Lasse Böckmann: Alleged Animal Abuser Receives Penalty Order

The hobby hunter Lasse Böckmann from Cham in Bavaria received a well-deserved penalty order.

The alleged animal abuser is charged with having set hunting dogs on healthy wild boars.

Dogs set on wild boars

The dogs reportedly held the wild boars «at the throat, the ears, or the snout.» According to the penalty order the sole aim was to exhaust the wild boars «to such a degree that they could be killed with a so-called boar spear.» In some cases this reportedly took several minutes, and as a result, considerable pain and suffering was knowingly accepted. The accused was aware that «this method of killing did not comply with the provisions of hunting law and the principles of fair chase.»

The charge is that a vertebrate animal was killed without reasonable cause. The penalty imposed is a fine of 80 daily rates at 60 euros each. According to Lasse Böckmann, his hunting licence has already been revoked as a result. Such cases are a typical example of the animal welfare problems of recreational hunting.

Martial videos for vanity and profit

In addition to videos in which he attempts to introduce internet users to various weapons and the killing of wildlife, the alleged animal abuser posts martial videos of his wild boar hunts. Through these sensationalist videos, the online shop operator — who appears to suffer from a pathological need for attention — tries to draw visitors to his outdoor and hunting accessories products. According to a German hunting portal, he enjoys presenting himself to his more than 33’000 YouTube subscribers at his talks with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth.YouTube channel — as a German hunting portal writes.

Lasse Böckmann, and he leaves no doubt about this, loves recreational boar hunting with the hunting knife, where his dogs separate smaller boars from the sounder and then sink their teeth into them. Crying out in pain from the clamped dogs, the animals lead Mr. Böckmann to them, and he moves in for the kill. Using a camera mounted firmly on his head, he lets his fan base share in the killing of the boar with a cold weapon.

Whether he uses these videos to satisfy his craving for attention or simply to boost his online business remains hidden from the viewer. It is, however, irrelevant, since the desire for attention and the desire for profit generally go hand in hand.

Through his videos, Mr. Böckmann portrays recreational hunting in a light that the majority of hobby hunters could never wish for. Years of public relations work by the associations are trampled underfoot and rendered absurd by Mr. Böckmann. It is quite telling, writes the portal, that it is not the hobby hunting community but the judiciary that is now drawing the line on Lasse Böckmann’s portrayal of recreational hunting. More on hunting myths at wildbeimwild.com.