21.05.2009 - RMK to auction seasonal large game hunting permits 21.05

On Wednesday, 27 May at 10.00, at the oral auction to be held at RMK’s Ussimäe office in West-Viru County, four hunting permit packages for hoofed large game, valid in the Anguse hunting region from June 2009 to February 2010, will be auctioned.

In total, four 3000-8400 hectare large hunting quota for the partial area of the Anguse district of the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) will be put up for oral auction as sales units, which in total contain 85 large game hunting permits. The starting prices for the auctioning of the sales units remains between EEK 30 000-50 000.

According to Kalev Männiste, Head of the Hunting Management Department of RMK, the sale of large game permits as seasonal packages is a new and developing service – so far, the large game hunting permits have only been issued once by way of auctioning, last season in the Leluselja hunting district. “On the one hand, we attempt to provide local hunters with a more diverse hunting selection, on the other hand, to also improve the use of the resources of the state forest and increase the profitability of it,” Männiste explained the background of the new approach and added that similar auctions can be expected in several regions across Estonia at the beginning of the season.

According to the development plan prepared for 2009-2012, RMK has recently abandoned the management of unprofitable hunting districts and adjusted the borders of hunting districts to focus more extensively on the hunting-related use of state land. As of the present hunting season, RMK has also ended the sale of one-off hunting packages at the mediation of travel agents and is now mainly focusing on satisfying local market demand.

The auction, to be held on 27 May, has no participation fee and all hunters who have a hunting certificate, hunting weapon permit and big game shooting test certificate valid in Estonia, will be welcome. Every participant in the oral auction can only acquire one sales unit.

The game hunting permit will be accompanied with the obligation to hunt small game or beavers at least in the same amount as large game on the partial area of the sales unit. The winner of a bid will bear the expenses of game upkeep and additional feeding. RMK retains the right, inter alia, to provide the buyer of a permit with a recommended hunting structure of bi-ungulates by types of game and according to gender and age and prescribe the amount of small carnivores or beavers that must be hunted. Also, to determine the extent of the collection of scientific research material on the hunted game, and to coordinate and organise the hunting of large game in the hunting district.

More information about the auctions organised by RMK and hunting in the state forest can be found at the address http://rmk.ee/subject-headings/hunting.

Additional information:
Kalev Männiste
Head of the Hunting Management Department of RMK
Ph: +372 513 9642, E-mail: kalev.mannisterrmk.ee
Ahto Elmi
Head of the Anguse hunting district of RMK
Ph: +372 506 2065, E-mail: ahto.elmirmk.ee