...as populations of certain animals have increased, the damage caused by game animals to agricultural land and forests has risen – primarily in newly regenerated areas and young stands.

MPs explain that the draft law is therefore intended to reduce damage caused by wild game by increasing hunting efficiency – by reducing areas where hunting is restricted, expanding the range of hunting tools, and resolving issues identified regarding information gathering.

The draft law proposes lifting the absolute ban on hunting in urban territories; the ban would no longer apply to areas within city limits where the relevant local government has permitted hunting in accordance with municipal by-laws or council decisions.

It is proposed to introduce additional exceptions to the ban on hunting in places where a hunting area has not been registered. Consequently, hunting could also take place in these areas if it is necessary to track a wounded game animal, or if the holders of hunting rights have concluded a mutual agreement on the external boundaries of a registered hunting area in accordance with government regulations.

The amendments imply that the current ban on using artificial light sources for the hunting of certain animals during daylight hours – or, more accurately, during times that are not considered night-time – is to be lifted.

Furthermore, night vision scopes with electronic magnification or image conversion, as well as thermal imaging scopes, would no longer be subject to the current legal prohibition on their use during daylight hours. Consequently, it is also proposed to cease administrative penalties for the use of thermal imaging scopes.

It is also proposed to remove from the law the ban on hunting in areas where it is prohibited by other regulatory enactments. The law also aims to define a group of hunting rights holders as an association of hunting rights holders whose hunting grounds are adjacent and who have concluded a mutual agreement on the joint exercise of hunting rights.

The changes put forward by the MPs also aim to facilitate wild boar hunting by removing the legal provision that requires a minimum hunting area of at least 1,000 hectares, including at least 200 hectares of forest land, for wild boar hunting.