Recreational Hunting of Ravens and Crows: Pointless
In the canton of Lucerne, hobby hunters shoot ravens and crows that damage maize fields. Yet recreational hunting does not solve the problem — it makes it worse.
Corvids in the Crosshairs of Recreational Hunters
Hobby hunters in the canton of Lucerne have not only wildlife such as deer and foxes in their sights, but also ravens and crows.
These birds cause damage to farmers’ fields, particularly to cultivated maize. The ravens and crows feed on the sown maize plants and can cause considerable crop losses due to their behaviour, writes zentralplus.ch.
Non-violent solutions exist
There are, however, also non-violent solutions for deterring ravens. For example, decoys such as fake eagle owls or inflatable scarecrows can be set up to drive the birds away. Acoustic deterrent devices with loudspeakers and the scattering of raven feathers across the fields can also be effective. It is important to deploy various methods in rotation, as corvids quickly learn to recognize human tactics.
Hunting is counterproductive
It remains to be seen whether the militant measures taken by hobby hunters will prove successful in the long term, or whether the corvids will find new ways to evade the protective measures. The Geneva model demonstrates that wildlife management without recreational hunting is entirely workable.
