Paphos hunters report scarce game at start of summer wood pigeon season

Paphos, Cyprus. Hunters headed to the countryside at first light on Sunday for the first summer wood pigeon hunt of the year, marking the start of the hunting season. Despite a strong turnout, hunters reported limited game and concerns over the declining number of areas available for hunting.

Concerns over hunting areas

Hunter Andreas Krotalias said conditions were becoming increasingly difficult each year, with too many hunters competing for limited game in a progressively restricted area.

He said prohibited hunting zones and areas where birds remain throughout the year had further reduced the land available to hunters, describing the overall situation as tragic.

Krotalias also questioned whether the summer hunting season should have proceeded under the current environmental and weather conditions.

He called on the relevant authorities to give greater consideration to overall environmental conditions when managing hunting areas and issuing permits, while ensuring sufficient land remains available for hunters.

Limited game reported

Another hunter, Andreas Papagapiou, said he had shot one wood pigeon but agreed that game had been scarce.

Despite the limited haul, he said hunting was valued as much for the experience as for the number of birds shot.

Papagapiou attributed the scarcity partly to the large number of prohibited hunting areas and suggested that wood pigeon hunting should be permitted more widely. He said areas already open for hare and partridge hunting could also be opened for wood pigeon hunting.