And so, after the New Year's after-effects, we have reached the fateful month of January; the beginning of the new year coincides with the final part of the hunting season which still presents uncertainties about the fate of the Hunting Calendar in the aftermath ofordinance of the Council of State. At risk, as we know, the early closure of some species as early as January 10, except that, like the Confederation of Tuscan Hunters continues to support, the Tuscany Region does not intervene by approving a specific act that leads to the overcoming of this unacceptable ordinance. In the meantime, the hunt continues and many turn to us and our confederate associations for confirmation on collection times and methods of carrying out the Woodcock hunt.
Confusion and doubts often assail hunters, especially when legal certainty has been questioned. On the hunting of Woodcock, in the month of January, the rules are defined by the regional hunting calendar, as set out in point 1.6 of the Resolution No. 767 of 09 July 2018 where it is established that the hunt for Woodcock, in the month of January, takes place exclusively in a wandering form and with the help of pointing and hunting dogs within the areas dedicated to wild boar (art.3 paragraph 7 bis LR 20 / 02).
Furthermore, without prejudice to the possibility of hunting said species, within the wooded areas located in the areas dedicated to wild boar (as delimited by the maps available at the Territorial Areas of Hunting and our offices), it will be possible to exercise the same also in the wooded areas present in areas NOT suitable for wild boar. It is therefore recalled that the only requirement in this regard is that linked to the size provided for by theart 3 of LR n ° 39 of 2000:
1. (22) For the purposes of this law, any area of not less than 2.000 square meters and a width greater than 20 meters, measured at the foot of the border plants, covered by spontaneous forest arboreal vegetation or of artificial origin, at any stage of development, which has a density of not less than five hundred plants per hectare or such as to determine, with the projection of the foliage on the horizontal plane, a soil coverage of at least 20 per cent. The fruit chestnut groves and cork trees also form the wood.
On determining the minimum extension and width the boundaries of individual properties do not affect. The continuity of forest vegetation is not considered interrupted by the presence of infrastructures or areas of any use and nature that fall within or cross the forest and that have a width of less than 2.000 square meters and an average width of less than 20 meters. Woods are considered to be areas that are already wooded, in which the absence of trees or a coverage of less than 20 per cent are of a temporary nature and are attributable to silvicultural or utilization interventions or to damage due to natural or accidental events or by fire.
Formations consisting of shrubby forest vegetation that cover the ground equal to at least 40 per cent, subject to compliance with the other requirements set out in this article, are assimilated to woods. The following are not considered woods:
a) urban parks, gardens, botanical gardens and nurseries;
b) wood arboriculture plants, walnut groves, specialized hazelnut groves and other specialized crops grown with forest trees and shrubs and subject to agronomic practices;
c) shrub and tree formations that have settled on land already destined for agricultural crops and pasture, abandoned for a period of less than fifteen years.