Hunting park caters to China's gun fans

IN A frigid forest in northeastern China, sub-zero temperatures and thick snow aren't enough to dampen tourists' enthusiasm for firing a few rounds at farm-raised animals let loose in the wild.

Yuquan International Hunting Field in Heilongjiang province draws more than 100,000 domestic tourists a year, many travelling thousands of miles to get their hands on a rifle or shotgun for the first time in a country where gun ownership is strictly controlled.

This is despite temperatures often straining to reach as warm as minus 20 degrees Celsius in the daytime, and snow heavy on the ground for six months of the year.

"Our country has very tight controls on gun ownership," said Wang Zengyu, Yuquan's manager.

The controls keep the tourists coming in, but also limit the business's prospects, the former hotel manager said.

"If we need to buy arms, have our guns fixed or renewed, we need to go to places that are designated by security authorities. It would be illegal for us to go through other channels."

Yuquan — a 3,000-acre reserve about 50km from Harbin, Heilongjiang's provincial capital — is hardly a sprawling wilderness, but it is the largest of China's few designated hunting parks.

The quarry at Yuquan is limited to farm-raised rabbits, pheasants and pigeons, while the generally male-dominated shooting parties share a maximum two guns an outing.

With permits to keep only 20 guns on site — a mixture of double-barrelled shotguns and low-calibre rifles — Wang, the owner, agrees. "I hope we can have access to more types of guns ... If we can use other kinds, customers can shoot more types of animals. It would be more fun for them."Reuters