Cantonal popular initiative: Canton of Jura

«Pour une gestion professionnelle de la faune sauvage»

Initiative populaire cantonale sous forme de projet rédigé / Constitutional initiative in the form of a drafted proposal

Based on Articles 75 et seq. of the Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Jura of 20 March 1977 and on the law on political rights

Déposée par le comité d’initiative [date du dépôt] / Submitted by the initiative committee [date of submission]

Note: The following template text is written in German, as wildbeimwild.com is a German-language platform. For submission in the canton of Jura, the initiative text must be available in French. The translation must be ensured by a legal professional prior to submission.

Text of the initiative

The undersigned, persons eligible to vote in the canton of Jura, submit the following constitutional initiative:

The Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Jura of 20 March 1977 shall be supplemented with the following article:

Art. [new] Professional wildlife protection / Gestion professionnelle de la faune sauvage

1The exercise of hunting by private individuals (licence hunting, recreational hunting) is prohibited throughout the entire territory of the canton of Jura.

2 The protection, care and, where necessary, regulation of wild animals shall be the exclusive responsibility of professionally trained wildlife managers employed by the canton.

3 The killing of wild animals is only permitted as a last resort, when all other suitable measures for preventing damage or averting danger have been exhausted or are insufficient. It requires prior approval by the Wildlife Commission.

4 The canton shall establish an independent Wildlife Commission, composed of representatives of animal welfare and nature conservation organisations, the scientific community and the authorities concerned. The commission shall oversee wildlife management and decide on regulatory measures.

5 The canton shall promote the natural regulation of wildlife populations, the connectivity of habitats and the coexistence of humans and wild animals.

6 Further details shall be regulated by law.

Art. [new] Protection of threatened and protected wild animal species / Protection des espèces menacées

1 The canton refrains from regulating populations of protected wild animal species pursuant to Art. 7a of the Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds and does not grant kill permits for individual animals of protected species pursuant to Art. 12 para. 2 of this Act, in particular not for wolf, lynx, bear, beaver, otter, golden jackal, golden eagle, goosander and other species protected under federal law. Paragraph 3 remains reserved.

2 It relies on fostering coexistence between humans and wild animals, passive damage prevention, the ecological enhancement of habitats and the scientific monitoring of wild animal presence.

3 Measures against individual wild animals that pose an immediate and significant danger to humans remain reserved. They are to be limited to the minimum necessary and carried out by the canton's competent specialist authority.

4 The canton actively advocates for the protection and preservation of endangered wild animal species within the framework of inter-cantonal cooperation and towards the Confederation.

Transitional provision / Disposition transitoire

1 The cantonal government shall enact the necessary implementing provisions within two years of the adoption of this constitutional amendment.

2 Existing hunting licences expire upon the entry into force of the implementing provisions. Patent fees already paid for the current hunting season will be reimbursed on a pro-rata basis.

3 The cantonal government shall ensure continuity of wildlife management during the transitional phase.

Explanatory notes

1. Starting position

The canton of Jura covers 838 km² and has around 73,000 inhabitants. As Switzerland's youngest canton (founded in 1979), it stretches across the ridges and valleys of the Jura, from the Ajoie in the north through the Franches-Montagnes to the Delémont basin. The canton is sparsely populated, heavily forested and characterised by agriculture. The Franches-Montagnes are one of Switzerland's last large-scale cultural landscapes with high biodiversity value.

Recreational hunting in Jura is organised as licence hunting. Private individuals purchase a cantonal licence and hunt without fixed responsibility for a designated hunting ground (cf. the Psychology of recreational hunting in the canton of Jura as well as the critical analysis of hunting training on wildbeimwild.com).

In the canton of Jura, holders of a hunting licence are obliged to take part in just a single so-called "Hegetag" (conservation day) per year, during which they carry out a few symbolic maintenance tasks on hedges and biotopes without a weapon. This mandatory event serves the hunting lobby chiefly as a fig leaf to justify their activity with supposed nature conservation achievements, but it bears no relation to the year-round disturbance and killing caused by recreational hunting. Modern wildlife protection is based on professional habitat management and legal protection, not on a once-yearly conservation day for recreational hunters.

The claim that without recreational hunting the ecological balance would collapse has been empirically disproven by the Geneva model for over 50 years (cf. the comprehensive dossier on the Geneva hunting ban on wildbeimwild.com). At 838 km², Jura has a larger area than Geneva (282 km²), but with 73,000 inhabitants it is more sparsely populated. Professional wildlife management requires more staff here, but operates according to the same principle.

The canton of Jura is directly affected by wolf policy. Wolf packs live in the Jura arc, for example in the Vaud Jura, and individual wolves also pass through the canton of Jura. The lynx has been native to the Jura forest area for decades. The beaver is spreading along the waterways (cf. the analysis of hunting policy on wildbeimwild.com and the wolf policy on wildbeimwild.com).

2. The role model: canton of Geneva

On 19 May 1974, a good 70 percent of voters in the canton of Geneva voted to abolish militia-style recreational hunting. Jura and Geneva belong to the same linguistic region. The Geneva experience is culturally and linguistically directly accessible to the Jura population:

Biodiversity has increased markedly. The number of overwintering waterfowl has multiplied from a few hundred to around 30,000. Geneva is now home to the largest brown hare population and one of the last grey partridge populations in Switzerland.
The roe deer population has settled at a healthy level, with an annual special cull by professional game wardens of just 20 to 36 animals.
The ban has been in place continuously for over 50 years. Geneva has never repealed it. Total costs amount to around 1.2 million francs annually, or around 2.40 francs per inhabitant.

A detailed account can be found in the dossier «Geneva and the hunting ban» on wildbeimwild.com.

3. The concept: professional wildlife wardens instead of recreational hunting

The initiative replaces recreational hunting with professional wildlife management based on the game warden model:

Professional expertise instead of leisure pursuit. Professional wildlife managers act on a scientific basis, within the framework of a cantonal performance mandate.

Last-resort principle. A kill is only permissible once all non-lethal measures have been exhausted.

Democratic oversight through a wildlife commission. The independent commission prevents political pressure from diluting wildlife management.

Natural self-regulation as a guiding principle. Experience from Geneva, from national parks and from numerous scientific Studies confirms that, in most cases, wildlife populations regulate themselves.

4. Why the canton of Jura?

The youngest canton with a progressive tradition. The canton of Jura was founded in 1979 as the youngest canton in Switzerland. The Jura constitution of 1977 is one of the most modern in Switzerland. An initiative for professional wildlife protection fits into this tradition.

Wolf policy as an acute trigger. The presence of wolves in Jura is directly relevant. The wolf packs in the Jura arc also affect the canton of Jura. While controversial kills in the canton of Vaud are causing criticism, Jura could take the opposite path: professional, constitutionally anchored wildlife management instead of recreational hunting on demand.

Cultural proximity to Geneva. The statements made by Geneva experts, such as long-serving fauna inspector Gottlieb Dandliker, are available in French and can be quoted directly. The efficiency of the Geneva model is evident in a direct comparison: a professional game warden in Geneva needs on average 8 hours and a maximum of 2 cartridges for a sanitary kill of a wild boar. A recreational hunter in the canton of Zurich needs 60 to 80 hours and up to 15 cartridges for the same task. The density of brown hares in Geneva is 17.7 animals per 100 hectares (the highest in Switzerland), whereas in the canton of Zurich it is only 1.0 per 100 hectares (cf. fact check by the Zurich Cantonal Council).

Low signature threshold: 2,000 signatures. In a canton with 73,000 residents, this is demanding but feasible, especially with support from animal and nature conservation organisations.

Licence hunting = a simple change of system. No hunting lease agreements, no municipal compensation.

Lynx canton. The Jura is one of the most important lynx regions in Switzerland. The lynx naturally regulates the roe deer population and reduces browsing damage. Professional wildlife management protects the lynx and makes use of its ecological function (cf. wildbeimwild.com on predators).

Challenge: Rural canton. The Jura is sparsely populated and rural in character. The campaign must place greater emphasis on the concrete benefits for agriculture: less wildlife damage thanks to professional prevention, and elimination of the conflict of interest between recreational hunting and damage management (cf. wildbeimwild.com on wild animals in settlement areas).

5. On the text of the initiative

The text of the initiative corresponds to the licence hunting variant. Cantonal competence is undisputed: Art. 3 para. 1 and 2 JSG, the three equivalent hunting systems, and more than 50 years of uncontested practice in Geneva.

The second paragraph is particularly relevant for the Jura: the lynx has been native here for decades, the wolf is spreading, and beavers have been documented along the waterways.

Important: For submission, the text must be available in French. The Jura constitution uses the term «Gouvernement» for the executive (instead of «Conseil d'État» as in Neuchatel). This terminology must be taken into account when translating.

6. Cost implications: Concrete budget for the Jura

For the Jura, with an area of 838 km² and around 73,000 residents, the following cost estimate results:

Personnel costs: CHF 360,000 to 560,000 annually. 3 to 4 full-time positions are required. At 838 km², the Jura is almost three times the size of Geneva (282 km²), but sparsely populated. A full-time position costs around 120,000 to 140,000 francs annually, including ancillary costs.

Material costs: 80’000 to 120’000 francs annually. Equipment, vehicles, deterrent devices, monitoring infrastructure, electric fences, public relations work.

Damage compensation: 40,000 to 80,000 francs annually. Mainly wild boar damage to agriculture and browsing damage in the forest.

Total costs: 480,000 to 760,000 francs annually (gross). This corresponds to around 6.55 to 10.40 francs per resident per year.

Lost revenue

With the abolition of recreational hunting, the licence fees of an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 francs per year would no longer apply. However, this is offset by the never-accounted-for external costs of militia hunting (wildlife accidents, hunting-related browsing damage in protective forests, administrative expenses, police and court cases), which are likely to significantly exceed these revenues. In the canton of Geneva, these revenues have been absent since 1974, without any financial problems: before the hunting ban, over 400 recreational hunters were active; today, three full-time positions do the same work better. Sanitary and therapeutic kills by professional game wardens are not the same as regulatory hunting based on hunters' lore or a misunderstood "experience of nature" on the part of recreational hunters. A full-cost analysis shows that militia hunting costs taxpayers considerably more than it brings in (cf. «What recreational hunting really costs Switzerland» on wildbeimwild.com).

Recreational hunters in politics vote against nature conservation. The recreational hunting lobby systematically opposes biodiversity and species protection concerns. In 2024, it fought against the Biodiversity Initiative (63 per cent No). In 2020, the hunting act it had helped shape failed at the ballot box (51.9 per cent No). In 2016, the Ticino hunting association torpedoed the Parc Adula national park. During the 2015–2019 legislative period, recreational hunters in parliament voted predominantly against environmental concerns. Anyone who claims that recreational hunters are nature conservationists is ignoring their voting behaviour (cf. Ticino Hunting Association: 30 Years of Nonsense and Cost dossier).

This is offset by savings: no hunting examinations, no licence administration, no kill quota planning, no hunting supervision. The Net additional costs are likely to be in the range of 250,000 to 480,000 francs per year, which corresponds to around3.40 to 6.60 francs per resident corresponds to. The higher per capita costs are explained by the small population relative to the large area. In absolute terms, the costs are well below Geneva's budget of around 1.2 million francs.

7. Compatibility with superordinate law

The initiative complies with federal law. Art. 3 para. 1 and 2 JSG, the three equivalent hunting systems, over 50 years of unchallenged practice in Geneva. Art. 7a JSG enables preventive regulation but does not mandate it. The same applies to kill permits for individual animals under Art. 12 para. 2 JSG. The initiative preserves the unity of subject matter.

8. Anticipating foreseeable objections

«The Jura is three times the size of Geneva and sparsely populated, the system is too expensive»

The facts: The larger area requires more specialists (3 to 4 full-time positions instead of around 3). In absolute terms, however, the costs are well below Geneva's budget. The sparse population tends to simplify wildlife management, as there are fewer conflict zones between humans and wild animals. The higher per capita costs are a mathematical consequence of the small population, not a sign of inefficiency (cf. Hunting myths fact check).

Short communicative formula: «In absolute terms, professional wildlife protection in the Jura costs less than in Geneva. Fewer people over a larger area means fewer conflicts, not higher costs.»

«The Jura is a farming canton, agriculture needs recreational hunting»

The facts: Agriculture needs damage management, not recreational hunting. Professional wildlife managers are better partners for farmers than recreational hunters, because the conflict of interest disappears: recreational hunters have an interest in high populations of huntable species, which leads to more wildlife damage. Professional specialists work to prevent damage, not for their own enjoyment. In Geneva, the canton provides farmers with electric fences and actively protects crops (see the Psychology of recreational hunting in the canton of Jura).

Short communicative formula: «Farmers need specialists who prevent damage, not recreational hunters who keep populations high for their own enjoyment.»

«The lynx and the wolf need recreational hunting as a regulator»

The facts: It is exactly the other way round. Lynx and wolf are natural regulators of the roe deer population. In Geneva, where there is no recreational hunting, natural regulation has been working for 50 years. Recreational hunting disrupts natural regulatory mechanisms by destroying social structures and artificially increasing reproduction rates. The initiative protects lynx and wolf and enables them to perform their ecological function.

Short communicative formula: «The lynx regulates the roe deer population. Free of charge, efficient and natural. Recreational hunters kill the regulator and then claim they need to regulate.»

9. Summary

This initiative gives the population of Jura the opportunity to speak out in favour of modern, evidence-based wildlife management. As the youngest canton in Switzerland, Jura has a progressive tradition into which professional wildlife protection fits well. The lynx as a natural regulator, the current wolf policy debate, and the cultural proximity to Geneva make Jura a strategically important canton for extending the Geneva model into French-speaking Switzerland.

Initiative committee «For professional wildlife protection» / Comité d’initiative «Pour une gestion professionnelle de la faune sauvage»

[Name 1], [Name 2], [Name 3] …

(Committee members in accordance with cantonal law, resident in the canton of Jura)

Contact address: [Committee address]

Appendix: Further documentation

The Geneva model in detail: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/genf-und-das-jagdverbot

Scientific studies: wildbeimwild.com/studien-ueber-die-auswirkung-der-jagd-auf-wildtiere-und-jaeger

Hunting in Switzerland: wildbeimwild.com/warum-die-hobby-jagd-in-der-schweiz-kein-naturschutz-ist

Psychology of recreational hunting in the canton of Jura: wildbeimwild.com: Psychology of Recreational Hunting in the Canton of JU

Psychology of recreational hunting: wildbeimwild.com/category/psychologie-jagd

Wolf dossier: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/wolf-in-der-schweiz-fakten-politik-und-die-grenzen-der-jagd

Wild animals and predators: wildbeimwild.com/category/wildtiere. Information on wild animals, predators and the coexistence of humans and wild animals.

Hunting myths: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/jagdmythen. Fact check on the most common claims made by the recreational hunting lobby.

Cantonal popular initiative Basel-Stadt: Template text of the initiative in the canton of Basel-Stadt

Note on the procedure

The initiative committee submits the text of the initiative in French to the Chancellery of State (Chancellerie d'État) of the canton of Jura for preliminary review before the collection of signatures begins. The initiative requires 2,000 valid signatures to come about. The collection period is 12 months from publication in the Journal officiel (Art. 89 para. 1 LDP). The submission procedures are governed by the cantonal legislation on political rights.

Strategic briefing for activists

Popular initiative “For Professional Wildlife Protection”, Canton of Jura Internal working document, as of March 2026

Summary

Jura is the second Romandy canton in the series and is strategically important as a lynx canton with relevance to wolf policy. As the youngest canton in Switzerland with a progressive constitutional tradition, it offers a favourable political climate. The low signature threshold of 2,000 is achievable. The greatest challenge is the higher per capita costs due to the sparse population spread over a large area.

1. Why the canton of Jura?

Youngest canton, progressive tradition. The 1977 constitution is one of the most modern in Switzerland. Professional wildlife protection fits into this tradition.

Wolf policy as a mobilisation issue. The wolves in the Jura arc and the controversial kills in the canton of Vaud make the species protection clause a topical issue.

Lynx as a natural regulator. Jura is one of Switzerland's most important lynx territories. The initiative protects the lynx and makes use of its ecological function.

2,000 signatures. An achievable threshold with association support.

Licence hunting = a simple change of system. No lease agreements, no compensation for municipalities.

2. Particular challenges

Per capita costs. The net additional costs of 3.40 to 6.60 francs per resident are higher than in most cantons in the series. This requires clear communication: in absolute figures, the costs are well below Geneva's budget of around 1.2 million francs. Fewer people spread over more land means fewer conflict zones.

Rural character. As in Appenzell Outer Rhodes, the campaign must place greater emphasis on the concrete benefits for agriculture.

3. Communication strategy: the three core messages

«Le Jura mérite mieux que la chasse de loisir.» Jura deserves better than recreational hunting. Positive, confident, and affirming of cantonal identity.

«Le lynx régule, gratuitement. Le chasseur tue, pour son plaisir.» The lynx regulates for free. The recreational hunter kills for pleasure. The lynx message is unique to Jura.

«Genève le fait depuis 50 ans. Le Jura peut faire de même.» The Geneva reference, in the canton's own language.

4. Opponent analysis

The licence holders are locally rooted in the sparsely populated canton of Jura and personally known. The campaign must remain factual.

The farmers' association is the decisive player. If it remains neutral or supports the initiative, it has good chances. The key argument is the conflict of interest in recreational hunting (high wildlife populations = more damage).

The cost argument is more vulnerable to attack in Jura than in most other cantons. The answer: in absolute figures, the budget is lower than that of Geneva. Per-capita costs are a matter of population density, not system efficiency (cf. the Psychology of recreational hunting in the canton of Jura).

5. Timeline

Phase	Content	Timeframe
Committee formation & preliminary text review	Consult a lawyer; translation into French; committee members resident in JU	Month 1–4
Submission for preliminary review	Chancellerie d’État	Month 4–5
Publication & start of signature collection	Goal: 2,500+ signatures as a buffer	Month 5
Party contacts & coalition building	PS, Verts, CS-POP; activate Geneva contacts; nature conservation associations	Month 1–10
Submission of signatures	Chancellerie d’État, official review	After the collection period
Parlement debate	Parliamentary anchoring; media work	Following months
Voting campaign	Final mobilisation with support from Geneva	Before the vote

6. Campaign material

Geneva dossier as the central set of arguments, supplemented by French-language materials.
The Psychology of recreational hunting in the canton of Jura as background material.
Public statements by Gottlieb Dandliker (Geneva fauna inspector from 2001 to 2025) as a reference for media work.
Local media: Le Quotidien Jurassien, RFJ, RJB, RTS (Région).
Lynx messaging as a canton-specific visual element.

7. Further sources

This document is a template text from IG Wild beim Wild. It may be freely used by activists, organisations or initiative committees and adapted to the circumstances in the canton of Jura.

Fact check: The claims of the recreational hunting lobby

The brochure «Die Jagd in der Schweiz schützt und nützt» (Hunting in Switzerland protects and benefits) by JagdSchweiz reads like an advertising flyer, yet its central claims do not withstand a fact check. Ten narratives put to the test, ranging from “state task” and “species diversity” to “80% approval”: Dossier: Fact check on the JagdSchweiz brochure →