Initial operation of the LAC in the Val Camonica, 12 participants. 400 bow traps confiscated in the neighbourhood of Lake Iseo.

Traps in total - 400; nets - 0; freed decoy birds - 0

22. September 02

Weekend operations of the LAC in the Val Camonica, 13 participants. 750 bow traps confiscated. At a  WWF observer checkpoint of the Val Trompia, an Italian committee member was attacked by an enraged hunter with an iron bar and suffered injuries to his back. He was admitted for observation to the hospital in Gardone.

Traps in total - 1.150; nets - 0; freed decoy birds - 0

23. September 02

The warden attacked by a hunter yesterday could be released from hospital.

26. September 02

The state forest police begin their camp in Brescia. The 15 officers in total will carry out controls of hunters until beginning November and will confiscate all traps found. All operations of the Committee and their Italian partners are coordinated with the forest police. In honour of the recently deceased committee chair, Eugen Tönnis, the police operation is named "Operazione Eugen 2002".

29. September 02

Extensive weekend operations by the LAC in the Val Trompia, 7 participants. The mountainsides controlled on today were full of traps and nets up till 3 years ago. Today, only 100 bow traps and no nets were found.

Traps in total - 1.250; nets - 0; freed decoy birds - 0

2. October 2002

Beginning of the "small" migratory bird protection camp of the Committee, 4 participants. In the first days, we searched for sites with large numbers of traps, where the police officers can ambush the poachers in the early morning. In this way, with our help, some 40 trappers were caught 'red-handed last year. Today, we found two very large trap sites in the area. Confiscation of the traps will only be done if the trappers are successfully arrested by the police.

Traps in total - 1.250; nets - 0; freed decoy birds - 0

3. October 2002

Trap searches in the Val Trompia, 6 participants. Trap sites for subsequent police action were again searched for. In our operational area, where over 2.000 traps were found in 2001, were completely abandoned this year. The frequent operations over the past years are slowly bearing fruit. Another group however were successful in the south of the Val Trompias and could remove 2 large nets and set 3 decoy birds free.

Traps in total - 1.250; nets - 2; freed decoy birds - 3

4. October 2002

Searches for trap in cooperation with the forest police in the Val Trompia, 8 participants. Several very large trap locations with more than 1.500 bow traps and some nets; where the poachers will be ambushed in the next few days. 300 of the traps found were removed. No hunters on the ground today; they generally have a rest day on Fridays.

Traps in total - 1.650; nets - 2; freed decoy birds - 3

5. October 2002

Beginning of the large migratory bird protection camp of the committee and its partners LAC and CSA. The wardens' operations also began today, in total 13 participants. 4 groups , together with the forest police, searched for traps in the Val Trompia and Val Camonica. In total 150 traps and 1 net were dismantled. 6 further areas with approximately 700 traps were left untouched for future operations by the forest police. The wardens checked camouflage hides in the Val Trompia. As well as robins, we freed a Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus) from a bow trap, which as well as a Sparrowhawk and a dormouse, were looked after in the camp over the weekend and then brought to the wild bird sanctuary near Modena.

Traps in total - 1.800; nets - 3; freed decoy birds - 3

6. October 2002

Extensive operations in the Brescia Alps - In total 38 German  and Italian committee members gave the hunters a hard time today. In the Val Trompia and in Val Camonica a total of 1088 bow traps and 8 nets were confiscated. 12 fall traps and 2 deer snares were also dismantled. The wardens confiscated several decoy birds near Brescia together with 3 guns; two hunters lost their licences. Together with the forest police 2 poachers were caught. Some committee members were attacked by a hunter with machete without anyone being hurt. A group of LIPU (Ital). conservationists were  threatened with knives in the Val Sabbia and their car was badly damaged.

Traps in total - 2.889; nets - 11; freed decoy birds - 8

7. October 2002

Trap collection in the Val Camonica, 19 participants. In total 3 groups dismantled 1.511 bow traps and 11 fall traps in the high mountain region. The wardens' reports are not yet available as they are still, at 21:00 hours, still out on the ground. A hunter arrested on a tip-off from us yesterday betrayed two accomplices, who were arrested this morning and will be interrogated tonight. They can now expect prosecution on suspicion of gang activities and organised crime; the evidence should be firm enough to get them 8 months imprisonment.

Traps in total - 4.399; nets - 11; freed decoy birds - 8

8. October 2002

Trap collection in Val Camonica, 16 participants. We found almost only abandoned trap locations in the high regions of the Val Trompia today. In total, only 100 bow traps and 1 net could be dismantled. Because of the aggressive mood of the hunters, the wardens have purchased bulletproof vests for their operations for the first time today!

Traps in total - 4.499; nets - 12; freed decoy birds - 8

9. October 2002

Trap collection in the Val Trompia, 18 participants. Today we only found 3 nets in the  southern Val Trompia. The trap sites where we regularly dismantled the traps over the years have been completely abandoned. As yesterday, the wardens controlled hunters in the Po valley. The forest police unit which began operations two weeks ago has been replaced with new officers from Rome. They had arrested 15 trappers and confiscated 2.500 bow traps, 20 nets and 30 guns.

Traps in total - 4.499; nets - 15; freed decoy birds - 8

10. October 2002

Trap collection and operations with the forest police in the Val Trompia and close to Brescia in pouring rain, 20 participants. Six o'clock this morning, two groups led officers of the forest police to trapping sites and immediately arrested the first poacher. In an attempt to escape, he injured a police officer, who is now in hospital. In the course of the day, two groups found 160 traps and 2 nets, some of which were left in place for forest police follow-up operations.

Traps in total - 4.659; nets - 17; freed decoy birds - 8

11. October 2002

Trap collection in the high mountain region of the province Brescia, 19 participants. While one group searched for trap and net sites for the forest police, a second group and the wardens dismantled in total 911 bow traps, 8 fall traps and 1 net. The forest police confiscated a further 283 traps on the basis of our information and arrested a poacher.

Traps in total - 5.853; nets - 18; freed decoy birds - 8

12. October 2002

Extensive weekend operations in the Val Trompia, 44 participants. On the way to Lake Iseo 605 bow traps and 2 nets were found and confiscated. While carrying out checks of hunters wardens confiscated 1 further net, a gun and an additional 100 bow traps. This afternoon all camp participants organized a demonstration against hunting in the town of Iseo.

Traps in total - 6.458; nets - 20; freed decoy birds - 8

13. October 2002

Another large operation with 41 participants. In the Val Camonica and Val Trompia a total of 422 bow traps, 10 nets, 16 fall traps and 7 deer snares were confiscated. We guided the forest police to 7 sites with nets and traps;  one trapper was arrested. The wardens controlled hunters in the southern operational area and confiscated 8 guns. Traps in total - 6.880; nets - 30; freed decoy birds - 17

14. October 2002

Trap searches in Val Trompia and near Brescia, 21 participants. The 4 groups underway today confiscated a total of 329 bow traps and 18 nets. Armed officers of the forest police were guided to trap sites by one of our groups and 3 poachers could be arrested as a result. The wardens controlled hunters in the Po valley. In the mountain village Lodrino, hunters and trappers were verbally aggressive and abusive when committee members arrived; but the confrontation passed without further.

Traps in total - 7.009; nets - 48; freed decoy birds - 22

15. October 2002

Trap search in the Val Trompia and Val Camonica, 22 participants. Only one of the four groups had any success. The others found only abandoned trap locations, where  approximately 1000 bow traps had been confiscated in the last few years. Today, only 265 traps and two nets could be dismantled. The forest police caught a restaurant owner after a tip-off of the committee at his traps - the 32nd arrest of the season!

Traps in total - 7.274; nets - 50; freed decoy birds - 22

16. October 2002

Trap searches in the Val Trompia and Val Camonica, 20 participants. In total, we confiscated 452 bow traps and a net. The wardens found another net and will press charges against several hunters; the forest police caught two poachers.

Traps in total - 7.726; nets - 52; freed decoy birds - 22

17. October 2002

Operations in the Val Camonica and in the Val Sabbia, 19 participants. The group in the Val Camonica dismantled 367 bow traps and some lime sticks, another group searched for traps in the area for subsequent operations by the forest police and led the officers to the sites. The search in the Val Sabbia was unsuccessfully although dozens of net installations have been found and dismantled there over the years. The wardens controlled hunters in the Po valley and took the names of several hunters for subsequent prosecution.

Traps in total - 8.103 nets - 52; freed decoy birds - 22

18. October 2002

Trap searches in the Val Camonica, 28 participants. Three groups found in total 367 bow traps, 2 fall traps and 2 nets in the north of the area, another group in the south of the area, in the company of a German camera team, dismantled 7 bow traps and 2 nets.

Traps in total - 8.470; nets - 56; freed decoy birds - 24

19. October 2002

Extensive operation over the whole area, 34 participants. In Val Camonica 61 and in Val Trompia 82 bow traps were found and were dismantled. In the southern Val Sabbia, we dismantled 349 traps and a net. In this area, which is notorious for bird netting, this method seems to have almost died out in the course of a single year. The forest police arrested 3 poachers on the basis of our information today; one had fought back with a club he can now expect to be charged with resisting arrest as well.

Traps in total - 8.962; nets - 57; freed decoy birds - 25

20. October 2002

Another large operation with 39 participants. In the high mountain region of Val Trompia and Val Camonica, 641 bow traps were confiscated. The large migratory bird protection camp came to an end today. Since the middle of September has German and Italian committee members have dismantled approximately 9.600 bow traps and 57 nets in the mountains of Brescia province. Although with 103 participants more conservationists than last year took part in the camp, 30 percent fewer traps and 65 percent fewer nets were found - a clear sign of the decline of the bird trapping in North Italy!

Summary

The migratory bird protection operations of the committee continue until the end of November. Until 05. November our observers will remain on the spot and, at weekends, our Italian members of the LAC and from the CSA will again be underway in the mountains. In addition the forest police will remain active until the middle of November in Brescia.

Traps in total - 9.603; nets - 57; freed decoy birds - 25