Jogger in Jura shot by recreational hunter
In the Jura, on January 17, 2026, a 25-year-old woman was seriously injured in the foot by gunshot from a recreational hunter while jogging.
She was on a public road near the municipality of Lent near Champagnole when a participating recreational hunter shot at her during an organized recreational hunt and projectiles struck her.
Emergency services brought her to a hospital where she underwent surgery; her life is not in danger according to authorities.
This incident joins a series of known hunting accidents that cause suffering to humans and animals year after year, once again raising questions about the safety of hunting practices in densely used landscapes. From the hunting association's own perspective, the Fédération départementale des chasseurs du Jura acknowledges 'obvious violations of safety rules.' The president surprisingly announced that the association would position itself as a civil party behind the injured party and use the incident as an opportunity to focus more strongly on training and awareness-raising.
Despite this statement, the reality of this event remains unmistakable for many: A young woman was injured by a gunshot while exercising because clear safety rules in recreational hunting were apparently disregarded. Official reports suggest that the shooter acted far beyond the permitted shooting distance and positioned himself at an incorrect post. Such violations underscore how dangerous uncontrolled or negligent recreational hunting is near public paths and recreational areas.
From a hunting-critical perspective, this accident represents another example of how recreational hunting as a recreational activity poses life risks for uninvolved parties. Even if the board of the hunting organization now promises increased safety training, the question remains whether traditional hunting methods and seasons are still appropriate in today's multifunctionally used landscapes. Hikers, runners, dog owners and other nature users have a legitimate interest in having their health and safety better protected against hunting passion.
This incident must serve as a wake-up call to reconsider hunting regulations and force safer alternatives. In the debate about wildlife protection, public safety and the role of recreational hunting in modern societies, this event must not simply be dismissed as a 'tragic isolated case.'
More on the subject of recreational hunting: In the dossier Poaching and hunting crime in Switzerland we document cases, legal questions and recurring patterns. The scientific evidence is presented in the overview Studies on the Effects of Recreational Hunting.
The position of IG Wild beim Wild: IG Wild beim Wild rejects recreational hunting. Our model is the canton of Geneva, which has managed without recreational hunting since 1974: without hunting seasons, without hunting dogs, without driven hunts, without high seats, without the animal cruelty and crime that go hand in hand with hunting season elsewhere. What has worked there for over fifty years disproves every position paper by JagdSchweiz. An association that bases its policy on claims it refutes in its own documents is not a professional organisation, but a factory for misinformation.
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