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Bulgaria’s hunting grounds



Man is a man when he is a hunter, keen hunters in this country believe. The hunting season of Bulgaria opens in mid-August with hunting quails, woodcock, snipe and woodpigeons. Oct. 1 is the launch of big game hunting, as well as of partridges and pheasants.



There are 130,000 registered hunters in Bulgaria and the country welcomes many fans of this ancient sport from Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and other European states. Over the recent years this country has emerged as a good destination for hunting tourism. Ivan Petkov, Chairman of the national hunting and fishing society – the Union of Hunters &
Anglers in Bulgaria, says more about it.



“Bulgaria is an oasis of many game species that are extinct in Europe”, Ivan Petkov says. “For example, one of the protected species locally is the brown bear – we also follow a plan of its management, while in many countries of Western Europe this species is extinct. We also have a large population of wolves – a remarkably big game that is absent in the rest of Europe. Now a management plan for this species is being developed so as to protect it as part of the continent’s natural wealth. We can rightfully claim that at this stage Bulgaria has a unique nature and givens providing an opportunity for the development of large game populations. Coming here foreigners are acquainted not only with the local hunting opportunities but also with the country’s heritage. This has become ever more important today, when Bulgaria is part of the EU and interest in it has become stronger. All this combined with the natural hospitality of the people and the diverse local traditions, makes Bulgaria a tempting destination indeed.”

The responsibility of hunters for the protection and management of Bulgaria’s game wealth is enormous. The National Union of Hunters &
Anglers takes special care of that. “This year we are going to reintroduce to wild nature 166,000 birds, by 26,000 more on 2010”, Ivan Petkov explains. He contends that hunters in Bulgaria are aware of their responsibility in game management that it in turn, improves protection significantly. Now he says more about the dream of all hunters – a major hunting trophy.



“Well, everybody is content and discovers their trophy. The boar is one of the most widely hunted species in Bulgaria and interest in it is strong. Foreigners often come to Bulgaria for red deer trophies, because the populations of this regal animal in this country live up to very high trophy indexes. At the hunting exhibition held only recently in Bratislava, Slovakia, Bulgaria presented a red deer trophy evaluated as very rare for the last 20 years!”



Hunting is known to occupy hunters’ minds very strongly and is a celebrated way of moving very close to wild nature and of accepting its rules. And though guns provide a certain advantage to humans, wild animals are sometimes the winners in the big hunting hide-and-seek. The sensation of being in touch with wild nature is as great when we are not armed. Bulgaria offers a few great locations for photo-hunting as well.



“We manage a hunting farm in the Eastern Rhodopes in the region of Kardjali”, Ivan Petkov goes on to say. “Its name is Studen Kladenets, and it is visited every year by a French group. They stay about 10 to 12 days and practice photo-hunting exclusively. Studen Kladenets is a unique region where one can photo-hunt vultures, wolves, boars, hares, partridges, woodcocks and a large population of fallow deer. I’d call this an excellent photo-hunting destination.”

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Bulgaria Top Destination for Hunting Red Deer



Bulgaria has emerged as one of the most popular global destinations for the hunting of red deer among "
hunting tourists,"
according to the State Forestry Agency.

A total of 73 foreign hunters arrived to hunt red deer in the past month, the Agency said in a statement, adding that the red deer population in Bulgaria numbers between 18 000 and 21 000 animals.

The trophies from red deer's horns that are obtained by the hunters in Bulgaria usually weigh between 7 kg and 14 kg.

The fall period (September-October) is the best time to hunt red deer, the Forestry Agency says.

The hunting tourists who came for red deer trophies in Bulgaria in September were from Germany, Austria, France, Spain, and Denmark.

"
The competitive and attractive prices for organized hunting tourism are an opportunity not only to provoke interest for Bulgaria with foreign hunters but also to promote Bulgaria's eco and rural tourism,"
the Agency statement reads.

In March 2011, the Forestry Agency announced data for 2010 showing that Bulgaria's hunting tourism is enjoying growing local and international interest: a total of 3 992 foreign nationals and 3 761 Bulgarians had hunting tourism trips in Bulgaria in 2010.

The group hunt of wild pigs is the most sought after hunting tourism attraction in Bulgaria, the data indicates.

The foreign nationals who hunt in Bulgaria come primarily from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Greece.

In 2010, Bulgaria's state hunting areas, subdivisions of the Forestry Agency, registered a total of revenue of EUR 2.050 M from hunting tourism.

The state hunting areas "
Cherekitsa"
, "
Rositsa"
, and "
Cherni Lom"
have generated the largest revenues.