A chance encounter with Flanders officials – wild boar problems

[gra_farmer]

So I am involved with numerous projects particularly cross-channel exchanges focusing upon water quality and quantity predominantly, but they also come across weird and wonderful problems and help to find unique solutions for.


It just so happens today that I was involved with an entourage of government officials from Flanders (Belgium), after numerous conversations around various areas of conservation and working with landowners, I was made aware of a unique situation to Flanders where hunters have introduced wild boar from further afield, most likely from mainland France, into the woodlands.


Now Flanders is highly developed very much a similar situation to the south-east of England, but with less green space, and was told that these wild boar populations are relatively out-of-control, with wild boar roaming the urban areas posing risk to human health and endangerment.

I was told that after numerous discussions around this topic they have not been able to find a clear solution, particularly in relation to hunting using locals due to the lack of training, or lack of interest for those with skill? It's not that there are not hunters there that can help, it sounds like the job at hand is quite big for the competent hunters locally.

Upon discussion with them I highlighted that deer stalking licensing / certification (DSC1 and DSC2) needs to show competency in the UK, and that individuals of a proficient level could be potentially invited over to Flanders, with travel paid for, and accommodation provided……think of it as a hunting holiday, whilst at the same time providing a valuable service to our neighbours, whom make very nice strong beers and chocolates

So a quick question to the collective, the competency of any potential hunters needs to be assessed, how can this be done remotely, as part of the selection stage?

What would you consider to be the minimum requirement? Acknowledging that boar hunting is completely different to deer!

Hunting will be undertaken in the wilder areas safely away from urban areas, unfortunately these areas are not as vast as most stalkers will be used to.

If this goes beyond an idea stage, there will be guidance and support to make this happen.

As a separate project I will be working closely with Flanders government officials up until October, so can give feedback on the idea. At the moment this is just to explore possible interest, and likely be a collaborative culling venture with locals.

So as a soundboard, whom is interested?

Edit: you would be able to bring some meat back, there will be loads, and as a circular economy, it is intended (based upon interest) most will be shared with locals. But zero / minimal waste is encouraged.

 

[Van-Wild]

Well I'd do it.

Do I get to keep the meat, pack it and bring it back to the UK?

Provision of DMQ certificate should be enough. Maybe a shooting test prior to travel if needed.

Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk

 

[punkrockcaveman]

My brother in law would be interested I'm sure. I'll have a word

 

[Lean'n'mean]

If it's anything like France, there will be quite a lot of admin & authorizations required.

 

[slowworm]

A couple of thoughts.

Isn't there any Belgian or French organisation similar to our BASC or BDS? If not you could try the UK organisations.

I'm not sure there's a large overlap with a DSC and wild bore, the DSC 1 has a lot of deer management in it which I'm not sure relates to boar.

I'd want someone with wild boar experience, I would assume you would be shooting them from a high seat or similar if you're in a built up area? What's the legal calibre requirements over there?

 

[TeeDee]

I believe hunting Wild Boar and Hunting Deer may be worlds apart in some ways.

If I remember rightly if you are an authority approved boar hunter in the UK you are then allowed a section 5 handgun in case you need to enter the brush and finish the beastie off. I don't know many DSC1 holders with the benefit of a Section 5 addition but something to bear in mind as angry wounded Boars do come with angry tusks in the brush at femoral artery height.

 

[TeeDee]

I'll bring a spear and some Chainmail.

 

[TLM]

Some clear info about legal or required calibers and hunting conditions would certainly help. My choice 30-06 11.7g SP, 12 g slugs, 357 hollow points. What's legal?

 

[gra_farmer]

I'll bring a spear and some Chainmail.

I thought you would....picturing this as an outcome

 

[gra_farmer]

Some clear info about legal or required calibers and hunting conditions would certainly help. My choice 30-06 11.7g SP, 12 g slugs, 357 hollow points. What's legal?

Need to check, this idea was floated by them only today, but positive response. Thus wanting to gauge interest

 

[abilou]

I would do it and pay for my own travel and accommodation but it’s not the same as deer stalking. Would it be driven or ambush at night on bait? Plenty of us with short range /heavy bullet rifles I suspect.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

A couple of thoughts.

Isn't there any Belgian or French organisation similar to our BASC or BDS? If not you could try the UK organisations.

I'm not sure there's a large overlap with a DSC and wild bore, the DSC 1 has a lot of deer management in it which I'm not sure relates to boar.

I'd want someone with wild boar experience, I would assume you would be shooting them from a high seat or similar if you're in a built up area? What's the legal calibre requirements over there?

The major hunting organisation in Belgium is the; >Royal Saint Hubert club de Belgique.< ( Saint Hubert is the patron saint of hunters & also what the francophones call the bloodhound)

I don't know about the UK but if a Frenchie wanted to hunt in Belgium, he would need to buy a provisional Belgian hunting licence (valid for 5 consecutive days ), delivered by showing a French hunting licence & insurance valid in Belgium. There are hunting seasons too, so everything will require considerable organization. If you're bringing your own shootin' irons to the party, you'll also need a European firearms licence with the make & calibre of the guns you're using inscribed.

Organized wild boar hunts usually consist of stationed standing hunters waiting for the game (chased by dogs &/or beaters) to pass into their line of fire. High seats are more likely to be found on private estates. Unless you have been invited to an informal shoot 'em up, there may be a fee to pay too.
There won't be any shooting near built up areas & there are laws & regs regarding shooting distances from buildings, roads, footpaths, fields with livestock etc. which is why a foreigner will need to be accompanied by someone who knows the rules & terrain but no one goes boar hunting alone anyway.

 

[gra_farmer]

The major hunting organisation in Belgium is the; >Royal Saint Hubert club de Belgique.< ( Saint Hubert is the patron saint of hunters & also what the francophones call the bloodhound)

I don't know about the UK but if a Frenchie wanted to hunt in Belgium, he would need to buy a provisional Belgian hunting licence (valid for 5 consecutive days ), delivered by showing a French hunting licence & insurance valid in Belgium. There are hunting seasons too, so everything will require considerable organization. If you're bringing your own shootin' irons to the party, you'll also need a European firearms licence with the make & calibre of the guns you're using inscribed.

Organized wild boar hunts usually consist of stationed standing hunters waiting for the game (chased by dogs &/or beaters) to pass into their line of fire. High seats are more likely to be found on private estates. Unless you have been invited to an informal shoot 'em up, there may be a fee to pay too.
There won't be any shooting near built up areas & there are laws & regs regarding shooting distances from buildings, roads, footpaths, fields with livestock etc. which is why a foreigner will need to be accompanied by someone who knows the rules & terrain but no one goes boar hunting alone anyway.

I would do it and pay for my own travel and accommodation but it’s not the same as deer stalking. Would it be driven or ambush at night on bait? Plenty of us with short range /heavy bullet rifles I suspect.

Driven, raised platforms and targeted areas away from urban areas. Guided by locals to notably reduce wild boar populations over a short term duration.

As I said above, this is currently just gauging interest and a collective thought process on the practical side of this.

I will be hopefully be in touch next week with them, to see what they think, it's a bit of homework first.....

 

[gra_farmer]

Some clear info about legal or required calibers and hunting conditions would certainly help. My choice 30-06 11.7g SP, 12 g slugs, 357 hollow points. What's legal?

From my experience in France, we used 12g slugs, which had a hell of a kick. But guidelines can be provided if this goes beyond the idea stage.

 

[forrestdweller]

I'll bring a spear and some Chainmail.

why not going Aussie/ Kiwi style?! (= a pack of trained dogs with body armour to seek and surround the pig and the hunter goes in and "finishes the job" with a pig sticker (=large knife)) no risk of stray bullets in populated areas...

or maybe call Asterix & Obelix for help...

 

[TLM]

we used 12g slugs, which had a hell of a kick

They do, don't they, noisy too but effective if properly placed.

 

[TeeDee]

why not going Aussie/ Kiwi style?! (= a pack of trained dogs with body armour to seek and surround the pig and the hunter goes in and "finishes the job" with a pig sticker (=large knife)) no risk of stray bullets in populated areas...

or maybe call Asterix & Obelix for help...

Because I would consider that inhumane and to be blunt, fricking mental.

 

[forrestdweller]

sorry if i go slightly off topic:
my previous comment was not a serious suggestion. while i do agree that's its indeed a somewhat crazy hunting method i don't think it's more inhumane than driving a pig towards a hunter waiting with a spear... .i've no idea when this hunting method evolved, but stalking close to a feral pig in dense scrub (and mountainous terrain in New Zealand) to get a clear (rifle)shot can be tricky... apart from dingos the feral (not native to either Oz or Nz) pig have no natural enemy so hunting is the only way to control their numbers. while i haven't participated in pigsticking i do know personally people (none of which were nutcases )who do and my knowledge is based on their statement: a pig hunting dog team consists of a smaller sniffer dog and about four or five dogs of larger breeds whose job it is to surround the pig WITHOUT actually engaging it (usually they wear chest armour for protection), the human then "goes in for the kill", either by large knife or short spear. the idea is to make a clean kill and NOT just wildly stabbing and slashing! at least some hunters do this professionally as the meat gets exported to europe (if free of parasites)... one advantage of this hunting style would be that it can be used in areas too densely populated for safe use of firearms

hope that clarifies any misunderstanding and again my apologies in case my post upset someone as this wasn't my intention

 

[abilou]

Some interesting and sensible comments. Obviously I have no idea where the location is but I do this a fair amount with other animals. The requirement is a fairly quick death with lack of potential to run away too far. I kill a lot of things in the course of a year. I am not sentimental about it but respect the animal nevertheless. Everything is eaten by me or other people. It has not been on the horrid trip to the abattoir. It gets shot with the best option I can use in the circumstance. Normally large calibre heavy bullet was high will cause a quick death.
Pigs are sturdy and will try to kill you if you cock it up. Driven shooting is very sporting but the animal has the adrenaline rush so will be unpredictable in contrast to the animal that is relaxed in its own environment. TBH the meat is also better if meat eating is your thing.

 

[swyn]

So I am involved with numerous projects particularly cross-channel exchanges focusing upon water quality and quantity predominantly, but they also come across weird and wonderful problems and help to find unique solutions for.


It just so happens today that I was involved with an entourage of government officials from Flanders (Belgium), after numerous conversations around various areas of conservation and working with landowners, I was made aware of a unique situation to Flanders where hunters have introduced wild boar from further afield, most likely from mainland France, into the woodlands.


Now Flanders is highly developed very much a similar situation to the south-east of England, but with less green space, and was told that these wild boar populations are relatively out-of-control, with wild boar roaming the urban areas posing risk to human health and endangerment.

I was told that after numerous discussions around this topic they have not been able to find a clear solution, particularly in relation to hunting using locals due to the lack of training, or lack of interest for those with skill? It's not that there are not hunters there that can help, it sounds like the job at hand is quite big for the competent hunters locally.

Upon discussion with them I highlighted that deer stalking licensing / certification (DSC1 and DSC2) needs to show competency in the UK, and that individuals of a proficient level could be potentially invited over to Flanders, with travel paid for, and accommodation provided……think of it as a hunting holiday, whilst at the same time providing a valuable service to our neighbours, whom make very nice strong beers and chocolates

So a quick question to the collective, the competency of any potential hunters needs to be assessed, how can this be done remotely, as part of the selection stage?

What would you consider to be the minimum requirement? Acknowledging that boar hunting is completely different to deer!

Hunting will be undertaken in the wilder areas safely away from urban areas, unfortunately these areas are not as vast as most stalkers will be used to.

If this goes beyond an idea stage, there will be guidance and support to make this happen.

As a separate project I will be working closely with Flanders government officials up until October, so can give feedback on the idea. At the moment this is just to explore possible interest, and likely be a collaborative culling venture with locals.

So as a soundboard, whom is interested?

Edit: you would be able to bring some meat back, there will be loads, and as a circular economy, it is intended (based upon interest) most will be shared with locals. But zero / minimal waste is encouraged.

My great uncle commanded a company in the BEF shortly before Dunkirk. This is part of his story.
His first job in France was to feed his regiment with ‘supplementals’.
Morning parade; all keepers and countrymen were ordered to take one pace forward. The men who were good with a rifle were then tasked to go out and shoot the local game. I think the regiment ate well for a time.
After the war he and his buddies used to go to Europe to shoot pigs. This a was highly organised affair with arcs of fire marked by coloured signs with the animals driven toward the guns.
I suppose doing this was easier then as the population was less dispersed.
S