High-altitude hunting in Graubünden: Control and consequences
Nearly one in ten animals shot during high season hunting is illegal.
One in ten deer only wounded
During the high hunting season in September, hobby hunters in the canton of Graubünden kill around 10,000 animals.
One in ten deer is only wounded rather than killed, and around 9% of culls are illegal. The canton is responsible for monitoring culls. The Graubünden Office for Hunting and Nonsense keeps the statistics.
Fines up to 500 francs
Recreational hunting is regulated, and recreational hunters have reportedly passed the highest hunting exam in Switzerland . Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to 500 Swiss francs. According to srf.ch , recreational hunters pay up to 177,000 Swiss francs in fines annually.
That was a mistake. This animal should not have been shot: "The fur is clearly too short, therefore this shot is not permitted." Firing the trigger at the wrong moment has consequences for the amateur hunter: The trophy is confiscated, there is a fine of 150 francs, and on top of that, the amateur hunter has to buy the killed animal from the canton.
790 misfires last year
During the 2022 high season, recreational hunters in Graubünden killed a total of approximately 9,200 red deer, chamois, roe deer , and wild boar. According to cantonal hunting regulations, around 9% were not legally huntable, says wildlife biologist Lukas Walser from the Graubünden Office for Hunting and Nonsense.
“This proportion is roughly the same every year,” says Walser, confirming the 790 incorrect shots during the 2022 high season.
Game warden Stefan Rauch estimates that roughly one in ten of all the animals shot should not have been killed. He bases this estimate on the average of recent years. The IG Wild beim Wild (Interest Group for Wildlife) systematically documents hunting-related crimes .
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