THE IMPORTANCE OF HUNTING ARMOR AND MILITARY PREPAREDNESS IN ENSURING NATIONAL BORDER SECURITY

Hunting is a widely practiced activity around the world, as humans have been hunting since the dawn of civilization, continuously refining their skills, techniques, and methods. Hunting, or the pursuit and killing of wild animals, requires hunters to be adept at camouflage, accurate shooting, navigating the terrain, and reading tracks left in the forest. In essence, hunting involves skills that are also valuable in military contexts, especially for small combat units (such as commandos or snipers). Hunters are among the most knowledgeable about the forests of Latvia and could potentially operate individually or in small groups behind enemy lines in times of national threat. There are approximately 25,000 hunters in Latvia, making up about 1.3% of the population. Many hunters are also serving in the National armed forces, the National guard, the police, and the Border guard.The purpose of the study: Analyze the armament available to Latvian hunters, the level of military training in hunting associations and the possibilities of involving hunters in ensuring border surveillance.Main tasks:1. Study the armament and military training of Latvian hunters;2. Analyze the possibilities of using hunters in ensuring the security of the border;3. Make proposals in which way it would be possible to use hunters in ensuring the security of the land border.Research methods:1. Empirical research method (survey);2. Qualitative research method (situation analysis);3. Method of logical analysis.