The hunting of the woodcock and its future.
The role of scientists
It seems that the only defenders of the woodcock are a few scientists, mostly foreigners, and woodcock hunters with expertise in the field. They are the only ones able to give us the direction to follow to try to perpetuate the hunting of the woodcock. On one condition that we hear them and that the hunting world follows their recommendations.
Their financial means , it must be admitted, mainly come from hunters. These scientists can be the best allies of woodcock hunters, are they aware of this?
The studies carried out by the various stakeholders are able to give us a lot of information on woodcock and allow us to get to know this bird even better, which according to the latest estimates, show a sharp drop (44%) in the harvest in France over the past thirty years, in particular a strong downward trend over the past decade.
The numbers are lacking! moreover at present the figures are only estimates. How to measure the importance of samples in Brittany or elsewhere, due to the importance of the immigration of hunters from all over France.
Even the ONCFS deplores the unreliability of the estimate of removals in France, and in the countries which take the greatest number of woodcock. So how do you get reliable information? All woodcock hunters, and in many areas, can see significant changes and this should challenge hunters in the way they hunt woodcock.
An element to our decisive opinion, currently not implemented , the establishment of an ICA after February 20.
It is essential to estimate the number at this time, to compare it with the ICA established during the following season and to measure the links between the samples for one year and the numbers for the following season. The study and comparison of these ICAs, could thus set a PMA for the future season. These studies must be carried out over several seasons to determine precise analyzes and take them into account.