N3 Payakumbuh - At first hunting
activity using hunting dogs is done solely to repel wild boar disturbing
agricultural land that is still much found in rural areas because it is close
to the forest.
Over the time this wild boar hunting
activity began to shift into a routine habit even in some areas developed into
a tradition in the community. Implementation in wild boar hunting in each
region has its own characteristics because of the different types of jungle
that exist, especially in West Sumatra.
If in other areas the hunting of wild boars is
done by several people, using spears and sharp bullets, in West Sumatra the
practice involves hundreds to thousands of people. Farmers, traders, civil
servants to officials, regardless of their social status blend into one in the
hunting area.
What is unique about the wild
boar hunting activities in West Sumatra involves a dog as a hunting animal. The
hunting dogs they use are not the usual ones, for the rich sometimes they are
willing to spend millions of dollars to buy to have a good dog and very well trained.
"Usually the wild boar
hunters in West Sumatra bring dogs from the island of Java for reasons of dog
race because it has a good body, nimble and good endurance," said Robby a
practitioner hunting wild boar.
These wild boar hunting
activities are commonly done on holidays, in the morning the hunters will move
directly to a predetermined location, they leave in groups using a pickup or
minibus that the hunters rent, to get to the hunting location.
Hunters with trained dogs can
walk as far as 3 kilometers. In the forest they are divided into several groups
so that the target of the hunt can be besieged, if the target of wild boar
hunting has been seen then the hunters will release their dogs to catch up.
The cheers of the hunter's voice
will burst in the accompaniment of the sound of dog howling, they work together
to make the targeted boar go unnoticed. Sometimes hunted wild boars are caught
and bitten by hunting dogs before they are discovered by hunters, until the
late afternoon the hunters can sometimes catch up to dozens of boars in a
single hunt.
"At the hunting of wild boar
in Payakumbuh this city we will release the desire of the hunters as the
celebration of Payakumbuh City anniversary and also to welcome the new year
2018," added Robby. (Rahmat Sitepu)