Experience the autumn

Everywhere, rowan berries gleam in the most beautiful hues of coral, and temptingly juicy blackberries are there for the picking. For many nature enthusiasts, a great attraction is to go foraging for mushrooms on their own, unless they prefer to join a guided mushroom ramble led by experts of the Naturparkzentrum Botrange or the Naturzentrum Haus Ternell.

The conservation organisations such as AVES-Ostkantone or BNVS/Natagora invite you to take part in interesting bird-watching rambles in October, with the focus on the observation of migrating birds. The autumn in particular is ideal for paying a visit to a large number of manor houses, castles, churches, chapels and museums, since they can be enjoyed by visitors at their leisure during the “best” hiking time without the usual crowds of tourists during the summer months. 

The conservation organisations such as AVES-Ostkantone or BNVS/Natagora invite you to take part in interesting bird-watching rambles in October, with the focus on the observation of migrating birds. The autumn in particular is ideal for paying a visit to a large number of manor houses, castles, churches, chapels and museums, since they can be enjoyed by visitors at their leisure during the “best” hiking time without the usual crowds of tourists during the summer months. 

In East Belgium hunting can be carried out in an expansive forested area spanning some 45,000 hectares (111,000 acres). The right to hunt there can be obtained by leasing a hunting ground of at least 50 hectares (123 acres) from the forest owners (the Walloon region, the municipalities or the private owners). This lease runs for 6, 9 or 12 years. It goes without saying that every hunter must hold a hunting licence which is obtained by passing a suitable examination.

In East Belgium, game predominantly consists of stags, deer and wild boars, the hunting of which is strictly organised by legislation and the large gamekeeping communities. Contrary to popular belief, hunting is not only organised for the pleasure of hunters but, above all, for the purpose of regulating the number of animals in the forest so that the economic utilisation of the forest is ensured. If game numbers are too high, this can result in substantial damage being caused to the rejuvenation of leaf trees and to trees of economic value. For this reason, culling plans were already introduced many years ago which specify the exact number of animals which may be culled during the hunting season. These are based on the game population counted by the forest administration in the spring.

Conservation

Approximately 500 people have permission to hunt in East Belgium, either as tenants of a hunting ground or because they have received an invitation from such a tenant. The hunters are members of a large game ring whose primary objective is to organise hunting by respecting the manner in which the wildlife lives and the conservation of nature – in direct collaboration with the forest administration.

Game is extremely popular among gourmets as a gastronomic delicacy. The sale of culled game is strictly regulated in order to guarantee that it can be traced. The sale is carried out by specialised, approved companies which have applied for a licence.

The marriage of the king of the forests also takes place in the autumn. The rutting period is the mating season of the stags, lasting around three weeks in Central Europe from the middle of September. Several stags can be found near the herd of does at the beginning of the rutting period. During this time, intense battles to win the favour of the does are staged. The outcome of these contests is that subsequently only the strongest stag, also referred to as the dominant male, remains near the herd.

The roaring typically heard during the rutting period is very often to be heard from a dominant male. The roaring is a series of three to eight individual calls. These are frequently emitted at the sight of a rival and often vary greatly in terms of voice level and timbre, depending on the animal.

How can you watch this rutting?

The rutting of stags in the autumn is an occurrence which spectators find impressive. It is well worth setting off on a hike at dawn or dusk. With a bit of luck you may get to see the stags. Whatever happens, visitors must definitely observe the existing forest rules and regulations.