Polecat trap
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Hunting and gathering are the oldest means of subsistance of mankind. The earliest settlers of our territory came here following the wild animals when the last ice age was over and the climate became warmer. In those days almost every part of the animal was used: flesh was eaten, pelts were used for clothing, guts for string etc. The oldest game were moose, beaver, and bear, a bit later came wild boar. We can picture the oldest weapons of a hunter on the basis of archaeological finds. Probably these included a spear, an axe, and a bow with arrows. A lot of traps were also used as our folk tradititions remember some of them even today. Hunting remained the most important means of survival until the first millennium B.C. |
The development of cattle breeding did not result in the decline of hunting. As time passed weapons developed and more animals were killed, at the same time developing agriculture made hunting the preserve of only a small number of people. When trading became more active and noblemen came into being the importance of hunting was enhanced by expensive furs. A chronicler, B. Russow, writes the following about Old Livonia in the 16th century:
The land is so rich in wild animals: moose, hares,deer, and all kinds of wild birds, that the Peasants were allowed to catch and sell all of them without any prohibition or hindrance.
Estonians had no notable restrictions on hunting until the 17th century. Then the number of wild animals in our forests decreased rapidly. The main reason for this was the large number of predators. In order to kill wolves the state organized big round ups which were compulsary for the peasants. People did not like to join them at first, since the old traditions were hard to break.
The hardest times for popular hunting in Estonia were probably in the 18th and 19th centuries. Serfdom-peasants were not allowed to hunt in the forests that belonged to the noblility. Only professional hunters were hired by the estates to supply the aristocracy. Despite this poaching was quite common. Forestkeepers who had to hinder it were often friends or relatives and they often turned a blind eye.
Few modernizations were apparent in hunting. Hunters had to use primitive means and the skills developed over thousands of years. Hunters in the last century had to carry, besides a gun, also a hunting knife and a poleaxe, in some places spears were used. A hundred years ago a hunter looked quite like his ancient ancestor and we can see things which have a longer history than is apparent at first glance.
When peasants began to buy their own farmlands, they got more hunting rights too. The first hunting societies were established and step by step hunting took on its modern form. After the War of Independence a more active fight against poaching began. Hunting became state controlled.