Punjab announces partridge hunting season under strict regulations

The Punjab Wildlife Department has announced the start of the Partridge hunting season across the province, outlining a detailed framework of designated hunting zones, permit procedures and regulatory conditions. According to an official notification,Partridge hunting will only be allowed on Sundays and strictly within notified areas and dates. Outside the designated zones, the hunting fee has been set at one thousand rupees.

Under the amended wildlife regulations, the department has established special and general hunting grounds, community conservancies, and both public and private wildlife reserves. In Chakwal, Talagang, Jhelum and Khushab, several locations have been notified as hunting grounds. A total of one hundred and twenty-five special hunting grounds have been created where permits will be issued through an auction process.

Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Zahid Ali stated that the auction for special hunting permits will take place on 8 December 2025 at the office of the Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Salt Range in Kallar Kahar. “If permits remain available, the auction may continue for the following three days,” he added. The hunting season in these special grounds will run from 14 December 2025 to 15 February 2026. “A comprehensive survey was carried out before the announcement, and permission will only be granted in areas where the population assessment supports sustainable hunting,” he said.

Apart from the special grounds, the department has designated thirty-six open hunting zones where the season will begin on 1 December and continue until 15 February 2026. However, some areas will remain closed to hunting: Jand in Attock district, the entire Murree district, 18-Hazari in Jhang, areas of Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan within the Cholistan desert, the Thal desert in Muzaffargarh, and Rojhan tehsil in Rajanpur. In all other districts, hunting will be permitted through the Wildlife Pass system.

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According to Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Headquarters Asim Bilal, the third category comprises community-based conservancies, including Manarah Sethi, Hadiqat-ul-Awatin and Myaral Brothers in Chakwal. Hunting in these conservancies will require special permission from the Director General Wildlife and Parks Punjab. The fourth category consists of public wildlife reserves, forty in total, located in various districts such as Kamalia, Chichawatni, Abbasia, Daman, Pirowal, Kundian, Dappar and forested areas of Layyah and Bhakkar. The permit auction for these reserves is scheduled for 2 December 2025 at Safari Zoo Lahore. The hunting season in all these reserves will also run from 14 December to 15 February, except for the Cholistan and Chinkara reserves, where the season will start on 10 January 2026.

The fifth and final category includes seven private wildlife reserves located in Chakwal (Kallar Kahar and Dherabi), Talagang (Ali), Jhelum (Potha and Potohar), and Attock (Kot Sultan and Qila Sultan). Hunting in these reserves will only be allowed with the landowner’s permission, and the season will remain the same as in other designated areas.

Asim Bilal emphasized that only licensed firearms and valid permits will be allowed. The use of automatic or service weapons, PCP rifles, and air guns is prohibited. The use of drones and electronic devices is also banned. Hunters are not permitted to fire from vehicles, and only licensed gun dogs may be used. Falconry will only be permitted for individuals holding a falcon-keeping licence. Each hunting party may consist of no more than three hunters and ten beaters.

The department has urged hunters to obtain GIS-based maps or shapefiles from their respective district wildlife offices to ensure awareness of the exact geographical boundaries of hunting zones and avoid boundary violations. During the Partridge season, hare hunting will also be allowed only on Sundays and only for those who possess a valid Partridge permit. The department reiterated its appeal for hunters to secure all boundary maps beforehand to ensure full compliance with regulations.