Hobby hunters shoot wolves for the first time during the high hunt
Graubünden hobby hunters shot two wolves during the three-week high hunt in September. It was the first time that hunters had been called upon during the traditional hunt to regulate wolf packs.
At the same time, 14 wolves were culled by wildlife wardens during the regulation period that has been running since 1 September, as Arno Puorger from the Office for Hunting and Nonsense in Graubünden obscurely explained.
«We are satisfied with the involvement of the hunt,» said the officer responsible for predators.
In order to obtain a licence to shoot wolves, hobby hunters must attend an instructional evening. Interest in this has been considerable. So far, 2’700 of the 5’200 hunters licensed in Graubünden have completed the course. They are, however, only permitted to target wolves in areas where entire packs are being culled.
Eliminate three packs, reduce six packs
The federal government has approved 55 to 60 wolf culls for the regulation period lasting until the end of January. The wildlife wardens will not release a total wolf population figure until winter, as counting the wolves is, according to Puorger, a very complex undertaking.
«Under federal law, management is not planned on the basis of the total number of wolves, but on the basis of the number of wolf packs and their behaviour,» Puorger explained obscurely. The canton intends to completely remove three of the eleven packs and reduce six packs by shooting juveniles, making them more shy. Two packs would not be regulated.
A stalking hunt for wolves by hunters is not entirely new in Graubünden. Last year, hunters were involved for the first time during the special hunt in late autumn. However, none of them succeeded in shooting one of the large predators.
Participatory campaign: Demand from your municipality, on account of the catastrophic policies of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP), a tax remission request for federal and cantonal taxes in light of the recently approved shooting of wolves in Switzerland. You can download the template letter here: https://wildbeimwild.com/ein-appell-fuer-eine-veraenderung-in-der-schweiz/
