“I get a real drive from work”: how a hunter Olga Soiko breaks stereotypes about the non-woman profession

Hunter from Gantsevichy Olga Soiko successfully copes with 44 thousand hectares of land and breaks stereotypes about the unfeminine profession

In the structure of the forestry department of the country, representatives of the fair sex at the forefront of hunting can be counted literally on the fingers of one hand. Among them is an engineer for hunting farm Gantsevichi forestry Olga Soiko.

- When I took up the position of a hunting engineer in 2022, many in the area only shrugged their shoulders skeptically and asked the understandable question: how long will I have the strength and patience.

However, doubts dispelled quickly. The new hunter without hesitation took the reins of power in his hands: sat behind the wheel of the UAZ, personally engaged in the delivery of feeding to remote feeders and participation in raids against poachers.

- After school, I entered the Sakharov International State Ecological Institute, studied as a biologist-analyst, and then received a diploma of engineer, chemical engineer at BSTU. In general, I came to the forest not by chance - with a conscious baggage of knowledge, the expert shares.

Today, under the control of Olga Soiko and three rangers is a huge territory: 44.3 thousand hectares of hunting grounds.

- Our main concern is to preserve and increase forest wealth. We are actively developing hunting tourism – not only Belarusians, but also guests from other countries willingly go to the Polesie expanses. I get a real drive from work also because I constantly communicate with interesting people.

Despite the huge employment in the forest, Olga manages to be a caring mother and wife. Her husband Vadim also connected his professional life with forestry, and his main hobby is extreme motocross.

- We never sit at home on weekends, Olga laughs. My husband tries not to miss a single stage of the competition. My daughter Sophia and my son Savely are his loyal support group. I do not sit behind the wheel of a cross-country motorcycle, I have another mission: in our team I am responsible for a hearty field kitchen and food.

THEME

According to Olga Soiko, in recent years, the biodiversity of hunting grounds in the Gantsevichi forestry has significantly enriched. Today there are 115 moose, 450 roe deer. The population of the noble deer has reached 240 individuals and shows a steady increase. Special pride of the hunter was caused by the fact of the appearance in their lands of the red-book lynx, the presence of which today is officially confirmed by experts.

poplavskiy@sb.by