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The time has come again: the main hunting season is upon us. Between 1 October and 31 December is the traditional period of drive hunts (in French: "chasse en battue") all over Belgium and especially in wooded areas, especially in Wallonia.
In places where such chases are held, it is forbidden to enter the hunting area for the entire day for hikers or anyone who has no business being there. This is a serious difference with lurkying hunts (in French: chasse à l'affût) which can be held throughout the year and are limited in time. This is different for Flanders and Wallonia.
Each hunt is announced beforehand on the websites of the municipalities concerned and with posters on all access roads. The yellow posters announce the hunt with date and time. The red posters show an access ban and have to be put up at least 48 hours in advance and have to be taken down again within 24 hours after the end of the hunt (which is not always the case).
So if you want to go hiking in the last three months of the year, it is advisable to inform yourself beforehand with the relevant agencies: "Natuur & Bos" in Flanders or "Département de la Nature et des Fôrets (in short DNF)" in Wallonia. Hunting is much less common in Flanders than in Wallonia, given the large number of forests south of Sambre and Meuse.
To find out where you can go hiking in Wallonia, it's often difficult to find the right information. Therefore, just like last year, I gathered all information (as far as it is available) on one page. Click on the button below to go directly to that page.
The page is updated regularly, but updates combing from the DNF cantons are scarcer than usual this year. As soon as I receive information, I will update the page.
Sometimes a hunt can take place at the very last minute and thus block your passage. To avoid surprises, contact the DNF canton or tourism office of the area(s) in which you will be hiking before you go. Be aware that hunts that are taking place on private property do not have to be announced beforehand. This also impacts certain hiking trails running over those lands. Still, all warning posters need to be displayed.
In any case, you should always follow the signs on the ground! Red posters indicate that it is forbidden to enter the terrain. Yellow posters announce a hunt, so you are still allowed to go through. Read the information on the posters to be sure.
Can't find your way or do you have questions about hunting? Contact me via Facebook or e-mail.