The council of the Valle d'Aosta Region has approved new rules for hunting management; there are numerous innovations regarding the circumstances and procedures for obtaining the “Carnet de chasse” card.
According to a bill approved by the Valle d'Aosta regional council, regional law 64/1994 is amended, which governs hunting management in the Valle d'Aosta Region in order to "improve the relationship between hunters and the territory" as explained by President Rollandin. .
One of the changes foresees the reduction from nine to eight of the hunting districts and, consequently, the number of the relative representatives in the Regional Committee for hunting management. The 5th district of Aosta was in fact eliminated, as it practically had no hunting territory and so the capital was included in the hunting district no. 3, taking into account the fact that most of the hunters of the Aosta section usually go to this district.
According to the new legislation, the regional committee for hunting management is also entrusted with the responsibility for issuing the “Carnet de chasse” card, which has so far been entrusted to the Region. There are no increases in the cost of the carnet, which remains fixed at 168 euros, to which the 173 euros of the government tax for the firearms license and compulsory insurance must be added. According to the amendments made by the bill, the paper request for the possession of trophies, taxidermal preparation and parts of animals is eliminated and the subsequent authorization by the competent Councilor.
With the changes introduced, in fact, the possession of trophies, taxidermal preparations and parts of animals whose possession has been reported to the forest stations is allowed and for which the regional structure responsible for wildlife has not recognized, within sixty days of the report itself, a particular scientific interest.
Attendance will be required for the preparation course for the examination for hunting qualification, which is currently optional; in fact, during the course candidates will be provided with both the notions necessary to pass the hunting exam and important information on the reality of the region, such as the organization of rescue and first aid, notions about wildlife management and notions, on the correct handling of animals killed, on the practical evaluation of finds and trophies.
Furthermore, among the exam subjects for the "Carnet", a practical test of shooting and handling of weapons is reintroduced; in fact, aspiring hunters will have to face a shooting and gun handling test, before being able to hunt on the regional territory in order to guarantee "'the maximum degree of safety in the use of firearms", also considered in cases of accidents that have occurred in the region in recent years.
More restrictive rules are also provided for hunters outside the Region, who have never hunted in Valle d'Aosta or in the Alps., who will have to take a specific exam aimed at verifying their knowledge regarding regional provisions, notions of biology and for the recognition of game species.
In fact, the President of the Region, Augusto Rollandin explained, "The new hunting rules want to foster a strong bond between the hunter and the territory which provides for the assignment of the animals to be killed to individual hunters within the hunting district of the municipal hunters section to which they belong ".