The hunting of the woodcock and its future.
Institutions faced with the situation
At an Oncfs meeting in October 2016, to the federation of the gironde , questioned by one of its members on this drop , Kevin Le Rest of the Bécasse Oncfs network tried to explain the drop in withdrawals by a difference between the methodology applied for 2013/2014, compared to that used in 1998/1999.
If some were able to be satisfied with this explanation, others of which I am a part were not convinced.
In view of the importance of the decline, which may endanger the future of woodcock hunting with dogs, I decided to do a full study on the subject. In order not to exceed my competence threshold, I surrounded myself with the advice of a doctor in applied mathematics and a statistical engineer. I only used the figures published by the Oncfs and the Cnb, taking please contact François Gossmann and Kévin Le Rest to ask them for details on the 2013/2014 survey, while informing them that I was going to carry out a study and that I will send them my analysis.
If it is the methodology of 2013/2014, which is in question for woodcock, it must give the same results for other hunted species. I have retained three, on which the French hunting world agrees. judge actual state .
National table estimate
ONCFS source
1998/1999
2013/2014
Deviations and conclusions
Wood pigeon
5,168,980 4,926,324 -5%: Stability of the workforce
Wild boar
343,628 723,896 + 110%: Strong increase in workforce
Turdidae
4 species of thrushes
4,537,960 2,291,574 - 50%: Slump workforce
Woodcock
1,168,000 736,129
- 37%
We were forced, with - 37% to indicate, a sharp drop in staff!
Methodology of the Oncfs, - 37% as stable!
