KP Opens Partridge Hunting Season in Designated Game Reserves

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department has opened the partridge hunting season in designated game reserves across the province. The permitted period runs from November 15, 2026, to January 11, 2027.

Hunting is allowed only in reserves that the provincial government has officially declared open for the season, according to the department's notification. Reserves that have not been officially opened are therefore not covered by the permission.

In short, the partridge hunting season is tightly controlled: it has fixed dates, designated locations, four named species and a two-part requirement for every hunter, namely a shooting licence and a special permit.

Four Species Permitted in the Partridge Hunting Season

The notification allows the hunting of four bird species during the season: the Chukar partridge, Black partridge, Grey partridge and See-See partridge.

Hunting is confined to the designated game reserves and may take place only under special permits issued by the Wildlife Department. The species list, the location and the permit requirement therefore work together.

Species
Chukar partridge
Black partridge
Grey partridge
See-See partridge

The table above lists the four species named in the notification.

Licence and Permit Rules for the Partridge Hunting Season

Only hunters who hold a valid shooting licence can obtain a special hunting permit, the department said. It made clear that anyone without both a valid licence and a special permit will not be allowed to hunt partridges.

In practical terms, there are two steps. A hunter must first hold a valid shooting licence, and only then can a special hunting permit be obtained from the Wildlife Department.

The message is that a licence alone is not enough. Both documents are mandatory throughout the partridge hunting season, and hunters who do not have them will not be allowed to hunt partridges.

Monitoring the Partridge Hunting Season and Possible Suspension

The Wildlife Department will regularly monitor partridge populations in the game reserves to protect bird numbers and support conservation. If monitoring shows a decline or other concerns about the birds, the department may suspend the issuance of special hunting permits.

This means the availability of permits during the season will depend on the condition of the partridge population.

Put simply, the department has linked permits to the health of the bird population. Regular monitoring is meant to protect bird numbers and support conservation, and a suspension of special permits is the step the department may take if monitoring raises concerns.

Earlier Quail Hunting Decision

The provincial government had earlier lifted its ban on quail hunting. The Chief Conservator of Wildlife allowed hunters to take both common quail and rain quail under revised rules, with a daily bag limit of eight quails per hunter across the province.

The new conditions were introduced through official order number 58, which amended an earlier order dated August 31. Quail hunting is permitted only for licensed individuals within designated areas and limits, and the Chief Conservator has directed wildlife personnel to enforce the rules strictly.

Explained: How the Partridge Hunting Season Works

This section sets out the main points of the partridge hunting season in plain terms, using only what the Wildlife Department's notification states.

Dates. The season opens on November 15, 2026, and closes on January 11, 2027. These two dates define the permitted period.

Places. Hunting is allowed only in game reserves that the provincial government has officially opened. The department speaks of designated game reserves across the province, and only those officially declared open for the season may be used for hunting.

Species. Four birds are named in the notification: the Chukar partridge, Black partridge, Grey partridge and See-See partridge.

Paperwork. A valid shooting licence and a special hunting permit, issued by the Wildlife Department, are both required. Hunters without both will not be allowed to hunt partridges.

Safeguards. The department will regularly monitor partridge populations in the game reserves. It may suspend the issuance of special hunting permits if monitoring shows a decline or other concerns about the birds.

Background: Quail Rules Alongside the Partridge Hunting Season

Separately from the partridge hunting season, the provincial government had earlier lifted its ban on quail hunting. The Chief Conservator of Wildlife allowed hunters to take common quail and rain quail under revised rules.

Those rules set a daily bag limit of eight quails per hunter across the province. They were introduced through official order number 58, which amended an earlier order dated August 31.

Quail hunting is permitted only for licensed individuals within designated areas and limits, and wildlife personnel have been directed to enforce the rules strictly. The daily limit of eight applies to quail hunting.

For partridges, the notification focuses on the season dates, the officially opened game reserves, the four named species and the requirement for both a shooting licence and a special permit.

Image: מינוזיג – MinoZig / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0