Tourists enjoying hunting

BAGLUNG, Nov 09: The first hunt of the year is underway at Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Foreign hunters are enjoying the prey of Naur and Jharal. The National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department had allowed the hunting of nine naur and six jharal during this season.

Some of the hunters have returned from hunting, while others are about to reach the reserve. According to Shamser Parajuli, managing director of the hunting company Global Safaris Nepal, five naur and two jharal have been hunted out of the set quota. German hunters who reached Dhorpatan through his company have returned after hunting Jharal in Fagune 'Block'. Managing Director Parajuli said that preparations are being made to go with American hunters for Naur hunting in a few days.

Naur will be hunted in the 'Barse' block. "A Canadian citizen was also scheduled to come through our company for the hunting of the naur, but he could not come in the end due to ill health," said Managing Director Parajuli.

Deepak Thapa, the representative of hunting company Track and Trailers, said that two American hunters, Dogadi and Ghosting, returned last Tuesday after hunting in "Block". "The hunting team of our company that reached the reservation on October 2nd has returned after spending almost two weeks there," he said, "This yam hunt has now come to an end, everyone will be back by the second week of next November."

Hunting companies such as Nepal Travel Expeditions, Global Safaris, Himalayan Safaris, Himalayan WildLife Outfitters, Track and Trailers have been hunting in the reserve. Hunting is open in two seasons (August-November) and (February-Waisakh). Expensive tourists come to Dhorpatan to hunt.

Companies selected from the bidding competition conducted by the department bring foreign hunters into Nepal. Parajuli, Managing Director of Global Safaris, said that the company is ready to pay revenue up to 20 lakhs for one Naur hunt and 6 lakhs for Jharal.

Depending on the bidding competition between hunting companies, hunting revenue rates fluctuate. Companies do not want to compete when the demand for prey is low at any time. When demand is high, competition for limited quota increases and companies are willing to pay more revenue.

Foreigners spend millions to come to Dhorpatan, world famous for hunting tourism. They reach the reserve by helicopter. From the base camp, they reach the hunting 'block' with reserve representatives, guides, porters and helpers. It takes two to three days to reach the 'block', which is far away from the base camp and has difficult terrain.

The hunting team goes with all the provisions along with the weapons. The reserve has seven hunting 'blocks' namely Surtibang, Phagune, Barse, Seng, Dogadi, Ghosting and Sunday. Birendra Prasad Kandel, chief conservation officer of the reserve, said that the hunters are allowed to hunt the specified number of Naur and Jharal according to the 'bulk'.

According to him, the hunting quota is fixed by the department based on the calculation of Naur and Jharal which is done every five/five years. Currently, 20 naur and 11 jharal are being hunted annually. Professional hunters from Russia, America, Canada, Norway, Germany and other countries come to Dhorpatan for hunting.

Dhorpatan has to be chosen by the sophisticated and expensive hunting tourists. Established in 2039, the reserve is the only legal hunting destination in the country. Spread over 1,325 square km, the reserve is located in the mountainous and mountainous terrain of Baglung, Myagdi and Rukum districts. Dhorpatan's hunting tourism collects crores of rupees in the state coffers every year.