Seven high seats sawn down in a single night: hunting association files complaint, anti-hunting activists celebrate the destruction

A clearly coordinated operation, several thousand euros in damage, a complaint filed with the gendarmerie.

And on the other side, militant anti-hunting activists openly celebrating the destruction as an act of resistance. The French hunting scene is in uproar.

One night, seven high seats, no coincidence

On the hunting grounds of the "Association communale de chasse agréée" (ACCA) of Villey-le-Sec in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, the picture was unambiguous: seven high seats, toppled, smashed, sawn through at the base. None of them can be repaired. The action was clearly planned and carried out in a single night. This has little to do with an isolated prank; it is organised, methodical and targeted sabotage.

The president of the hunting association immediately filed a complaint for criminal damage with the gendarmerie. At the same time, he emphasised what these structures are actually used for.

Safety device or symbol of hobby hunting?

The high seats are used for stand hunting of big game. From the hobby hunters' perspective, they primarily serve a safety function: from an elevated position, a so-called downward-angled shot can be fired, i.e. a shot directed downwards into the ground, which significantly reduces the risk of ricochets and low, flat-trajectory shots. In France, the departmental hunting associations explicitly recommend the use of such high seats, particularly near inhabited areas or heavily frequented stretches of woodland.

For the hunting-critical movement, the perspective shifts: the high seat may make the shot technically safer, but ultimately it serves to kill wild animals as part of a leisure activity. It is precisely on this point that the conflict over hobby hunting.

The damage hits volunteers

For the ACCA of Villey-le-Sec, the damage is twofold, both material and moral. Seven high seats mean several thousand euros in losses for an association funded solely through membership contributions. No sponsors, no industrial subsidies, but a non-profit association under French association law, locally rooted and supported by volunteers.

Militant anti-hunting activists celebrate the act of sabotage

Things become delicate where militant networks claim the destruction for themselves. No sooner had the incidents become known than several collectives turned it into a success. According to the hunting press, the gist was that the forest no longer belongs to the rifles with impunity. Terms like "resistance" and "radical action" are used without hesitation, and there is talk of a "coup". High seats are declared "priority targets", embedded in a supposedly Europe-wide "grassroots movement" against big-game hunting installations.

This warlike vocabulary marks an escalation that is also controversial within the animal rights movement.

Investigations under way, the legal situation is clear

The gendarmerie has launched investigations and must now identify those responsible. While criminal damage is clearly prosecutable under criminal law, the public glorification of such acts often remains without legal consequence.