Une Polombiére

The growing, and harvesting season has come to an end. It is October, and time to take repose. Traditionally men come together, and enter the forest to hunt Polombe, the wild pigeon, that migrates this month. In pockets of forest around us, there are Polombiéres, hidden among the trees, their hides and cabins disguised with ferns. But strings are everywhere, strung vertical and horizontal, through the branches. The hunters employ many tricks to attract the Polombes to their place, where they can have a good eyeview to shoot.

This year, we were warmly invited to visit a Polombiére in a nearby forest, by two retired men who have used this hide for many years. They could not tell us how old the hide was, but more than fifty years anyway. Through October, they arrive at the hide at six in the morning, with two gallons of water, their nutritional needs, their guns, and stay until six in the evenings, every day. But they have been back and fore during the weeks leading up, to tidy the cabin, clear the overgrowth, and make sure their apparatus is functioning.

All around the hide, strings travel from hide to tree, to treetop branches. On ground level there are empty perches suspended on string, and weighted with stones. They bob in the breeze. Another string is pulled, and a domestic pigeon descends from the high branches. He is tied to a perch, which is attached to a string, travelling back to the hide. When the Polombes fly over, the string is pulled, the perch jerks, and the pigeon flaps his wings. This draws the attention of the Polombes, and when they come close, the hunters take their aims. These domestic pigeons are kept at home, all year round, especially for this moment.

Inside, the cabin it is very cosy, with a wood stove burning, a pan of near boiling water on top, a wood pile alongside. There is a table in the centre, chairs around, and cinema seats against the wall. Linoleum covers the floor, there are cupboards, sink and worktop, and a shelf lined with bottles of alcohol. Immediately up two steps we are in the hide itself. We are hidden under camouflage, but have a clear view over pruned treetops. Several metres before us are three tall trees, and perched in their tops are three pigeons. We see the mechanics of the string pulleys, we hold the gun in our hands, and look through the sights, we drink le Pinot des Charentes apperitif, but we see no Polombes in the short time that we are here.

Pull the strings, and at the other end, the pigeon is shaken on his perch, and flaps his wing, attracting the Polombes.

I ask if their wives ever visit. One wife comes regularly, but the other never. This is mainly a mans world. They are keen to tell us that they are not trigger happy, that they enjoy all aspects of the shoot, but especially they enjoy getting away from civilisation, and coming close to nature again. At the end of the day, their pleasure is to hunt for their food, gather mushrooms from the forest floor, and share their supper in male companionship.

The ‘tunnel’ that allows hunters to come and go, without being visible to Polombes.

A personal perspective

I wish to point out that I come from a time and place, that is not as close to the hunter-gatherer culture, as these men. I have no desire to kill animals to eat. I am vegetarian. However, I can objectively appreciate the traditions, and cultures of others, provided it is done well. I realise too, that we need to keep this knowledge, and these skills because we cannot be sure when we might need them again.