Who can you hunt with small fish? Main features of hunting, advice from experienced hunters

November 5, 2018
Hunting
Natali Michaelis

Small-caliber weapons (in common parlance - small guns) have been used by hunters for several decades. Such rifles owe their popularity to their relatively low price combined with high destructive power. A small bore rifle is also a good option for those who value silent shots. However, despite all the above advantages, few people know who can be hunted with small fish in Russia. This is exactly what we will talk about in our article.

Legislative side of the issue

If you are interested in the question of whether it is possible to hunt with small animals in Russia, then we hasten to please you: in most regions it is allowed to freely shoot birds and small animals with a license. However, in the spring season, the use of such weapons is strictly prohibited. This is due to the fact that approach hunting is prohibited in the spring. Those who love excitement should give preference to smooth-bore carbines or classic shotguns. Hunters with small fish will have to wait until summer.

How to start hunting

In order to engage in hunting, you need to obtain the following documents and buy a weapon suitable for hunting.

Hunting weapon

Hunting in Russia is permitted with the following types of weapons (Article 1, Law on Hunting):

pneumatic hunting weapons;
firearms, smooth-bore and rifled weapons;
hunting throwing small arms;
steel arms.

It is important to understand that the use of this or that type of weapon during hunting is regulated by hunting rules; we will talk about this later.

To obtain and purchase the above weapons, you must obtain the appropriate permits to store and carry this type of weapon and a hunting license.

The best small fish for hunting

When talking about small-caliber rifles, they most often mean the Czech-made model CZ-452. This unit has an optimal price-quality ratio and is suitable for both beginners and professionals. This rifle can be presented in several versions that will satisfy the needs of even the most demanding hunters. Do you like beautiful designs or custom sights? In the stores you can choose a weapon to suit every taste and budget.

A few words about the materials used in the manufacturing process. The Czechs are trying to do everything possible to reduce the cost of such weapons, but this in no way affects the quality. Classic models are not distinguished by their sophisticated design, since the main purpose of such weapons is effective shooting. In general, if you are wondering what is the best small gun to buy for hunting, then you should definitely pay attention to the Czech-made model CZ-452.

If this option does not suit you, then you can purchase an old Soviet copy of the TOZ-17, which has similar ballistic characteristics. Of course, you should pay special attention to the condition of the weapon. It is unlikely that it will be possible to achieve good accuracy while shooting from a unit that has never been lubricated in 30 years.

A few words about rifled weapons

A rifled weapon differs from a smooth-bore weapon in the inner surface of the barrel. It has spiral-shaped notches that cause the bullet to rotate. As a result, after the bullet leaves the barrel, it participates in translational and rotational motion. What does rotating a bullet at a speed of several thousand revolutions per second give? To answer this question, it is enough to recall the principle of operation of a gyroscope (or the stability of a rotating disk).

Rifled weapons appeared in the 15th century. German gunsmiths came up with the idea of making a barrel with rifled grooves in order to improve the flight performance of a bullet, but rifles and carbines gained due popularity only in the 18th century. Bullets for modern rifled weapons have their own distinctive features; their shape is streamlined and elongated in length. Such bullets are capable of hitting a target at distances of about two kilometers, while targeted shooting from a smooth-bore weapon can be carried out from only a few hundred meters.

Among the variety of rifled weapons, several groups are distinguished, characterized by design, barrel length and caliber. A rifle with a short barrel is called a carbine. By design, weapons are divided into rifles with manual reloading, semi-automatic and automatic.

The caliber of a firearm is the diameter of its barrel. In Russia, the most popular calibers are 5.45 mm and 7.62 mm, this is the caliber of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Most domestic rifles have the same calibers. The only difference is how long the cartridge case is placed in the cartridge for a particular weapon. The United States does not adhere to such standards, and the universal cartridge for the NATO army is considered to be the 5.56 caliber cartridge, which is suitable for the AR-15/M16 assault rifle.

Hunting rules and opening dates

Have you thought about what kind of game you can hunt with small fish? As a rule, such hunting is carried out on small fur-bearing animals using an optical sight: hare, squirrel, badger or marmot. It is allowed to hunt such animals in winter and autumn. More detailed information about the timing of the opening of hunting for fur-bearing animals can be found in the local branch of Rosselkhoznadzor or on the state portal. Remember that the heads of some regions have the right to establish bans on the shooting of certain game due to the small population.

Also, some hunters prefer to shoot birds using a small-caliber rifle. However, approach hunting in spring is prohibited for all birds. The exception is hunting for capercaillie on a lek. In all other cases, you will have to wait for the opening of the hunting season from the approach or use a smoothbore gun, taking cover. As a rule, the season opens at the end of August or beginning of September.

What does a hunter have to do?

According to the hunting rules, the hunter must comply with the following:

Have the following documents with you:

hunting license;
in case of hunting with hunting firearms and (or) pneumatic weapons, a permit to store and carry hunting weapons;
in the case of hunting in publicly accessible hunting grounds, a permit for the extraction of hunting resources, issued in the prescribed manner;
in the case of hunting in designated hunting grounds, a permit for the extraction of hunting resources, issued in the prescribed manner and a permit;
in the case of hunting in other territories that are the habitat of game animals, a permit for the extraction of hunting resources issued by government authorities or environmental institutions authorized in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation in the prescribed manner;
in case of hunting with birds of prey, permission to keep and breed in semi-free conditions or in an artificially created habitat;

The hunter is obliged to present the above documents, hunting tools and hunting products at the request of the following officials:

an authorized government body exercising federal state hunting supervision;
territorial bodies of the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Natural Resources and state institutions under the jurisdiction of executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, to which Federal Law N 52-FZ is assigned the functions of protection, federal state supervision and regulation of the use of wildlife and their habitats;
other officials authorized in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;

If a production hunting inspector comes up to you and shows you the identification of a production hunting inspector , at his request you must show him:

necessary documents from the list above;
things on one's person (including hunting tools, hunting products) and vehicles for their inspection.

From Article 41 of the Federal Law on Hunting... dated April 24, 2022, paragraph 7 (extract):
Industrial hunting inspectors have the right to:
check, upon presentation of a certificate of industrial hunting inspector, compliance with requirements in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources, including compliance with hunting rules and hunting parameters established in accordance with this Federal Law and the laws of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, norms in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources, as well as the presence of a hunting license, voucher, permission to extract hunting resources and permission to store and carry hunting firearms and (or) pneumatic weapons;
upon presentation of a certificate of a production hunting inspector, if there is sufficient data on violations of the requirements in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources by a person located within the boundaries of the hunting ground, inspect the things located with the specified person (including hunting tools, hunting products), stop and inspect vehicles without violating the integrity or opening the inspected items, vehicles and their parts ;
during the inspection of things and vehicles, use photo and video recording equipment;
in case of detection of violations of requirements in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources containing signs of an administrative offense or crime , as well as in the event of harm to hunting resources and their habitat by legal entities and citizens when they hunt within the boundaries of the hunting ground, draw up acts on the presence of signs of administrative offenses or crimes related to violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources.

It is important to note the difference between the concepts of inspection, inspection and search; these are all completely different procedures with different legal consequences.

Quail hunting

A distinctive feature of the behavior of this small bird is that it spends most of its time on the ground. Even in case of danger, birds do not immediately rise to the wing, but first try to escape from a person or predator. In this regard, you can get close enough to the quails and make an accurate shot. This task is greatly simplified when using good optics. However, even with an open sight you can fire fairly accurately from a distance of 30-40 meters.

Professional hunters also recommend using a pipe or electric decoy to attract as many birds as possible. The sound of small fish from a distance of 70-80 meters will be almost inaudible for birds, so you will be able to shoot single individuals while the flock is eating. At the same time, the remaining birds will not rise to the wing.

Restrictions on handling weapons

Safety rules impose certain restrictions on hunting participants:

You cannot be in cities or on the territory of other populated areas with an unloaded gun.
It is prohibited to shoot at a distance of 200 m or less from a settlement or the nearest residential building.
You cannot shoot in thickets, dense thickets or in an area with limited visibility at flying birds located more than 10 m from the hunter. It is also prohibited to shoot at game birds flying at a height of up to 2.5 m.
It is forbidden to shoot based on noise, rustling or movement of branches and bushes. It is also forbidden to aim at unclear silhouettes without firm confidence in the final goal.
Do not shoot in conditions of poor visibility: fog, rain, heavy snow. Hunting during twilight and aiming towards the sun is also prohibited.

The rules for handling weapons also prescribe behavioral restrictions when hunting:

You cannot finish off wounded game with a butt. In the heat of excitement, you can forget about the number of charges and allow an accidental shot.
You cannot fire shots while standing at full height in a boat. There is a high probability that the hunter will be knocked over by the recoil. At the same time, during a fall, you can unknowingly fire shots that are dangerous to others.
The law establishes a strict ban on the consumption of alcoholic beverages both before hunting and directly during the process. Alcohol significantly reduces concentration and hunting while intoxicated can be dangerous both for partners and for the shooter himself.

Duck hunting

Duck hunting with minnows is also quite common in Russia. To do this, it is best to go to a swampy area, where birds often “graze.” Just as in the previous case, it is recommended to attach an optical sight to a small-caliber rifle. This will allow you to make an accurate shot and kill the bird with one cartridge. Try to aim for the head or neck as a chest shot may not be as effective.

The recommended time for hunting is early morning or late evening, when the sun has not yet risen or has already set. During this part of the day, birds prefer to leave the banks in order to preen their feathers or eat fresh grass. The recommended shooting distance is 100 meters. It would be best to spend more time searching for a large drake, since after the first shot the flock will most likely scatter in different directions.

Other duties of the hunter:

The hunter is obliged to hunt in the territory indicated in the permit and comply with the hunting standards specified in it;
Place traps, traps and other devices in an unalarmed state no later than the last day of the validity period of the permit for the extraction of hunting resources;
after harvesting a game animal, before the start of its primary processing and (or) transportation, make an appropriate note about the harvest on the back of the permit for the extraction of hunting resources;
Upon expiration of the validity period of the permit for the extraction of hunting resources, or in cases of extraction of the amount of hunting resources specified in the permit, as well as in cases where, in accordance with the Hunting Rules, the permit for the extraction of hunting resources is considered to be used, fill out and send information about the obtained hunting resources , provided for by the permit for the extraction of hunting resources, to the place where it was received;
carry out transportation of hunting products and their sale only if there is a permit for the extraction of hunting resources, with an appropriate mark on the extraction or in the presence of a completed tear-off coupon for the specified permit; In the event that the permit for the extraction of hunting resources specifies the rate of permissible extraction of more than one individual game animal per day or the specific number of individuals of game animals or the rate of permissible production per season , transportation of the corresponding hunting products is carried out in the presence of a permit for the extraction of hunting resources without a mark on the production on its reverse side;
During a collective hunt, the person responsible for its conduct is the person in whose name the permit for the extraction of hunting resources was issued, therefore the responsibilities indicated above are usually assigned to him and he knows how and what to fill out and will explain everything during the briefing;
When carrying out a collective hunt, each hunter must have with him the documents specified above, with the exception of collective hunting for ungulates, bears, wolves, during which permits for the extraction of hunting resources are held by the person responsible for the collective hunt.

Groundhog hunting

Hunting for a marmot with small animals is carried out in clear time of day and in good weather. During rain and even on a cloudy day, the animal will remain in its hole. The best time of year for this activity is considered to be autumn, when the marmot is actively fattening in order to hibernate in winter.

This small animal is considered one of the most timid animals, so small-caliber rifled weapons with optics are much better suited for hunting than a regular shotgun with shot. Before hunting, you need to scout the area and remember the location of the holes. At lunchtime, marmots often stick their heads out of the shelter or even sit near their holes. To lure the animal, you can blow once into a special whistle, which can be purchased in specialized hunting stores.

Hare hunting

If you ask an experienced hunter about who can be hunted with small animals, the answer will most likely be one word - “hare”. This cowardly animal will not allow a person to approach it at a distance suitable for firing a shot. Therefore, you have to use smooth-bore weapons with optics. But is it worth spending expensive large-caliber cartridges on a carcass weighing no more than 2 kilograms? It would be best to use small pieces for this purpose.

You can find a hare in the winter season by the characteristic tracks left in the snow. In summer, hare trails are often found in the forest and open fields. In rural areas, these animals can even come to gardens in order to feast on fresh root vegetables. Tracking the animal will not be a big problem. Also in the forest, you can try feeding the animal for several days in the same place, and then visit there with small fish.

Punishment for violating hunting rules

The type of punishment, its definition and amount are regulated by two documents. One of them is the Code of Administrative Offenses (Article 8.37), and the second is the Criminal Code (Article 258).

According to the Administrative Code, an individual who violates hunting rules is subject to a fine of 500 to 4,000 rubles. The requirements for an official are higher, and therefore the punishment for violating the law is appropriate. A fine of up to 35 thousand rubles is provided. If within a year the hunter violates the rules again, the fine increases to 5,000 rubles, the weapon is confiscated, and the license is revoked. For violating the hunting deadlines, you can lose your hunting license for two years.

The hunter must have a license to carry weapons and a hunting license. In addition, if animals are shot on the territory of hunting farms, the citizen must have a permit giving the right to operate on the territory of this farm. To monitor compliance with hunting rules, various government agencies are involved, from the police to representatives of the environmental management department. If a citizen does not provide documents for hunting, this is fraught with a fine, and in some cases, confiscation of weapons.

Criminal liability occurs in case of malicious violation of hunting rules. Such violations include actions of citizens or a group of individuals that resulted in significant damage to wildlife. An example would be the use of cars and other vehicles to pursue prey, hunting in protected areas, or hunting animals considered prohibited for shooting. The fine reaches hundreds of thousands of rubles.

Rifled weapons are subject to mandatory licensing, but a hunter can obtain permission for them only after 5 years of owning a smooth-bore weapon.

Such requirements are quite reasonable, since rifled weapons should impose a greater degree of responsibility. For using rifled weapons in cases where they are prohibited, a hunter can pay a large sum of money, and the absence of a license is generally punishable according to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Is it possible to hunt large animals?

Is hunting with small animals allowed for larger animals? Formally yes. Some hunters go with small fish for prey larger than quail: wolf, fox and even deer. For such an event, you will need to use fairly powerful rifles that will be able to pierce the flesh of a predatory animal. It is also recommended to use special manholes that will protect the person and give him a good overview.

Hunting with a small-caliber rifle for a larger animal is impractical. In most cases, it is only possible to wound the animal, after which it runs away and is subjected to unjustified torture for several days. It would be more advisable to use large-caliber weapons for such a hunt.

Although some hunters on the forums speak positively about hunting a bear or wild boar with a small gun, we still recommend refraining from rash actions, especially for novice hunters. Some wounded animals (elk, boar) become incredibly aggressive and can even kill a person. And turning hunting into recreational shooting from manholes at live targets, leaving terrible wounds for the animals, is inhumane to say the least. It is these hunters who show cruelty towards wild animals who are most often cited as a bad example.

What types of hunting are allowed in Russia:

According to the law on hunting (Article 12), the following types of hunting can be carried out on the territory of Russia:

commercial hunting;
amateur and sport hunting;
hunting for the purpose of carrying out research activities, educational activities;
hunting for the purpose of regulating the number of hunting resources;
hunting for the purpose of acclimatization, relocation and hybridization of hunting resources;
hunting for the purpose of maintaining and breeding game resources in semi-free conditions or an artificially created habitat;
hunting in order to ensure the traditional way of life and the implementation of traditional economic activities of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, hunting carried out by persons who do not belong to these peoples, but permanently reside in the places of their traditional residence and traditional economic activities and for whom hunting is the basis of existence.

Further in the article we will consider everything in relation to sport and amateur hunting and does not apply to foreign citizens.