Hobby hunters raid a village during a driven hunt

A scene that symbolically illustrates what recreational hunting truly means: harassment, panic, loss of control.

Yet instead of self-criticism came the familiar sedative of the hunting association: “Hunting is regulated.” A sentence meant to say everything while explaining nothing.

During a driven hunt in the afternoon, the pursued animal sought refuge in the village. The police had to be called, the dogs were recalled and the animal was allowed to escape this time. A brief moment of humanity within a system that otherwise rarely shows mercy.

But no sooner was the stag safe than a dispute broke out: hunting opponent Michaël, a member of the movement AVA – Abolissons la Vénerie Aujourd’hui (Abolish hunting today), was appalled.

Even in the garden, the dogs chased the stag. The hobby hunters had to call the police because they knew we were filming. Otherwise they would have killed it.

He reports hobby hunters trespassing on private property and dangerous situations: one of his colleagues was nearly run over while filming. So much for “regulated hunting”.

When regulations become a fig leaf

The Aisne hunting association hastened to play down the incident. Spokesperson Nicolas Voyard praised the hunters’ response and stated:

“When an animal enters a village, it is spared, the dogs are removed and the area is secured. Everyone has their own opinion, but hunting is regulated.”

This catchphrase “the hunt is regulated” is the favorite mantra of the hunting lobby. It is meant to suggest credibility and control, while in reality animals repeatedly flee in panic into villages, dogs poach, and walkers are put at risk.

But regulation is not a moral free pass. When the regulatory framework serves to legalise violence against animals, it does not protect — it conceals.

The myth of order in the hunt

The incident in Longpont reveals how thin the facade of so-called “stewardship hunting” has become. In truth, it is a highly problematic leisure activity operating under the guise of “tradition” and “regulation”.

That hobby hunters only show restraint when a camera is rolling or the police arrive says more about the system than any hunting law ever could.

When an animal in mortal fear seeks refuge among cars, walls and people, that is not an accident — it is the direct effect of a practice that places wildlife in a permanent state of emergency.

Ethics is not a matter of opinion

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” says the hunting association. But ethics is not a matter of opinion. Violence remains violence, even when it is “regulated”.

The mantra of regulation serves to disarm criticism. It is meant to suggest that the killing of wildlife is a question of organisation, not of conscience. Yet no form, no clause, no hunting law can morally justify the shot fired into the forest.

The truth is: as long as animals must flee from humans, as long as blood and fear are part of a hobby, hunting remains an anachronism — no matter how “regulated” it calls itself.

Conclusion: When flight becomes the last freedom

The deer of Longpont survived — thanks to chance, civic courage and public attention. Yet it stands as a symbol for what happens every day: animals that flee because humans dress up the killing as something acceptable. “Regulated” here is nothing but an excuse.

Nature needs no rifles to remain in balance — only peace from those who believe they must control it.