Initially, Ismaël Lauteur, the reference person for the Fédération des chasseurs du Maine-et-Loire, came to the college site so that the young people from 6ème Option Nature could have a first approach to the world of hunting. They were thus able to understand how our department was organized in its variety of soils, woods, crops, resulting in a diversity of animals; how a hunting plan was decided with the management of species in recrudescence or in difficulty and what were the different missions of the hunters throughout the year.
Various workshops
Then, after this first hour of discovery, the bus took them to Vernoil-le-Fourrier, on the property of Stéphane Portier, organizer of the traditional hunting festival on August 15. A very beautiful place which conquered them and on which workshops followed one another: archery during which they were able, with the help of Jean-Paul Fonteneau, president of the association Chasse à l’Arc and by Patrick Renvasé, aiming at 3D targets, while understanding that, in the field, if you are not sure of hitting the animal, you refrain from shooting.
Then, after having identified the stuffed animals made available to them, they left for the forest, following Jonathan Cordier, hunting technician in the area, to discover the traces of passage left by the animals (feathers, droppings, footprints, burrows, scrapings of wood…).
Another workshop should have concluded this morning: a flight hunting demonstration. But, as explained by Philippe Justeau, president of the hunting federation 49, with the context of avian flu, we could not make the falcons fly.
Before picnicking, the young people had the chance to taste, as an aperitif, spreads of game terrines and thus educate their palate a little on the subtle taste of deer with hazelnuts, wild boar, pheasant…
The Drag: A highlight of the day
The afternoon was, without a doubt, the highlight of the day. Indeed, after a commented meeting with the 70 dogs of the kennel, they were able to attend a “drag”: Stéphane Portier and his son Julien, in riders’ clothes, rushed on their horses, following the pack on the “hill”, then sank into the wooded areas, to reappear a little further on, on the simulated wild boar track. At the end of the drag, the pack of dogs was gathered at the foot of the riders who had come to greet the young people who joyfully showed their enthusiasm and their thanks to the hunters who, throughout the day, truly put themselves at their available, welcoming and patient in the face of the questions that came up, happy to share their knowledge of wildlife with this young generation.
