The State Forest Service invites hunting participants to review safety requirements and reminds them that all hunted animals must be registered in the mobile app "Mednis".

In Latvia, driven hunting is permitted daily from sunrise to sunset and lasts until the end of the hunting season on 31 March. Driven hunts are organised as collective hunts, where beaters make noise to drive game towards a line of hunters. During these hunts, it is permitted to take a certain number and species of game animals in accordance with hunting deadlines and issued hunting permits.

The State Forest Service reminds everyone that all hunted animals must be registered in the mobile app "Mednis". During a driven hunt, the animal can be registered by the hunt leader or a hunter designated by them. During hunting inspections, the hunt leader must provide information regarding the registration of the hunted animal in the "Mednis" app. It is also necessary to ensure that hunting inspectors can be shown the registration of a hunted animal when it is being transported.

The State Forest Service advises everyone to review hunting safety requirements before each driven hunt, as these are binding for all participants—both hunters and beaters alike. The service also asks people to consider the necessity of going on driven hunts at the very beginning of the season, while the undergrowth is still in leaf and a large number of berry pickers, mushroom hunters, and holidaymakers are present in the forest.

Meanwhile, the public is encouraged to take care of their own safety by heading to the forest in bright, highly visible clothing, keeping dogs on a lead, and avoiding approaching gunshots or noises made by beaters.

Hunting safety requirements

Hunting safety requirements are summarised in the Hunting Regulations; they must be reviewed before every driven hunt and observed by all hunting participants. The State Forest Service reminds everyone that administrative liability applies to violations of hunting safety requirements.

The most important safety requirements for hunting:

• – only shoot at a clearly visible and identified target;
• – do not shoot along the line of hunters;
• – observe the established shooting sectors;
• – do not leave your designated position on the hunter line without authorisation;
• – handle firearms with care;
• – it is forbidden to aim and shoot in the direction of people, domestic animals, vehicles, buildings and roads;
• – a firearm may only be loaded once the hunter has reached their position on the hunting line and only after other hunting participants have passed, and at all other times (including while hiking or travelling), it must be unloaded;
• – when checking a firearm, the muzzle must be pointed upwards or downwards;
• – hunters must not be under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substances during the hunt;
• – during driven hunts, both hunters and beaters must wear bright-coloured clothing elements, such as vests, jackets, or hats, that make them easily visible.

The State Forest Service is a direct administration institution under the supervision of the Minister of Agriculture that oversees forest management, compliance with regulatory acts governing hunting and nature conservation, and implements forest fire protection. The service maintains the State Forest Register, where information about the forest, economic activities taking place within it, hunting, and game animals is compiled. The mission of the State Forest Service is to care for responsible forest use and conservation for future generations.