Cyprus’s hunting season for resident game opens on Sunday, 1 November. Tens of thousands of hunters are expected to head into the countryside for the first of 17 outings.
The season covers hare, partridge and black francolin. It runs until Sunday, 27 December, with hunting permitted every Sunday and Wednesday.
Ahead of the opening day, the Game and Fauna Service, the Cyprus Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Federation and the Department of Forests urged hunters to respect the law, protect the environment and avoid accidents.
Bag limits and catch logging
The bag limit for each outing has been set at one hare, four partridges and one francolin. There is no limit on other game.
The Game and Fauna Service reminded hunters that recording every catch is mandatory. Catches must be logged in the Artemis Cy app, under the option for recording catches of all game. This must be done before the hunter gets into a vehicle, whether to move to another area or to return home.
Hunters who cannot use the app in exceptional cases can send an SMS in the format [ID number] [game] [number], for example “000000 Partridge 2”, to the following numbers:
- Nicosia: 99201081 and 99201231
- Limassol: 99201258 and 99201503
- Paphos: 99201946 and 99202286
- Larnaca and Famagusta: 99202463 and 99203228
Tradition and safety
The Cyprus Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Federation highlighted the historical and cultural importance of hunting on the island.
“Hunting is an integral part of the tradition and culture of our country. But it is also an activity that demands responsibility, respect for nature and, above all, a commitment to safety,” the federation’s president, Ilias Pekris, said.
Fire risk remains high
The Department of Forests warned that the risk of fires starting and spreading remains high despite recent rainfall. Lighting fires outside designated areas is strictly prohibited, as is discarding lit cigarettes or matches.
The department said fires in recent years had destroyed habitats vital to the island’s wildlife.
Leaving rubbish or spent cartridges behind is explicitly banned by law, and hunters are asked to collect all their empty cartridges.
Fires or smoke should be reported to the Department of Forests on 1407 or the Fire Service on 112.
