How many roe deer, stags, hares populate the Landes forests? To have a clue on the reproduction of species, the hunting federation of the department organizes a census. At this time of year, for more than 20 years, volunteers have been criss-crossing the woods after sunset, when the animals are most active. “The goal is not to see everything because it is impossibleexplains Denis Lanusse, technician at the Landes Hunting Federation. We compare our observations with those of previous years to see the evolutions“.
Discretion necessary so as not to frighten the game
The hunters move around in a vehicle: a driver, a volunteer who takes note of the numbers counted, then two others in the back of the car, tasked with lighting the forest.
– Arnaud Roszak
It takes patience because the vegetation is sometimes very dense. When the watchers see an animal, he reports it to the driver who confirms using binoculars.
In all, 100,000 hectares are covered over several days. This census then makes it possible to set the quotas for the next hunting season.