current local subjects of discussion

2nd Monday of October the moose hunt begins. This is what we will be missing:

Swedes hunt moose in teams. Owners of hunting rights often pool their rights to create large hunting areas. The hunters in a team share both the costs and the meat regardless of which one of them actually shoots the animal. The collective nature of the Swedish moose hunt focuses on the meat, not the trophy. Special places to stand are built before the hunt begins. The shooting direction from the stand is restricted to protect other hunters. Guns are not loaded until the hunter reaches the stand and they are unloaded when the hunter leaves the stand. The hunters stay in touch using walkie-talkies. Moose sightings are reported to the dog handlers and when a moose is killed all are notified. Aimless wandering in the forest is not permitted as part of the hunt. What is ‘hunting” and what is “not hunting” are sharply defined. Any shot taken must be explained and accounted for. A wounded moose is seen as a serious ethical and economic problem. Shooting more than once is a concern because of the waste of meat.