A wild migrant, crafty and suspicious, the garganey is the passion of many hunters who love the challenge and demanding hunts. A small paradise for this kind of hunting is Montenegro, rich in beaches, salt marshes and suggestive woods that will plunge headlong into a wild and undiscovered nature.
The garganey is a fascinating creature, whose scientific name, anas querquedula, is far less familiar than one would expect.
It belongs to the order of the anseriformes and is part of the category of migratory birds. In Italy it can be met in step between the months of August and October, and from the first half of February until the late half of April. During the remaining periods it nests in the heart of central and eastern Europe, in Central Asia and in the south of the Scandinavian Peninsula.
It is out of a passion for hunting that many close their rifles in their suitcases and run in search of it.
Recognizing it is really simple, given that the garganey is a duck whose surface is just over 40 cm and weighs 400 grams. The male is characterized by a white eyebrow and a mottled brown color on the chest, while the female is easily recognizable due to her brown and white plumage.
Hunting techniques are normally that of stalking or hunting in a wandering form, with or without the dog. The recommended shotgun is a smooth-bore shotgun with number 5 - 6 - 7 shot cartridges.
In Italy it can be hunted until January 31, and for this reason the trips to Montenegro are so popular.
Montenegro in addition to offering dream landscapes, long rural expanses that are not well traveled and rich in game, will allow the hunter to live an experience far from those he commonly experiences, hunting, in the company of a group or alone to this wonderful bird. .
Hunting is normally organized along the coast or near famous salt pans, prepared by a staff of people who are well aware of the places, the habits of the game, and the territory in general. In fact, it must be taken into account that the gargane has crepuscular habits and for this reason it spends the daytime hours to get by, resting, while in the evening it goes in search of what to feed itself: leaves, shoots, roots, insects, larvae, frogs, molluscs, tadpoles. etc. It particularly loves habitats rich in vegetation, an aspect that makes its hunting difficult.
Naturally you will have to contact a hunting association operating in the area, if not for the trip, at least for the hunting days. However, there are many hunters who prefer to rely totally on these associations who will take care of the flight, the movements, the documents and the accommodations that will not be chosen by chance from the hunting points.
This is usually carried out thanks to the use of specific molds, and you can choose to carry it out from sunrise to sunset. Of course, in order not to waste even a moment of the day you have available, you will opt for a packed lunch and yet, despite the long hours of hunting available, there are very few associations that guarantee a minimum of killing. The explanation is really simple: the gargane is a particularly crafty migratory bird that has put more than one hunter in trouble. This is why the challenge is so exciting.
Before booking your trip, make sure that the package includes assistance in the port or at the airport with lots of transport, accommodation in apartments or residences possibly with full board (so the organizers will have to think about packed lunches) , Montenegrin hunting permit that cannot be missed, access to reserved hunting areas and possibly an escort who knows the Italian language.
Also to be verified is the possibility of keeping all the killed game for oneself (which cannot be imported in any case) and the possibility of using molds or boats during the hunts.
The advice is to bring some essential tools such as binoculars, and in case picnic chairs and shovels are not provided. Also useful are nails, pincers, hammer, wire and celophane to possibly improve the station.