It is impossible to evaluate hunting trophies in monetary terms - the horns of elk, deer and roe deer, wild boar fangs, wolf, bear, lynx skins and skulls - and we are not trying to do this. An international scale for evaluating trophies has been established, according to which bronze, silver or gold medals are awarded to trophies according to the sum of points.

Hunting trophy - elk

Not every hunter is destined to get a beast with luxurious branched horns or a large skull. This rarely happens: one copy for dozens, and sometimes for a hundred individuals. In fact, feathers of birds, claws of hawks, even buckshot and bullets with which the animal was killed can also be considered a trophy. A successful hunt can be reminded, for example, by the longest flight feather from the shoulder of a shot woodcock. The hunter attaches such a feather to his hat, and by the end of the season, by the number of feathers on the hat, you can tell how hard his hand and keen eye were. Bear and lynx hunters consider not only skins and skulls, but also claws of animals to be valuable trophies. Sometimes the claws are inserted into silver capsules engraved with the date of the hunt and worn on a chain from a compass, hunting horn, or other hunting accessories.

Magnificent hunting trophies are stuffed birds, heads of elks, roe deer, wild boars. One of the most beautiful trophies is a stuffed capercaillie. Unfortunately, the capercaillie has become a rare bird in Estonia and is under protection. However, if the hunter nevertheless earned the right to hunt him, got the capercaillie, but for some reason does not have the opportunity to make a stuffed animal, then even the fan-shaped tail of this bird can serve as an excellent trophy for him.

How did the tradition of keeping hunting trophies develop? It can be assumed that its roots go back to the distant past. In ancient hunting tribes, those who had a lot of skins and in whose families women wore fangs and claws of the most dangerous predators as decorations were considered the most worthy - this testified to the fearlessness and luck of the hunter. Then hunting trophies began to be compared in size and beauty. According to such indicators as length, diameter, mass, they began to be evaluated only in the last century. Horns of wild animals were recognized as the most valuable trophies. Tusks, skulls and skins were evaluated later, for example wild boar tusks were first evaluated at an international hunting trophy exhibition in 1937.

From the comparison of hunting trophies grew the need to display them. The first exhibition of trophies took place in 1891 in Hungary, and the first international exhibition took place in 1910 in Vienna. The trophy assessment methodology has been constantly improved at international hunting congresses. After the Second World War, larger exhibitions were organized in 1954 in Düsseldorf (2639 trophies from 20 countries were exhibited), in 1967 in the Yugoslav city of Novi Sad (2278 from 18 countries) and in 1971 in Budapest ( 5061 exhibits from 33 countries). Among the trophies from our country at the exhibition in Novi Sad were the horns of 6 elk and 5 roe deer caught in Estonia. In Budapest, 564 trophies from Russia were shown, of which 327 were awarded gold and 149 silver medals.

The exhibition organized in 1991 in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) should be considered the most representative in terms of the number of trophies and design - it can rightly be called the world exhibition of hunting, since, in addition to 12,500 hunting trophies, hunting and fishing accessories, hunting rifles were presented here. , as well as philatelic, numismatic, book and art expositions on hunting subjects. The most extensive was the exposition of the owners of the exhibition: there were 2800 hunting trophies from Bulgaria alone.

In a separate pavilion, an exposition dedicated to the nature and fauna of Bulgaria, which gave such rich trophies, was presented.

In the spacious pavilion, 1100 trophies of 40 varieties were exhibited, of which 740 were awarded gold, 219 silver and 103 bronze medals, 45 trophies received the Grand Prize and 7 were declared champions of the exhibition.

The collection of valuable furs from Russia caused admiration of the visitors of the exhibition. The exhibition featured the skin of a lynx obtained in Estonia. She was rated 188.51 points - a world record! In general, the collection of lynx skins from the Baltic republics deserved Special attention experts, and as a result we have stopped the free shooting of lynxes, set hunting periods in order to obtain the highest quality fur, as well as shooting limits by area in order to preserve the population.

Hunting trophy - wolf

The skull of a lynx, also taken by an Estonian hunter, became the champion of the exhibition in Plovdiv (28.8 points). The big prize was also awarded to the antlers of the roe deer shot in our republic. And one more thing: two Estonian hounds were recognized worthy of gold medals at the Plovdiv exhibition.

It should also be noted the international exhibition of hunting trophies of the socialist countries, held at the end of the summer of 1990 in the city of Nitra as part of an agricultural exhibition. The holding of this exhibition was coordinated with the International Union for Hunting and Conservation of Animals, and the trophies were evaluated by an international expert commission (this gives trophy owners the right to submit them to other exhibitions with points awarded here). In Nitra, 4576 trophies of 19 varieties were evaluated.

In 1980, the 3rd exhibition of hunting trophies took place in Moscow. It was held on the territory of VDNKh and was dedicated to the Olympic Games. It exhibited 1,450 trophies of 35 varieties, including 117 elk horns, 32 saiga antlers, 26 deer antlers, and 42 boar tusks.

So, at present, the display of hunting trophies has become very popular, and as a result, many hunters have begun to relate to hunting in a completely different way than before. Now it is not uncommon for a hunter not to shoot an animal from which only meat can be obtained, and deliberately miss it in the hope that he will meet an animal with a valuable trophy.

On a global scale, trophy hunting has become a very prestigious business. Hunters strive to get luxurious horns that can claim the title of champion.

hunting trophies hunters were presented at all major exhibitions of recent times, and many were awarded medals. One of the largest was the 2nd exhibition of Baltic hunting trophies, which took place in Tallinn at the end of summer. The hunters presented 333 exhibits, of which 275 received medals. The assessment was made by the commission international level and the international system. Of the 177 trophies of Estonian hunters, 176 medals were awarded. The results achieved have significantly increased the interest of hunters in collecting trophies, their proper processing and storage.

Now exhibitions in the Baltic republics are held every two years and trophies obtained in the previous two years are presented at them.

The fifth exhibition of the Baltic hunting trophies was held in Tallinn in 1980 and was dedicated to the Olympic regatta. This time, only 1197 trophies were evaluated (246 red deer horns, 193 pairs of elk antlers, horns of 2 deer and 115 roe deer, 398 boar tusks, 36 wolf skins and 132 wolf skulls, as well as 45 lynx skulls), of which 300 were awarded gold medal, 387 - silver and 396 - bronze.

Our hunters liked collecting trophies: even district hunting clubs began to organize trophy exhibitions. The first such exhibition took place in the Palace of Culture in Kohtla-Jarve. Here, mainly trophies obtained by local hunters were exhibited, but trophies from neighboring regions were also presented. There were many visitors at the exhibition, and it can be considered that the event was a success.

Behind last years the number of medal-worthy trophies has increased. It is interesting to note that most of the fine elk antlers, for example, came from the northern and western regions of Estonia. Apparently, in these areas, the food base is more suitable for moose, the chemical composition of vegetation is most favorable for them.

It has been established that the number of valuable trophies increases with selective shooting of animals, which ensures the viability of the population. In practice, we demand that male elk, whose antlers have 4-7 processes, should not be shot by hunters: such males are of the greatest value as breeding animals and a potential reserve for obtaining valuable trophies. We are adjusting the methods and timing of hunting, selective shooting, biotechnical work in such a way that we can get as many valuable trophies as possible.

Horns, fangs, skins and other trophies should be treated accordingly. In the process of this work, hunters learn a lot of new things for themselves, acquire the necessary skills. Horns and skins, which are of little value, are used to make souvenirs, buttons, slippers, game bags and other items. Making stuffed animals and birds requires great skill and craftsmanship and is beyond the power of most hunters. Therefore, it is very important that taxidermists pass on their experience to talented youth. Making other trophies is less difficult, and every hunter can try his hand at this business.

In our time, collecting trophies and respectful attitude towards them should be considered one of the main signs of hunting culture.

At least each hunter has his own program, but there are especially iconic animals, which it is a matter of honor for a true pro to get them.

When in September 1696, Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg shot down a huge deer in the vicinity of Frankfurt an der Oder, he could not have imagined that the unique antlers of this animal would play a significant role in the history of German diplomacy. It all started with the desertion of a company of Saxon soldiers, who were led astray by a Prussian recruiting officer operating in Saxony. Upon learning of the crime, the Saxon ruler Augustus the Strong ordered the culprit to be hanged. In response, his Prussian "colleague" Friedrich Wilhelm threatened the Saxon envoy in Berlin with similar reprisals. Diplomatic correspondence still bore fruit - there were no executions. And as a sign of reconciliation, Prussia sent Augustus, who was known as a passionate hunter, those very famous 66-pointed horns. Today they are stored in the “Monster Hall” of Moritzburg Castle, whose collection of trophies has been collected for hundreds of years.

When exactly the tradition was born to leave as a keepsake a fragment of an animal killed during a hunt, whether it be a claw, a fang or a head, is not known for certain. Obviously, in ancient times, this desire had more ritual and sacred meaning than the desire to emphasize one's exclusive status, as in the era of noble monopoly in hunting. The male miner, who took a spear in his hands not for the sake of whim, but solely because of “production necessity”, decorated himself and his home with such amulets, believing that the strength and dexterity of the animals struck by him would pass to him. It is unlikely that modern hunters profess the same philosophy. But, like many years ago, hunting trophies are an indicator of skill and a kind of order of courage.

Red deer - royal prey

• Where to go: England, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, etc.
• The cost of hunting - from $ 2,000

In medieval England, the red deer was among the objects of the royal hunt, so no one except the monarch could shoot at him. Even the barons in their own forests had no right to encroach on this trophy on pain of a huge fine. If the killed animal or its remains were found on the territory of the royal forest, the guilty person was threatened with blindness.

In modern Britain, deer hunting is available to both locals and foreign hunters. However, as in many other European countries, where a handsome horned man is found. But, despite the vast habitat, the red deer is considered an extremely difficult, and therefore honorable prey. Just getting close to him in the forest is already a great success, since the beast has exceptional vision and smell and can smell a person even from the leeward side. In addition, he is naturally shy, so any rustle or movement - and you can say goodbye to a potential trophy. It is believed that it is easiest to take a cautious animal on salt licks when it regales itself with salt and loses its vigilance at least for a while.

Spanish hunters often mistake domestic cows grazing on hunting grounds for wild deer and shoot them by mistake. To protect their livestock, before the start of the season, local farmers write on the sides of animals VACA - "cow".

Argali Marco Polo - ram-climber

• Where to go: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan
• The cost of hunting - from $ 18,000

It is no coincidence that the hunt for this handsome markhorn is considered one of the most elite and prestigious in the world. And the point is not at all in impressive financial costs (only a license costs $ 8,000 - 9,000). Alpine safari in Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan is not only a real test of professionalism, but also a great test of endurance. Sensing danger, super-cautious argali can go to a height of up to 5500 m, so the hunter will have to pass the test of rarefied air, and often extremely cold temperatures. The organizers of such tours recommend, upon arriving at the place, not immediately rush into battle, but spend at least a couple of days acclimatizing and practicing mountain shooting, which has its own nuances.

In some places, hunting involves riding a horse, so the ability to stay in the saddle can be much more important than hunting skills. Mountain sheep have a unique ability to move along almost vertical sheer cliffs without falling down, but, alas, such a gift is not given to horses and humans, so you should not expose yourself to unnecessary risk. Even for the sake of decorating a country house with a cult trophy head with meter-long spiral horns.

Marco Polo owes his name to the great Venetian traveler. He was the first to tell Europe about the existence of a graceful mountain animal with mighty horns.

The elephant is the master of the savannah

• Where to go: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa
• The cost of hunting - from $ 20,000

It is the most impressive African Great Five hunting trophy and is also the largest land mammal in the world. Add to this the monstrous strength and ability to quickly turn into a state of aggression, which makes hunting an elephant extremely dangerous. It seems that such circumstances are quite enough to inspire an ambitious hunter to go to the Black Continent for the main safari of his life.

It may seem only to an amateur that there are no difficulties in “elephant” hunting. The object cannot be larger, it can be seen from afar, you can hit it from any distance. In reality, the hunter must show pinpoint accuracy, being able to accurately select the oldest male from the herd, and then hit him with one well-aimed shot. A mistake can result in both a substantial fine, since in most African countries there is a taboo on the extraction of young individuals and females, and the death of the shooter. The giant beast has only two “lethal” points on its head, but getting into other places protected by a thick skin will only anger it, and then the giant’s attack cannot be avoided. And with this turn of events, the chances of saving the hunter are very small.

In many countries of South Africa, an original dish is made from elephant meat - biltong. Thin strips flavored with salt and spices are dried in hot air and served at the table. Including visiting hunters who got the game.

Water buffalo - horned aggressor

• Where to go: Australia
• The cost of hunting - from $ 10,000

Even for those who already have one of the representatives of the big African five - the buffalo in their hunting piggy bank, it will be interesting to get the trophy of its Australian counterpart. Despite family ties, each animal has its own specifics, which means that a safari on the Green Continent will in no way become deja vu hunting in Africa. Australia is still gaining momentum as a hunting Mecca, and in some places the infrastructure is poorly developed, there are no decent roads. In addition, the local horned trophies can graze all day long in wet floodplains, which are also difficult to access by transport. It is recommended to shoot a buffalo at close range, so the right to miss tends to zero. The vegetarian nature of the "Australian" by no means makes him a safe creature. The reaction to the threat, which he quickly feels thanks to his excellent sense of smell, vision and hearing, becomes aggression, but if the buffalo is injured, he is already deadly. Considering that there is no car nearby, and nearby is an angry beast weighing a ton with meter-long horns, the hunter must be very confident in his physical abilities.

Recently, the Australian authorities have increasingly announced their intention to resume crocodile hunting, a ban on which has been in effect for more than 40 years. If this significant event for hunters happens, it is the giant reptile that will undoubtedly become the main local trophy.

The polar bear is the king of the Arctic

• Where to go: Canada, Nunavut
• The cost of hunting - from $ 39,000

The largest land predator on the planet is among the desired trophies of any hunter, not only because of its outstanding size. Today it is possible to hunt a formidable beast, whose weight can reach a ton and height - 3 m, only in one country - Canada. This circumstance makes bear hunting a truly exclusive pleasure. Although the occupation is quite dangerous, given the tough temper of the animal, for a true pro, it does not present great difficulties. The target is large, pursued by dogs, quickly exhausted, and because of its myopia, it usually lets it get pretty close to itself. What is really worth stocking up is patience - sometimes it takes more than one day to find a bear. Binoculars will help to see the owner of the Arctic in white "interiors". You will also need special clothing and a sleeping bag made of caribou reindeer fur - only such equipment can protect against frost at 30 ° C, which is not at all uncommon for the polar latitudes. It is important to remember that it is strictly forbidden to shoot an animal while on an all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile. Vehicles are used exclusively for moving through the icy desert.

Unlike other countries where there is a moratorium on shooting polar bear, Canada has been issuing hunting quotas to indigenous people for 45 years. At the same time, an aborigine who owns a license is free to transfer the right to shoot to a foreign hunter. Main condition: local must accompany a foreigner as a guide or just an observer.

Puma - thunderstorm of the prairies

• Where to go: Argentina
• The cost of hunting - from $ 11,000

This big cat, capable of jumping up to 3 m and landing safely from a height of the sixth floor, is perhaps the main symbol of the entire Western Hemisphere. The territory of its habitat stretches from Canada to Patagonia. Fiercely hated by farmers because of its gastronomic passion for livestock and just as fiercely revered by the Indians for strength and endurance, the cougar is of constant interest to hunters from all over the world. Hunting for the American predator is always an exciting contest in cunning: it often takes several days to unravel the tangled tracks and pursue them.

Despite the outstanding specifications"In the form of four-centimeter fangs, capable of killing prey from the first bite in the ridge, the cougar rarely shows aggression towards a person. Over 100 years of observations, only 50 cougar attacks on people have been recorded. But the life of dogs, which play a key role in hunting, literally depends on the speed and professionalism of the "hunter". After a while, the animal, driven by dogs on a tree, ceases to be afraid and pounces on them. Therefore, a responsible hunter has no right to be late or miss.

The cougar is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as an animal with maximum amount names - more than 40. In different languages ​​\u200b\u200bof both Americas, this beast is called a cougar, a deer cat, a red tiger, a Mexican lion, a mountain devil, etc.

With the advent of wealthy people in Russia, it became possible for a certain circle of hunters to travel to other countries and to remote corners of our country to hunt for rare and exotic animals. Naturally, to confirm their hunting success, they brought trophies and demonstrated them. Some trophies were better than those of colleagues, others were inferior to them; As a result, there is competition. Exhibitions began to be held, categories and medals were assigned to trophies. Thus, the so-called “trophy hunting” came to Russia, which has a long tradition in Europe. Just do not talk (as some members of hunting clubs do in their interviews) about the revival of the traditions of Russian trophy hunting. There has never been such a tradition in Russia. At best, the extracted antlers went to hangers or knife handles, and the elk antlers that hung in the offices of the leaders were not obtained by them at all. Our distant and immediate ancestors hunted for pleasure and meat (and fishermen did it for money). Yes, yes, for the sake of meat and there is nothing shameful in this. A man who brings a piece of meat into the house has always been respected and honored.

Nevertheless, a group of people who call themselves "trophy hunters" and hunt animals only for the sake of trophies contemptuously refer to other hunters as butchers. The "butchers" in response laugh at the "domestic cow hunters" and generally do not consider them to be hunters. Antagonism, as they say, is evident. As a result, I'm talking very seriously now, there has been a split among people obsessed, in general, with one passion. And this, it seems to me, only plays into the hands of the opponents of hunting, who do not care what it is.

I have been hunting for 40 years and I think I know both hunts. Some from personal experience, some from friends. Among my trophies there are those who received medals at exhibitions, and almost all the "meat" animals and birds that live in our country and in Europe. Lots of trophies from Asia.

Let's figure it out. But first, let's cross out those who are in both categories from the list of hunters. The "butchers" (I'll call it that for brevity, sorry) are frank poachers who do not recognize any deadlines or rules, beating hares from cars and females in the spring. "Goons", destroying birds and animals, for the sake of the desire to shoot at any distance and at any target. And people who do not recognize hunting ethics. (In my opinion, some reasonable excess of unreasonably low norms is acceptable). For "trophy hunters" these are hunters who want to get a trophy at any cost. That is, shooting from cars, from helicopters, at really domestic animals and driven animals, or resorting to the help of professional shooters.

Then, it seems to me, real hunters will remain, regardless of addiction. By the way, here the difference is more in words. I don’t know a single “butcher” who would refuse the antlers of the elk he has got, and the “trophyers”, although they say that they are not interested in meat, gladly take the meat share due to them. It’s just that in Africa no one will give them meat, so they are proud of their disinterestedness, content with photographs and horns.

There are no words, to get a record trophy of a Marco Polo sheep high in the mountains is happiness for someone. And here everything is without deception, the happy face of the hunter in the photo cannot be faked or played. Satisfied and the hunter, starring with a medal deer or buffalo. The hunter should be pleased. For his considerable money, he got the opportunity to take a shot and did not miss his chance.

Have you seen the face of a hunter who laid a hornless moose cow on a collective, driven hunt? And if this is the last corral and last chance the whole team to return home with a piece of meat? That's where happiness is. That's where honor, respect and glory. For all the trophies in the world, such a lucky person will not sell this moment. Or maybe even fantastically lucky, and a bull with horns will come out? Any, not necessarily a medal. Yes, this trophy, perhaps the only one in life, will be remembered until the end of days. And this day will be the happiest in the life of a hunter. By the way, each of us, the “butchers”, has such a trophy (I still consider myself to this group, it’s impossible to be impartial), but no, it will definitely be so.

Why is there an elk, I had to see absolutely happy people who got a hare or a goose. Aren't these trophies? Is the first duck caught by a boy not a trophy?

I remember a bus with hunters returning from spring draft 30 years ago. For the whole company, one woodcock was obtained, hanging in the center of the cabin in a prominent place. Respectful glances at the lucky one and endless questions. How did you fly? Horkal or Zvikal? How did you shoot? How did you search? I do not think that at that moment someone in the whole world was happier than the owner of this trophy.

I happened to get dozens of geese in Germany in one morning. So I don’t remember the details of these hunts at all, and the only gander for hunting near Yaroslavl and a couple from near Rostov are still in front of my eyes. So everything is relative, and one hare from the Moscow region is incommensurably more valuable than two dozen shot in Scotland in half an hour. But trophy hunting, especially in Africa, is a chance to quickly become famous. To pass for a serious hunter, one does not need to study the habits of animals, read their tracks, know their habitats and the secrets of disguise. I shot a lion or an elephant on the very first hunt, and here are your photographs in magazines, you are respectfully interviewed and invited to TV shows. The beauty. On the middle of nowhere and bunnies you won’t go far. Again, all the time next to you is a whole team of professional guides. They will find a herd of animals, and they will bring you to him, and they will indicate a worthy trophy. It remains only to shoot from a helpfully substituted tripod. And if you miss, make a wounded animal - it doesn’t matter, a professional shooter will finish everything for you. And you are a hero, an African hunter. Only it seems to me that if you give such a hero a double-barreled shotgun and let him go into the forest near Moscow alone with the task of getting a hare or hazel grouse, he will not only return empty, but also get lost. But a hunter is, first of all, a tracker. So it's not worth raising the status of a "trophy hunter" so high. Immediately make a reservation, there are real hunters in both categories. There are also solid professionals - "trophies" who are able to travel many kilometers off-road, experiencing all possible hardships for the sake of their goal. But you can not reject or put the original Russian hunting below any exotic. I recently visited England and shot pheasants and partridges, as they say, from the belly. But if you knew with what impatience I wait for the onset of spring to hear, perhaps, the only woodcock stretched out on a draft.

On the other hand, serious thoughts suggest that in Africa, in places where trophy hunting is not carried out, the beast was knocked out by poachers. Since the money received from hunting goes to protection, the animal is preserved, multiplies, and the influx of hunters can be increased. It would seem that an example worthy of imitation, and it would not be bad to transfer it to Russia. However, for some reason I am not sure that the money received from hunting will go to the protection of animals.

Second moment. Trophy hunting must necessarily be combined with selective shooting. Otherwise, there will be degradation of populations (although we are assured of the opposite). But with today's distribution of shooting quotas, selection is not beneficial for hunt organizers. For example: the head of the hunting department has ten licenses for shooting moose and, naturally, he will receive the greatest income from trophy hunting. Consequently, ten of the largest and most beautiful producers in the area will be killed, and there will be nothing left for selection. And the demand for trophy hunting, which is supposed to be developed, will only push him to this. It will be objected to me that the “trophy-seekers” are only interested in adult animals that have already passed the peak of their heyday and are not actively involved in reproduction. That's right, that's right. But such animals are of interest only to very wealthy hunters. Those who have less money agree on a more modest, younger trophy, with fewer processes and, accordingly, cheaper. next age group hunters with even more modest incomes will get there. And if the shooting of young, promising producers is prohibited in Europe, then we do not even have this in the rules of hunting. “The trophies, I think, should work in this direction.

By the way, in Europe, not all polls are trophy hunters. The French, for example, are simply obsessed with woodcock. Italians are frank "butchers". I personally saw how they, hunting with us, packed the carcasses of dead ducks and geese to be sent home. My friend Philip Thorrold, the famous English stand-up and hunter, does not at all like to shoot a bullet and hunt deer, of which there are many in England, but prefers pigeons, ducks and geese. However, one "trophy man" stated in an interview that there is trophy hunting and hunting ... uninteresting. How! And Aksakov, Pravdukhin and other classics of hunting believed that they were engaged in an interesting business.
I think some "trophy-seekers" should moderate their snobbery. Moreover, any “butcher” who knows how to trail hares will, on occasion, not lose his face in Africa either, but whether an “African” will be able to rafter a hare is a big question.

However, it must be admitted that trophy hunters, who often travel to Europe and Africa (where the same Europeans hunt), bring a lot of useful things from these trips. The culture of hunting, rituals, ethics, the safety of handling weapons, in a word, everything that we are not good at in Russia today, we will be happy to import. And the “tropheyists” will help us with this.

Unfortunately, as we know, being determines consciousness. One of my acquaintances was a wonderful feather hunter. I remember how many years ago he was the first of us to catch several (if I'm not mistaken eight) geese in Astrakhan. This event was discussed for a long time among Moscow hunters. Now, revolving among trophy hunters, he thinks more about the length of the fangs and the number of processes on the horns. It's a pity.

I'll take the liberty of giving some trophy hunters some advice. Try, after all, to descend from the "Olympus" and descend to "uninteresting" hunts. Stand on the thrust, on the usual duck flight (with your capabilities you can choose richer seats), listen to the hound, whistle the hazel grouse, flinch from the flapping of the wings of the soaring black grouse. Suddenly it will be more interesting than shooting zebras and giraffes.

True, success will not be guaranteed, but maybe this is the hunt?

One of my well-to-do friends said that he was not interested in driven hunting, because the huntsmen could not absolutely put a paid animal on him. Well, here's a direct way for him to Africa, Europe or to the stern boar tower. Everything is according to the price list. But we still patiently wait for our chance on the room.

I read in an interview with one "trophy hunter" that it is not recommended to hunt more than three or four times a year. Say, you can get tired of hunting, and the sharpness of sensations will dull. I fundamentally disagree. In my opinion, you can get tired only from shooting and killing, but not from hunting. Indeed, if you shoot dozens of heads of animals in Africa for a trip or fifty hares per day of hunting in England, then, of course, the sensations will dull. For example, I get bored already after the fifth quail hunting with a cop, and after the third drake - with a decoy (these are just my feelings). However, for weeks I will never get tired of trampling a white hare into a black trope or guarding an old cunning fox on a bait.

It is difficult to explain something to a person who asks why I spend hours, in the cold, sitting on a tower at night, guarding a fox, if its skin is worth nothing today. After all, this is not a trophy and not even "meat", since the fur is depreciated. So there's something else we're hunting for. And this "something" cannot be hung on the wall in the trophy room.

Let me quote the great hunter John Hunter, whom no one will reproach for a negative attitude towards trophy hunting: “I must say that in recent years the passion for trophy hunting has reached such a level that it has become meaningless. It seems to me foolish to spend weeks hoping to get an animal with horns a quarter or a half inch more than the world record, just to see your name in the directory. And he wrote this almost a century ago. Will the passion for records lead our hunters away from hunting as such?

I assure you that I am not at all opposed to trophy hunting, but just for consolidation, however, with some revision of priorities and serious preparation of the base for conducting it in Russia. If today there is no place for hoof hunters and other hunters in the grounds where hunting for ungulates is carried out, then I imagine what will happen tomorrow when the “trophy hunters” reserve the grounds for themselves. That's when the confrontation will result in an outright war. This must be avoided before it's too late. And let's consider as a trophy not only horns over 60 inches, but any game honestly caught on any hunt that interests you.

S. Losev. Magazine "MASTERRUGIO" №157

For a long time, hunting has been a difficult but exciting business. Hunting trophies in the form of meat and game skins became the reward of a successful hunter. The harsh life, impassability and more than modest living conditions of an ordinary hunter were not conducive to collecting other trophies. The modern hunter is attracted not only by hunting products. The meeting with nature is dear to him, he is fascinated by the process of hunting, its sports, educational and aesthetic aspects.

Under these conditions, not only game meat and skins, but also horns, fangs, animal skulls, as well as hunting souvenirs made using hunting trophies, became desirable hunting trophies. These hunting trophies adorn hunters' apartments, clubs and institutions, hunting bases, especially if the trophies are well designed, mounted on special medallion shields, which themselves can be works of applied art.

Hunting trophies vividly remind of the adventures experienced in hunting wanderings, and if they are properly preserved, provided with labels filled with trophy sheets in accordance with all the rules, then such hunting trophies may also be of scientific interest.

The development of horns and fangs serves as an indicator of the health of the animal, its belonging to one or another species; they can be used to roughly determine the age of the beast. A collection of such hunting trophies, collected over several years, makes it possible to judge the state of the population, the level of hunting management.

In most countries of the world, hunting trophies have long attracted special attention. Exhibitions of hunting trophies are systematically arranged, where they are subjected to a special examination and their merits are determined by a point system. A point for a particular quality of a hunting trophy is set as a result of special measurements, weighing, determining volumes, beauty, symmetry of processes, etc. Outstanding hunting trophies are awarded prizes, medals, the best of them are recorded in the "winners" catalogs, they become national, sometimes even an international treasure.

Among Russian hunters, interest in hunting trophies, their preservation, collection and evaluation is growing every year. A kind of cult of hunting trophies forces the workers of hunting farms to carry out directed selection in such a way as to grow more perfect animals with beautiful horns and powerful fangs. The desire to get a hunting trophy in its best form contributes to the revival and development of the most beautiful hunts for roar, waba, lair, etc. Finally, hunting trophies and souvenirs decorate the life of hunters, and the production of such souvenirs enlivens art crafts.

Hunting trophies are the horns of wild animals, stuffed birds, fangs and skulls of animals caught by hunters in a timely manner and by permitted means. Discarded deer antlers, as well as antlers of goats, rams, fangs and skulls taken from fallen animals, are not subject to examination at exhibitions and reviews, although they can be used as wall decorations or crafts.

It is customary to save hunting trophies in the form of stuffed heads, horns with a part of the skull on the medallion. A stuffed head can only be made by an experienced taxidermist. To prepare a stuffed animal, you need to cut off the head at the base of the neck. The horns are kept together with the frontal, and preferably with the nasal bone and even with the lower jaw. The cranial part is boiled in a cauldron, immersed in water up to the rims of the horns. After the meat becomes easy to separate and is removed, the bones are bleached by covering them with cotton wool, tow or moss, moistened with 20% hydrogen peroxide. Stored for age determination lower jaw processed without the use of peroxide.

For a hunting trophy, a trophy list of the established form is drawn up indicating the place and time of shooting, the size and weight of the animal, the last name, first name and patronymic of the successful hunter. A trophy sheet can be beautifully designed on a special, artistically printed form or on a kind of tablet made of leather, birch bark, polished wood. Such an original trophy leaf becomes an interesting souvenir in itself.

Hunting organizations of the country regularly hold reviews and exhibitions of hunting trophies. Russian hunters have repeatedly shown their hunting trophies at international exhibitions. Many domestic hunting trophies were awarded Big gold medals, and some were even awarded the world championship.

Hunting is the oldest occupation of people and a sport that allows you to show courage, dexterity, strength, endurance.

Having emerged victorious in a fight with an animal, the hunter left fangs, skins of predators, horns of hoofed animals as evidence of his prowess. The owner of such trophies enjoyed the respect of his fellow tribesmen.

The most popular trophies are horns, fangs, skins, skulls of wild animals. Properly processed and mounted on special stands (medallions), they have a deep emotional impact on the audience, admire the perfection of form and beauty, amaze with their size and power. In terms of depth of aesthetic impression, hunting trophies can be compared to works of art, so trophy exhibitions always arouse great interest and attract many visitors.

With the development of the sport of hunting, the growth of interest in r; hunting trophies, holding international and national exhibitions, it became necessary to develop a system for evaluating hunting trophies.

For the first time (1894, Austria), red deer antlers were evaluated using the Meran method. The initial evaluation of the trophies was carried out subjectively, without special rules, based on visual impressions. The measurement of trophies did not play a significant role. Even several decades later, only some characteristic dimensions were taken into account. It was not until the late 1920s that more objective assessment methods were developed and became widespread.

In 1927, in Germany, Beger proposed a method for assessing roe deer horns, in Hungary, Nadler, a system for assessing red deer horns, and later in Hungary, methods for assessing fallow deer horns, mouflon, and wild boar tusks appeared. In Germany and Austria, methods for assessing the antlers of elk and chamois have developed.

In 1932, in Czechoslovakia, Dyk substantiated his rules for estimating the antlers of red deer, fallow deer and roe deer by excluding the weight of antlers from the evaluation elements, since it changes with time.

In addition, the weight of the trophy is also affected by what part of the skull is left with it (sometimes the entire skull is left).

In 1937, at a meeting of the International Council of Hunters in Prague, when discussing the issue of holding an international trophy exhibition in Berlin, the most objective methods were chosen and, after making changes, were accepted as international rules.

After the Second World War, the question arose of resuming international hunting exhibitions. At the meeting of the International Council of Hunters in Madrid in 1952, the international scoring system was refined and significantly supplemented. However, there are still controversial issues regarding the methods of measuring and evaluating trophies, in particular red deer. In Austria and Hungary, the countries that pioneered the scoring system, they tried to keep the Nadler method unchanged. However, it focuses mainly on the evaluation of the physical properties of the trophy (such as size, power, massiveness) and does not take into account its aesthetic merits, therefore, at the meeting of the International Council of Hunters in Copenhagen in 1955, the international evaluation system established in 1952 was officially approved. in Madrid.

For several decades, methods for evaluating hunting trophies have changed significantly and become more objective, taking into account their size, weight, volume (with a certain scoring system for measuring animal species).

The aesthetic elements of the trophy began to play a lesser role, since their assessment is subjective: different experts do not equally like the same elements of the trophy.

The organization of international exhibitions contributed to the creation of more advanced methods for evaluating trophies. Subsequent changes to the international trophy evaluation system were made at the World Hunting Exhibition held in Budapest in 1971.

Uniform international methods for measuring trophies and scoring allow you to set the gradation of the displayed hunting trophies and mark them with appropriate awards.

International exhibitions

International hunting exhibitions have been organized for more than half a century. They played a big role in promoting the sport of hunting and developing criteria for evaluating hunting trophies.

The first such exhibition opened in the summer of 1910 in Vienna. It exhibited 2900 trophies from five European countries. At that time, the evaluation of trophies was carried out subjectively, by free judgment, that is, according to their external data, and as a result, more than a thousand trophies were recognized as the best.

The next exhibition was held in 1930 in Leipzig, where 3,000 trophies from six European countries were displayed. Evaluation of trophies here has already been carried out according to specially developed methods.

In 1937, the largest International Hunting Exhibition was held in Berlin, exhibiting 7195 trophies already from 24 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and from Soviet Union. It was our first time at an international show. European deer antlers (Czechoslovakia) with 242.0 points, European roe deer antlers with 184.3 points and wild boar tusks with 151.0 points (Poland) were recognized as champions of the show. These tusks of a wild boar are still champions in their merits. During the war, the fangs died, but their measurements and photographs were preserved, according to which they skillfully made a copy in Poland. At the Berlin exhibition, the championship in fallow deer horns belonged to Hungary, in chamois horns - to Romania.

In October 1954, the first post-war exhibition dedicated to hunting and sport fishing took place in Düsseldorf. It showed 2639 trophies from 21 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Of the socialist countries, only Yugoslavia was a participant in the exhibition. At this exhibition, new champions were established only in European deer antlers - a score of 248.55 (gotten in Yugoslavia).

In 1960, and then in 1964, Italian national hunting exhibitions were held in Florence. Four European countries took part in the first of them, which exhibited a total of 205 trophies, in the second - seven European countries, which exhibited 396 trophies.

In 1967, in Novi Sad (Yugoslavia), an international exhibition was opened with the participation of 18 countries. In its two pavilions, 2377 trophies were demonstrated, of which 1190 received gold medals. Trophies at this exhibition were already evaluated according to the rules approved by the International Council of Hunters.

The socialist countries at the Yugoslav exhibition took a leading place: six champions belonged to Romania, two each to Hungary and Czechoslovakia, one each to Yugoslavia, Poland, and the USSR. Elk antlers (406.55 points) became the champion of the exhibition from the Soviet Union.

The largest and most popular was the World Hunting Exhibition in 1971 in Budapest (Hungary). For about four years, the organizational bureau spent preparatory work involving hundreds of specialists from different countries.

The World Hunting Exhibition was held under the motto "Man, hunting and nature". The main objective of the exhibition is to demonstrate the impact of hunting on modern life a person, display the level of development of the hunting economy, summarize the achievements of science and best practices in the development of this branch of the economy, show the role of hunting in nature protection and the development of international tourism.

For the exhibition, 40 hectares of park territory with a pavilion area of ​​30 thousand m 2 were allotted. For animals, open land plots were allocated.

51 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and America participated in the exhibition. Of these, 34 countries exhibited the achievements of the hunting economy in their national pavilions, 6 countries in joint pavilions and 11 countries took part in separate events.

Most of the exposition in the national pavilions was occupied by hunting trophies. More than 30 countries presented 5389 trophies of 122 species. The evaluation of hunting trophies was carried out by an international expert commission according to the rules approved by the International Council of Hunters. The most extensive expositions at this exhibition were deployed by the socialist countries. Nine countries of the socialist camp exhibited 4013 trophies, i.e. 74% of the total number of exhibited trophies. They received 2750 gold medals out of 3349 (about 80%).

The most chain collection of 534 trophies of 36 species and subspecies of animals was presented by the Soviet Union. In terms of the number of trophies, she ranked second after the Hungarian, but in terms of diversity she had no equal. In third place was Romania, in fourth place was Poland.

The list of participating countries, the number of trophies that received medals and the main prize of the Grand Prix exhibition are given in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Central location on world review occupied the antlers of red deer - 1111 copies from 18 countries. In the expositions of 9 socialist countries, 1019 trophies were displayed, which received 585 gold awards. There were only 92 trophies from Austria, England, Belgium, Iran, Spain, France, Chile and Switzerland.

The Soviet collection consisted of 98 trophies of five subspecies: maral, red deer, Caucasian, Central European and Bukhara deer. 41 trophies were awarded the gold medal.

The European roe deer horns were very popular at the exhibition - 1102 specimens from 17 countries. Roe deer trophies were presented by Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Mongolian People's Republic, Poland, Romania, USSR, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia. They offered 846 trophies and collected a rich golden harvest - 545 gold medals.

The most representative was the exposition of the Hungarian People's Republic - 316 items, of which 130 were awarded gold awards. A large collection is shown by the Polish People's Republic - 114 trophies, of which 104 are gold medalists. The title of champion was awarded to horns from Hungary with a score of 228.68 points.

Elk antlers were among the most interesting trophies. At exhibitions, they attracted the attention of visitors with their enormous size, power and variety of shapes. Elk horns (74 trophies) were demonstrated by five countries: the Soviet Union, the Mongolian People's Republic, the Polish People's Republic, France and Sweden. The Soviet Union was the owner of the largest collection - 53 trophies, 40 of which were awarded gold medals and 13 silver medals. The first place and the champion title were given to the elk antlers from the USSR with a score of 415.9 points (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Elk antlers - world record holders

Among the hunting trophies, the horns of wild sheep occupied a worthy place. Their power, wonderful spiral bend and perfect symmetry aroused the admiration of visitors. High class trophies were demonstrated by the socialist countries. Mouflon horns were exhibited by 11 countries, including 4 socialist countries. The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic presented 72 trophies, the German Democratic Republic 28, the Hungarian People's Republic 25 and the People's Republic of Bulgaria 2 trophies, while the other 7 countries together only 39 trophies. In total, there were 127 mouflon horns from the socialist countries, of which 102 were awarded gold medals. In addition to the horns of the mouflon, the socialist countries showed the horns of three more subspecies of mountain sheep: 11 trophies of the Altai ram (argali) - the Mongolian People's Republic, 3 - the Soviet Union, 11 trophies of the Turkmen steppe ram (arkal) and 17 trophies of the Pamir ram (Marco Polo) - also Soviet Union. Of the 42 trophies, 21 were awarded a gold medal.

The Soviet Union also exhibited 15 bighorn sheep trophies. Two of them were awarded gold medals, eight received silver, three - bronze.

The most representative at the world show in Budapest was the collection of trophies of wild goats from the Soviet Union (82 out of 92 received gold awards). They were distinguished by a variety of forms: the long saber-shaped horns of the bezoar goat and the Siberian ibex, the massive horns of the Dagestan and Kuban turs, the horns of the markhor goat twisted into a bizarre spiral.

The Mongolian People's Republic received 12 gold medals for the horns of the Siberian ibex. In addition, ibex horns were presented by Iran - 14 specimens and Spain - 21 specimens.

Deer horns (154 copies) were exhibited by ten states. The title of champion was awarded to horns from Hungary with a score of 217.25 points. The USSR did not demonstrate this type of trophy, since the deer are few in number and are not an object of hunting.

The antlers of the saiga, goitered gazelle, and gazelle from the Soviet Union and the Mongolian People's Republic were the decoration of the world exhibition; 21 pairs of saiga horns and 8 pairs of gazelle horns from the Soviet Union were awarded gold medals; Mongolian trophies received 59 gold awards. Saiga horns (Fig. 2) rated at 91.77 points, and goitered gazelle horns from the USSR (111.4 points) were recognized as champions of the exhibition.

Rice. 2. Saiga horns - world record holders

The most popular hunting trophies were wild boar tusks. At the world review, they were exhibited by 14 countries, including 9 socialist ones, the total number of these trophies was 816 copies, of which 758 were demonstrated by the countries of the socialist camp and received 530 gold medals, the remaining five countries (Austria, Belgium, Iran, Germany and Spain) showed total 58 trophies.

The hunters of the socialist countries were especially proud of the trophies - world record holders, as well as the gold medalists of the world hunting exhibition "Budapest-71". The socialist countries own world championship trophies of 28 species and subspecies of animals.

In the collection of the Soviet Union, trophies of 15 species and subspecies are recognized as world record holders: antlers of the European elk - 415.90 points; deer - 391.70; red deer - 157.65; reindeer - 989.00; Siberian roe deer - 267.30; Turkmen ram-arkal-311.85; Pamir sheep (Marco Polo) - 385.45; bighorn sheep - 269.80; Kuban tour - 269.75; Dagestan tour - 308.95; markhor goat - 283.70; gazelle - 111.40; saiga - 91.17; skulls of a polar bear - 70.61 and a wild cat - 19.57 points.

Four world record holders of the Socialist Republic of Romania: chamois horns - 141.10 points, brown bear skull - 65.75, brown bear skin - 398.55, lynx skin - 160.84 points.

The Hungarian People's Republic has three world record holders: Carpathian deer antlers - 251.83 points, European roe deer - 228.68, fallow deer - 217.25 points.

The Mongolian People's Republic had three world records: the horns of the Siberian mountain goat - 270.15 points, the mountain sheep (argali) - 424.30 and the gazelle - 77.09 points.

Wolf skulls - 44.25 points and lynx - 28.40 points, belonging to Czechoslovakia, were also world record holders.

World record holders are recognized: one trophy of the Polish People's Republic - the skin of a wolf - 148.00 points and one trophy from Yugoslavia - tusks of a wild boar with an estimate of 142.30 points.

The socialist countries received 25 of the 29 top trophy places among European countries. Awarding the USSR 18 "Grand Prix", 329 gold, 158 silver and 47 bronze medals - big win our hunters.

In 1976, in Czechoslovakia, in České Budějovice, an exhibition of the achievements of the hunting economy of the socialist countries over the past five years was held for the first time. The hunting organizations of Bulgaria, Hungary, the GDR, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, the USSR, Czechoslovakia took part in the exhibition, demonstrating more than 4 thousand of the best hunting trophies of 28 types (Table 2).

TABLE 2

The expert commission consisted of 47 specialist experts from six socialist countries, including the Russian Union of Hunters and Fishermen. Trophies were evaluated according to international rules.

The expert commission revised and approved a new scale of awards. As a result, our trophies, such as the horns of deer, red deer, Siberian roe deer, received higher marks compared to domestic ones.

Horns of European deer were presented by 7 countries - 1152 copies, 189 of them were awarded gold medals.

Czechoslovakia had the largest collection - 984 copies. Most of the gold medals went to the Romanian Union of Hunters. The red deer antlers belonging to Bulgaria became the world champion - 253.62 points.

No less interesting and large was the collection of trophies of European roe deer, mouflon horns, spotted deer, fallow deer, wild boar tusks.

The exhibition featured 120 skins of four species of wild animals. Romania continues to hold absolute superiority in terms of the size of bear skins. The lynx skin of the Cherepovets regional society of hunters and fishermen of the Vologda region improved the previously set world record by 3.48 points. The new record is 164.12 points.

Skulls of wild animals in the amount of 486 copies of five species were exhibited by 5 countries; 12 new world records belong to the socialist countries.

The trophies, which received a record rating, were shown in a specially equipped pavilion "Peoples of the World", where each country had its own exposition.

The collection of trophies of the Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz in České Budějovice consisted of 95 specimens of 15 species. Among them, elk antlers belonging to the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Livestock Raw Materials and Furs were rated at 470.29 points and improved the world record by 54.39 points.

Deer horns set new record, receiving a score of 187.47 points (Fig. 3). Exceeded the previous world record and the horns of the deer, having received 176.40 points.

Rice. 3. Deer horns - world record holders

The Main Exhibition Committee awarded the board of the Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz with a Certificate of Merit, a diploma and the Golden Ear medal for demonstrating outstanding trophies, achievements and prospects for the development of hunting and sport fishing.

By the beginning of the exhibition, a catalog of hunting trophies was published, an album in which trophies were placed - world champions, magazines with the results of trophy evaluation and posters on hunting and nature protection.

The participation of the socialist states in the joint exhibition and its brilliant success demonstrated the extensive development of hunting in the socialist countries.

Local exhibitions

Exhibitions and competitions of trophies were held in 1973 in the Altai, Khabarovsk regional, Moscow regional and Bashkir republican societies of hunters and fishermen.

The most successful and interesting was the exhibition of hunting trophies in Altai. The main objective of the exhibition is to demonstrate the level of development of the hunting economy and the beauty of the native land.

The trophies were assessed by experts who graduated from the All-Russian courses. More than 140 trophies of 20 types were exhibited, 68 of them were previously shown at the All-Russian hunting trophy competition, where 30 trophies were rated for gold, 25 for silver and 12 for bronze medals. Regional society of hunters following the results All-Russian competition awarded a challenge prize.

Collections of stuffed birds and animals, as well as medals and diplomas received at domestic and international exhibitions, enjoyed great success among visitors. The sale of various souvenirs and crafts was organized. Specialists gave qualified consultations, guided tours. The exhibition aroused great interest among the inhabitants of the city of Barnaul.

The first steps in organizing such exhibitions were taken by the Bashkir Republican Society of Hunters and Fishermen. In Ufa, about 30 trophies of 11 types were presented in the hall of the Sports Palace. In addition to hunting trophies, the exhibition included hunting rifles, equipment, furs, various souvenirs, photographs. Particularly interesting were the living corners of nature of the local region with their inhabitants and the corner "Sculpture of Nature", where handicrafts made from twigs and roots were exhibited. In 1976, the Bashkir Republican Society of Hunters and Fishermen held a second exhibition.

Moscow regional society demonstrated hunting trophies in the assembly hall of the board. All trophies were decorated with great taste and placed on special stands. In terms of species composition, they were not much inferior to the exhibition of hunting trophies held in Altai. Visitors got acquainted with the horns of elk, deer, red deer, fallow deer, goitered gazelle, saiga, wild goats, rams, skulls and skins of wild animals. Of the 42 trophies exhibited, 18 received gold, 11 silver and 4 bronze medals.

A competition for the best hunting trophy was held in Khabarovsk. The exhibition featured 25 trophies of four types. For the Khabarovsk Territory, this is too small a collection, but the hunters of the region initiated the collection of trophies and continue this work to this day.

District societies followed the example of regional and regional societies of hunters and fishermen. In 1974, the Cherepovets District Society of Hunters and Fishermen of the Vologda Oblast organized a competition and an exhibition with a demonstration of not only hunting trophies, but also corners of wildlife, an interesting photo exposition on the subject, telling about the natural wealth of the Vologda Oblast. At the entrance stood a stuffed animal of a huge boar, made on a good professional level. Further among the trees there was a large group of current black grouse and capercaillie, stuffed partridges. The main exposition was hunting trophies. Elk horns were especially widely represented - 24 specimens. In addition to elk horns, the exhibition featured trophies of maral, red deer, European and reindeer, Siberian roe deer, ibex, saiga, fallow deer, chamois, lynx skull, wolf, brown bear. A well-dressed and beautifully decorated lynx skin attracted much attention.

Prior to the organization of the exhibition, the board of the society announced competitions for the best hunting trophies, a stuffed animal and a picture of wild animals, and the winners were awarded medals and diplomas.

The organization of such exhibitions is necessary. Their main task is to promote the sport of hunting, the ideas of nature conservation and the education of love for the native land.

Improving the examination of trophies

All-Union and international exhibitions of hunting trophies have shown that the currently used national and international systems estimates and measurement rules give objective indicators, satisfactorily characterizing the physical properties and dignity of trophies of each type. However, the current rules are still far from perfect. For example, the qualitative elements of a trophy, such as typicality and symmetry, are not sufficiently evaluated.

Typicality should be understood as the number and location of the components, the shape and ratio of the individual elements of the trophy. To evaluate these elements, there is a system of bonuses to points, and discounts are applied for atypical shape, asymmetry and other vices. However, the allowances are very small. For example, in the overall assessment of European roe deer horns (130 or more points), the premium for symmetry and beauty does not exceed 5 points; horns of a mountain sheep - mouflon, receiving more than 300 points for length, girth and span, can add only up to 5 points for perfection of form and beauty.

Discounts for asymmetry, atypical shape and other defects are allowed within the same limits. And in the assessment of the horns of red deer, no allowances are provided. Only discounts are possible for defects (asymmetric horns, broken, twisted ends, etc.) within 3 points with a total trophy score of 200 or more points.

At exhibitions of hunting trophies, as a rule, the most powerful, massive, but not always beautiful and typical, are recognized as winners. This encourages hunters-athletes to get the most massive trophies and stimulates hunting farms to select animals in this direction. It is known that some hunting farms in Yugoslavia and other countries even use special supplements that accelerate the growth of deer antlers. The typicality of the trophy, the perfection of form and symmetry in this case are relegated to the background in breeding work. Hence, there is a need to develop an additional method for assessing these properties. In particular, it is advisable to revise the scale for assessing the range of antlers in deer and roe deer.

According to the current rules, points for the span of the antlers of the Carpathian, Caucasian, Central European and Crimean deer and for all subspecies of roe deer are determined by the percentage of the largest span of the antlers to the average length of their trunks. If this ratio is less than 80% in deer, then no points are added to the trophy, for 60-70% - 1 point is awarded, for 70-80-2, for 80.1-100% - 3 points. In case of excessive collapse (over 100%), no points are awarded. There is no justification for this ranking.

The scope of the horns is one of the most important qualitative elements of the trophy and signs of the typicality of its shape, but its assessment does not exceed 3 points, which is much less points for the length and girth of the horns, the circumference of the rosettes, etc. In addition, the rules allow fluctuations in the span in a wide range (60-100%), within which the trophy is awarded a point. We assume that the assessment of antlers will become more reasonable and natural if we determine the average span for each subspecies of deer and roe deer, which should be considered normal, typical and assessed with high scores (no less than for the length of the antlers). Any deviation from the typical collapse must be considered as a defect, for which it is necessary to make discounts from the total trophy points. The value of the discount can be up to 2 points for each percent deviation. It is also advisable to introduce allowances for the symmetry of the trophy and large discounts for the asymmetry.

High scores for the typical structure, perfection of shape and symmetry, discounts for various defects will allow you to establish a natural relationship between the quality indicators of the trophy and its quantitative characteristics and objectively evaluate each trophy.

Of fundamental importance are differentiated criteria for evaluating trophies of each species and subspecies of game animals. This is the requirement of international rules. It is also reflected in the Provisional Regulations on hunting trophies obtained on the territory of the USSR. However, at past exhibitions, separate evaluation of trophies was carried out only in those cases when the trophies differed sharply from each other in size or structure. None of the experts had any doubts that different criteria should be used to evaluate the horns of the European and Siberian roe deer. In terms of size, volume and weight, even the weakest Siberian roe deer horns presented at exhibitions usually exceeded the best European roe deer horns, therefore, exhibition champions and contenders for awards were identified separately among the Siberian and European roe deer horns. The antlers of red deer, red deer, and red deer were evaluated separately, since they differ noticeably in structure.

But the trophies of several subspecies of the same species without clear structural differences and outwardly identical in size were evaluated according to the same criteria, i.e., undifferentiated. This was done with the horns of the Caucasian, Central European and Crimean noble deer, the horns of numerous subspecies of the mountain sheep, the fangs of the subspecies of the wild boar, and some other trophies.

An undifferentiated assessment of trophies can cause considerable damage to the development of hunting sports in our country, since the trophies of subspecies of many hunting animals, having practically no visible structural differences, nevertheless differ from each other to a greater or lesser extent. For example, the antlers of the Carpathian deer in length and thickness of the trunks on average exceed the horns of the Caucasian, Central European and Crimean. In this regard, with uniform criteria for evaluating the trophies of these subspecies, the horns of the Caucasian, Central European and Crimean deer, as a rule, will lose to the horns of the Carpathian. It is no coincidence that the antlers of the Carpathian deer remained the world champion among red deer trophies until 1971. At the Düsseldorf exhibition in 1954, at the world hunting exhibition "Budapest-71" and the national exhibition in Czechoslovakia in 1976, the antlers of the Carpathian deer again became the world champion.

In terms of size, the antlers of subspecies of the European red deer can be arranged in a row, at the beginning of which there will be the antlers of the Carpathian deer, and then along the descending line - the horns of the Caucasian, Central European and Crimean deer. Similar rows can be made for the horns of subspecies of roe deer, mountain sheep, fangs of wild boars, etc.

With undifferentiated evaluation criteria, the owners of trophies of small subspecies of animals at exhibitions will unfairly suffer defeats and these trophies will lose popularity among hunters-athletes, which can gradually lead to a reduction in sport hunting for small subspecies and the loss of interesting trophies. On the contrary, a separate assessment in order to identify the champion and contenders for gold, silver and bronze awards for each subspecies will put trophies of various subspecies in an equal and independent position and will maintain an unflagging interest in them among hunters-athletes.

At the World Hunting Exhibition in Budapest, hunters of the Soviet Union exhibited 534 trophies of 36 species and subspecies of animals. This collection adequately presented the results of sport hunting in our country. At the exhibition, 329 trophies were awarded a gold medal, 158 - silver, 47 - bronze, only 31 trophies did not receive awards.

However, their assessment would be higher if the subspecies division was carried out more carefully. In reality, the trophies of the five subspecies of our rams were divided into only three groups; the first - Altai rams (argali), the second - Pamir (Marco Polo) and the third - East Caspian (Turkmen arkal).

As a result of this division, five trophies of the Turkmen sheep proper and six trophies of such large subspecies as Tien Shan (five trophies) and Kazakhstan (one trophy) sheep were assigned to the third group. The Turkmen ram, which is medium in size, is not able to compete with the Tien Shan and Kazakh ones; as a result, five specimens of its horns were awarded only bronze medals.

The second group of Pamir rams also turned out to be mixed. And it included trophies of four subspecies: nine trophies of the Pamir ram, two of Kazakhstan, three of the Tien Shan and three trophies of the Ladakh ram. In this group, both trophies of the Kazakh ram were awarded silver medals, while they are worthy of gold medals in their subspecies. Two of the three trophies of the Tien Shan sheep received bronze awards, and deserve silver.

In this regard, it would be necessary for each subspecies, taking into account its characteristics, to have its own point scale for rewarding. Thus, the development of differentiated scoring criteria is an urgent task that has great importance for the correct evaluation of trophies.

Trophies and selection of game animals

The extraction of a valuable trophy is the highest hunting interest of every sportsman.

The development of horns, fangs, the value of the skin depend primarily on the hereditary inclinations of the animal's body and on factors environment. In this regard, the properties of the trophy characterize not only the individual characteristics of the animal, but also the conditions of its life: the degree of provision with complete feed, mineral supplementation, the presence of various diseases, etc. The quality of the trophy acts as an indicator of the well-being and culture of the hunting economy and indicates on the state of the population of hunting animals. In the conditions of a culturally highly organized hunting economy, regular culling of sick and retarded animals is constantly carried out, which prevents, to some extent, the negative consequences of the pursuit of the largest trophies.

In the journal “Hunting and hunting economy” (No. 10, 1967), Yu. P. Yazan, summing up the research over a number of years, reports that every year the antlers of the hunted elk are getting smaller and smaller, as everyone strives to get the largest animal , which will give a lot of meat and outstanding horns.

Only rational management of the hunting economy with mandatory selection of animals according to the quality of the trophy will prevent undesirable consequences of sport hunting. In this regard, the experience of selection work in the farms of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and the German Democratic Republic is of great interest.

In Czechoslovakia, fallow deer, moufflons, red deer, and roe deer are bred in specially fenced tracts. The workers of these farms know every animal. Here, all newborn cubs are registered and tagged, which later makes it possible to determine the age of the animal with an accuracy of several days. Depending on the food reserves and other conditions in hunting farms, the norms of the optimal population density of animals are established and the natural sex ratio for each species is maintained. Animals are systematically fed with complete feed, prepared in an industrial way, with the addition of vitamins, microelements, medicines. The animals were divided into three age classes in the obrach (Table 3).

TABLE 3

Animals are counted strictly by class. According to the first class, 50% of the recorded animals are shot, keeping individuals with well-developed horns. In the second class - no more than 20 and in the third - 30% of animals with good, high-quality trophies. However, even in these two classes, males with prominent horns are preserved.

According to the observations of Czechoslovak specialists, the most valuable trophies for roe deer are at the age of 6-9 years, for fallow deer - 8-10 years, for red deer - 12-15, for mouflons - 7-10 years. Larger animals, as a rule, have horns of high dignity, as can be seen from the data in Table 4.

TABLE 4

The long-term work of Czechoslovak specialists has led to an increase in the number of animals with valuable trophies. If in 1971 they received one trophy with a score not lower than a bronze medal from 143 shot fallow deer, then in 1976 - from 31. When shooting sika deer, European roe deer, red deer, mouflon in 1971, one valuable trophy they harvested from 22 spotted deer, 747 roe deer, 77 red deer and 36 mouflons, and in 1976 - from 6 spotted deer, 398 roe deer. 54 red deer and 11 mouflons.

The experience of Czechoslovak hunters can be used in our advanced hunting farms to create valuable animal populations. During the period of this responsible breeding work, sport hunting on the farm should be sharply limited or temporarily banned. In the future, the shooting of animals should be carried out selectively in order to keep the producers with the best trophies. Such a systematic selection will make it possible to form a population of animals with high trophy values, maintain it for many years and constantly improve it.

Improving the rules and criteria for evaluating hunting trophies in our country will help improve selection work with animals in registered hunting farms. However, this task is feasible only if hunters and huntsmen of hunting farms acquire the necessary knowledge in evaluating hunting trophies, learn in practice to evaluate their advantages and disadvantages, and will be well aware of the composition of the population of hunting animals in their economy.

General rules and criteria for evaluating hunting trophies

The International Council of Hunters has developed uniform rules, formulas and tables for evaluating trophies presented at international exhibitions by different countries.

Evaluation of trophies by existing methods takes into account a large number of features and characteristics of trophies, dimensions, weight, volume, appearance, correctness of shape. In deer, the branching of the antlers, the symmetry of the processes, the thickness and complexity of the crown, the nature of the surface of the antlers, etc. are evaluated.

The assessment is based on a point system that characterizes certain measurements of the elements of the trophies of each animal species.

To obtain an accurate assessment in points for individual measurements, special coefficients have been introduced.

The score in points is the sum of the multiplication of the obtained digital measurements by the coefficient.

For certain types of trophies (deer, fallow deer, mouflon, etc.), special tables have been developed to facilitate the calculation of measurements of various parts of hunting trophies.

For some types of trophies, a certain system of allowances and discounts has been adopted. Allowances are given for the aesthetics of the trophy, i.e. for its worthy appearance, the symmetry of the arrangement of individual elements of the trophy, color and other characteristic external data. When evaluating the skins of wild animals, allowances are provided for the density of the fur, the length of the coat, etc.

Discounts are set for asymmetry, deviation from the characteristic color, poorly developed processes, their different lengths, for existing defects (fracture, deformation, porosity, etc.). To the amount of points received, allowances are added, and discounts are subtracted from it.

For the correct determination of allowances and discounts, it is better if each expert evaluates independently, and then, by discussing the results for individual elements of the trophies, they make a single decision. In controversial issues, you can calculate the average value of allowances and discounts in points.

Trophies of those species of animals that are under protection, in accordance with the decision of the International Council of Hunters, are not evaluated and not shown at exhibitions, unless the owner can prove that the trophy was taken before the ban on hunting for this species was introduced.

For each type of trophy, an award scale has been developed, according to which gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded.

When comparing the identified winners, hunting trophies that differ in size, power, beauty and other qualities, which received the highest score in points, are awarded the title of champions of the corresponding exhibition (district, regional, regional, all-Union, international, etc.). All measurements are carried out with great accuracy, since the scoring of the trophy depends on this. Thus, measurements of horns, fangs, skulls and skins of wild animals and their individual elements are made with an accuracy of 0.1 cm, the weight of the horns - with an accuracy of 10 g.

To measure the length, use a cloth measuring or elastic narrow metal tape 0.5–0.7 mm wide and 1.5–2.0 m long (required with an accurate millimeter division scale). The main thing is that the fabric tape does not stretch when tensioned. To avoid errors, the soft tape is checked with a metal measuring tape before work.

The expert must know the specifics of measuring each element of the trophy. So, the circumference of the horns should be determined by a measured mite no wider than 0.5–0.7 mm. When measuring with a wider tape, there may be errors, since there are many tubercles on the horns and various transverse and lobar elevations. The length of the horns is measured along the outer side, starting from the very base of the rosettes (crowns) to the top point of the top of the horn. The span of the horns (collapse) is measured with a measuring tape, caliper or measuring file with an accuracy of 0.1 cm.

When measuring the width of the fangs of a wild boar, walrus, skulls of predatory animals, a caliper should be used.

The weight of the horns is determined but in rape less than 24 hours after their boiling. Mistakes often occur when weighing the antlers of a red deer and a roe deer due to an excessively removed part of the skull. This happens when hunters, in order to extract the brain from the skull, also remove its occipital part, and when filing during the installation of the trophy, they reduce it or, conversely, retain the entire skull. In such cases, the expert committee has the right to add or subtract a certain amount of weight.

If the saw line runs from the occipital crest through the middle of the eye holes and further under the nasal bone, no allowances are made when determining the weight.

While preserving the skull of a red deer with the upper jaw, when the upper row of teeth is cut off, a discount of 500 g is made from the total weight of the trophy. When weighing with a full upper jaw, no later than eight days after boiling, to obtain the dry weight of European deer antlers, 700 g must be subtracted. 0.1.

When weighing the horns of a roe deer whose skull is preserved with the upper jaw, a discount is made from the total weight of the horns: for the European roe deer - 90 g, for the Siberian roe deer - 110 g. .

Rice. 4. Determining the volume of roe deer horns

The volume of roe deer horns is determined in the following way: pharmacy or hydrostatic scales are placed on the table so that one cup hangs over the edge of the table (Fig. 4). Horns are hung from this cup on a ribbon or cord and their total weight (in grams) is found out. Then, under the horns, on a specially arranged lifting table (on a jack or on a spinning medical chair), a vessel with water is placed (best of all, a cylindrical aquarium) and the horns are lowered into the water to the edges of the sockets. In this case, it is necessary to remove weights until the scale indicator stops at zero. The result will be the weight of the horns in water (in grams). From the total weight of the trophy (without discounts and allowances), the weight in water is subtracted - the difference is equal to the volume of the horns (in cm 3). To obtain points, the volume is multiplied by a factor of 0.3.

Hunting trophies are evaluated by an expert commission of three people. Two take measurements, and the third writes down the measurements. With an increase in the number of trophies, an expert commission is established depending on their number and species diversity, and later it is divided into subcommittees of three to seven people headed by a representative of the subcommittee. Usually each subcommittee measures only a certain type of trophy. To avoid possible errors all arithmetic calculations are recommended to be calculated on calculating machines.

The correct assessment of hunting trophies on the ground enables the owners to take part in All-Russian, All-Union and international exhibitions of hunting trophies (Table 5).

TABLE 5

Evaluation of hunting trophies, score

Earlier in our country there were no rules for evaluating hunting trophies. Only in 1967, the Main Directorate for Nature Protection, Reserves and Hunting of the Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR approved the Temporary Regulations on Hunting Trophies Taken on the Territory of the USSR, which gave rules for measuring and evaluating trophies of various species of wild animals.

The measurement rules were developed on the basis of scoring formulas adopted by the assemblies of the International Council of Hunters. Since that time, there have been some changes in international valuation rules, which are taken into account in this book.