PESHAWAR, Dec 23: The NWFP government has notified that hunting  of partridges will be permissible from Dec 23 to Feb 3, 2002, in the province, except Shinawari, Toi Banda, Chakhtoo and Darmalak game reserve in Kohat division, Bagh area of Totalai game reserve in the Buner district and Rakh Sardaran in Haripur.

However, hunting of the partridges, including see see partridge, black partridge, grey partridge and Chukor, shall be permissible only on Sundays and gazetted holidays under special rules. Maximum bag limit shall not exceed eight birds per gun per day. A hunting party will not exceed five guns.

Hunting in game reserve shall be permissible only under a special permit, to be granted by the NWFP wildlife conservator, on first come first served basis.

The partridge population in the game reserves will be regularly monitored and permits will be stopped as soon as it is deemed appropriate, at the discretion of the conservator and respective divisional forest officer wildlife.

Game reserves shall be divided into shooting units and only one party of hunters will be allowed in a unit on a day. The party leader will apply for shooting permits in game reserve four days in advance, giving particulars of shooting licences of party members.

The fees to be charged for licences/permits during the shooting season are: small game shooting licence, Rs350 per annum; special permit for shooting in game reserve, Rs500 per gun per day; possession licence for dog, Rs150 per annum, and permit for use of hunting dog in the game reserve, Rs250 per dog per day.