RMK to sell hunting rights at auction  17.02

“In the hunting season starting on 1 March, we plan to maintain the hunting quota at the same volume as in the previous hunting year, 2011/2012, but this will be finalised in May when the Environmental Board issues the specific hunting quota for each hunting district,“ explained Kalev Männiste, Hunting Chief Specialist of RMK.

The deadline for the auction is Wednesday, 29 February at 14.00, by which time written bids must have been sent to the Ristipalo office of RMK. Bids can be sent digitally signed, as well. Each auction participant may submit only one bid and for only one hunting district.

“When organising an auction, we presume that in the hunting districts used by RMK that are on private land, hunting is only allowed with the permission of the land owner. In such cases, land owners have an opportunity for earning money for allowing the use of their hunting grounds. RMK shares the income from the auction with land owners proportionally to the area of the grounds,” Kalev Männiste added. In 2011, RMK paid a total of more than EUR 1500 to land owners for the use of their 37 private land plots for hunting.

To inform of the consent for allowing private land in the hunting districts managed by RMK to be used for hunting purposes, we ask you to send an e-mail to jaht@rmk.ee, specifying your name, the number of your registered immovable(s) and cadastral unit(s), contact data and bank account where you wish to receive the fee for the use of your land for hunting purposes. Please inform us of your consent for the use of your private lands for hunting by 1 September 2012. The private land owners who gave their permission for hunting in the previous hunting season do not have to renew it this year, unless the owner of the immovables has changed.

All duties and restrictions related to hunting are determined in the agreement for the use of hunting opportunities signed with the winner of the auction. The purchase of hunting permits for large game comes with an obligation to hunt small predators or game birds, the numbers of which need restricting, in at least double the amount of the permits. The beaver hunting obligation is established according to the habitat where their living habits cause floods. The winner of the auction will bear the expenses of game upkeep and additional feeding on the sales unit.

More information about the auction can be found at: www.rmk.ee/teemad/jaht.

RMK is a profit-making state agency established under the Forest Act, aimed at the sustainable and efficient management of the state forest. RMK grows reforestation materials, organises forestry works, carries out practical nature protection works and is engaged in the sale of forest and timber. In addition, RMK creates opportunities for hiking in nature and forest recreation on recreational areas, in Estonia's five national parks and 40 other protected areas, and shapes nature awareness. RMK manages 38% of Estonia’s forests.

Additional information:
Kalev Männiste
Chief Hunting Specialist of RMK
Tel: 676 7570, 513 9642
E-mail:kalev.manniste@rmk.ee
www.rmk.ee