Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - VIII. Shooting and Fishing - 1. Shooting and Shooting Legislation. By A. N. H. Wahlgren, Master of forest, Uppsala
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SHOOTING AND SHOOTING LEGISLATION.
673
few countries, where this beautiful bird is protected by law, during
part of the breeding time. This is also the case with the common
snipes, which, through the continual drainage of the bog-lands lose
suitable breeding-places. Among swimmers the mallard, with respect
to hunting, is doubtless the most important, and it occurs in varying
numbers both in the interior and along the coast. On rocks and cliffs
in the sea, as also in mountain lakes and rivers in Norrland, several
species of poachards breed, which like the mallard are migratory birds
and during their flights in autumn and spring along our coasts are
keenly pursued by the coast-population, who also exact heavy tribute
from other swimmers dwelling on the coasts.
From an economical standpoint, the shooting is not nowadays of the same
importance as before, when the supply of game was richer. Only few of the
inhabitants of the country might now be able to make a living out of hunting.
In the Lappdistrict8 of the Läns of Norrbotten and Vesterbotten and in the Län
of Jemtland, where the catching of forest birds and ptarmigan by help of traps and
snares still is peimitted by the law, the poorer population may be able to
obtain a considerable contribution to their livelihood. Considerable quantities of
birds obtained in this way are annually exported in frozen state from these
regions to more southern parts of the country. The hunter who succeeds in
killing an elk or two in the year, can also be said to make a good profit, as a
grown up elk has a value of 75 to 100 kronor. That the coast-population can
gain an income out of sea-fowl is mentioned above. For the rest, only a
comparatively small profit will be gained by the individual out of shooting as long
as the gamestock is kept on the low level to which it bas sunk by and by in
the more densely populated parts. The shooting is, however, of no mean value to
the landowner, inasmuch as well-to-do enthusiastic sportsmen for their own
pleasure more and more seek to obtain the right of shooting on adjoining land areas,
against payment of so-called shooting-rents. What the landowner cannot gain by his
own shooting, he can thus, through letting out his shooting, obtain to an amount
often considerably higher than the game, existing on his grounds really represents.
Though the shooting thus for the individual can be said to be of
comparatively inferior importance as a source of gain, still the game killed in the
whole country represents a considerable capital, which is well worth administering
in a practical way. Only the elks killed each year have a market-value of
nearly 150,000 kronor, which capitalized after 5 % makes the considerable
amount of 3 million kronor. In all probability the value of the quantities of
forest birds, ptarmigan, partridges, sea-fowl, and hares which are annually killed,
amounts to still larger sums. As the game, besides, makes a healthy and
nourishing food, which is highly estimated for its excellent taste, and as the
shooting is a strengthening and hardening sport for the growing generation,
all seems to indicate that one ought to pay such attention to the game, that not
only its decrease be prevented but much rather its development advanced. The
interest for an improved preservation of the game is also steadily increasing, and
the desideratum of the shooting is encouraged by numerous hunters’ associations
and unions for the protection of game, which have coalesced for mutual
collaboration under the name of the Swedish Hunters’ association. A new game-law,
worked out by a special committee under the supervision of H. R. H. the
Crown-prince, has also been submitted to the consideration of the Riksdag, though as
yet without success.
Sueden. 43
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