limbs. Body length up to 200 or more centimeters. The head is wide with a short muzzle, the ears are relatively small and rounded. The fur color ranges from brownish-fawn to dark brown and almost black. There is sometimes a small white or whitish spot on the chest. The hair is thick, coarse and shaggy. An inhabitant of forests and mountains, it often penetrates far into the forest-tundra and even the tundra. Inhabits mainly taiga, mixed and mountain forests. The food is very diverse: berries, seeds, fruits, nuts, insects and their larvae, green parts of some plants, small mammals (rodents), chicks and eggs of birds, fish, pzdal; Much less frequently, the bear preys on large mammals (ungulates, including domestic ones). Active at any time of the day. During the cold season it sleeps (from October-November to March-May). The den is often built in the most remote areas of the forest, using natural shelters, which the bear expands and lines with moss, branches, leaves, dry pine needles and grass. In hibernation he is very sensitive. It is hunted for its skin and meat, but its role in fur harvesting is small. It attacks a person in exceptional cases, mainly when wounded or in winter.

Lynx (Lynx lynx)

A large animal with a short body, high, strong limbs and a short, as if chopped off tail. Body length 82-105 cm, tail - 20-31 cm. On the sides of the head there are clearly visible sideburns, ears are relatively large, sharp, ending in long tassels, the fur is thick and high. The general color tone is from pale-smoky to rusty-reddish, the ventral side is somewhat lighter. The back, sides and limbs are more or less covered with dark spots, sometimes there is no spotting. Inhabitant of dense high-trunk forests with dense undergrowth and windbreaks. It feeds on hares, hazel grouse, wood grouse, mouse-like rodents, and hunts roe deer. Active at night. The role in the fur trade is small.

Comparative sizes of predatory animals:

Herons, storks, cranes

Black stork (Ciconia nigra)

It is similar in size and appearance to a white stork, but the color of most of the plumage is black with a greenish bronze tint, and the belly is white. Juveniles have duller plumage. The flight and habits are like those of a white stork, however, unlike the latter, it is very careful and avoids being close to humans. It nests, as a rule, in remote areas of the forest next to vast wetlands or floodplains where the bird forages for food; may occasionally be found feeding in the cultivated landscape. Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

Common crane (Grus grus)

Large (larger than a goose), long-legged and long-necked bird; long feathers at the base of the wings hang down behind, resembling a bushy tail. The general color tone is gray, in young ones with a reddish coating, especially on the neck and head. Walks with long steps, holding the body almost horizontally, often digs into the ground with its beak, hanging its neck low; does not sit on trees. It takes off after a take-off run, the flight at the beginning seems a bit heavy, but it flies well and is capable of soaring for a long time. In flight, the neck and legs are extended. Migrating flocks line up in a wedge, or less often in an oblique line. The voice in the flock is a sonorous purr; in the fall, the drawn-out squeak of the young is sometimes heard. In late summer - early autumn, it forms pre-migration aggregations on vast open farmlands.

Great bittern (Botaurus steltaris)

Smaller than the gray heron (about the size of a large chicken) and shorter-legged; usually looks somewhat stooped, because the long neck is pulled into the shoulders and is almost invisible. The color is variegated and blends perfectly with the color of dry reed or cattail stems; The general color tone is straw-reddish-brown. Leads a very secretive lifestyle, rarely leaving the thickets of semi-aquatic vegetation; rarely comes across. When in danger, it hides, extending its beak and neck vertically. Startled, it takes off awkwardly, like a rag thrown into the air, then flies leisurely, with slow and shallow flapping of its wings; The neck is folded in flight and looks short and thick. In spring and early summer, males display, emitting a low, dull “boom” “u-ummb”. At night, in flight, they make a hoarse croaking “kaw”.

Red-headed heron (Ardea purpurea)

In general appearance it is similar to a gray heron, but noticeably smaller and darker in appearance. The head, neck and sides of the chest are dark red, the back is gray with a reddish tint, the wings are dirty gray with dark ends, the crest and stripes on the neck are black, the belly is blackish. Young and immature are yellowish-brown or brown with vague streaks, the tips of the wings are dark. Inhabits the shores of water bodies overgrown with semi-aquatic vegetation from forest-steppe to semi-desert. Compared to the gray heron, it is less cautious and less likely to perch on trees. It differs from the gray heron in its darker color and dark red areas of plumage.

Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea)

A large bird, about the size of a goose, with long legs and neck. The color is ash-gray, the ends of the wings, the crest and the stripe along the neck are black. The young do not have a crest, the beak is two-colored (black mandible, yellowish mandible). Like other herons, the neck is characterized by an S-shaped bend. The bird stands motionless near the water or in the water for a long time, watching for prey (fish, amphibians, etc.). Often sits on trees. In flight, the neck is folded and appears short and unusually thick. The flight is easy, with leisurely flapping of the wings; rarely plans and, unlike storks and cranes, almost never soars. The voice is loud, creaky, reminiscent of croaking and wheezing; Outside colonies, birds are usually silent.

Great white egret (Egretta alba)

A large heron with a long neck, long legs and beak. The color is snow-white. The beak is black with a yellow base, the legs are two-colored: the tarsus and toes are black, the lower leg is yellow. In winter the beak is yellow. Young birds look like adults in winter plumage. Inhabitant of shallow, stagnant reservoirs with open reaches, overgrown with dense reeds and other near-water vegetation, and slowly flowing rivers of the steppe zone. Very cautious, sits on trees relatively rarely. It takes off heavily, but the flight is smooth, majestic, with slow flapping of the wings.

Lesser bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

A small heron the size of a jackdaw or slightly larger, lightly built. The male is characterized by a contrasting color: he is yellowish-buff, with a black back, wing tips and cap on his head; in the female, the black color is replaced by brown; longitudinal dark streaks are noticeable on the chest; young birds are brown-motley. A rather secretive bird, it prefers to stay in dense thickets, where it moves deftly, climbing reed stems and branches of flooded bushes. It most often catches your eye when it flies from place to place low over water or thickets (at the same time, if the bird is an adult, the contrasting color of its wings catches your eye). The male's voice can be heard in May or early June, usually at sunset and dawn; it looks like a distant, measured, hoarse dog barking: “hou... hou...”.

White stork (Ciconia ciconia)

A very large, long-legged, long-necked bird with a long, massive beak. It differs from the gray crane in the white coloration of the head, neck and body, as well as the red coloration of the beak and paws, from the great egret in its general appearance and black flight feathers, and from the black stork in the predominance of white in the plumage. Young birds have brown flight feathers. Takes off after a takeoff run; the flight is calm, with deep wing beats and frequent soaring; in flight, the neck and legs are extended. Silent, can crack its beak when excited. It nests in populated areas on water towers and the tops of large trees. It feeds in meadows, fields, swamps, and the banks of reservoirs.

Comparative sizes of birds:

(Martes zibellina) is the pearl of our country's fur wealth. Outside Russia, it is found in small quantities only in China, Korea and China. The resources of this mustelid species, largely thanks to the organization of natural ones (Altai, Barguzinsky, Kronotsky and a number of others), which were created as “sable” ones, have now been restored to a level corresponding to the capacity of the land. The high price of sable fur promotes intensive development of its reserves, which in some places leads to excessive fishing pressure. In addition to the fishing pressure, in recent decades the influence of the processes of industrialization and urbanization of Siberia on sable populations has been increasing.

The level of fluctuations in sable growth in different regions ranges from 22 to 142%, which is due to the cyclical nature of the main feed. The high migration activity characteristic of the sable causes a rapid equalization of its density over large areas.

In recent years, sable resources in the country have stabilized at 1.1 million individuals. The highest densities of the species are characteristic of some regions of Central and Southern Siberia and the Far East.

It has two subspecies: stone marten (Martes foina) and forest marten (Martes martes). The fur is thick, fluffy, very beautiful. In the pine marten it is usually dark brown in color, while in the stone marten it is lighter, with a fawn tint, and less dense.

The pine marten prefers mature and overmature taiga-type forests with tall, hollow trees. Since its diet is quite heterogeneous, it is characterized by smoothed natural fluctuations in numbers. The main food of the marten is mouse-like, hazel grouse, squirrel; from plant food - rowan. During the years of the mountain ash harvest (about once every 4 years), the marten is inactive, and after such wintering its reproduction is successful.

The resources of pine and stone martens living in Russia have not undergone significant changes in the recent period. The highest average density of martens is characteristic of the Central region.

The total volume of legal production of martens is approximately 10 thousand individuals.

The stone marten is a more southern species. It inhabits southern Russia, Southern and Central Europe, including Denmark and.

(Mustela sibirika). According to genetic characteristics, it is a representative of the genus of weasels and ferrets. The distribution area covers mainly low-mountain forest spaces in the south and central zone of Siberia and the Far East, reaching the Urals to the west. Over the past decades, the range of the Siberian weasel has expanded in Yakutia. This small predator is confined mainly to the forest river network and avoids large open spaces.

For housing, Siberians use the burrows of rodents - chipmunks, water voles, pikas; they settle in hollows, lying logs, make nests among heaps of dead wood, under “inversions” - the rearing roots of fallen trees.

According to the nature of their feeding, the Siberian Siberian Siberians occupies an intermediate position between typical “mouse eaters” (weasel, ermine) and polyphagous predators (sable, marten). The diet of this animal consists of voles (including water voles), mice, hamsters, and small passerine birds. In autumn, anadromous fish are of great importance in the diet of the column.

Column fur is quite valuable and is used both in its natural form and to imitate more expensive furs. The long tail hairs are used to make high-quality painting brushes.

It belongs to common predators, but its numbers have now dropped significantly due to hunting, deterioration of food resources, and destruction of habitats.

Ermine is most numerous in taiga and tundra regions. Their choice of habitat is determined by the abundance of their main food - small rodents. As a rule, the ermine prefers to settle close to water: along the banks and floodplains of rivers and streams, near forest lakes, along coastal thickets, bushes and reeds. In hungry and food-poor years, stoats leave their areas and sometimes move considerable distances. Sometimes migrations are also caused by mass reproduction of rodents in neighboring areas.

Ermine is a commercial object (the fur is used as a finishing fur). Useful for killing mouse-like rodents.

The number of small mustelids - weasel, ermine, ferret, weasel, living in mountains, forests, open spaces, often near human habitation - is subject to large fluctuations and is closely related to fluctuations in the main types of food - small mammals (mainly rodents).

(Lepus tumidus) and brown hare(Lepus europaeus) are the most common objects of hunting. Lifestyle is twilight and nocturnal. They usually move by jumping at speeds of up to 70 km per hour. They stay alone.

In recent years, the number of white hare has remained at the level of 5.0–5.7 million animals, but in the late 80s - early 90s. last century it was much higher. Over 30% of the species' population is concentrated in, more than 20% in the Northwestern Federal District, and more than 25% in and.

More than 50% of the habitat has a very low (less than 1 individual per 1 thousand hectares) hare distribution density, over 30% has a low density (up to 3 individuals) and only 4% has a very high density (more than 10 individuals per 1 thousand hectares).

Over the past years, the resources of the brown hare in Russia have been at the level of 800–900 thousand animals, which is 1.5–2 times lower than the annual average of 1986–1990. To date, more than 50% of the population of this species is concentrated in the Southern Federal District, 20% each in the Volga Federal District and.

The main factors limiting the number of hares are conditions and human activities. With the return of spring colds with rain and snow, the death of the first litter of hares is great. In open spaces, deep snow covers up twig food and worsens feeding conditions. Great damage is caused by predators - lynx, wolf, goshawk, etc. The greatest damage is caused by ownerless storage and irrational use of fertilizers and pesticides by agricultural workers. Predatory hunting greatly undermines population numbers. The death of hares from helminthiases has been reported.

• take into account the impact of different methods of hunting on livestock;
• apply rational methods of cultivating agricultural fields (from the center to the periphery);
• prohibit raid hunts and extermination hunts from vehicles;
• regulate hunting by prey standards (up to 30% for the brown hare and up to 40% for the white hare) and hunting periods;
• apply the reintroduction of hares and improve the ecological conditions of their habitat;
• carry out fertilizing and construction of salt licks.

European or river beaver(Castor fiber), by the beginning of the 20th century. was almost everywhere exterminated. But thanks to re-acclimatization and the creation of special reserves and reserves, by the beginning of the 1980s. its range and numbers have been almost completely restored. At the same time, the role of the beaver in the Voronezh Reserve in the resettlement of the beaver is especially great, sending more than 4 thousand individuals to other reserves (Pechora-Ilychsky, Khopersky, Mordovian, etc.), which became centers of secondary resettlement of this species.

On the territory of Russia (in the western part of the Republic and the Leningrad region, another species of beaver is also acclimatized - the Canadian beaver (C. canadensis).

The well-being of the beaver is determined mainly by feeding conditions, hydrological conditions (floods or drying out), as well as anthropogenic factors. In recent years, wolves have begun to hunt beavers. Stray dogs cause great damage to livestock.

During floods, beavers in some settlements where the main bank is located far from the reservoir (200 m or more) experience certain difficulties. A necessary measure to save them is the construction of life rafts. These rafts are also used by other semi-aquatic animals during floods: otter, mink, muskrat, water vole.

In the country as a whole, beaver resources have stabilized with a slight growth trend.

Of the rodents, squirrels are of greatest importance in the fur trade.

(Sciurus vulgaris) can reach high densities (up to 10 or more individuals per 100 hectares of forest) due to the large mosaic nature of forest lands. Its population changes significantly with a fluctuation cycle of 4 - 8 years, due to natural reasons (the yield of seeds of coniferous trees) and the ongoing felling of mature coniferous plantations, which provide the animals with their favorite food - seeds from cones.

Common fox- the largest of the foxes (in Russia, representatives of this genus of wolves also include the corsac fox and the Afghan fox). Habitats vary from deserts to deserts. Most active at dusk, lives in burrows.

Since adaptability allows the fox to exist successfully under almost all conditions, the food supply does not limit the number of the species. The fox is pursued by wolves, lynxes, dogs and especially humans. It also suffers from an epizootic of scabies, which significantly reduces the number of livestock.

In Russia, a noticeable increase in the number of foxes has been observed since the early 1990s. Throughout the Central Federal District, the population density of foxes is one of the highest in the country and remains above average. In the Urals and Siberia its density is below average, but in the south of these regions it remains at an average level. In the Far Eastern region, the fox is scarce.

According to the expert assessment of Tsentrokhotkontrol specialists, the corsac population in Russia in recent years amounts to 20–30 thousand individuals. These figures are significantly lower than the reserves in the 1970–1980s, when, according to statistics, stocks were kept at an average level of 2.5–7.6 thousand individuals, but in fact significantly more than 20 thousand individuals were harvested annually.
Wolves are the ancestors of the domestic dog. There are several species in the wolf family - wolf, jackal, coyote and others. The wolf (Canis lupus) lives everywhere in Russia, except for the Solovetsky Islands and some islands of the Far East and the Polar Basin. Lives in pairs formed for life, sometimes in flocks in winter. In natural ecosystems, it plays the role of an orderly, eating weakened and sick animals, and regulates the number of ungulates. Causes damage and... Wolf hunting is permitted at any time of the year. In a number of areas, in almost the entire territory, the wolf has been completely exterminated. A slight deterioration in the food supply in the last decade (small numbers of moose and hares, almost no carrion due to the decline in agricultural production) limits the reproduction of wolves in Russia. However, according to VNIIOZ estimates, the number of wolves in the country continues to remain consistently high.

Since damage to hunting and agriculture from wolves can be very significant, a state system of measures to regulate the number of this species is necessary.

(Ursus arctos) is one of the symbols of Russia and the largest predatory animal in the forest zone. It goes into winter dormancy in the second half of October, sometimes later, with snow falling. Emerges from the den in March–April. The bear is omnivorous; selective logging does not have a significant impact on it. Poaching causes damage to livestock everywhere.

The decline in bear numbers that took place in the first half of the 1980s has now stopped and the population has stabilized. Only in the Central Federal District, in some constituent entities (Republic of Buryatia), Northwestern Federal District and Far Eastern Federal District, the downward trend in the number of this species continues.

The wild pig, or boar (Sus scrofa) - the most productive hunting species of wild ungulates - belongs to the non-ruminant artiodactyls and is the ancestor of domestic pigs. Wild boars live in groups (males are solitary outside the rutting period) and are active at dusk and at night, and are omnivorous. Wild boar is one of the important fisheries; it provides valuable meat, skin, and bristles.

The distribution of wild boar is mainly determined by the availability of food and the protection of habitats in winter. Animals are reluctant to leave their chosen places even after prolonged pursuit. 10–20 years ago, in winter, they often spent their days near or directly in silage pits, near unharvested crop residues (near such food reserves, animals, if not disturbed, can live up to 2–3 months). In the forest, they make their nests on anthills. March is the hardest month in the life of a boar.
Due to high ecological adaptability and the ability to restore the population due to good fertility and early reproduction ability, wild boars can quickly increase their numbers. The high growth of young animals makes it possible to maintain a high level of the rate of removal (harvest) of these animals (30–50% of the pre-harvest number).

Of all game animals, the wild boar is the most responsive to feeding (artificial feeding in troughs and laying out fodder fields with various crops). Feeding fields serve as the basis for creating foci with an increased concentration of animals during the hunting period, and in the summer-autumn period they also serve the function of diverting animals from agricultural crops and forest plantings, to which this species can cause serious damage.

Currently, the wild boar population is emerging from the depression that engulfed it in the early and mid-1990s. The total legal harvest of all types of ungulates in Russia in recent years amounts to 100–120 thousand individuals.

Elk or elk(Alces alces) is the largest species of deer and the most valuable species among wild ungulates in our country. Body length up to 3 m, height at the withers up to 2.3 m, weight up to 570 kg. It lives alone or in groups of 5–8 (up to 20) individuals.

It is characteristic that as a result of massive forest felling, the abundance of food for this species increases significantly (up to 20 times). Despite a significant increase in the feeding capacity of the land in recent years, the existence of elk is limited mainly by the quality of the food supply and factors limiting the availability of food (disturbance factor, abundance of blood-sucking insects during daylight hours). Disorganized hunting sometimes leads to the destruction of forest animals in areas where moose are not hunted, as well as to a decrease in the proportion of adult females in the population (females are less shy and more attached to their habitat).

The number of moose is also subject to natural cyclical fluctuations lasting 14–18 years, associated with changes in the quantity and quality of preferred food, in turn associated with fluctuations in weather and climatic conditions (mainly precipitation) and successional changes in vegetation cover.

By the beginning of the 21st century. The density of the moose population in Russia (0.67 individuals per 1 thousand hectares of forest area) decreased to the level of 1956. The decline began in 1987–1991. coincided with the period of maximum rejuvenation of forest communities due to industrial clear-cutting in the 1960s–1970s. The main factor of this crisis is anthropogenic: overfishing, disruption of the sex and age composition of the elk herd, etc.

The general decline in the moose population, which began in 1988 and affected all regions of Russia to varying degrees, had stopped by 2001. However, the general trend towards a decrease in density towards the boundaries of the range remains. In general, the relatively low density of the moose population in Russia (about 10 times less than in the Scandinavian countries) is due to unsustainable hunting practices and poaching.

Legal elk harvest is approximately 20-25 thousand. individuals.

The main limiting factor for roe deer or wild goat(Capreolus capreolus) is a snow cover height of more than 50 cm, which prevents the expansion of its range to the north. Due to their high fertility, roe deer are able to quickly increase their numbers. In terms of production volume, roe deer is not inferior to elk.

After a sharp decline in the number of roe deer in the country in the second half of the 90s of the last century, the population has now stabilized. Its numbers are limited mainly by disturbance and poaching.

The main limiting factors for another species of deer are: wild reindeer(Rangifer tarandus) - are: pressure from predators (mainly wolves), snowy winters (mass mortality from exhaustion); return of cold weather in spring (death of young animals); anthropogenic factor. Wild reindeer resources are almost universally used extremely irrationally. “Planned”, legal production of animals is not much different from poaching and is carried out in the same way - with the use of helicopters. Moreover, in many regions of Russia, the extermination of individual populations is methodical and massive. Defragmentation of landscapes by pipelines, which disrupt the migration routes of this species, has also become a serious problem.

The population density of red deer (Cervus elaphus) throughout almost the entire country is currently several times lower than possible. The most important reason for this is poaching. Competition for deer in the biotopes they inhabit are sika deer, elk, and roe deer.

(Tetrastes bonasia), a bird of the grouse family of the gallinaceae order. Body length 35–37 cm, weighs 350–500 g. Distributed in Russia - from the western border to; in the forests of the North Caucasus and is absent. The hazel grouse lives sedentary, making only short feeding migrations. They settle in separate pairs in damp, cluttered conifers (spruce-fir) or. In winter, hazel grouse feed on trees with catkins of birch, alder, etc., and spend the night in the snow. Main food in summer: green parts of plants, berries, seeds and insects. The hazel grouse is a valuable game bird.

(Tetrao urogallus), a bird of the grouse family of the gallinaceae order. Males weigh on average 4100 g, females - 2000. It is a sedentary bird, but sometimes makes seasonal migrations. Inhabits mixed conifers of Europe and Asia. The distribution area and number of wood grouse have decreased greatly over the past 100 - 200 years, and in some places it has disappeared. In Russia, as forests are cut down, the capercaillie retreats to the north; in a number of regions in the south, the forest zone has disappeared completely. During the mating season, from year to year they gather in the same places - mating grounds. Food - in summer, plant shoots, flowers, buds, berries, for chicks - insects, spiders; in autumn - larch needles, in winter - pine and spruce needles, buds. Capercaillie is an object of sport and, in some places, commercial hunting.

(Tetrao), like the capercaillie, belongs to the order of grouse. The most famous are the black grouse (Tetrao or Lyrurus tetrix) with a lyre-shaped tail, the Caucasian grouse (Tetrao mlokossewiczi), the common grouse, the field grouse (Tetrao Tetrix), the field grouse, the field grouse, the birch grouse, and the polewort. The male koscha is a rather slender bird with a strong beak, feathered legs not only up to the toes, but also between them, short wings, blunt and trough-shaped, concave from the inside. The tail of males has a characteristic deep notch. The plumage of males is generally black; the head, neck and lower back are blue, there is a white band on the wings, and the lower plumage of the tail is pure white. The distribution area of ​​the Kosach occupies the whole of Europe and Siberia. The kosach is replaced by the related Caucasian grouse, discovered only in 1875. Kosach prefers wild, dead forests rich in low bushes; birch is his favorite tree. It also loves marshy areas, although it is not actually found there. He is more dexterous than the capercaillie. He is very sensitive, his vision and hearing are excellent. Food consists of tree buds and leaves, berries, grains and insects. In the summer he eats blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries, blackberries, in the winter - juniper berries, heather, birch, beech buds, and sometimes green cones of coniferous trees; he never touches the needles. The chicks are fed exclusively on insects.

In the early nineties, the economy and the entire content of life changed radically in our country. New business opportunities have emerged, including in the field of hunting and game management.

Part one.

In the early nineties, the economy and the entire content of life changed radically in our country. New business opportunities have emerged, including
in the field of hunting and game management. In addition, hunting in other countries has become incomparably more accessible. It is clear that for visiting hunters this is a paid pleasure, but for the receiving party it is a complex but quite effective business. Moreover, the experience of countries where it has long been well developed shows that the hunting industry is more profitable compared to traditional agriculture.

A number of African countries are significantly reducing the intensity of forest harvesting to preserve forests as a habitat for game animals. During foreign hunts (especially the first ones), most of our compatriots experience serious shocks. It is clear that in Africa there is a sea of ​​​​unseen animals, but this is expected and generally known. However, when in European countries - Spain, Sweden, Austria, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, etc. - you catch dozens of ungulates and hundreds of game birds in one day, you begin to seriously think about how they manage to do this.
Probably everyone has heard about the Spanish Montereys, during which about a hundred (!) animals are killed in one large drive: European red deer, fallow deer, mouflon and wild boar. These hunts are carried out in compliance with traditional rituals - with bonfires, music, etc. The festive dinner is also an indispensable part of the ritual.

As a rule, hunting participants are offered to hunt red partridges in a pen. No one refuses such an invitation. Usually, each guest is given two identical shotguns, five hundred rounds of ammunition and a secretary - loader.
With the beginning of the drive, the partridges move in an increasing wave. Secretaries sometimes barely have time to reload their guns. My compatriots, unaccustomed to such an abundance of game, simply go crazy. Will we ever be able to get several hundred heads of game in a couple of hours?!
I remember the incredibly productive hunts for ungulates in private farms in Sweden (“ROG” No. 51, 2011). In an area of ​​less than three thousand hectares, without any barriers, hundreds of ungulates stayed. With very strict restrictions on the sex and age of animals of each species allowed for hunting, at least twenty ungulates of different species (elk, European red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar) were taken in each hunt.
It is possible to raise and maintain such a number of animals in relatively small areas thanks to high-quality and varied feeding. In addition to the abundance of animals, Swedish hunting is amazing due to the presence of very good roads and technical support on the grounds. Here there is radio communication for all participants in the hunt (including dogs), and vehicles, including special ones, with winches for pulling hunted animals out of hard-to-reach places, and cars with warm kennels for transporting dogs, and cars that transport shooters to half-towers before the start of the hunt and collected after. The number of service personnel significantly exceeds the number of hunters. At the bases where hunters are received, impeccable living conditions and absolutely luxurious food and service are provided.
I had vivid impressions from hunting red partridges and pheasants on the grounds of the Montefeltro company in the northern part of Italy. Each of the fifteen hunters was given a pair of guns and one secretary (assistant) who loaded them. There were three pens. Each hunter fired approximately 200 shots. It is clear that the effectiveness of shooting was mainly determined by the shooting skills of the guests. The flight of the bird was so intense that it was impossible to touch the barrels of the guns, and the secretaries did not always have time to load. The general situation of the hunt aroused extraordinary excitement even among seasoned hunters. The traditional display of game, and then a luxurious dinner with the organizers of the hunt, was a wonderful end to this rare holiday.
It is impossible to forget the exciting hunts in Germany, when four dozen animals were hunted in one pen.
These amazing hunts raise an important question: How do small, industrialized countries with high population densities manage to welcome tens of thousands of foreign hunting enthusiasts each year? A well-developed service sector for “expensive” hunters provides fantastically interesting and very eventful hunts. Their organizers manage to turn each hunt into an unforgettable holiday, colored by national flavor. How is it possible to provide them all with fabulous prey hunting? The answer lies on the surface. Hunting farms are engaged in raising wild animals (ungulates and birds) intended for hunting in the same way as peasant livestock breeders do. As the necessary conditions are achieved, the animals are “sold for sale” - released into hunting grounds.

It is characteristic that the forms of keeping hunting and ordinary domestic animals are almost completely the same. There are essentially three of these basic forms: aviary, semi-free and free. Birds - ducks, partridges, pheasants - are almost always bred in enclosures. However, they do not get there right away. Usually it all starts with modern large incubators that are used in poultry farms. Large European farms breed several tens of thousands of birds per year. After the incubator, the chicks are kept in rooms with special conditions. Special feed is prepared to feed the young animals. At about three weeks old, the chicks are transferred to open-air enclosures. A high concentration of poultry requires close veterinary observation and periodic vaccination, since in such conditions the chances of losing livestock from an epizootic are very high. In addition, growing birds must be forced to move - first to run and then to fly. There are also a number of specific problems. For example, as they grow older, pheasant cockerels become so pugnacious that they can beat an opponent to death. To prevent fights, they wear special “glasses.”
Ungulates have also been raised in closed enclosures for a long time. Man began to build the first “enclosures” for wild animals, probably back in Neolithic times. All the civilizations of the ancient world that we know anything about were associated with hunting and keeping wild animals in captivity. In Western European countries, enclosure keeping of game animals has developed rapidly since the beginning of the 16th century.