The Republic of Buryatia

Characteristics of habitat conditions

The last winter was moderately warm. The most severe frosts were observed on some days of January, below –30 °С, in the north of the republic it was below –40 °С. In the fourth five-day week of February, there was anomalously warm weather with average daily temperatures by 10–15 ºC above the climatic norm; thaws of up to + 1, + 8 ºС were observed in the southern part. The average monthly air temperatures of the past winter were about the climatic norm or by 1-3 degrees above it in most areas, in January they were about the climatic norm or by 1-2 degrees below it in the central and southern regions. In January and February it snowed below the norm.
In the first half of March, the winter weather was observed, the frosty weather with a large diurnal temperature range prevailed, in the second half there was a rapid increase in the temperature, daytime temperatures became positive, active snowmelt began, at the end of the month there was an anomalously warm weather. In March, it snowed a little on most days of the first decade and on some days of the second and third decades. The most intense snowfalls occurred on March 5 when the amount of snow was up to 2–7 mm in 12 hours, in Baikal region, in some places of the central and southern regions snowfalls were about the monthly norm a day, in Ulan-Ude they were 2 times more than the climatic norm.
In April, unstable, windy weather prevailed. At the beginning of the month, there was abnormally warm weather with average daily air temperatures 7–12 °С above the climatic norm. The total of precipitation in April was more than the long-term annual average amount in most areas; in some places in the central, southern regions and along the northern Baikal coast there were up to two monthly norms of precipitation. In May, contrasting weather prevailed. The total of precipitation per month was more than the long-term annual average in most areas.
The most part of summer was dominated by hot, dry weather with temperature records. Everywhere, the average monthly air temperatures were 1–4 °С higher than the climatic norm. In most parts of the republic, precipitation was below the long-term annual average amount, the most significant deficit was in June. The rains were mostly brief, torrential and ineffective.
Autumn was early. In the third decade of September, a powerful invasion of cold arctic air masses caused a snap cold. In September, the average monthly air temperature was around the climatic norm everywhere, in some places it was 1 degree below the climatic norm. In most areas, the precipitation was about the norm or more. In the first half of October, there was a frequent change of the weather, in the second half, the weather had anticyclonic nature with a large daily temperature change. The average monthly temperature was about the long-term annual average, in some places it was 1 degree lower than the climatic norm. There was less precipitation than the long-term annual average. In most districts, the snow cover was established at the end of the month in some areas. The average November temperature in most areas was approximately the long-term annual average. Precipitation fell less than the long-term annual average, in some places it was about the norm or a little more. The snow cover was established everywhere by the middle of the month. At the end of the month, the snow height reached 1–15 cm, in Baikal Region and Severobaikalsky District it was 20–30 cm. The daytime temperatures became steadily negative starting with the second decade, and then they gradually decreased. The lowest temperature of –43 °С was observed on November 29 in Uoyan, Severobaikalsky District, during the day the maximum temperature there did not exceed –31 °C. December was warm, on some days it was abnormally warm with average daily temperatures 10-16 degrees above the climatic norm.
It should be noted that December 2017 became abnormal for Ulan-Ude, both in temperature conditions and in the amount of snow. The average daily temperatures were above the climatic norm of 7–12 °С, on some days they were 15–16 °С higher. For two decades, 4 monthly norms fell. In most districts, the amount of precipitation was about the climatic norm and by 2–3 times more than the climatic norm. The greatest amount of 4–4.5 times of climate norm fell: in Romanovka, Bauntovsky District, in Mondakh, Tunkinsky District, in Ivolginsky District. Less than the long-term annual average fell in Dzhidinsky, Okinsky, Zakamensky, Severobaykalsky and Muysky Districts.

The situation on availability of fodder for all kinds of game animals can be described as “moderate”.
The yield of berry bushes on the territory of the BNT districts was estimated as “average”, in some areas it was as “good”.
The yield of cedar seeds in the central regions of the BNT was rated as “good”, in other districts it was “average” and “below average”. The presence of animal forage (murine, birds) was rated as “high”. Despite the heterogeneity of vegetable forage due to the annual fires in the summer-autumn period and the abundance of seeds of other coniferous species, stocks of woody forage, as well as mushrooms, the situation of vegetable forage, in general, can be characterized as favourable for all animal species.
The prevailing natural and climatic conditions in 2017 did not result in mass migration of squirrels and sable. At the same time, migrations of ungulate species, mostly roe deer, to places with a lower snow level were observed.

Condition of hunting resources

• Ungulates
• Fur-bearing species
• Predators

• Ungulates
• Fur-bearing species
• Predators

Ungulates

Manchurian wapiti According to the WRC (Winter Route Census) data, the abundance of this species in the BNT in 2017 is 16,559 individuals, which is 2.5 % more than the figure of 2016. Fluctuations in abundance are associated with characteristics of migrations and distribution of wild ungulate animal populations during the WRC period. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 375 permits were issued and 293 individuals of manchurian wapiti were harvested.

Wild boar. In 2017, the abundance of the species reduced by 4.9 % and amounted to 5,504 individuals. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 1,770 permits were issued and a total of 338 individuals were harvested.

Musk deer. According to the WRC data, in 2017 there are 25,242 individuals in the territory of BNT, which is 10.9 % more than the level of 2016. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 1,036 permits were issued, of which 915 individuals were harvested, including 762 male individuals.

Siberian roe deer. According to the WRC data, the abundance of this species in the BNT was 28,838 individuals in 2017, which is 2.5 % less than the figure of 2016. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 1,487 permits were issued and 1,255 individuals were harvested.

Elk. According to WRC, the abundance of elk in BNT in 2017 is estimated at 4,837 individuals, which is 10.9 % more than the level of 2016. The increase is primarily associated with a low harvest of this species in recent years, as well as a decrease in the predation pressure. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, the amount of issued permits was 103 permits and 77 individuals were harvested.

Wild reindeer The abundance of this species remains stable due to local pockets. According to the credentials of 2017, the abundance of the wild reindeer is 2,860 individuals, which is 14.6% more than in 2016. Hunting is carried out only in certain areas where the population size allows hunting, with the exception of areas inhabited by the forest Altay and Sayans subspecies of the wild reindeer, which is listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Buryatia. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 233 permits were issued and 168 individuals were harvested.

Fur-bearing species

Squirrel. In the Republic of Buryatia, the Transbaikal squirrel lives within the BNT, occupying mountain larch forests of Dahurian larch, as well as cedar, pine and larch and pine forests. The abundance of the species was 168,287 individuals, which is 4.4% more than in 2016. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 1,181 permits were issued, and 27,206 squirrel individuals were harvested.

Sobol. Sable habitats include cedar forests on stony placers, spruce-cedar forests, Siberian dwarf pine brushwood, old burnt wood with renewal of coniferous and hardwood species, cedar forests with pleurocarpous moss, larch-spruce and pine-cedar forests with stony placers. According to the WRC data, the abundance of sable reached 32,181 individuals in 2017, which is 2.1 % more than the level of 2016. During 2016–2017 hunting season, 9,456 sables were harvested.

White Hare. The abundance dynamics of the arctic hare is cyclical with ten-year periods of growth and decline. The main factors, which influence the reproduction of this species, are climatic conditions in the spring and summer period. According to the WRC, the abundance of hares was estimated at 54,397 individuals in 2017, which is 1.6 % more than in 2016. The harvest of the 2016–2017 season, was 3,563 individuals, harvested under 1,769 permits.

Siberian Weasel. According to the state census, the abundance of this species was 5,183 individuals in 2017, which is 2.3 % more than in 2016. The harvest during the 2016–2017 hunting season was 466 individuals under implemented agreements on hunting the amount of 255 individuals.

Fox. According to WRC data, the abundance of foxes is 3,250 individuals in 2017, which is 14.7 % more than the level of 2016. In certain areas of the republic, due to the rabies outbreak, specialized measures were taken to reduce their number. As part of the fox abundance regulation, 729 individuals were harvested. The scope of amateur harvest amounted to 419 individuals.

Predators

Lynx. The distribution of the lynx population is uneven, the most common landscapes, where the lynx is currently kept, are mountains, pine and larch forest steppe. The range area is 15,000–18,000 thousand hectares. According to WRC data, in the republic the abundance of lynx within the BNT is 1,561 individuals in 2016, which is 29.9 % more than the level of 2016. In 2017, during the 2016–2017 hunting season, 48 individuals were harvested under 18 permits.

Bear. The 2017 spring census showed that the abundance of bears remains high. In the Republic of Buryatia, the abundance of bears is estimated at 4,412 individuals in BNT, which is 16.9 % more than in 2016. During the 2016–2017 hunting season, 125 permits were issued, 106 predators were harvested.

Wolf. According to the estimates of game warden specialists and based on census data, the abundance of this species was 842 individuals in 2017, which is 21.5 % more than in 2016. 613 predators were harvested in 2017 within the boundaries of the BNT. At the same time, throughout the year there are constant migrations of wolves from neighbouring regions and Mongolia, which greatly complicates the situation with the predation of wolves. The average annual damage done by the predator to agriculture is at least 30 million Rubles. The damage caused by the wolf to a hunting farm is estimated to be three times more.

Upland fowl

Wood grouse. According to the WRC data for 2016, the post-harvest abundance of ordinary and stone wood grouse increased in 2017 in comparison with the previous year and amounted to 61,715 individuals (in 2016 - 57,490 individuals). In the 2016–2017 hunting season 292 bird individuals were harvested.

Hazel grouse. It is used as an object for amateur hunting. As compared with 2016, the post harvest abundance of the species increased in 2017 and was estimated at 285,990 individuals. Climate conditions in the precocial period have a significant effect on the status of boron game populations, also a significant anthropogenic effect comes from the use of forests, fires and other activities. During the 2016–2017 hunting season 3,725 individuals were harvested.

Black grouse. According to the WRC data for 2016, the post-harvest abundance of black grouses in the territory of the republic increased in 2017, and amounted to 83,003 individuals. In the 2016–2017 hunting season 440 individuals were harvested.

White grouse. It inhabits mainly goltsy and subgoltsy belts. Due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of habitats, the information on its number is not fully received. In 2017, the abundance of the species was 52,315 individuals. It is harvested by chance encounters.

Daurian partridge. Habitats are confined to field lands. According to the data for 2017, the total abundance of Daurian partridges in the BNT was 153,152 individuals. During 2016–2017 hunting season, 1220 partridges were harvested.