Are Hobby Hunters to Blame for the Decline in Species?

Ground-nesting birds and hares are disappearing in Switzerland. The intensification of agriculture and the senseless hobby hunting of predators are contributing significantly to this.

Editorial Wild beim Wild — 25 August 2023

Since the mid-1990s, millions of hectares of set-aside land have disappeared, vast areas of meadow have been ploughed up for monotonous crops, and the remaining «meadows» have mutated into permanently mown single-grass golf lawns, field margins have been ploughed over, and pesticide use has risen sharply.

Ground-nesting Birds and Hares Are Suffering

The populations of numerous species are declining sharply in many parts of Europe. The primary cause is broadly identified as the dramatic intensification of agriculture, in particular the massive use of fertilisers and pesticides as well as intensive use of machinery. Studies have shown that the cultivation of winter cereals, rapeseed and maize on ever-larger fields has a particularly negative impact. The disappearance of verge, herbaceous and perennial vegetation and a reduction of fallow land by almost three-quarters within the last ten years are significant factors in population decline.

Are hobby hunters to blame for this? If they are farmers themselves, YES. Is the hunting community responsible for the disappearance of species? YES! Through inaction. With the right to hunt comes the OBLIGATION to safeguard and maintain the habitat of wildlife. This is precisely where they have failed completely. Not a word has been heard from these self-styled wildlife stewards on the matter for decades.

Hobby hunters only take to the streets when restrictions on weapons and targets are imposed. It fits the worldview of the hobby hunter, who also believes that a meaningful contribution to environmental and nature conservation consists of flushing the toilet just once a week.

Is hunting to blame for the disappearance of ground-nesting birds and hares?

Correctly, all «huntable» species directly affected by the loss of their habitats should be removed from hunting legislation — that is, all ground-nesting birds and hares.

Neither foxes nor martens, badgers, crows or other «predators» are responsible for the decline of these species and should likewise be removed from the shooting list.

The highest density of brown hares was recorded in 2016 at 17.7/100 ha in the hunting-free canton of Geneva, where professional wildlife wardens manage wildlife. This was the first density exceeding 17 brown hares/100 ha since 2006 anywhere in Switzerland. In the canton of Geneva, freed from hobby hunters, foxes and others are also not regulated according to hunters' lore.

Genf Jagdverbot

Natural Disaster: Hobby Hunters

In the disarray in which nature finds itself after decades of stewardship and management by hobby hunters, the proportion of endangered species is larger than in any other country in the world, as in Switzerland. The hired killers have been creating an ecological imbalance in the cultivated landscape for decades, with sometimes dramatic consequences (protective forests, disease, agricultural damage, and much more). Over a third of plant,wildlife and fungal species are considered endangered. Switzerland is also last in Europe when it comes to designating protected areas for biodiversity. It is precisely these circles of hobby hunters, through their lobbying efforts via politics, media and legislation, who have been responsible for this for decades. They are the ones who notoriously block contemporary, ethical improvements in animal welfare and sabotage serious animal and species protection. Hobby hunters regularly oppose more Schweiz ist europaweit beim Ausscheiden von Schutzflächen für die Biodiversität ebenfalls Schlusslicht. Es sind genau immer auch diese Kreise aus Hobby-Jägern mit ihrer Lobbyarbeit, die über die Politik, Medien und Gesetze seit Jahrzehnten dafür verantwortlich zu machen sind. Sie sind es, die zeitgemässe, ethische Tierschutzverbesserungen notorisch blockieren und den seriösen Tier- und Artenschutz sabotieren. Hobby-Jäger wehren sich regelmässig gegen mehr national parks in Switzerland because it is not about nature, biodiversity and species protection or animal welfare for them, but about indulging their perverse, bloody hobby.

Did you know …

that in Switzerland innocent young wolves are being killed?
that hobby hunters lie about the assessment of game meat quality and that according to the WHO, processed game meat is carcinogenic, like cigarettes, asbestos or arsenic?
that according to studies, nowhere is the lead contamination of golden eagles and bearded vultures higher than in the Swiss Alps, due to ammunition used by hobby hunters?
that the fair chase ethics of hobby hunters are diametrically opposed to animal welfare legislation and are a mere illusion?
that hunting is war, where animal competitors are simply eliminated?
that there are countless illegal and unmarked hunting stands in our natural environment, some of which are so rotten that they pose a danger to children and can cause people to lose their lives?
that year after year countless people are killed or injured by hunters' weapons, some so severely that they are left in wheelchairs or have limbs amputated?
that in Switzerland approximately 120,000 perfectly healthy roe deer, red deer, foxes, marmots and chamois are killed each year, mostly needlessly?
that because of hobby hunters it has become almost impossible today to live in harmony with wildlife and to see wild animals?
that shotgun blasts cause hares to shriek like small children and tear apart the entrails of “shot” roe deer and red deer, so that they leave a trail of blood during their flight for hunters to track?
that the claims made by hobby hunters that the cruel wildlife massacres are necessary to regulate animal populations have been scientifically refuted?
that hobby hunters openly admit that hunting is driven by a “pleasure in killing” and “the joy of making a kill” — a pathological obsession?
that hobby hunters have no sixth sense and yet regularly claim to shoot only sick and weak animals, which of course does not hold true in practice?
that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far beyond any species protection or hunting regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel operators offering such depraved hunting pleasures?
that the overwhelming majority are not licensed professional hunters but pursue hunting as a hobby, sport and leisure activity, which is not ethically acceptable and in fact contradicts the Animal Welfare Act?
that 99.07% of civilised people in Switzerland are not hobby hunters, meaning only 0.3% of hobby hunters take pleasure in these bloody activities?
that these wildlife killers do not hunt on the basis of scientific justifications?
that protected species do not actually belong under hunting law, because hobby hunters are unable to cope with the demands of species protection and repeatedly shoot animals listed on the Red List — such as the lynx, wolf, brown hare, grey partridge, quail, etc. — for amusement?
that hobby hunters deliberately decimate certain animal species in order to eliminate competition for their unnatural behavior — including foxes, lynx, wolves, birds of prey, etc.?
that wildlife dies before the hobby hunter can even fire a single shot, that this must be prevented, and that this is arguably the central idea behind wildlife management and care as well as hunting planning?
that with wild boar (and foxes), normally only the lead sow produces young, but due to her being shot, all female animals within the sounder reproduce, and that this is one of the reasons we have a wild boar population explosion?
that grazing animals – deer, roe deer, etc. – originally lived mainly as diurnal animals in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep, cows, etc., and not in forests?
that the wolf is vitally important for the long-term health of wild ungulates, because it hunts sick or weak animals with incredible precision, for example, and is thus vastly superior to hobby hunters?
that foxes, after being pointlessly hunted, usually end up in the rubbish?
that foxes today are hunted mainly so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters to put in the frying pan? Yet that the fox feeds on hares in fewer than 10% of cases and would never catch a healthy hare?
that when it comes to animal welfare, one cannot deal with hobby hunters using only gentle means, street festivals, prayer chains, etc. (drastic problems call for drastic measures)?
that hobby hunters, through their hunters’ tall tales engage in a disrespectful mockery of living beings?
that it is frowned upon to shoot big game at feeding stations or during mating season, yet the hobby hunter has no scruples about doing exactly this with the fox, a competitor for prey?
that in some cantons hobby hunters go hunting solely for the tender meat of a young animal?
that hobby hunters shoot pregnant mother animals in front of their young, or target only young animals during the rearing period (supplementary special hunt)?
that hobby hunters poison the environment, nature, humans and animals with their ammunition?
that bestiality, barbarism, cruelty, bloodshed and senseless suffering cannot be considered cultural heritage in a civilised society?
that hobby hunters shoot approximately 10’000 roe deer fawns every year?
that in harsh winters hobby hunters lure starving animals with food only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
that hobby hunters send trained dogs into burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
that hobby hunters lure peaceful living creatures into box traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or subject the animals to an often hours-long death struggle (trap hunting)?
that hobby hunters cowardly ambush and shoot or injure peaceful wild animals while they are sleeping or sunbathing, using state-of-the-art precision weapons?
that hobby hunters support awards, fur markets, prize ceremonies for trophy culture, trophy shows, the fur trade, etc.?
that hobby hunters place firearms into the hands of underage schoolchildren and practice killing with them?
that hobby hunters often carry out their cruel acts in solitude, which encourages animal cruelty?
that hobby hunters seriously injure many wild animals, and the victims often suffer for hours under immense pain and fear until a tracking dog finds them and they are shot dead?
that hobby hunters (apart from vivisection) inflict the most suffering and abuse on animals, including through the manner of killing?
that the hunter's supposed love of animals and nature is not delighted by the existence of the beloved object, but rather aims to possess the beloved creature body and soul, culminating in making it prey through the act of killing?
that hobby hunters actively promote browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as fox, lynx and wolf?
that hobby hunters open the door to antisocial, unethical and unchristian behavior?
that hobby hunters deprive the public of normal, natural wildlife observations and interactions?
that there is no greater product of cruelty — and one contaminated with ammunition — than game meat?
that there is no uniform regulation across Switzerland regarding vision tests, shooting practice, etc. for hobby hunters?
that there is no psychological character assessment for hobby hunters?
that there is no alcohol ban for hobby hunters when they shoot at animals with their weapons?
that hobby hunters intrude into educational institutions in order to foist their hunting lore and their culture of violence upon children?
that a court in Bellinzona recently confirmed that hunting associations promote virtually everything that is cruel, unnecessary and heartless?
that the association «Jagd Schweiz» primarily cultivates disrespect and a culture of violence – the exact opposite of what a civilized person in our society should aspire to.
that in the canton of Graubünden alone, over 1’000 complaints and fines are issued against hobby hunters every year?

Interest Group Wild beim Wild

The IG Wild beim Wild is a non-profit interest group dedicated to the sustainable and non-violent improvement of the human-animal relationship, with a specialization in the legal aspects of wildlife protection. One of our main concerns is to introduce contemporary and rigorous wildlife management in the cultural landscape, modeled after the Canton of Geneva — without hobby hunters, but with upright game wardens who truly deserve the title and act according to a code of ethics. The monopoly on the use of force belongs in the hands of the state. The IG supports scientific methods of immunocontraception for wildlife.

More on the topic of recreational hunting: In our dossier on hunting we compile fact-checks, analyses, and background reports.