Latvian hunter wins red deer calling championship for first time

Latvian hunter Valērijs Kurčanovs has become the first Latvian to win the national red deer calling championship, LSM reported. The competition was held as part of the Minhauzens hunters’ festival and included participants from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Contestants demonstrated their ability to imitate the calls of red deer stags in different situations. An international judging panel awarded points for the authenticity, technique and situational accuracy of each performance, with the suitability of the voice timbre carrying the greatest weight.

The competition recreates the calls, exchanges and relationships of red deer stags during the rut. Six different stag calls have been identified, and participants try to reproduce them on stage while demonstrating their knowledge of events in nature.

Kurčanovs, a hunter from Pāvilosta, said understanding the calls of stags in the wild helps explain whether a stag is alone, with females, or challenging another male. He said imitating a young stag can also help hunters approach an older, more experienced one.

September is the rutting season for deer in Latvia. During this period, stags become more challenging and reckless and announce their presence with loud calls, making them easier for hunters and nature researchers to encounter.