Filenews 23 August 2025
In view of the start of the hunting season on Sunday, the Game and Fauna Service, with a post on social media, reminds that the recording of the harvest, through the Artemis Cy application, is mandatory for all game in all hunting seasons and calls on those who will go out, to observe all written and unwritten hunting laws and to show the necessary respect to their colleagues and to the foreign properties that will host them.
At the same time, the Department of Forestry appeals to hunters to be particularly careful during their excursions in rural and forest areas, completely avoiding actions and activities that are likely to cause fire.
In its post, the Service points out that the hunting of the turtle dove will be prohibited during the first two excursions (24/8/2025 and 31/8/2025), will begin to be allowed from 3/9/2025 and will be completed on 21/9/2025 and clarifies that in the event that the harvest limit, which has been set for Cyprus, is reached earlier, then the hunting of the turtle dove will stop immediately.
It also states that the specific measures taken to manage the harvesting of turtle doves are aimed at protecting local breeding populations with a view to the recovery of the species. He adds that already through the measures taken in recent years, there is a recovery of the population of the species and this effort should continue and be respected by everyone.
It states that through the mandatory recording of the harvest, the Service will be given the opportunity to collect more accurate and accurate data in order to use them for the better management of all game.
In addition, the recording of the harvest for the turtle dove is very important, since through this and the other measures taken in Cyprus, the preservation of this particular species of hunting is achieved. In the event that the recording of the harvesting of turtle doves is not done correctly or is omitted, then the hunting of turtle doves is endangered both for the current hunting season and for all subsequent ones.
Regarding the harvest recording process, through the Artemis Cy application it is clarified that for all game (except the turtle dove and the palm pigeon) the harvest recording should be done from the point of the application called "Harvest Recording for All Game" (penultimate option on the home screen of the application). The declaration of the harvest must be made before the hunter embarks on a means of transport, either for the purpose of moving him to another hunting area or due to the completion of his hunting expedition.
It is also added that the recording of the harvest of turtle doves should be done immediately, for each bird that is hunted, from the point of the application called "Recording of harvest only for turtle doves and palm pigeons" (last option on the home screen of the application)
The recording of the harvest of palm pigeons, the hunting of which will begin on 24 August, should be done immediately, for each bird hunted, from the point of the application called "Harvest recording only for turtledoves and palm pigeons" (last option on the home screen of the application). When hunting palm pigeons, hunters should be particularly careful not to prey on turtledoves by mistake.
He further notes that in exceptional cases where access to the application is impossible, for any reason, then the hunter can send a text message (sms) stating the identity card number (ID), the prey, the number of prey he has hunted and whether they are young (N) or adult (E).
The text message (sms) should be sent to the most telephone numbers depending on the province where the hunting took place.
Nicosia: 99201081 & 99201231
Limassol: 99201258 & 99201503
Paphos: 99201946 & 99202286
Kamares - 99 493436 - Panayiotis Kezoudi
Police - 26 306211 or 1414
Larnaca / Famagusta: 99202463 & 99203228
Along with the above, hunters are urged to avoid exposure to the sun for a long time, to dress in light clothing, to use a hat and glasses that protect the eyes from the intense reflection of the sun, to drink plenty of fluids (water and fruit juices), to avoid the consumption of alcoholic beverages, to plan in advance the course and the place where they will hunt and to give themselves enough time to approach the place they will chase or return back to their car.
They are also asked to avoid chasing alone and always, another person, to know the exact spot they are going to chase, to plan in advance how they will act or with whom they will contact in case of an unpleasant incident.
Finally, it calls on hunters, before they go out, to study the permitted hunting areas well (through the Artemis Cy application and the relevant maps) and to immediately report any illegality they find to the Game Service or the Police.
The Department of Forests, for its part, calls on hunters to avoid lighting fires for any reason, as well as to avoid throwing lit cigarette butts and matches, since the prevailing high temperatures and prolonged drought are particularly favourable for the explosion and expansion of fires.
The Department points out that "the recent fire in the mountainous district of Limassol should concern us and set us an example".
It notes that the disposal of empty cartridges into the environment constitutes serious pollution and that this is also prohibited by the "Law on the Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Game". Therefore, he calls on the hunters to collect the empty cartridges as they leave."
The Department of Forestry notes that lighting a fire is allowed only in the specially designed barbecues of the Forestry Department's picnic areas for the preparation of food and urges anyone who notices smoke or fire in or near the forests, to immediately call 1407 (Forestry Department) or 112 (Fire Service).
