Hunting Law Graubünden: Criticism of the Partial Revision
Wildtierschutz Schweiz comments on the partial revision of the cantonal hunting law in Graubünden. The legislature is attempting to undermine the initiative «For Nature-Compatible and Ethical Hunting» using questionable methods. More on hobby hunting in Switzerland.
We feel compelled to respond to today’s press release by Dr. Cavigelli (cantonal councillor) and Dr. Brosi (Office for Hunting and Fishing), among others, regarding our initiative «For Nature-Compatible and Ethical Hunting».
The legislature is attempting to use the usual underhanded tricks to outmanoeuvre the Wildtierschutz Schweiz initiative.
It is the result of a cleverly designed and, for laypeople, well-disguised so-called partial revision of the cantonal hunting law, which in almost all respects continues to serve the pure protection of hunting interests. A shameless attempt to secure vested privileges, with the backing of a cantonal councillor who takes his cues exclusively from the Office for Hunting and Fishing.
For this reason, our initiative demands under point 5 that the Office for Hunting and Fishing, as well as the Hunting Commission, must include animal welfare advocates, hunters, and non-hunters on an equal footing. This is precisely to prevent such manipulation and back-room dealing within the commissions and the Office for Hunting and Fishing, and to give animal welfare the support it needs. This is a prerequisite for reaching a broadly acceptable compromise.
In this regard, we must state the following. Animal welfare continues to receive no consideration whatsoever – quite the contrary. There is no question of a direct counter-proposal, and for the following reasons:
Trap Hunting is to be prohibited, while hunters are further empowered to use the box trap. In plain terms, this means that hunters who have practiced trap hunting up until now will be permitted to continue doing so. The flimsy justification was and remains the same: it is about «preventing wildlife damage in residential areas, as well as on farms near villages and individual buildings». We are therefore at the status quo — nothing has changed!
The association Wildtierschutz Schweiz demands in this context that only wildlife wardens be permitted to set traps (not farmers and not hunters), and that traps be deployed only in situations where no other option exists. Animals must not be shot, but must instead be released in more remote areas. This should — alongside our demand in the initiative (traps for killing and the baiting of animals must be prohibited) — have nothing to do with animal cruelty in hunting, but rather concern individual exceptional cases.
Lead-free ammunition has been used by wildlife wardens for several years and has clearly proven its worth. Wildlife wardens shoot in exactly the same way as hunters — so there is no reason to wait. The issue is not the pretextual concern for animal welfare, but rather the fact that not all hunting weapons are compatible with lead-free ammunition! And with a licence fee increase, this is a particularly poor time to introduce such a requirement.
Shooting proficiency is a farce, as the test is not conducted with the prescribed ammunition of 10.2 mm and above — for “cost reasons” — but instead with smaller ammunition at a distance of only 100 m and on a stationary target — a completely different recoil and trajectory compared to 150–200 m and real-world field conditions — meaning any layperson can pass the test without errors in no time. This is not an effective examination, but a token exercise.
The abolition of bird hunting is not up for discussion. On the contrary, they have the audacity to claim that "bird hunting helps protect nature." The opposite is true. The black grouse and especially the ptarmigan are severely endangered in their overall population due to climate change. The fact that a small population can currently survive in Graubünden is due to topographical reasons. However, it is foreseeable that stocks will decline here as well. Hunters in the canton of Graubünden have already wiped out pretty much everything that was available, not just birds. This was also alluded to in the speeches by the two gentlemen mentioned above. Birds of prey have now occupied all territories in the canton of Graubünden — which in plain language means: hunting eagles, buzzards, etc. again is not being ruled out! This should have been a clearly audible warning signal for everyone present!
The 4 additional days of hunting in October represents an expansion of hunting. Originally discussed as a way to ease the pressure on the special hunt/autumn hunt, there is no longer any mention of it stopping the special hunt in any way or of seeking an acceptable solution. They have taken — but given nothing in return.
Added to this is a deeply troubling development under the item “Further Need for Revision.”
Abolition of the ban on group hunting. Instead of limiting the number of hunters hunting together to 4, this regulation is being abolished. This means that driven hunts or battue hunting is now being introduced — an extremely brutal and animal-demeaning method of hunting (already being opposed at home and abroad). Driven or battue hunting means that large groups can drive animals directly into the arms of marksmen, who then shoot at the panic-stricken fleeing animals with large-calibre ammunition of 10.2 mm and above. In the chaos of fleeing animals, no precise shots can be fired. This is simply not possible given the speeds that, for example, red deer can reach when in flight.
Hunting and animal welfare are diametrically at odds. Society has evolved and changed. Animal welfare, also with regard to tourism in our canton, carries a different weight than it did just a few years ago.
It is to be hoped that the «Grand Council» will not be confused or impressed by an 84-page report and will be able to read between the lines.
