A magnet, a hook in the lip!

That is what hunting is like. There is something in the process of hunting that can influence not only a career choice, but a person's entire life. Jānis Baumanis knew he would be a hunter back in childhood, even though, as he says himself, he was a 'Riga lad' and unlike other seasoned hunters, who usually come from families where 'hunting is in the blood', no one in his family was involved in forestry. However, his grandfather would take Jānis into the forest in the summer, where he felt better than in the city. It is paradoxical, but the lure of primordial nature can be stronger than the bright opportunities of city life, sitting comfortably in a warm office, fancy banquets, artificial smiles, parties, or a stiff Armani suit. This is probably because humanity moved into cities relatively recently and the forest is etched into our genetic memory as our true home. After graduating from the Ogre Forestry Technical School, Jānis passed the hunter's exam, and from that moment, his entire professional career has been linked to hunting. After completing the Faculty of Forest in Jelgava, studies in environmental science followed at the University of Latvia, alongside work at the Forestry Research Institute Silava. Needless to say, Jānis chose topics related to hunting for both his bachelor's and master's theses. When the Forest Management Institute was liquidated at the turn of the millennium and hunting issues were 'left hanging', Jānis Baumanis convinced the management that a Hunting Department should be established within the State Forest Service, which he then headed for ten years. After doctoral studies, Baumanis became the Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Hunters Association (LMS) and has held this position for eight years.