Swiss Officials at Wolf Hunt in Russia

Professional Development or Trophy Hunting?

The trip was justified as professional development in order to gain new insights and possibly apply the method of lap hunting in Switzerland.

Critics argue, however, that lap hunting cannot be implemented in Switzerland for legal and animal welfare reasons. Furthermore, the trip is highlighted as trophy hunting in Russia, which undermines the credibility of the office. In addition, 5 working days each were sacrificed for this purpose, at taxpayers' expense. Corinne del Fabbro of Pro Natura states that no scientific approach is discernible in this professional development trip, “the journey looks more like an adventure tour.”

The entire world is trying to use sanctions to pressure Russia into rethinking its position, due to the war in Ukraine which violates international law. And the two Swiss officials found nothing better to do than indulge in trophy hunting there.

What is Lap Hunting?

Lap hunting is a form of driven or beating hunt. The area being hunted, which is usually fairly flat, is enclosed with fabric strips hung on ropes. The animals are driven in a specific direction with the help of beaters (people, machines, and dogs).

The hanging strips prevent the animals from breaking out so that they can be shot. Lap hunting is used primarily for hunting wolves applied. The German expression «Durch die Lappen gehen» (meaning "to slip through") is a phrase borrowed from hunters' jargon, documented since the 18th century, referring to the fact that although many animals do recoil from the hanging cloth strips, some repeatedly break through the barrier and thus literally "go through the laps."

Pathological disorder rather than science

No wonder Switzerland has been experiencing a biodiversity crisis for decades, when an abundance of such agency heads in the cantons — without any comprehensive psychological assessment — can think of nothing better than shooting squirrels out of trees.

Taken down with a small-caliber rifle: the grey squirrel was shot out of a tree by Dominik Thiel, for target practice.

This has nothing to do with hunting, respect, science, ethics, or animal welfare, but is a serious pathological disorder.

In one analysis, scientists examined nine personality traits, including egoism, spite, Machiavellianism, moral disengagement, narcissism, psychopathy, sadism, self-centeredness, and a sense of entitlement. The researchers found that virtually all of these traits can be traced back to the D-factor as a dark core of personality. In practical terms, this means that people with a high tendency toward narcissism, for example, are also very likely to display pronounced Machiavellian and psychopathic personality traits.

Furthermore, people with a strong D-factor are statistically more likely to become criminal or violent or to otherwise violate social norms, according to the researchers.

Cantonal Councillor Beat Tinner defends Dominik Thiel's trip and emphasizes: “The agency is constantly caught between protection and regulation. This creates conflicts of objectives, and one must be able to tolerate them,” writes srf.ch.

Apparently, cantonal councillors will believe anything. Send Cantonal Councillor Beat Tinner a message and let him know what you think of his personnel management and policies:

• Facebook Beat Tinner
• Website Beat Tinner

Dossier: Wolf in Switzerland: Facts, Politics, and the Limits of Hunting

Dossier Hunting Administration St. Gallen:

• Dominik Thiel: Wolf Hunter at Public Expense – An Agency Head as a Security Risk for Wildlife Protection
• Psychology of Hunting in the Canton of St. Gallen
• Hunting Season Until New Year's Eve: Culling Pressure Instead of Wildlife Management
• Patent hunting as a solution to red deer conflicts?
• St. Gallen Game Management: Wolf management without science and without credibility
• The approval to shoot a wolf in the canton of St. Gallen was unlawful
• Public dumbing-down in the canton of St. Gallen
• Office for Hunting and Nonsense in St. Gallen modernises hunting education
• St. Gallen wants to regulate wolf pack at Gamserrugg
• Controversy surrounding Swisscivil servant at wolf hunt in Russia
• «Experts» in St. Gallen end wolf regulation for this winter
• The rotten apple in the St. Gallen hunting administration
• Lying hunter became department head in the canton of St. Gallen
• St. Gallen: Stop the fox and badger massacre
• Are FOEN and the hunting authorities still operating responsibly?
• How hobby hunter Simon Meier leads onto the wrong track

HOBBY HUNTER RADAR

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