Hunting in Romania
Encyclopedia
Romania
has a long history of hunting
. The country remains a remarkable hunting destination, drawing many a hunters because of its large numbers of brown bear
s, wolves, wild boars, red deer
, and chamois
. The concentration of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Carpathian Mountains
of central Romania is largest in the world and contains half of all Europe's population, except Russia.
Remnants of hunting implements and wild game bones in Stone Age
dwellings and burial sites or animal cave painting
s like ones in Cuciulat, Peştera cu Oase
or Peştera Muierilor
indicate the humans have been hunting in Romania for thousands of years. In the Mesolithic
age, antler
s and animal skull
s were used for jewelry and burial sites, and the bow
began common and hunt for all game types begun.
The Dacia
ns, ancient inhabitants of today's Romania, adopted the wolf (Canis lupus) as a symbol and carried wolf heads and skins on poles as totem
ic battle flag
s. Ancient Greek
and Roman
chronicles also mention hunting as an occupation.
The medieval chronicle Descriptio Moldaviae recorded that Moldavia
, one of the three historic provinces of Romania, was founded by Prince Dragos
in 1351 while hunting. He was chasing an aurochs
or a wisent
(European bison), who gored and trampled his favourite dog, a bitch named Molda, across his lands of Maramureş. After killing the aurochs, impressed with the riches and beauty of the land, he named it after his dog, brought his people and settled the lands. The aurochs' head remains until today the heraldic symbol of Moldovan
s.
Beginning in the Middle Ages as a passion or test of manhood, bears, wild boars and sometime stags were killed from close quarters with boar spear
s after being chased and bayed with dogs. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Moldova and Wallachia
paid part of their tribute
to the Ottoman Empire
in hunting falcons and wild animal furs, such as ermine
and marten
. Transylvania
n rulers, like George I Rákóczi
(1591–1648), were ardent hunters, along with most members of the nobility.
Since the 15th century, hunting reserves
were established, where game was managed, monitored and sometimes introduced
, such was the case of fallow deer
in Romania.
While nobility hunted all range of game and used horses, hounds, weapons and falcons for hunting, the common folk and peasant
s often hunted only the hare
, on foot, relying on spear
s, slings
, maces, pitchfork
s, throwing axe
s and snares. The few peasants that lived off hare hunting were known as rabiteers (iepurari). But poachers
(braconieri) illegally hunted all species. Punishments for hunting in royal forest
were severe; poachers could be sentenced
to death
.
Aurochs
became extinct
after disappearing from Romania in 16th or 17th century. The last wisent
hunt took place in 1762 in Moldavia and 1790 in Transylvania
, and wisent
are now confined to total protection in three of Romania's national parks or reserves after its reintroduction from Poland. Around the same time moose
and beaver
s started to disappear from northern Romania.
When Transylvania was part of Austria–Hungary, it was a popular hunting destination for the Hungarian nobility; some, like the resident lords like Baron Franz Nopcsa and the Teleki
, Széchény and Nádasdy families, who owned large estates
maintained only for this purpose.
Wolvers (lupari) engaged in old wolf hunting
(luparia), seeking the large bounty
of money offered per wolf, as these animals caused destruction to livestock. Wolves' fur was also prized as a material for dolman
s and winter coat
s (sube). In 1855, in Transylvania alone, 842 wolf heads were turned in for the recompense.
During the interwar period
, shepherds used strychnine
to control the wolf population, causing an ecological catastrophe. This technique failed to control the wolf population but did contribute to the extermination of the griffon vultures
(Gyps fulvus); the last one was shot in 1929, while flying over the Făgăraş Mountains
. The black vulture
(Aegypius monachus) was next to disappear.
Until World War I, nobility and gentry
indulged in large hunts. In 1901, a party of Count Geza Szecheny killed 28 brown bears in three weeks in Transylvania. Another 22 bears were killed by a parallel hunting party.
Realising that game can only be preserved through protection and education, in 1931, Romania established the world's second-oldest hunting museum, in the Royal Park
, Bucharest
under King Carol I supervision; unfortunately, in 1940, the museum was destroyed by a large fire. In 1935, by royal decree, the Retezat National Park
is created, it was the country's first of its kind.
Once Romania declared its independence in 1877 and the Hohenzollern dynasty was established, hunting became a royal sport; royal hunting château
s and chalet
s were created on every hunting domain and people employed were appreciated accordingly. Hohenzollern-dynasty kings were taught from childhood to hunt. King Ferdinand I
was a fine hunter; film footage from a 1924 bear hunt of his remains. The Foisor hunting chateau was the king's original summer residence in the Carpathians, before the Peleş Castle
was used for royal summer vacations.
In the 19th century, Romania emerged as a major European hunting destination, notably for its Carpathian stag, chamois and bears. Royalty and world's finest or wealthiest hunters came to Romania in pursuit of big game
in the Carpathian Mountains. Sir Samuel Baker
visited in 1858 to 1859 together with Maharaja Duleep Singh and Frederick Courteney Selous came in 1899. Other visitors included King Edward VII of the United Kingdom
, Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, King Paul of Greece
and even today, kings like Juan Carlos of Spain are amongst the visiting hunters. Colonel August Von Spiess
chose to remain in Romania, only to became Director of the Royal Hunts under King Ferdinand I of Romania
in 1929. Many of the country's most notable writers and poets, including Mihail Sadoveanu
, Ionel Teodoreanu
, Eugen Jianu, Ionel Pop, Demostene Botez, Octavian Goga
, C. Rosetti-Balanescu, I.Al. Bratescu-Voineşti, Nicolae Cristoveanu, were passionate hunters. Some figures, like Mihai Tican Rumano, Dimitrie Ghica-Comăneşti
, or Transylvanian-born Hungarian count Sámuel Teleki
have undergone extensive safaris and explorations both in Romania and abroad.
World's foremost trophy record book of Rowland Ward
mentions Romanian lands as provider of world records for stag
(by local and foreign sportsmen), chamois (by Frederick Selous
) and Eurasian Lynx
(by the Prince of Liechtenstein
).
Between World War II and the fall of the communism, big game hunting was extremely limited, and permits were granted almost entirely to the Communist Party
members, particularly after 1972. The most famous of all was none other than Romanian former dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu
. For years, he was dubbed as "country's first hunter", a title he acquired after claiming many trophy animals including world record European brown bear, but the sportsmanship of his methods is subject to debate and generally shunned upon. In total it is estimated that Ceauşescu received a total of 270 gold medals, 114 silver medals and 34 bronze medals according to CIC (Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier - International Hunting and Game Conservation Council) for the trophies he presented in exhibit. Many of other communist presidents like Todor Jivkov (Bulgaria) in Oct. 1976 and 1980s, Leonid Brezhnev
(USSR) in Nov. 1976, Erich Honecker
(East Germany) in Feb. 1977, Nikita Khrushchev
(USSR), Gaddafi (Libya) and in particular Josef Tito
(Yugoslavia) hunted in Romania at Ceaușescu's invitation and used many of the designated hunting chalets and chateaux domains like Lăpuşna or Scrovistea for big game hunting. Between 1955–1989 it is unofficially estimated that Ceaușescu's hunting parties shot over 4000 brown bears
. Starting in 1966, he also introduced mouflon
s as game animals at Neguresti, Timiş and Scrovistea but the numbers remain very low.
After the fall of the communism
, hunting returned to normal and was promoted, and foreign hunters also started to come. The country is now an international destination for sportsmen. One of these was King Juan Carlos of Spain, who in 2004, at Covasna
, bagged five bears, two wild boars and a wolf, while football star Roberto Baggio
went for rabbit drive hunts in Bărăgan.
Furthermore, Romanian former prime minister
Adrian Năstase
is the chairman of the national hunting association and a spokesman for the rights of hunting. Other politicians and former prime ministers, like Petre Roman
, Teodor Meleşcanu
and Gheorge Maurer
, or artists like Mircea Dinescu
, Ludovic Spiess, and Octavian Andronic were also hunters. Romanian-American gymnastics legend Béla Károlyi
is also an aficionado, hunting worldwide.
Traditionally the hunters and game wardens wear dark green clothing of thick felt, and fedora or trilby
hats. More and more, traditional clothes are giving way to modern camouflage, and they may sadly soon be obsolete. Decorative hunting pins are extremely prized for Romanian hunters in their sporting hats, which depending on the wealth or type of hunter can range from a simple fresh branch of fir tree or pine
to animal hair brushes or pheasant
chest feather fans; the most expensive are usually silver cased badger and boar bristle tufts or capercaillie
feather fans.
In Romania, hunting is regarded as a privilege, not a right, and is surrounded by a nostalgic and romantic aura as people pursue it as a noble passion, complete with certain rituals like botez vanatoresc or tablou vanatoresc. Customs dictate that in big game hunting, in respect for the game and hunt, a tablou (English: image or painting) must be created, where all game is lined up for inspection, cleaned up as much as possible, with small pine branches in their mouths, in a photographic pose and by the hunting master, together with the other hunters and their guns, and photographs are taken as a memory. Less strictly, a tablou is also required if more than two people are hunting rabbit
, pheasant
or upland game in general. Also, according to tradition the hunting master asks for forgiveness from the dead animal, sometimes kneeling, and the successful hunter receives a little branch dipped in the animal's blood as badge of recognition; other rules like never stepping or mounting on a trophy are also part of the ethics. A "hunter's baptism" (botez vanatoresc) is performed for a novice hunter by his fellows when he kills a type of game for the first time; this consists of a mock caning with a branch, lest the hunter ever forget to respect the game or give a purpose to its killing. .
Most times also a toast with liquor or wine is given in the honor of the hunt, the game and fellowship of hunters. After the end of ceremonies, sometimes, lavish meals and partying with folk music is to follow, according to one's wealth and mood.
Ethics dictate that one should never shoot a female of anything, unless that is the predetermined quarry, or to shoot an animal while sleeping or drinking. It is forbidden to shoot waterfowl while still on the water.
Over time, Romania has produced a large amount of literature on hunting, including scientific. Also, a good amount of hunting publications, some over a century old, are dedicated solely to wildlife conservation, fishing and hunting. Most famous remains "Vanatorul si Pescarul Sportiv" magazine, a Romanian equivalent of "Field and Stream".
Today, dedicated hunting museums exist, like the small Hunting Museum of Posada (Rom: Muzeul Cinegetic Posada), Prahova
, hosting nationally celebrated writer Mihail Sadoveanu
's collection. More known is the August Von Spiess
Museum of Hunting and Hunting Arms, in Sibiu
, last one of 1600 pieces, based on collections of Emil Witting (1741–1787), August Von Spiess
(1841–1923) and the Transylvanian Society of Natural Sciences (Rom: Societatea Ardeleana de Stiinte Naturale). Another collection of hunting arms is in exhibit at the Peles Castle
but valuable pieces are to be encountered throughout the country in regional or natural history museums. Former chateau
s and hunting lodges are still preserved and some are open to public, but most have lost their initial purpose.
All hunting in Romania is legislated by AGVPS, or Asociatia Generala a Vanatorilor si Pescarilor Sportivi (National Association of Sport Hunters and Fishermen). This organization has its roots in the first Romanian hunters association founded around 1880 in Bucharest
, and the one in "Hunters Club of Brașov
" in 1883, but after the Union Of Romania, in 1918 some 30 000 hunters came together in a national organization. Since 1930, Romania is a founder member of CIC
(Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier - International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
), and since year 2000, a member of FACE (Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU
). AGVPS is active under the jurisdiction of ROMSILVA, or Department of Forestry. They have local clubs (named ocol silvic in Rom.), well organized, in every city or town and regulate hunting season
s and harvest numbers. They are also in charge of enforcing laws against poaching and illegal logging. The common Romanian term for game warden or otherwise any forestry worker is padurar (literally: forester), while the forestry superior officer who must earn a BA diploma and superior education bears the title of inginer silvic.
Most hunting seasons in Romania for all big game, small game, waterfowl and upland game runs from mid autumn to late winter. The minimal wild boar and fallow deer
rifle calibre in Romania is 6.5x57, while going up to 7x57mm Mauser for red stag and 7x64mm
for brown bear
. Using shotguns for wild boar is permitted, but forbidden for red stag and brown bear
. Currently, all foreign hunters are welcomed to Romania and can hunt all species under out of country tariffs and regulations. Problems like poaching, ethics, and habitat shrinking are subjects of heated debates, while the Romanian press is generally sensationalist and negative about hunting exploits.
s brown bear
(Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus) and European lynx (Lynx lynx). Ungulates: chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), European stag (Cervus elaphus), roe deer
(Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer
(Dama dama), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and mouflon
(Ovis aries musimon). The only big game animal truly hunted with dogs is the wild boar and Transylvanian bloodhound
, fox terriers
and airedale terrier
s are used. Hound
s are rare and greyhound
s are non-existent in the hunting field in Romania; yet the Transylvanian bloodhound
is a breed of hunting dog
developed by the Hungarian ethnics of Transylvania
, Romania, centuries ago but internationally registered as a Hungarian breed.
Bear hunting (vanatoare de urs). Romania has the highest number and density of brown bear
s in entire Europe, second only to Russia and is one of the only few countries to allow its hunting. The population is so large, that many bruins are encountered in suburban areas feeding of waste, yet the big ones are to be encountered solitary in the sub-alpine forests. According to CIC
, the world record Eurasian brown bear
trophy skin (687.79 CIC
points) was shot in Romania in 1985, and for the skull trophy, Romania has 2nd place (69.30 points), while 1st place (70.0 CIC
points) was shot in Kamchatka, Russia.
Around 250 permits are issued yearly for two bear hunts: fall season (Sep. 15 - Dec. 31) and spring season (Mar. 15 - May 15). Methods used are spot and stalk, waiting, game drives and under special permit, over bait; anything else, like trapping, shooting from blinds or elevated stand or use of archery are illegal. Recommended are large caliber rifle magnums, with a 7x64 mm
minimum necessary. Good populations are in Gurghiu
, Vrancea
, Făgăraş
and south-east Carpathians. In Romanian cynegetical tradition, bear baculum
is regarded as unconventional trophy.
Chamois hunting (vanatoare de capre negre) in this country ranks as one of the world's finest, in both specimens’ quality and level of challenge. According to the CIC
, Romania accounts for the top world record chamois trophy at 141.1 CIC points, shot in Făgăraş in 1937, and unbeaten since, along with other seven of the world's top ten trophies. Capra neagra (black goat) or capra de munte (mountain goat), or how Romanians call these animals, are confined solely to the alpine regions of the south and eastern Carpathian Mountains, living summers above and winters under the timberline. Hunting in such rugged terrain, such wary animal, with very keen senses, makes it very demanding, tiresome and suited only for the fittest and experienced sportsman; chamois hunting is comparable to that of Eurasian ibex or North American mountain goat
.
The only methods used are stalking
and waiting; any use of dogs or drives with beaters are strictly forbidden. The only weapon allowed for hunting chamois is rifle, with a 5.6x50 mm caliber coefficient or better. Most successful shots are long range, made from scoped bolt-action or express rifles. A special permit must be obtained by both hunters, foreign or domestic, in order to pursue this animal, in a hunting season of a month or so, opened each year around mid October.
Stag hunting (vanatoare de cerbi) refers to three species cerb carpatin or Carpathian stag (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus), caprior or roe deer
(Capreolus capreolus) and cerb lopatar or fallow deer (Dama dama). The most prized remains the red stag (Cerbus elaphus hippelaphus) the largest of the subspecies whom will refer to hitherto. With good numbers, and of fine quality, Romania possessed many times the world record, last of which, between 1981–1985, with a trophy of 261.25 CIC
, points, taken in Soveja
, Vrancea County
, in 1980. Current national record is 264.51 CIC points, taken by Ronald Philipp on 22 Sep. 2003 in Valea Gurghiului, Mureş County
. Inside hunting preserves, trophies are known to get even bigger, due to controlled feeding and protection. Hunting is done during an open season between 15 Sep. - 15 Dec., with a doe season extending until Feb. 15; methods use are by stalking or by waiting, with or without call (boncanitoare). Harvesting can be legally done only with the rifle, 7 mm caliber minimum, or more. Conventional trophies are the skull with antlers or shoulder mount but unconventionals are skin, the "pearls" (false canines), mane hair and the Hubertus Cross. Places geerally acceptated as providing best trophies are Valea Gurghiului, Valea Frumoasei
Wild boar hunting (vanatoarea la mistret) (Sus scrofa)is the most common big game sport in Romania; wild boar is often used for meat as well as for trophies (conventionally the male tusks only, but also shoulder mounts, female tusks, silver hat pins with boar bristles or hair or even skins and rugs).
Hunting season for wild boar opens August 1 and closes February 15, but where considered varmints or pests, they can be shot any time of the year, with AGVPS approval. Methods used are waiting and stalking, but most popular are chase with dogs, usually terriers and scent hounds. Drives, where beaters drive the game to shooters waiting in stands who take shots at the running game, are also popular.
Wild boar drives may include other animals as well, including red deer, roe deer
, rabbits, foxes, wolves, and even bear
s, leading to staggering numbers of game. In his infamous drives, ex-tennis champion and billionaire Ion Ţiriac
shot, together with his party (including Prince Dimitrie Sturdza
, Wolfgang Porsche), each year, on the Balc hunting domain, in Bihor
district, 185 boars in 2005, 186 boars in 2006 and a record of 240 wild boars in 2007 in single drive hunts.
National record for wild boar (tusk trophy) is of 144.0 CIC
, points. Most boars taken are weighing between 300-400 lbs., with sometimes old, solitary males up to 600 lbs.
(C. vulpes), rare European jackal
(C. aureus moreotica), Eurasian lynx
(Lynx lynx), and wildcat
(Felis silvestris) are generally considered varmints. Wolf populations remain strong with an estimated 4000 heads as of 2005, allows wolf hunting (vanatoare de lupi). The season is between September 15 and March 31. Hunters use snow tracking, stalking, calling, and driving with beaters.
Firearms used are shotgun
s with slug
, buckshot or minimal 5 mm
pellet or rifle of 5.6 mm caliber bullet or better. Trophies
are considered the skin (rug mount) and skull. Since 1997, Romania has the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
(CIC) world record of wolf skin (186.17 points), and a national CIC skull record of 45.30 points.
The red fox, like badger
s (Meles meles) are pursued with dogs, such as dachshund
s, fox terriers
and jagdterrier
s, who are used to chase critters even in their burrows. Fox hunting (vanatoarea de vulpe) is also featured in Romanian literature and folk tales, where the cunning of the fox is a common theme.
Small game furbearers are plentiful in Romania and usually hunted with the aid of dogs and snow tracking. Species include badger European Hare
(Lepus europaeus), European Pine Marten (Martes martes), Beech Marten
(Martes foina), European Polecat
(Mustela putorius), ermine
(Mustela erminea) and weasel
(Mustela nivalis). A rare animal is the marmot
(Marmota marmota). Otter
(Lutra lutra) can be found in the Danube Delta
and other marshlands, and is hunted in winter, over iced rivers, at the breathing holes and with dogs, tracking through snow. In the same region, European mink
(Mustela lutreola), muskrat
(Ondatra zibethica), and raccoon dog
(Nyctereutes procyonoides) may be seen.
Rabbit hunting (vanatoarea de iepuri) is among the most common type of hunting. The open season is from November 1 to January 31. Virtually every hunter takes up this sport, using walking and stalking (la picior) with pointer dogs or through drive with beaters (goana). Forbidden techniques are waiting and night hunting. Firearms used are shotguns with pellets size 3–4 mm and rimfire
rifles. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of beaters are used during drive hunts for rabbit, or others.
s include Common Pheasant
(Phasianus colchicus), Grey Partridge
(Perdix perdix), Common Quail
(Coturnix coturnix), Eurasian Collared Dove
(Streptopelia decaocto), Turtle Dove
(Streptopelia turtur), Woodcock
(Scolopax rusticola), and Starling
s (Sturnus sp.). Other hunted birds include Hazel Grouse
(Tetrastes bonnasia), Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), Skylark
(Alauda arvensis), Thrushes
(Turdus sp.). Among the most sought-after game birds in Romania is the Capercaillie
(Tetrao urogallus), a large turkey-like bird, which have a significant presence in the country. It is hunted during mating season, on snow, when the male becomes deaf and blind to all things around him and can be stalked. Beside taxidermy
mounts, unconventional capercaillie
trophies are the 400-1000 gastrolith
s, or gizzard
stones.
Waterfowl hunting also exists in Romania. Sixteen species of duck
are present although only the mallard
(Anas platyrhynchos), the common teal
(A. crecca) and the garganey
(A. querquedula) are commonly encouraged. Two geese species are important as waterfowl game in Romania: The Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) and the greylag goose
(A. anser). Other species are hunted, like eurasian coot
and cormorants. Shooting waterfowls with lead pellets is forbidden due to toxicity if ingested by other species.
The carrion crow
(Corvus corone) and magpie
(Pica pica) are hunted without restriction or season regulations as pests. On the other hand birds like golden eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos) and bustard
s (Otis tardus) have been hunted to the brink of extinction and are now completely protected.
Common bird dog
s are the German Shorthaired Pointer
, German Wirehaired Pointer
and setter
s. Waterfowling retrievers such as the cocker spaniels and labrador
s are used for waterfowl.
. A large number of inns, pubs, and restaurant
s in the country serve menus partially or entirely based on wild game dishes, and specialised chefs are catering to both local and international crowds.
Some popular choices are: Wild boar platter (mistret la tava), bear stew
with wild mushrooms (tocanita de urs cu ciuperci), wild boar stew (tocanita de mistret), bear paw (laba de urs), venison
medallion (medalion de caprioara), venison sausage (carnaciori de caprioara), rabbit with olives (iepure cu masline), ember roasted quail (prepelita la jar) and pheasant soup (supa de fazan). Some of the most famous restaurants serving wild game in Romania are: Cornul Vanatorului (The Hunter's Horn) in Piteşti
, Burebista Vanatoresc (Hunter Burebista) and Hanul Vanatorului (Hunter's Inn), both in Bucharest
and Cabana Vanatoreasca (The Hunting Cabin) in Sinaia
.
Their dishes do not necessarily come cheap but many are willing to pay the price tag for such, while supply and demand is well balanced.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
has a long history of hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. The country remains a remarkable hunting destination, drawing many a hunters because of its large numbers of brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s, wolves, wild boars, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, and chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
. The concentration of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
of central Romania is largest in the world and contains half of all Europe's population, except Russia.
History
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
dwellings and burial sites or animal cave painting
Cave painting
Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest European cave paintings date to the Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known...
s like ones in Cuciulat, Peştera cu Oase
Pestera cu Oase
Peștera cu Oase is a system of 12 karstic galleries and chambers located N. 45° 01’; E. 21° 50’ in southwestern Romania, where the oldest early modern human remains in Europe have been discovered.-Paleoanthropological on-site findings:...
or Peştera Muierilor
Peştera Muierilor
Peștera Muierilor, or Peștera Muierii , is an elaborate cave system located in the Baia de Fier commune, Gorj County, Romania. It contains abundant cave-bear remains, as well as a human skull. The skull is radiocarbon dated to 30,150 ± 800, indication an absolute age between 40,000 and 30,000 BP....
indicate the humans have been hunting in Romania for thousands of years. In the Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
age, antler
Antler
Antlers are the usually large, branching bony appendages on the heads of most deer species.-Etymology:Antler originally meant the lowest tine, the "brow tine"...
s and animal skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
s were used for jewelry and burial sites, and the bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
began common and hunt for all game types begun.
The Dacia
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
ns, ancient inhabitants of today's Romania, adopted the wolf (Canis lupus) as a symbol and carried wolf heads and skins on poles as totem
Totem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...
ic battle flag
Battle Flag
"Battle Flag" is a song by Pigeonhed from their 1997 album The Full Sentence. It was remixed by Lo Fidelity Allstars featuring Pigeonhed for Pigeonhed’s Flash Bulb Emergency Overflow Cavalcade of Remixes album and later included and released as a single from the Lo Fidelity Allstars album How To...
s. Ancient Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
and Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
chronicles also mention hunting as an occupation.
The medieval chronicle Descriptio Moldaviae recorded that Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, one of the three historic provinces of Romania, was founded by Prince Dragos
Dragos
Dragonș, also Dragoş Vodă or Dragoş of Bedeu, was a Romanian voivode in Maramureş who has traditionally been considered as the first ruler or prince of Moldavia...
in 1351 while hunting. He was chasing an aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
or a wisent
Wisent
The wisent , Bison bonasus, also known as the European bison or European wood bison, is a species of Eurasian bison. It is the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe; a typical wisent is about long, not counting a tail of long, and tall. Weight typically can range from , with an occasional big...
(European bison), who gored and trampled his favourite dog, a bitch named Molda, across his lands of Maramureş. After killing the aurochs, impressed with the riches and beauty of the land, he named it after his dog, brought his people and settled the lands. The aurochs' head remains until today the heraldic symbol of Moldovan
Moldovans
Moldovans or Moldavians are the largest population group of Moldova...
s.
Beginning in the Middle Ages as a passion or test of manhood, bears, wild boars and sometime stags were killed from close quarters with boar spear
Boar spear
A boar spear is a spear used for boar hunting. It is relatively short and heavy and has two "lugs" or "wings" on the spearsocket behind the blade, which act as a barrier to prevent an injured and furious boar from working its way up the shaft of the spear to attack the hunter.The boar spear also...
s after being chased and bayed with dogs. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Moldova and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
paid part of their tribute
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in hunting falcons and wild animal furs, such as ermine
Ermine
Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...
and marten
Marten
The martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
. Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
n rulers, like George I Rákóczi
George I Rákóczi
György Rákóczi I was elected Hungarian prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death. During his influence Transylvania grew politically and economically stronger.-Biography:...
(1591–1648), were ardent hunters, along with most members of the nobility.
Since the 15th century, hunting reserves
Game reserve
A game reserve is an area of land set aside for maintenance of wildlife for tourism or hunting purposes. Many game reserves are located in Africa. Most are open to the public, and tourists commonly take sightseeing safaris or hunt wild game....
were established, where game was managed, monitored and sometimes introduced
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
, such was the case of fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
in Romania.
While nobility hunted all range of game and used horses, hounds, weapons and falcons for hunting, the common folk and peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s often hunted only the hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
, on foot, relying on spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s, slings
Sling (weapon)
A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling....
, maces, pitchfork
Pitchfork
A pitchfork is an agricultural tool with a long handle and long, thin, widely separated pointed tines used to lift and pitch loose material, such as hay, leaves, grapes, dung or other agricultural materials. Pitchforks typically have two or three tines...
s, throwing axe
Throwing axe
A throwing axe is an axe that is used primarily as a missile weapon. Usually, they are thrown in an overhand motion in a manner that causes the axe to rotate as it travels through the air. Throwing axes have been used since prehistoric times and were developed into the Francisca by the Franks in...
s and snares. The few peasants that lived off hare hunting were known as rabiteers (iepurari). But poachers
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
(braconieri) illegally hunted all species. Punishments for hunting in royal forest
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
were severe; poachers could be sentenced
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
Aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
became extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
after disappearing from Romania in 16th or 17th century. The last wisent
Wisent
The wisent , Bison bonasus, also known as the European bison or European wood bison, is a species of Eurasian bison. It is the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe; a typical wisent is about long, not counting a tail of long, and tall. Weight typically can range from , with an occasional big...
hunt took place in 1762 in Moldavia and 1790 in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, and wisent
Wisent
The wisent , Bison bonasus, also known as the European bison or European wood bison, is a species of Eurasian bison. It is the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe; a typical wisent is about long, not counting a tail of long, and tall. Weight typically can range from , with an occasional big...
are now confined to total protection in three of Romania's national parks or reserves after its reintroduction from Poland. Around the same time moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
and beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
s started to disappear from northern Romania.
When Transylvania was part of Austria–Hungary, it was a popular hunting destination for the Hungarian nobility; some, like the resident lords like Baron Franz Nopcsa and the Teleki
Teleki
Teleki is the name of a Hungarian noble family. It means "from Maros-Telek " or "allotments."* Teleki family ** Mihály Teleki , chancellor of Transylvania...
, Széchény and Nádasdy families, who owned large estates
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
maintained only for this purpose.
Wolvers (lupari) engaged in old wolf hunting
Wolf hunting
Wolf hunting is the practice of hunting grey wolves or other lupine animals. Wolves are mainly hunted for sport, for their skins, to protect livestock, and, in some rare cases, to protect humans. Wolves have been actively hunted since 12,000 to 13,000 years ago, when they first began to pose...
(luparia), seeking the large bounty
Bounty (reward)
A bounty is a payment or reward often offered by a group as an incentive for the accomplishment of a task by someone usually not associated with the group. Bounties are most commonly issued for the capture or retrieval of a person or object. They are typically in the form of money...
of money offered per wolf, as these animals caused destruction to livestock. Wolves' fur was also prized as a material for dolman
Dolman
A Dolman Originally, the term referred to a long and loose garment with narrow sleeves and an opening in the front. It was worn generally by the Turks, and is not unlike a cassock in shape.-Military dolman:...
s and winter coat
Coat (clothing)
A coat is a long garment worn by both men and women, for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front, closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a belt, or a combination of some of these...
s (sube). In 1855, in Transylvania alone, 842 wolf heads were turned in for the recompense.
During the interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
, shepherds used strychnine
Strychnine
Strychnine is a highly toxic , colorless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine causes muscular convulsions and eventually death through asphyxia or sheer exhaustion...
to control the wolf population, causing an ecological catastrophe. This technique failed to control the wolf population but did contribute to the extermination of the griffon vultures
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
(Gyps fulvus); the last one was shot in 1929, while flying over the Făgăraş Mountains
Fagaras Mountains
Făgăraș Mountains , are the highest mountains of the Southern Carpathians, in Romania. The highest peaks are Moldoveanu , Negoiu , Viștea Mare , Lespezi , Vânătoarea lui Buteanu , and Dara .They are bordered in the north by the Făgăraș Depression, through which the Olt river flows, and in the west...
. The black vulture
Eurasian Black Vulture
The Cinereous Vulture is also known as the Black Vulture, Monk Vulture, or Eurasian Black Vulture. It is a member of the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.This bird is an Old World vulture, and is only distantly related to the...
(Aegypius monachus) was next to disappear.
Until World War I, nobility and gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
indulged in large hunts. In 1901, a party of Count Geza Szecheny killed 28 brown bears in three weeks in Transylvania. Another 22 bears were killed by a parallel hunting party.
Realising that game can only be preserved through protection and education, in 1931, Romania established the world's second-oldest hunting museum, in the Royal Park
Carol Park
Carol Park is a public park in Bucharest, Romania, named after King Carol I of Romania. For the duration of the communist regime, it was called Liberty Park ....
, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
under King Carol I supervision; unfortunately, in 1940, the museum was destroyed by a large fire. In 1935, by royal decree, the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
is created, it was the country's first of its kind.
Once Romania declared its independence in 1877 and the Hohenzollern dynasty was established, hunting became a royal sport; royal hunting château
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
s and chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s were created on every hunting domain and people employed were appreciated accordingly. Hohenzollern-dynasty kings were taught from childhood to hunt. King Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I of Romania
Ferdinand was the King of Romania from 10 October 1914 until his death.-Early life:Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, the Roman Catholic Prince Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, later simply of Hohenzollern, was a son of Leopold, Prince of...
was a fine hunter; film footage from a 1924 bear hunt of his remains. The Foisor hunting chateau was the king's original summer residence in the Carpathians, before the Peleş Castle
Peles Castle
Peleș Castle is a Neo-Renaissance castle in the Carpathian Mountains, near Sinaia, in Prahova County, Romania, on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia, built between 1873 and 1914...
was used for royal summer vacations.
In the 19th century, Romania emerged as a major European hunting destination, notably for its Carpathian stag, chamois and bears. Royalty and world's finest or wealthiest hunters came to Romania in pursuit of big game
Big game hunting
Big game hunting is the hunting of large game. The term is historically associated with the hunting of Africa's Big Five game , and with tigers and rhinos on the Indian subcontinent. In North America, animals such as bears and bison were hunted...
in the Carpathian Mountains. Sir Samuel Baker
Samuel Baker
Sir Samuel White Baker, KCB, FRS, FRGS was a British explorer, officer, naturalist, big game hunter, engineer, writer and abolitionist. He also held the titles of Pasha and Major-General in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt. He served as the Governor-General of the Equatorial Nile Basin between Apr....
visited in 1858 to 1859 together with Maharaja Duleep Singh and Frederick Courteney Selous came in 1899. Other visitors included King Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, King Paul of Greece
Paul of Greece
Paul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....
and even today, kings like Juan Carlos of Spain are amongst the visiting hunters. Colonel August Von Spiess
August Von Spiess
Col. August Von Spiess, also spelled von Spieß , formally known as Oberst August Roland von Braccioforte zum Portner und Höflein, was an officer, writer, famous hunter and Hunting Master for the Romanian royal court....
chose to remain in Romania, only to became Director of the Royal Hunts under King Ferdinand I of Romania
Ferdinand I of Romania
Ferdinand was the King of Romania from 10 October 1914 until his death.-Early life:Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, the Roman Catholic Prince Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, later simply of Hohenzollern, was a son of Leopold, Prince of...
in 1929. Many of the country's most notable writers and poets, including Mihail Sadoveanu
Mihail Sadoveanu
Mihail Sadoveanu was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting republican head of state under the communist regime . One of the most prolific Romanian-language writers, he is remembered mostly for his historical and adventure novels, as...
, Ionel Teodoreanu
Ionel Teodoreanu
Ionel Teodoreanu was a Romanian novelist and lawyer. He is mostly remembered for his books on the themes of childhood and adolescence.-Biography:...
, Eugen Jianu, Ionel Pop, Demostene Botez, Octavian Goga
Octavian Goga
Octavian Goga was a Romanian politician, poet, playwright, journalist, and translator.-Life:Born in Răşinari, nearby Sibiu, he was an active member in the Romanian nationalistic movement in Transylvania and of its leading group, the Romanian National Party in Austria-Hungary. Before World War I,...
, C. Rosetti-Balanescu, I.Al. Bratescu-Voineşti, Nicolae Cristoveanu, were passionate hunters. Some figures, like Mihai Tican Rumano, Dimitrie Ghica-Comăneşti
Dimitrie Ghica-Comanesti
Dimitrie Ghika-Comăneşti was a Romanian nobleman, explorer, famous hunter, adventurer and politician. He was born into the Ghica family, with nobiliary ancestry roots beginning in the 17th century. He was the son of Ecaterina Plagino and aga Dimitrie Ghika-Comăneşti (also Demeter Ghika, Ghika...
, or Transylvanian-born Hungarian count Sámuel Teleki
Sámuel Teleki
Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék was a Hungarian explorer who led the first expedition to Northern Kenya. He was the first European to see, and name, Lake Rudolf .-Early life:...
have undergone extensive safaris and explorations both in Romania and abroad.
World's foremost trophy record book of Rowland Ward
Rowland Ward
Rowland Ward was a British taxidermist and founder of the taxidermy firm Rowland Ward Ltd. of Piccadilly. The company specialized in, and was renowned for, their work on big game trophies, but their output covered all aspects of taxidermy...
mentions Romanian lands as provider of world records for stag
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
(by local and foreign sportsmen), chamois (by Frederick Selous
Frederick Selous
Frederick Courteney Selous DSO was a British explorer, officer, hunter, and conservationist, famous for his exploits in south and east of Africa. His real-life adventures inspired Sir H. Rider Haggard to create the fictional Allan Quatermain character. Selous was also a good friend of Theodore...
) and Eurasian Lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
(by the Prince of Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
).
Between World War II and the fall of the communism, big game hunting was extremely limited, and permits were granted almost entirely to the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
members, particularly after 1972. The most famous of all was none other than Romanian former dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
. For years, he was dubbed as "country's first hunter", a title he acquired after claiming many trophy animals including world record European brown bear, but the sportsmanship of his methods is subject to debate and generally shunned upon. In total it is estimated that Ceauşescu received a total of 270 gold medals, 114 silver medals and 34 bronze medals according to CIC (Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier - International Hunting and Game Conservation Council) for the trophies he presented in exhibit. Many of other communist presidents like Todor Jivkov (Bulgaria) in Oct. 1976 and 1980s, Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
(USSR) in Nov. 1976, Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1971 until 1989, serving as Head of State as well from Willi Stoph's relinquishment of that post in 1976....
(East Germany) in Feb. 1977, Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
(USSR), Gaddafi (Libya) and in particular Josef Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
(Yugoslavia) hunted in Romania at Ceaușescu's invitation and used many of the designated hunting chalets and chateaux domains like Lăpuşna or Scrovistea for big game hunting. Between 1955–1989 it is unofficially estimated that Ceaușescu's hunting parties shot over 4000 brown bears
Brown Bears
The Brown Bears is a name shared by all sports teams at Brown University, a university located in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States. The Bears are part of the Ivy League conference. Brown's mascot is Bruno. Both the men's and women's teams share the name, competing in 37 National...
. Starting in 1966, he also introduced mouflon
Mouflon
The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
s as game animals at Neguresti, Timiş and Scrovistea but the numbers remain very low.
After the fall of the communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, hunting returned to normal and was promoted, and foreign hunters also started to come. The country is now an international destination for sportsmen. One of these was King Juan Carlos of Spain, who in 2004, at Covasna
Covasna
Covasna is a town in Covasna county, Transylvania, Romania, at an altitude of 550–600 m.Known as the "town of 1,000 mineral springs," Covasna is famous for its mineral waters. Each spring has a different mixture of minerals, chiefly carbon dioxide, sulfur, and ammonia...
, bagged five bears, two wild boars and a wolf, while football star Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio is a retired Italian footballer. Widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of his generation, Baggio won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1993. He is the only Italian player ever to score in three World Cups. He is also one of the top 5 all-time...
went for rabbit drive hunts in Bărăgan.
Furthermore, Romanian former prime minister
Prime Minister of Romania
The Prime Minister of Romania is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was styled President of the Council of Ministers , when the term "Government" included more than the Cabinet, and the Cabinet was called The Council of Ministers...
Adrian Năstase
Adrian Nastase
Adrian Năstase is a Romanian politician who was the Prime Minister of Romania from December 2000 to December 2004.He competed as the Social Democratic Party candidate in the 2004 presidential election, but was defeated by centre-right Justice and Truth Alliance candidate Traian Băsescu.He was...
is the chairman of the national hunting association and a spokesman for the rights of hunting. Other politicians and former prime ministers, like Petre Roman
Petre Roman
Petre Roman is a Romanian politician and a former Prime Minister of Romania. He served from 1989 to 1991, when his government was overthrown by the intervention of the miners led by Miron Cozma. Roman is a member of the Club of Madrid, grouping 66 democratic former heads of state and government...
, Teodor Meleşcanu
Teodor Melescanu
Teodor Viorel Meleşcanu is a Romanian politician, diplomat and jurist. Currently serving as senator for the National Liberal Party , he was Minister of Defense between 2007 and 2008, and Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1992 and 1996...
and Gheorge Maurer
Ion Gheorghe Maurer
Ion Gheorghe Iosif Maurer was a Romanian communist politician and lawyer.-Biography:Born in Bucharest to a Saxon father and a Romanian mother of French origin, he completed studies in Law and became an attorney, defending in court members of the illegal leftist and Anti-fascist movements...
, or artists like Mircea Dinescu
Mircea Dinescu
Mircea Dinescu is a Romanian poet, journalist and editor.He was born in Slobozia, the son of Ştefan Dinescu, a metalworker and Aurelia . Dinescu studied at the Faculty of Journalism of the Ştefan Gheorghiu Academy, and was considered a gifted young poet during his youth, with several poetry...
, Ludovic Spiess, and Octavian Andronic were also hunters. Romanian-American gymnastics legend Béla Károlyi
Béla Károlyi
Béla Károlyi is a Romanian gymnastics coach. He was born in what was then Kolozsvár, Hungary, a region restored to Romanian administration after 1944. Károlyi and his wife, Márta, also of Hungarian origin, emigrated to the United States in 1981 and both have dual citizenships for Romania and the...
is also an aficionado, hunting worldwide.
Romanians and their hunting traditions
Hunting in Romania more or less follows the European customs and traditions of central and eastern Europe, without the grand hound chases on horse of French and English fashion. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, the box-lock or open hammers 12 or 16 gauge, side-by-side double shotgun was the most common hunting firearm of all.Traditionally the hunters and game wardens wear dark green clothing of thick felt, and fedora or trilby
Trilby
A trilby hat is a type of fedora. The trilby is viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is commonly called the "brown trilby" in England and is much seen at the horse races. It is described as a "crumpled" fedora...
hats. More and more, traditional clothes are giving way to modern camouflage, and they may sadly soon be obsolete. Decorative hunting pins are extremely prized for Romanian hunters in their sporting hats, which depending on the wealth or type of hunter can range from a simple fresh branch of fir tree or pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
to animal hair brushes or pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
chest feather fans; the most expensive are usually silver cased badger and boar bristle tufts or capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
feather fans.
In Romania, hunting is regarded as a privilege, not a right, and is surrounded by a nostalgic and romantic aura as people pursue it as a noble passion, complete with certain rituals like botez vanatoresc or tablou vanatoresc. Customs dictate that in big game hunting, in respect for the game and hunt, a tablou (English: image or painting) must be created, where all game is lined up for inspection, cleaned up as much as possible, with small pine branches in their mouths, in a photographic pose and by the hunting master, together with the other hunters and their guns, and photographs are taken as a memory. Less strictly, a tablou is also required if more than two people are hunting rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
, pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
or upland game in general. Also, according to tradition the hunting master asks for forgiveness from the dead animal, sometimes kneeling, and the successful hunter receives a little branch dipped in the animal's blood as badge of recognition; other rules like never stepping or mounting on a trophy are also part of the ethics. A "hunter's baptism" (botez vanatoresc) is performed for a novice hunter by his fellows when he kills a type of game for the first time; this consists of a mock caning with a branch, lest the hunter ever forget to respect the game or give a purpose to its killing. .
Most times also a toast with liquor or wine is given in the honor of the hunt, the game and fellowship of hunters. After the end of ceremonies, sometimes, lavish meals and partying with folk music is to follow, according to one's wealth and mood.
Ethics dictate that one should never shoot a female of anything, unless that is the predetermined quarry, or to shoot an animal while sleeping or drinking. It is forbidden to shoot waterfowl while still on the water.
Over time, Romania has produced a large amount of literature on hunting, including scientific. Also, a good amount of hunting publications, some over a century old, are dedicated solely to wildlife conservation, fishing and hunting. Most famous remains "Vanatorul si Pescarul Sportiv" magazine, a Romanian equivalent of "Field and Stream".
Today, dedicated hunting museums exist, like the small Hunting Museum of Posada (Rom: Muzeul Cinegetic Posada), Prahova
Prahova
The word Prahova can refer to these places and features in Romania:* Prahova River* Prahova Valley* Prahova County, named after the Prahova River** Prahova Ploieşti, a football club based in Ploieşti** Stadionul Prahova, a football-only stadium in Ploieşti...
, hosting nationally celebrated writer Mihail Sadoveanu
Mihail Sadoveanu
Mihail Sadoveanu was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting republican head of state under the communist regime . One of the most prolific Romanian-language writers, he is remembered mostly for his historical and adventure novels, as...
's collection. More known is the August Von Spiess
August Von Spiess
Col. August Von Spiess, also spelled von Spieß , formally known as Oberst August Roland von Braccioforte zum Portner und Höflein, was an officer, writer, famous hunter and Hunting Master for the Romanian royal court....
Museum of Hunting and Hunting Arms, in Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
, last one of 1600 pieces, based on collections of Emil Witting (1741–1787), August Von Spiess
August Von Spiess
Col. August Von Spiess, also spelled von Spieß , formally known as Oberst August Roland von Braccioforte zum Portner und Höflein, was an officer, writer, famous hunter and Hunting Master for the Romanian royal court....
(1841–1923) and the Transylvanian Society of Natural Sciences (Rom: Societatea Ardeleana de Stiinte Naturale). Another collection of hunting arms is in exhibit at the Peles Castle
Peles Castle
Peleș Castle is a Neo-Renaissance castle in the Carpathian Mountains, near Sinaia, in Prahova County, Romania, on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia, built between 1873 and 1914...
but valuable pieces are to be encountered throughout the country in regional or natural history museums. Former chateau
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
s and hunting lodges are still preserved and some are open to public, but most have lost their initial purpose.
Hunting legislation and agencies
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, and the one in "Hunters Club of Brașov
Brasov
Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania....
" in 1883, but after the Union Of Romania, in 1918 some 30 000 hunters came together in a national organization. Since 1930, Romania is a founder member of CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
(Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier - International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
), and since year 2000, a member of FACE (Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU
Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU
Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU is an advocacy group for hunters and for wildlife conservation and sustainable management in 36 European countries. It monitors legislation and developments that could affect the interests of its members...
). AGVPS is active under the jurisdiction of ROMSILVA, or Department of Forestry. They have local clubs (named ocol silvic in Rom.), well organized, in every city or town and regulate hunting season
Hunting season
A hunting season is the time when it is legal to hunt and kill a particular species.In the United States, each state has primary responsibility and authority over the hunting of wildlife that resides within state boundaries. State wildlife agencies that sell hunting licenses are the best source of...
s and harvest numbers. They are also in charge of enforcing laws against poaching and illegal logging. The common Romanian term for game warden or otherwise any forestry worker is padurar (literally: forester), while the forestry superior officer who must earn a BA diploma and superior education bears the title of inginer silvic.
Most hunting seasons in Romania for all big game, small game, waterfowl and upland game runs from mid autumn to late winter. The minimal wild boar and fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
rifle calibre in Romania is 6.5x57, while going up to 7x57mm Mauser for red stag and 7x64mm
7x64mm
The 7x64mm is a rimless bottlenecked centerfire cartridge developed for hunting. As is customary in European cartridges the 7 denotes the 7 mm bullet caliber and the 64 denotes the case length...
for brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
. Using shotguns for wild boar is permitted, but forbidden for red stag and brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
. Currently, all foreign hunters are welcomed to Romania and can hunt all species under out of country tariffs and regulations. Problems like poaching, ethics, and habitat shrinking are subjects of heated debates, while the Romanian press is generally sensationalist and negative about hunting exploits.
Big game hunting
Big game species include the apex predatorApex predator
Apex predators are predators that have no predators of their own, residing at the top of their food chain. Zoologists define predation as the killing and consumption of another organism...
s brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
(Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus) and European lynx (Lynx lynx). Ungulates: chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), European stag (Cervus elaphus), roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
(Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
(Dama dama), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and mouflon
Mouflon
The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
(Ovis aries musimon). The only big game animal truly hunted with dogs is the wild boar and Transylvanian bloodhound
Hungarian hound
The Transylvanian Hound is a breed of dog originating in Hungary.-History:The breed was originally kept by Hungarian kings and princes for hunting various game . In the beginning of the twentieth century, the breed was nearly extinct and in 1968 new efforts began to save it...
, fox terriers
Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier refers primarily to two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern...
and airedale terrier
Airedale Terrier
The Airedale Terrier is a breed of the terrier type that originated in Airedale, a geographic area in Yorkshire, England. It is traditionally called the "King of Terriers" because it is the largest of the terrier breeds...
s are used. Hound
Hound
A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
s are rare and greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
s are non-existent in the hunting field in Romania; yet the Transylvanian bloodhound
Hungarian hound
The Transylvanian Hound is a breed of dog originating in Hungary.-History:The breed was originally kept by Hungarian kings and princes for hunting various game . In the beginning of the twentieth century, the breed was nearly extinct and in 1968 new efforts began to save it...
is a breed of hunting dog
Hunting dog
A hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...
developed by the Hungarian ethnics of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Romania, centuries ago but internationally registered as a Hungarian breed.
Bear hunting (vanatoare de urs). Romania has the highest number and density of brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s in entire Europe, second only to Russia and is one of the only few countries to allow its hunting. The population is so large, that many bruins are encountered in suburban areas feeding of waste, yet the big ones are to be encountered solitary in the sub-alpine forests. According to CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
, the world record Eurasian brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
trophy skin (687.79 CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
points) was shot in Romania in 1985, and for the skull trophy, Romania has 2nd place (69.30 points), while 1st place (70.0 CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
points) was shot in Kamchatka, Russia.
Around 250 permits are issued yearly for two bear hunts: fall season (Sep. 15 - Dec. 31) and spring season (Mar. 15 - May 15). Methods used are spot and stalk, waiting, game drives and under special permit, over bait; anything else, like trapping, shooting from blinds or elevated stand or use of archery are illegal. Recommended are large caliber rifle magnums, with a 7x64 mm
7x64mm
The 7x64mm is a rimless bottlenecked centerfire cartridge developed for hunting. As is customary in European cartridges the 7 denotes the 7 mm bullet caliber and the 64 denotes the case length...
minimum necessary. Good populations are in Gurghiu
Gurghiu, Mures
Gurghiu is is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of ten villages: Adrian, Caşva, Comori, Fundoaia, Glăjărie, Gurghiu, Larga, Orşova, Orşova-Pădure and Păuloaia.- See also :* List of Hungarian exonyms...
, Vrancea
Vrancea
Vrancea may refer to:* Vrancea County, Romania* Vrancea Mountains, Romania* Vrancea, a village in Burila Mare Commune, Mehedinţi County...
, Făgăraş
Fagaras
Făgăraș is a city in central Romania, located in Braşov County . Another source of the name is alleged to derive from the Hungarian language word for "partridge" . A more plausible explanation is that the name is given by Fogaras river coming from the Pecheneg "Fagar šu", which means ash water...
and south-east Carpathians. In Romanian cynegetical tradition, bear baculum
Baculum
The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, but present in other primates, such as the gorilla and chimpanzee.The bone aids in sexual intercourse.-Purpose:...
is regarded as unconventional trophy.
Chamois hunting (vanatoare de capre negre) in this country ranks as one of the world's finest, in both specimens’ quality and level of challenge. According to the CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
, Romania accounts for the top world record chamois trophy at 141.1 CIC points, shot in Făgăraş in 1937, and unbeaten since, along with other seven of the world's top ten trophies. Capra neagra (black goat) or capra de munte (mountain goat), or how Romanians call these animals, are confined solely to the alpine regions of the south and eastern Carpathian Mountains, living summers above and winters under the timberline. Hunting in such rugged terrain, such wary animal, with very keen senses, makes it very demanding, tiresome and suited only for the fittest and experienced sportsman; chamois hunting is comparable to that of Eurasian ibex or North American mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
.
The only methods used are stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
and waiting; any use of dogs or drives with beaters are strictly forbidden. The only weapon allowed for hunting chamois is rifle, with a 5.6x50 mm caliber coefficient or better. Most successful shots are long range, made from scoped bolt-action or express rifles. A special permit must be obtained by both hunters, foreign or domestic, in order to pursue this animal, in a hunting season of a month or so, opened each year around mid October.
Stag hunting (vanatoare de cerbi) refers to three species cerb carpatin or Carpathian stag (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus), caprior or roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
(Capreolus capreolus) and cerb lopatar or fallow deer (Dama dama). The most prized remains the red stag (Cerbus elaphus hippelaphus) the largest of the subspecies whom will refer to hitherto. With good numbers, and of fine quality, Romania possessed many times the world record, last of which, between 1981–1985, with a trophy of 261.25 CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
, points, taken in Soveja
Soveja
Soveja is a commune located in Vrancea County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Dragosloveni and Rucăreni; the former is the commune centre.-Notable people:*Simion Mehedinţi , geographer...
, Vrancea County
Vrancea County
Vrancea is a county in Romania, with its seat at Focşani. It is mostly in the historical region of Moldavia but the southern part, below the Milcov River, is in Muntenia.-Demographics:...
, in 1980. Current national record is 264.51 CIC points, taken by Ronald Philipp on 22 Sep. 2003 in Valea Gurghiului, Mureş County
Mures County
Mureș is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania, with the administrative centre in Târgu Mureș.-Geography:The county has a total area of 6,714 km²....
. Inside hunting preserves, trophies are known to get even bigger, due to controlled feeding and protection. Hunting is done during an open season between 15 Sep. - 15 Dec., with a doe season extending until Feb. 15; methods use are by stalking or by waiting, with or without call (boncanitoare). Harvesting can be legally done only with the rifle, 7 mm caliber minimum, or more. Conventional trophies are the skull with antlers or shoulder mount but unconventionals are skin, the "pearls" (false canines), mane hair and the Hubertus Cross. Places geerally acceptated as providing best trophies are Valea Gurghiului, Valea Frumoasei
Wild boar hunting (vanatoarea la mistret) (Sus scrofa)is the most common big game sport in Romania; wild boar is often used for meat as well as for trophies (conventionally the male tusks only, but also shoulder mounts, female tusks, silver hat pins with boar bristles or hair or even skins and rugs).
Hunting season for wild boar opens August 1 and closes February 15, but where considered varmints or pests, they can be shot any time of the year, with AGVPS approval. Methods used are waiting and stalking, but most popular are chase with dogs, usually terriers and scent hounds. Drives, where beaters drive the game to shooters waiting in stands who take shots at the running game, are also popular.
Wild boar drives may include other animals as well, including red deer, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, rabbits, foxes, wolves, and even bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s, leading to staggering numbers of game. In his infamous drives, ex-tennis champion and billionaire Ion Ţiriac
Ion Tiriac
Ion Țiriac is a Romanian former tennis player and businessman. He is also the current owner of the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open.-Sports career:...
shot, together with his party (including Prince Dimitrie Sturdza
Dimitrie Sturdza
Dimitrie Sturdza was a Romanian statesman of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884.-Biography:Born in Iaşi, Moldavia, and educated there at the Academia Mihăileană, he continued his studies in Germany, took part in the political movements of the time,...
, Wolfgang Porsche), each year, on the Balc hunting domain, in Bihor
Bihor County
Bihor is a county of Romania, in Crişana, with capital city at Oradea. Together with Hajdú-Bihar County in Hungary it constitutes the Biharia Euroregion.-Demographics:...
district, 185 boars in 2005, 186 boars in 2006 and a record of 240 wild boars in 2007 in single drive hunts.
National record for wild boar (tusk trophy) is of 144.0 CIC
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
, points. Most boars taken are weighing between 300-400 lbs., with sometimes old, solitary males up to 600 lbs.
Varmints, furbearers and small game hunting
In Romania, the wolf (Canis lupus), red foxRed Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
(C. vulpes), rare European jackal
European Jackal
The European Jackal , also known as the Caucasian Jackal or Reed Wolf is a subspecies of golden jackal native to Southeast Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. Its Latin name, moreoticus, means "of Morea"...
(C. aureus moreotica), Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
(Lynx lynx), and wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
(Felis silvestris) are generally considered varmints. Wolf populations remain strong with an estimated 4000 heads as of 2005, allows wolf hunting (vanatoare de lupi). The season is between September 15 and March 31. Hunters use snow tracking, stalking, calling, and driving with beaters.
Firearms used are shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
s with slug
Slug (projectile)
A slug is a term used for a solid ballistic projectile. It is "solid" in the sense of being composed of one piece; the shape can vary widely, including partially hollowed shapes...
, buckshot or minimal 5 mm
5 mm caliber
This article lists firearm cartridges which have a bullet in the to caliber range.*Length refers to the cartridge case length.*OAL refers to the overall length of the cartridge.All measurements are in mm .-Rimfire cartridges:...
pellet or rifle of 5.6 mm caliber bullet or better. Trophies
Trophy hunting
Trophy hunting is the selective hunting of wild game animals. Although parts of the slain animal may be kept as a hunting trophy or memorial , the carcass itself is sometimes used as food....
are considered the skin (rug mount) and skull. Since 1997, Romania has the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis...
(CIC) world record of wolf skin (186.17 points), and a national CIC skull record of 45.30 points.
The red fox, like badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
s (Meles meles) are pursued with dogs, such as dachshund
Dachshund
The dachshund is a short-legged, long-bodied dog breed belonging to the hound family. The standard size dachshund was bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was developed to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits...
s, fox terriers
Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier refers primarily to two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern...
and jagdterrier
Jagdterrier
The Jagdterrier is a type of working terrier, originating in Germany, that is used for hunting quarry both above and underground. This breed of terrier is also called the German Hunt Terrier.-Appearance:...
s, who are used to chase critters even in their burrows. Fox hunting (vanatoarea de vulpe) is also featured in Romanian literature and folk tales, where the cunning of the fox is a common theme.
Small game furbearers are plentiful in Romania and usually hunted with the aid of dogs and snow tracking. Species include badger European Hare
European Hare
The European hare , also known as the brown hare, Eastern Jackrabbit and Eastern prairie hare, is a species of hare native to northern, central, and western Europe and western Asia. It is a mammal adapted to temperate open country. It is related to the similarly appearing rabbit, which is in the...
(Lepus europaeus), European Pine Marten (Martes martes), Beech Marten
Beech Marten
The beech marten , also known as the stone marten or white breasted marten, is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of its wide distribution, its large...
(Martes foina), European Polecat
European polecat
The European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...
(Mustela putorius), ermine
Ermine
Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...
(Mustela erminea) and weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
(Mustela nivalis). A rare animal is the marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
(Marmota marmota). Otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
(Lutra lutra) can be found in the Danube Delta
Danube Delta
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
and other marshlands, and is hunted in winter, over iced rivers, at the breathing holes and with dogs, tracking through snow. In the same region, European mink
European mink
The European mink , also known as the Russian mink, is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to Europe. It is listed by the IUCN as Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as being more than 50% over the past three generations...
(Mustela lutreola), muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
(Ondatra zibethica), and raccoon dog
Raccoon Dog
The raccoon dog , also known as the magnut or tanuki, is a canid indigenous to east Asia. It is the only extant species in the genus Nyctereutes...
(Nyctereutes procyonoides) may be seen.
Rabbit hunting (vanatoarea de iepuri) is among the most common type of hunting. The open season is from November 1 to January 31. Virtually every hunter takes up this sport, using walking and stalking (la picior) with pointer dogs or through drive with beaters (goana). Forbidden techniques are waiting and night hunting. Firearms used are shotguns with pellets size 3–4 mm and rimfire
Rimfire ammunition
A rimfire is a type of firearm cartridge. It is called a rimfire because instead of the firing pin of a gun striking the primer cap at the center of the base of the cartridge to ignite it , the pin strikes the base's rim....
rifles. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of beaters are used during drive hunts for rabbit, or others.
Bird hunting
Popular upland game birdUpland game bird
Upland game bird is an American term which refers to those non-water fowl game birds hunted with pointing breeds, flushing spaniels, and retrievers...
s include Common Pheasant
Common Pheasant
The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
(Phasianus colchicus), Grey Partridge
Grey Partridge
The Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, also known as the English Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, or Hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds...
(Perdix perdix), Common Quail
Common Quail
The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is widespread and is found in parts of Europe, .- Description :It is a small rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with...
(Coturnix coturnix), Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
The Eurasian Collared Dove most often simply called the Collared Dove, also sometimes hyphenated as Eurasian Collared-dove is a species of dove native to Asia and Europe, and also recently introduced in North America....
(Streptopelia decaocto), Turtle Dove
Turtle Dove
The European Turtle Dove , also known as Turtle Dove, is a member of the bird family Columbidae, which includes the doves and pigeons.-Distribution & Status:...
(Streptopelia turtur), Woodcock
Woodcock
The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus Scolopax. Only two woodcocks are widespread, the others being localized island endemics. Most are found in the Northern Hemisphere but a few range into Wallacea...
(Scolopax rusticola), and Starling
Starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The name "Sturnidae" comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent...
s (Sturnus sp.). Other hunted birds include Hazel Grouse
Hazel Grouse
The Hazel Grouse or Hazel Hen is one of the smaller members of the grouse family of birds. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia and central and eastern Europe in dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodland, preferably with some spruce.The nest is on the ground, and 3–6 eggs is...
(Tetrastes bonnasia), Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), Skylark
Skylark
The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
(Alauda arvensis), Thrushes
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
(Turdus sp.). Among the most sought-after game birds in Romania is the Capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
(Tetrao urogallus), a large turkey-like bird, which have a significant presence in the country. It is hunted during mating season, on snow, when the male becomes deaf and blind to all things around him and can be stalked. Beside taxidermy
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
mounts, unconventional capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
trophies are the 400-1000 gastrolith
Gastrolith
A gastrolith, also called a stomach stone or gizzard stones, is a rock held inside a gastrointestinal tract. Gastroliths are retained in the muscular gizzard and used to grind food in animals lacking suitable grinding teeth. The grain size depends upon the size of the animal and the gastrolith's...
s, or gizzard
Gizzard
The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including birds, reptiles, earthworms and some fish. This specialized stomach constructed of thick, muscular walls is used for grinding up food; often rocks are...
stones.
Waterfowl hunting also exists in Romania. Sixteen species of duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
are present although only the mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
(Anas platyrhynchos), the common teal
Common Teal
The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
(A. crecca) and the garganey
Garganey
The Garganey is a small dabbling duck. It breeds in much of Europe and western Asia, but is strictly migratory, with the entire population moving to southern Africa, India Santragachi and Australasia in winter, where large flocks can occur. This species was first described by Linnaeus in 1758...
(A. querquedula) are commonly encouraged. Two geese species are important as waterfowl game in Romania: The Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) and the greylag goose
Greylag Goose
The Greylag Goose , Anser anser, is a bird with a wide range in the Old World. It is the type species of the genus Anser....
(A. anser). Other species are hunted, like eurasian coot
Eurasian Coot
The Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra, also known as Coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. The Australian subspecies is known as the Australian Coot.-Distribution:...
and cormorants. Shooting waterfowls with lead pellets is forbidden due to toxicity if ingested by other species.
The carrion crow
Carrion Crow
The Carrion Crow is a member of the passerine order of birds and the crow family which is native to western Europe and eastern Asia.-Taxonomy:...
(Corvus corone) and magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
(Pica pica) are hunted without restriction or season regulations as pests. On the other hand birds like golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
(Aquila chrysaetos) and bustard
Bustard
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World...
s (Otis tardus) have been hunted to the brink of extinction and are now completely protected.
Common bird dog
Bird dog
A bird dog is a type of gun dog or hunting dog used to hunt or retrieve birds or other small game animals. by tracking their scent in the air. This dog breed has special hunting abilities and they are also trained to retrieve the birds after hunting them down. Bird dogs tend to enjoy the process of...
s are the German Shorthaired Pointer
German Shorthaired Pointer
The German shorthaired pointer is a breed of dog developed in the 19th century in Germany for hunting.The breed is streamlined yet powerful with strong legs that make it able to move rapidly and turn quickly. It has moderately long floppy ears set high on the head. Its muzzle is long, broad, and...
, German Wirehaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
The German wirehaired pointer is a griffon type breed of dog developed in the 19th century in Germany for hunting. It became a leading gun dog in Germany in the later part of the 20th century...
and setter
Setter
The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. A setter silently searches for game by scent. When prey is encountered the dog freezes rather than chasing after the game. Setters get their name from their distinctive stance; a sort of crouch...
s. Waterfowling retrievers such as the cocker spaniels and labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
s are used for waterfowl.
In cuisine
Wild game meat has always been popular with Romanians and Romanian cuisineRomanian cuisine
Romanian cuisine is a diverse blend of different dishes from several traditions with which it has come into contact, but it also maintains its own character...
. A large number of inns, pubs, and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s in the country serve menus partially or entirely based on wild game dishes, and specialised chefs are catering to both local and international crowds.
Some popular choices are: Wild boar platter (mistret la tava), bear stew
Stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables , meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used...
with wild mushrooms (tocanita de urs cu ciuperci), wild boar stew (tocanita de mistret), bear paw (laba de urs), venison
Venison
Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc.-Etymology:The word derives from the Latin vēnor...
medallion (medalion de caprioara), venison sausage (carnaciori de caprioara), rabbit with olives (iepure cu masline), ember roasted quail (prepelita la jar) and pheasant soup (supa de fazan). Some of the most famous restaurants serving wild game in Romania are: Cornul Vanatorului (The Hunter's Horn) in Piteşti
Pitesti
Pitești is a city in Romania, located on the Argeș River. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated on the A1 freeway connecting it directly to the national capital Bucharest,...
, Burebista Vanatoresc (Hunter Burebista) and Hanul Vanatorului (Hunter's Inn), both in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and Cabana Vanatoreasca (The Hunting Cabin) in Sinaia
Sinaia
Sinaia is a town and a mountain resort in Prahova County, Romania. The town was named after Sinaia Monastery, around which it was built; the monastery in turn is named after the Biblical Mount Sinai...
.
Their dishes do not necessarily come cheap but many are willing to pay the price tag for such, while supply and demand is well balanced.