“We go in groups to wadis and forests to hunt the migrating birds,” said Hamoud Al-Baqami.
Birds that cross the western region of Saudi Arabia include geese, quail, ducks, turtledoves and warblers. They make a brief stop in the Kingdom for a short rest, often seeking the shade of trees and the water that runs through wadis this time of year.
“Before the start of the season, the hunters make necessary preparations for their hunting trips that start early in the morning,” Al-Baqami said. The season falls into two halves — from mid-March to April 14 when quail are the main target and then from April 14 to mid-May, which is the season for geese. In winter months, the preys are bustards and sand grouses.
As elsewhere in the world, hunting is a passion and the hunters spend a great deal of time out on their trips but enjoy every minute of it and return home with large catches. “We usually bag between 200 and 400 warblers and between 100 and 200 turtledoves every season,” Al-Baqami said.
Warblers are particularly prized, explained Al-Bawardi.
“The best way to eat the warbler is to cook it with water and salt, because it has a lot of fat,” said Rashid Abdul Aziz Al-Amir, another keen hunter.
“We go out hunting on Wednesday around midday and only return to our homes early Saturday morning,” Al-Amir explained.
The actual hunting usually starts after the morning prayer, he said. He and others usually camp near wadis and forested areas waiting for the birds, rifles in hand. It is not only hunters who enjoy the season. It is also profitable to shops selling firearms and camping gear.
The hunters have their store of amusing and sometimes embarrassing situations to recount. Abdul Rahman Makhdour tells of how he once shot a bird on a tree several times before finally realizing that he was shooting a hanging piece of cloth.
On a more serious note, Filaih Al-Banati, another hunter, recounts how he once set off with a colleague on a hunting trip after Fajr prayer and their car became stuck in sand. When they realized that the car was not going to budge they walked for more than nine kilometers in the sand under the burning sun before a passing driver rescued them.
“We ran short of water and we would have died had it not been for that driver,” he added.
Salim Al-Jimaili said he started hunting birds about 10 years ago.
“This has become a seasonal hobby for me. I like to go out camping and hunting birds,” he said.
The Western region is famous for its hunting seasons of the sand grouses and turtledoves, especially the areas along the Red Sea, such as Yanbu, Rabigh and Umluj. The northern and the central regions are also favorite places for migrating birds to rest for a while before continuing their journey northward.
