IG Wild beim Wild demands regular eye tests for hobby hunters
The eye test is an important part of the process for issuing firearm acquisition and carrying permits in Switzerland, particularly for hobby hunters.
In light of the high number of hunting accidents, missed shots and tracking operations, IG Wild beim Wild demands mandatory eye tests for hobby hunters at regular intervals. «The legislator must not close its eyes», appealed IG Wild beim Wild.
The IG demands that not only should the acquisition of a hunting license be accompanied by an eye test. Thereafter, depending on age, eye checks would need to be carried out every two to four years. It has been shown that one cannot rely on the self-assessment and sense of responsibility of hobby hunters.
However, the introduction of regular eye tests would also have to be implemented nationwide based on hunting law.
Even with a refractive error of 0.5 diopters, everything beyond two meters distance can only be seen blurred, argues IG Wild beim Wild. Therefore, regular eye checks are «a must in the interest of general safety».
Only in this way, alongside an alcohol ban during recreational hunting, can effective steps be taken to reduce the numerous tragic recreational hunting accidents, missed shots and animal suffering, IG Wild beim Wild is convinced.
Is mandatory shooting test sufficient for hobby hunters?
Since 2015, hobby hunters in all cantons must periodically take a shooting test.
The hobby hunter fires a total of eight shots, four each with shot and four with bullets. The latter are fired from a distance of 100 meters at a ten-ring target. Hits count as eights, nines and tens. With the shotgun, the hobby hunter shoots from 30 meters at a moving target, such as a clay pigeon. With all eight shots, the shooter must record one hit. Otherwise the test is considered failed. However, the hobby hunter has unlimited attempts available. This means: even the most untalented or blind person will eventually be able to demonstrate sufficient hits.
In terms of accuracy, there have been no major changes since the introduction of the periodic shooting test, based on the numbers of hunting accidents and tracking operations.
According to data from the federal hunting statistics, in 2023 nationwide 43 red deer, 132 roe deer, 11 chamois, 30 wild boar, 57 foxes, 8 badgers, 1 brown hare were found as fallen game with gunshot wounds – 282 animals.
These dead finds naturally represent only a fraction of the actual carrion present: Dead wildlife is primarily found along roadsides, in areas of heavily frequented hiking trails, or on the patrol and stalking routes of game wardens and hobby hunters. It is reasonable to assume that wildlife also dies far from roads and paths in terrain inaccessible to humans (high mountains, thickets) and their carcasses are quickly 'disposed of' by scavengers. Therefore, the carrion statistics also reflect only the tip of the iceberg regarding wounded wildlife.
Not all animals listed as 'killed' in hunting statistics died from the first shot. In the canton of Graubünden alone, around 450 to 500 tracking operations are conducted annually for deer alone. Up to 50% of wounded animals are not found during tracking. Not all animal species are tracked either.
It can be said with certainty that thousands of sentient wild animals are wounded annually by hobby hunters who cannot be put out of their misery through tracking operations – and all these animals are subjected to severe stress (fear, pain, stress).
Role model Canton Geneva
Although game wardens shoot in darkness in the canton of Geneva, 99.5 percent of shot animals die instantly. The suffering is 'minimal', as is the stress for animals not shot. There are almost no cases where animals survived a shooting wounded. The canton of Geneva has had a hunting ban for hobby hunters since 1974, but wildlife population control by professional game wardens. Thus there are no hunting seasons for hobby hunters, as in other cantons. Wildlife in the canton of Geneva primarily has year-round protection.
Sanitary culling by game wardens is not the same as senseless decimation of wildlife species by hobby hunters based on hunting folklore or misunderstood nature experience.
Thus in Geneva, an average of a few hundred animals per year are shot by professionals who are deployed daily, while it is well over 100,000 wild animals (some of which are only severely wounded by amateur hunters and often must suffer for days before dying) in the other cantons.