Mandatory from this year on indication of Ispra, the first bulletin was published "Weather Beccaccia": we remind you that it will be published every Tuesday and will establish the possibility of hunt the species until the following Monday depending on the frosts ascertained for the three previous days and those foreseen for the three following days. The technical protocol for the preparation of Meteo Beccaccia defines in a binding manner for the months of December and January the possible suspension of the hunting collection of the Beccaccia species within the territory of the Lombardy Region, excluding that of the Province of Sondrio.
Meteo Beccaccia is produced by ERSAF on a weekly basis from 1 December to 31 January of each year and published by 9.00 on every Tuesday of each week included in the period of application and is in force for the following 6 consecutive days starting from Wednesday (first hunting day) until the Monday following the issue. The "Meteo Woodcock" protocol in implementation of the "Protocol for the protection of the wintering populations of woodcock in the event of adverse climatic events" of Ispra, contains criteria, times and methods of intervention for the suspension of hunting for the Woodcock species in the event of events defined as "Frost waves", in order to safeguard local contingents. The average daily temperatures between December and January are examined on a weekly basis on Monday: if the average daily temperature has always been below zero (at least -0,5 ° c) on consecutive days of Friday-Saturday-Sunday and the forecasts give it always below zero (at least -0,5 °) for all three subsequent days of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the woodcock harvest will be closed until the following Monday (the day on which the temperatures will re-verify).
Keep in mind that we are talking about the daily "average" of a temperature below zero. By typing www.ersaf.lombardia.it the main screen of the regional body opens and the Beccaccia Weather box can be consulted immediately. By clicking on the icon, the plan of the Lombardy Region appears divided by provinces. If the province is green you can go hunting for woodcocks if it is red obviously not. For example, consulting the Ersaf website today you can see that until Monday 6 the withdrawal remains permitted throughout the regional territory.
This tool has already been active for some years for example in Emilia Romagna and in the last five years the collection of the woodcock has been suspended only once precisely on the occasion of an anomalous frost wave which, as we know, often has the characteristic of gathering these wild animals in limited areas, making collection easier and unethical. The woodcock is today a species of great hunting interest, there are many hunters who are dedicated to the search for this shrewd animal, and just as it is to be condemned in no uncertain terms the hunt for the appearance at the same time this species goes safeguarded during the eventual and sudden exceptional frosts that tend to gather them in limited spaces. (FIDC BRESCIA - THOUGHT-HUNTING)
As a hunter, I believe it is necessary to safeguard the woodcock and not only that, because now more and more species are threatened by the use of chemicals in agriculture in the nesting countries.