Capercaillie hunting - spring 2010

Hi friends!
I have some photos from last year.
It was in Belarus in the april 2010.
Ther are 5 hunters from Bavaria was a one of the best hunting areas Belarus.
The capercaillie hunt, organized during the tooting period at the beginning of spring is for many hunters one of the most unforgettable experiences. There are two methods of hunting for Capercaillie: in the evening, when Capercaillie come to the tooting ground, or at dawn, when the tooting bird sings. The evening hunting takes place when Capercaillie seek a good tooting ground for the morning tooting. The morning hunting, which is in fact the most frequently used and the most effective, takes place when Capercaillie begin tooting.
Hunting ‘against singing’ consists in stalking the tooting Capercaillie in the rhythm of the song. An experienced hunter is able to recognize four phases in the song – clapping, trilling, corking and grinding. Each phase lasts from 1.5 to 2 seconds. During the grinding phase the cock cannot see or hear anything and this is a good time for the hunter to approach it by 2-3 steps. An intensively tooting cock can give as many as 200 songs one morning. After reaching the distance of the effective gunshot you have to wait till dawn.

That seems like a very nice hunt! Unfortunately hunting birds in spring is banned here in Sweden since many years, but I love to go and listen to the tooting capercaille and black cocks on early spring mornings. I mostly hunt the birds during winter when they are forced to feed in the treetops. They clearly stand out against the snow and can be shot with an accurate rifle, it is a really nice but demanding form of hunting.

Originally Posted by Umebo

That seems like a very nice hunt! Unfortunately hunting birds in spring is banned here in Sweden since many years, but I love to go and listen to the tooting capercaille and black cocks on early spring mornings. I mostly hunt the birds during winter when they are forced to feed in the treetops. They clearly stand out against the snow and can be shot with an accurate rifle, it is a really nice but demanding form of hunting.

But with a dogs by snow is a very sporting hunt, i think.
In Belorus the capercaillie hunting is only in spring possible for 2-3 Weeks.

Best regards

This video from hunting area Vitebsk: