Cantonal Popular Initiative – Canton of Schwyz

«For Professional Wildlife Protection»

Constitutional initiative in the form of a drafted proposal

Based on § 34 of the Constitution of the Canton of Schwyz of November 24, 2010 and on the Law on Elections and Votes

Submitted by the initiative committee [Date of submission]

Initiative text

The undersigned persons entitled to vote in the Canton of Schwyz submit the following constitutional initiative:

The Constitution of the Canton of Schwyz of November 24, 2010 shall be supplemented by the following paragraphs:

§ [new] Professional Wildlife Protection

1 The practice of hunting by private persons (license hunting, hobby hunting) is prohibited throughout the entire territory of the Canton of Schwyz.

2 The protection, care and, where necessary, regulation of wild animals shall be the exclusive responsibility of professionally trained wildlife managers in the service of the canton.

3 The shooting of wild animals is only permissible as a last resort when all other suitable measures for damage prevention or hazard mitigation have been exhausted or are insufficient. It requires prior approval from the wildlife commission.

4 The canton shall establish an independent wildlife commission composed of representatives from animal and nature protection organizations, science, and the relevant authorities. The commission supervises wildlife management and decides on regulatory measures.

5 The canton promotes the natural regulation of wildlife populations, the connectivity of habitats, and the coexistence of humans and wildlife.

6 Details shall be regulated by law.

§ [new] Protection of threatened and protected wildlife species

1 The canton refrains from applications for preventive population regulation of protected wildlife species under the Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds, particularly wolf, lynx, bear, beaver, otter, golden jackal, golden eagle, goosander and other species protected under federal law.

2 It focuses on promoting coexistence between humans and wildlife, passive damage prevention, ecological enhancement of habitats and scientific monitoring of wildlife presence.

3 Measures against individual wild animals that pose an immediate and significant threat to humans remain reserved. They must be limited to the minimum and carried out by the canton's competent specialist authority.

4 The canton actively advocates for the protection and conservation of threatened wildlife species within the framework of intercantonal cooperation and vis-à-vis the federal government.

Transitional provision

1 The government council shall issue the necessary implementing regulations within two years of the adoption of this constitutional amendment.

2 Existing hunting licenses expire upon the entry into force of the implementing regulations. Patent fees already paid for the current hunting season will be refunded proportionally.

3 The government council ensures the continuity of wildlife management during the transitional phase.

Explanations

1. Initial situation

In the canton of Schwyz, an alpine central Swiss canton with around 160,000 inhabitants on 908 km² of area, today's recreational hunting is a system that serves neither species conservation nor contemporary wildlife management. It is the practice of a bloody recreational activity at the expense of sentient beings, legitimized by outdated narratives that cannot withstand scientific scrutiny. The claim that without recreational hunting the ecological balance would collapse has been empirically refuted by the Geneva model for over 50 years (cf. the comprehensive dossier on the Geneva hunting ban on wildbeimwild.com).

Recreational hunting in Schwyz is organized as patent hunting. Private individuals obtain a cantonal license and hunt without fixed territorial responsibility. Contrary to widespread claims, license holders do not assume ecological responsibility, but act within the framework of cantonal shooting plans that are primarily oriented toward the interests of forestry and agriculture (cf. the psychology of recreational hunting in Canton Schwyz as well as the critical analysis of hunting education on wildbeimwild.com).

Parallel to this, more and more protected wildlife species are coming under pressure at the federal level. Canton Schwyz stands at the center of the national wolf debate: In July 2025, the first wolf pack in the canton was confirmed by camera trap evidence. Already around five weeks later, the canton applied for regulation to FOEN and received permission on August 28, 2025 to shoot two-thirds of the pups. By the end of November 2025, three of five young wolves had been killed. The gap between first evidence and shooting illustrates how quickly a biological fact becomes a political killing order. The beaver may be shot upon cantonal application since February 2025. The lynx is native to the canton (cf. the analysis of hunting policy on wildbeimwild.com and the wolf policy on wildbeimwild.com).

Canton Schwyz has the opportunity to set a clear signal here: not only for professional wildlife protection instead of recreational hunting, but also for consistent protection of threatened wildlife species at the cantonal level.

2. The model: Canton Geneva

On May 19, 1974, around two-thirds of voters in Canton Geneva voted for the abolition of militia recreational hunting. Before the ban, large game in the canton was practically extinct: deer and wild boar had disappeared for decades, only a few dozen specimens of roe deer remained. Around 300 hobby hunters massively released pheasants, partridges and hares for recreational hunting.

The experiences since the recreational hunting ban are clear:

– Biodiversity has increased markedly. The number of overwintering waterfowl has multiplied from a few hundred to around 30,000. Geneva today hosts the largest European hare population and one of the last partridge populations in Switzerland.

– The roe deer population has settled at a healthy level, with an annual specialized culling by professional game wardens of only 20 to 36 animals.

– In 2005, in a renewed referendum, 90 percent of Geneva voters spoke in favor of maintaining the recreational hunting ban. In 2009, a motion to reintroduce hunting was rejected in the cantonal parliament by 70 to 7 votes.

– The total costs of professional wildlife management in Geneva amount to around 1.2 million francs annually, divided into around 600,000 francs for personnel (about three full-time positions, divided among around a dozen environmental officers), 250,000 francs for prevention and 350,000 francs for damage compensation. This corresponds to around 2.40 francs per inhabitant per year.

Geneva's fauna inspector Gottlieb Dandliker, responsible for wildlife management since 2001, describes the recreational hunting ban as the most financially favorable alternative for the canton. A detailed presentation can be found in the dossier 'Geneva and the hunting ban' on wildbeimwild.com.

The efficiency of the Geneva model is evident in direct comparison: A professional game warden in Geneva needs an average of 8 hours and a maximum of 2 cartridges for a sanitary culling of a wild boar. A hobby hunter in Canton Zurich needs 60 to 80 hours and up to 15 cartridges for this. The European hare density in Geneva is 17.7 animals per 100 hectares (highest in Switzerland), in Canton Zurich only 1.0 per 100 hectares (cf. fact check Canton Zurich government council).

3. The concept: Professional game management instead of recreational hunting

The initiative does not replace recreational hunting with a vacuum, but with professional wildlife management according to the game warden model. This model is based on the following principles:

Professional competence instead of recreational activity. Professional wildlife managers act on a scientific basis, with biological training and within the framework of a cantonal service mandate (cf. the critical analysis of hunting education on wildbeimwild.com).

Ultima ratio principle. Culling is only permissible when all non-lethal measures have been exhausted. These include electric fences, deterrence, habitat design, relocation, taste repellents and structural protective measures.

Democratic control through a wildlife commission. The independent commission prevents political pressure from diluting wildlife management. The initiative anchors the approval requirement constitutionally.

Natural self-regulation as guiding principle. Experience from Geneva, from national parks and from numerous scientific Studies prove: Wildlife populations regulate themselves in most cases independently. Recreational hunting disrupts this natural process.

4. Why Schwyz?

The canton of Schwyz is particularly suitable for introducing professional wildlife protection for several reasons:

Schwyz is at the center of the wolf debate. In July 2025, the first wolf pack in the canton was confirmed. Five weeks later, the shooting permit was issued. By November 2025, three out of five pups were dead. The timespan between first detection and shooting illustrates how quickly a biological fact becomes a political killing order – and why constitutional protection is necessary before it reaches that point. The initiative offers a constitutional response to the wolf debate: Professional wildlife management instead of politically motivated shootings (cf. the wolf politics on wildbeimwild.com).

Mythen and Muotatal: Unique wilderness areas. The Muotatal and the Mythen region harbor some of the last wilderness areas of Central Switzerland. The lynx is native here, the ibex lives on the rocky ridges. Professional wildlife management would protect these unique habitats more consistently than recreational hunting (cf. wildbeimwild.com on national parks and protected areas).

2’000 signatures. With 160’000 inhabitants, 2’000 signatures represent only 1.25 percent of the population. In Schwyz, Freienbach, Küssnacht, Einsiedeln and Wollerau, collection can be done efficiently (cf. wildbeimwild.com on wildlife in residential areas).

Beavers on the Sihl and on the southern shore of Lake Zurich. The beaver is documented in the canton. Since February 2025, it may be shot throughout Switzerland upon cantonal request. The initiative protects the beaver (cf. wildbeimwild.com on predators).

Patent hunting = simple system change. No lease contracts, no municipal compensation. The existing patents expire and fees already paid are refunded proportionally.

Urban base at Lake Zurich. The municipalities of Freienbach, Wollerau and Küssnacht belong to the Zurich catchment area and are urban in character. Together with the main town Schwyz and Einsiedeln, a considerable part of the cantonal population lives in agglomerations.

Signal effect for Central Switzerland. Success in Schwyz would have signal effect for the entire Central Switzerland region (LU, OW, NW, UR, ZG). Schwyz is the canton that symbolizes the wolf debate.

5. On the initiative text

Paragraph 1 – Ban on recreational hunting

The ban on patent hunting by private individuals is the core of the initiative. It corresponds to the Geneva model. The cantonal competence for this is undisputed: The federal hunting law (JSG) expressly leaves the organization of hunting operations to the cantons (Art. 3 Para. 1 JSG). The three hunting systems of Switzerland – patent hunting, district hunting and state or management hunting – are equivalent. The canton of Geneva has practiced management hunting since 1974 in conformity with federal law.

Paragraph 2 – Professional wildlife management

Instead of hobby hunters, professionally trained wildlife managers in cantonal service take over all tasks. In Geneva, this system has proven itself for over 50 years.

Paragraph 3 – Shooting as ultima ratio

Shooting is not the rule, but the exception. Passive measures take priority. In Geneva, around 250 wild boar are culled annually by game wardens (according to BAFU hunting statistics), mainly young animals, with lead animals explicitly spared.

Paragraph 4 – Wildlife commission

The independent wildlife commission is modeled on the Geneva system. It ensures that animal and nature conservation organizations have a say and prevents the government council from independently approving exceptions. The inclusion of science ensures evidence-based decisions (cf. wildbeimwild.com/jagd-fakten). The wolf debate in Schwyz has shown how quickly political pressure leads to shooting permits: five weeks between first detection and authorization. A constitutionally anchored wildlife commission would have prevented this automatism.

Paragraph 5 – Natural regulation and coexistence

The promotion of coexistence includes in Schwyz particularly the securing and networking of wilderness areas in the Muotatal and in the Mythen region, the protective forest on the steep slopes and the education of the population about behavior towards wildlife (cf. wildbeimwild.com on wildlife in residential areas).

Transitional provisions

The two-year deadline gives the government council sufficient time to develop implementing legislation. The existing Office for Forest and Nature can serve as an institutional basis. The system change from patent hunting to management hunting is administratively simple.

6. On the second paragraph: Protection of threatened and protected wildlife species

The second paragraph is of utmost relevance for Schwyz. The case of the first Schwyz wolf pack in 2025 exemplifies why constitutional protection is necessary: Five weeks between first detection and shooting permit. Three out of five pups dead within a few months. Without democratic control by a wildlife commission, every wolf sighting automatically becomes a shooting order. The lynx is native to the canton. The beaver is colonizing the Sihl and the southern shore of Lake Zurich. The "in particular" formulation also protects future returnees (cf. the wolf politics on wildbeimwild.com).

7. Cost implications: Concrete budget for Schwyz

The Geneva reference budget

In Geneva, which at 282 km² is about three times smaller than Schwyz and has around 500’000 inhabitants, the total costs amount to around 1.2 million francs annually: around 600’000 francs for personnel, around 250’000 francs for prevention and around 350’000 francs for damage compensation.

Conservative projection for Schwyz

For Schwyz with 908 km² area and around 160’000 inhabitants, the following deliberately conservative cost estimate results:

Personnel costs: 480’000 to 840’000 francs annually. Required are 4 to 6 full-time positions. Schwyz is three times larger than Geneva and topographically diverse: urban at Lake Zurich, alpine in the Muotatal and in the Mythen region.

Material costs: 100’000 to 180’000 francs annually.

Damage compensation: 60’000 to 150’000 francs annually.

Livestock protection initial investment: 400,000 to 700,000 francs. One-time investment in livestock protection infrastructure for the Mythen region and the Muota Valley over three to five years.

Total costs: 640,000 to 1,170,000 francs annually (gross). This corresponds to approximately 4.00 to 7.30 francs per inhabitant per year.

Compensatory reproduction and transitional management

Compensatory reproduction through hunting pressure also affects the Canton of Schwyz. Recreational hunting produces more births through hunting pressure than it removes. After the system change, targeted transitional management is needed in the first years, which is included in the higher staffing numbers (cf. Studies on wildbeimwild.com).

Savings and counter-financing

These are offset by savings: No hunting examinations, no license administration, no harvest planning, no hunting supervision. A single wolf killed senselessly costs the public around 35,000 francs. In 2025, three young wolves were shot in Schwyz within a few months after the first detection of the pack – costs that would be eliminated with professional wildlife management aimed at coexistence.

Lost revenue

With the abolition of recreational hunting, license fees of an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 francs annually would be eliminated. However, these are offset by the never-accounted external costs of militia hunting – wildlife accidents, hunting-related browsing damage in protection forests, administrative overhead, police and court interventions – which amount to many times these revenues. In the Canton of Geneva, these revenues have been eliminated since 1974 – without financial problems: Before the hunting ban, over 400 hobby hunters were active; today, three full-time positions do the same work better. Sanitary and therapeutic culling by professional game wardens is not the same as regulatory hunting based on hunters' folklore or misunderstood 'nature experience' of hobby hunters. A full cost accounting shows: Militia hunting costs taxpayers significantly more than it brings in (cf. 'What recreational hunting really costs Switzerland' on wildbeimwild.com).

Hobby hunters in politics vote against nature conservation. The recreational hunting lobby systematically fights biodiversity and species protection concerns. In 2024, it opposed the biodiversity initiative (63 percent No). In 2020, the hunting law it helped shape failed at the ballot box (51.9 percent No). In 2016, the Ticino hunters' association torpedoed the Parc Adula National Park. In the legislative period 2015 to 2019, hobby hunters in parliament predominantly opposed environmental concerns. Anyone who claims hobby hunters are conservationists ignores their voting behavior (cf. Ticino Hunters' Association: 30 Years of Nonsense and Cost Dossier).

The net additional costs are likely to be 350,000 to 800,000 francs annually, corresponding to approximately 2.20 to 5.00 francs per inhabitant. Even calculated generously: That's less than 0.05 percent of the cantonal budget of around 1.6 billion francs (State Accounts 2024, FFA). Less than one coffee per person per year – for professional wildlife protection in the canton that symbolizes the wolf debate (cf. Hunting myths fact-check on wildbeimwild.com).

8. Compatibility with superior law

First paragraph: Abolition of recreational hunting

Compliant with federal law. Art. 3 Para. 1 JSG. Three equivalent hunting systems. Geneva unchallenged since 1974.

Second paragraph: Protection of protected species

Art. 7a JSG enables preventive regulation but does not mandate it. Abstaining violates neither federal law nor the Bern Convention.

Unity of subject matter

Preserved, as all provisions relate to cantonal wildlife management and the protection of wild animals.

9. Anticipation of foreseeable objections

'Schwyz is an alpine canton – the Geneva model doesn't fit'

The facts: Schwyz is topographically diverse: The municipalities by Lake Zurich (Freienbach, Wollerau, Küssnacht) are urban. The Schwyz valley basin and the Einsiedeln catchment area are similar to the Mittelland. The alpine areas (Muota Valley, Mythen region) are sparsely populated with fewer conflict zones. In the urban part, the situation is directly comparable to Geneva. In the alpine part, there are fewer people and thus fewer conflicts – not more (cf. the Psychology of recreational hunting in Canton Schwyz).

Communicative short formula: 'Freienbach and Küssnacht are as urban as Geneva. And the Muota Valley needs professional wildlife protection, not recreational hunting.'

'The wolf must be regulated'

The facts: Five weeks between first detection and shooting permit. Three dead cubs. This is not regulation, this is political activism with rifles. Professional wildlife management would use the wolf as a natural regulator and protect livestock herds through professional prevention – not through reflexive shooting. The wolf reduces browsing pressure in protection forests, which is ecologically and economically significant especially in a canton with steep slopes.

Communicative short formula: 'Five weeks from first detection to shooting. Three dead cubs. This is not regulation, this is political killing.'

'The costs are too high for a small canton'

The facts: Even calculated generously: around 2.20 to 5.00 francs per inhabitant per year. Less than one coffee per person per year. Less than 0.1 percent of the cantonal budget. Schwyz also has one of the highest tax capacities of all cantons.

Communicative short formula: 'Less than one coffee per person per year. Less than 0.1 percent of the cantonal budget. Manageable for one of the most tax-capable cantons in Switzerland.'

10. Summary

This initiative gives the population of Schwyz the opportunity to vote for modern, evidence-based wildlife management and comprehensive protection of endangered wildlife species. The first paragraph follows the Geneva model, which has proven successful for over 50 years. The second paragraph is a direct response to the case of the Schwyz wolf pack in 2025: It prevents every wolf sighting from automatically becoming a shooting order, and also protects lynx, beavers and future returnees. As a canton at the center of the wolf debate, success in Schwyz would have a signal effect that extends far beyond cantonal borders.

Initiative Committee 'For Professional Wildlife Protection'

[Name 1], [Name 2], [Name 3] …

(Committee members according to cantonal law, residing in Canton Schwyz)

Contact address: [Committee address]

Appendix: Supplementary Documentation

The following dossiers and sources support the arguments of this initiative:

Geneva Model in Detail: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/genf-und-das-jagdverbot – Comprehensive presentation of Geneva wildlife management since 1974.

Scientific Studies: wildbeimwild.com/studien – Collection of scientific studies on self-regulation of wildlife populations.

Hunting in Switzerland: wildbeimwild.com/jagd-in-der-schweiz – Continuously updated overview of Swiss hunting policy.

Psychology of Recreational Hunting in Canton Schwyz: wildbeimwild.com – Psychologie der Hobby-Jagd im Kanton SZ – Canton-specific analysis.

Psychology of Recreational Hunting: wildbeimwild.com/category/psychologie-jagd – Cross-cutting contributions.

Wolf Dossier: wildbeimwild.com/category/wolf – Current developments in wolf policy.

Predators: wildbeimwild.com/category/raubtiere – Information on predators.

Wildlife in Urban Areas: wildbeimwild.com/category/wildtiere-im-siedlungsgebiet – Coexistence of humans and wildlife.

National Parks and Protected Areas: wildbeimwild.com/category/nationalpark – Natural self-regulation in protected areas.

Hunting Myths: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/jagdmythen – Fact check.

Cantonal Popular Initiative Basel-Stadt: Model text of the initiative in Canton Basel-Stadt – The template for the entire initiative series.

Procedural Note

The initiative committee submits the initiative text to the State Chancellery of Canton Schwyz for preliminary review before beginning signature collection. 2,000 valid signatures are required for the initiative to be successful. The submission procedures follow the Law on Elections and Voting.

Strategic Briefing for Activists

Popular Initiative 'For Professional Wildlife Protection' – Canton Schwyz Internal Working Document – Status March 2026

Summary

Schwyz is the canton of the wolf debate. The first wolf pack was confirmed in July 2025, five weeks later the shooting permit was issued, by November three of five cubs were dead. The initiative is a direct response to this. 2,000 signatures among 160,000 inhabitants is achievable. The urban base at Lake Zurich (Freienbach, Wollerau, Küssnacht) provides mobilization potential. The Mythen region and the Muota Valley are unique wilderness areas that deserve professional protection.

1. Why Schwyz of all places?

Center of the wolf debate. First wolf pack 2025. Five weeks from detection to shooting. Three dead cubs. The species protection paragraph is a direct response.

Mythen and Muotatal. Unique wilderness areas of Central Switzerland. Lynx, ibex, eagle.

2,000 signatures with 160,000 inhabitants. 1.25 percent. Achievable.

Urban base at Lake Zurich. Freienbach, Wollerau, Küssnacht are urban in character.

Patent hunting = simple system change. No lease contracts, no municipal compensation.

Signal effect for Central Switzerland. Schwyz symbolizes the wolf debate.

2. Lessons from Zurich: What we will do differently

Positive title. «For professional wildlife protection» instead of «Game wardens instead of hunters».

Concrete budget calculation. Around 2.20 to 5.00 francs per capita. Less than one coffee per person per year.

Wolf debate as mobilization theme. The Schwyz wolf pack of 2025 is the most emotional argument in the series.

Secure party support early. Involve SP, Greens, GLP early. In Schwyz the base is smaller, but so is the hurdle (only 2,000 signatures).

3. Opposition analysis and prepared responses

Counter-argument 1: «Schwyz is an alpine canton»

The facts: Freienbach and Küssnacht are as urban as Geneva. In Muotatal: fewer people, fewer conflicts.

Communicative short formula: «Freienbach is as urban as Geneva. And Muotatal needs professional wildlife protection, not hobby hunting.»

Counter-argument 2: «The wolf must be regulated»

The facts: Five weeks from first detection to shooting. Three dead cubs. That's not regulation, that's political activism with rifles.

Communicative short formula: «Five weeks from first detection to shooting. Three dead cubs. That's not regulation.»

Counter-argument 3: «The costs are too high»

The facts: Around 2.20 to 5.00 francs per inhabitant per year. Less than one coffee. Schwyz has one of the highest tax capacities of all cantons.

Communicative short formula: «Around 2 to 3 francs. Affordable for one of the most financially strong cantons.»

4. Communication strategy: The three core messages

«Five weeks from first detection to shooting. This cannot continue.» The wolf debate emotionally and factually.

«Geneva has been demonstrating this for 50 years.» 90 percent approval, stable populations, minimal costs.

«Professional instead of hobby.» Specialists instead of recreational shooters.

5. Timeline and next steps

Phase	Content	Timeframe
Committee formation & text pre-examination	Engage lawyer; recruit committee members with SZ residence	Month 1–3
Submission for preliminary review	State Chancellery of Schwyz	Month 3–4
Publication & Collection Start	Target: 2’500+ signatures as buffer	Month 4
Party Contacts & Coalition Building	SP, Greens, GLP; Pro Natura Schwyz; BirdLife; Wolf Friends	Month 1–12
Submission of Signatures	State Chancellery, official verification	After collection period
Cantonal Council Debate	Parliamentary anchoring; media work	Following months
Referendum Campaign	Final mobilization, wolf argument, Muotatal as visual element	Before vote

6. Campaign Materials

The Geneva Dossier on wildbeimwild.com as central argumentation.
The Psychology of Hobby Hunting in Canton Schwyz as background material.
Local media: Bote der Urschweiz, Einsiedler Anzeiger, March-Anzeiger, Höfner Volksblatt, Tele 1.
Infographic: Timeline «July–November 2025: From First Evidence to Shooting». Muotatal and Mythen region as visual element. Cost comparison SZ vs. GE.

7. Further Sources

This document is a template text by IG Wild beim Wild. It may be freely used by activists, organizations or initiative committees and adapted to conditions in Canton Schwyz.

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