Ticino Hunters' Association FCTI Celebrates 30 Years of Nonsense

The Ticino Hunters' Association FCTI was founded in 1995. According to a press release, it has established itself as a point of reference for the cantonal hunting world, among other things, and makes an active contribution to wildlife management, hunter training and dialogue with institutions.

Editorial team Wild beim Wild — 9 May 2025

According to the hunting president Davide Corti, elected last year to replace Council of States member Fabio Regazzi (CVP), “hunting is not merely a pastime, but an active part of land management, biodiversity and our culture.”

The hobby hunter and lawyer Davide Corti is evidently a fan of trophy hunting at home and abroad, as a glance at his desk reveals.

The slogan chosen for the anniversary – “More than just a pastime” – encapsulates this vision, with the aim of overcoming stereotypes and making the commitment of the approximately 3,000 hobby hunters in the canton transparent.

As Michele Bertini, FCTI public relations officer, explained, the goal is to strengthen the association’s public visibility and to enhance the role of the hobby hunter as a “steward of the landscape and promoter of an ethical and modern practice.”

It has always been a concern of IG Wild beim Wild to support the recreational hunters in their public relations work.

Review of the Activities of the Ticino Hunters' Association FCTI

Rather than creating a second national park for Switzerland in 2018, the Ticino Hunters' Association preferred to fight against it. In addition to boosting the region’s tourism profile, the national park directorate estimated that the creation of approximately 200 direct and indirect jobs would generate 250 to 300 million francs over the next 10 years, thereby helping to stem the exodus from the valleys. The Ticino Hunters' Association was thus opposed to innovation, future prospects for young people, and the common good.
At the end of November 2016, the voters of the cantons of Graubünden and Ticino had already rejected at the ballot box a national park around the Rheinwaldhorn, the Park Adula. Even then, these vision-lacking hobby hunters were opposed to it and stirred up negative sentiment with lies and fear-mongering propaganda.
The former hunting president of the Ticino hunters' association wanted in 2014 to barbed hooks make socially acceptable again in fishing. However, his animal-cruelty-driven endeavour ended in failure. Animal cruelty is not a tradition or culture. The use of barbed hooks violates, among other things, Art. 4 Para. 2 of the Swiss Animal Protection Act (TSchG), according to which no one may inflict unjustified and unnecessary pain, suffering, harm or fear on an animal — a cornerstone of Swiss animal protection law.
The former hunting president of the Ticino hunters' association advocated via motion for wolf-free zones in Switzerland, for which he was, however, rebuffed in parliament on 6.5.2025.
With confused statements about the situation of wolves in Switzerland or Sweden, the former hunting president of the Ticino hunters' association attempted not only to mislead the Federal Council, but also engaged in political activity on the right wing of the National Council.
The Ticino hunters' association opposed the Biodiversity Initiative and other common-sense initiatives.
The National Council narrowly rejected a motion by National Councillor Martina Munz during the spring session 2023 for a ban on lead-containing ammunition by 99 to 94 votes. The motion was opposed by the former hunting president of the Ticino hunters' association.
The actions of the Ticino hunters' association are diametrically at odds with several articles of the Swiss Animal Protection Act, including Art. 26 and Art. 4. Hunting ethics is a mirage.
Claudio Zali is a Swiss lawyer, politician and cantonal councillor in Bellinzona. He described Fabio Regazzi — former hunting president in Ticino — years ago in the newspaper as an embodiment of arrogance, lack of legal awareness and selfishness. Qualifications to be elected to the very top of any hunting association. It is therefore not surprising that Fabio Regazzi is vice-president of JagdSchweiz.
Practically everything that is cruel, unnecessary and heartless is promoted by JagdSchweiz, as confirmed by a court in Bellinzona.And hunters' associations primarily cultivate disrespect and a culture of violence — the exact opposite of what a civilized person in our society should aspire to.
In 2021, the Ticino Hunters' Association fought the initiative to have theendangered rock ptarmigan protected in the canton – without success.
Hobby hunters of the Ticino Hunters' Association embody speciesism. Speciesism is comparable to racism and sexism, and that is not a culture.
During the legislative period 2015 – 2019, the former hunting president of the Ticino Hunters' Association, like the other hobby hunters in the Swiss Parliament, also predominantly voted against the environment.
Not only in Ticino are there human injuries and fatalities every year caused by the risk group of hobby hunters.
Game killed by the Ticino Hunters' Association isessentially carrion and therefore not actually permissible for sale or consumption by ordinary people.
That one acquires nonsense and unscientific rubbish through the unethical hobby hunter training in Ticino — as one might in a cult — is something the deceived graduate only realizes later. The enlightened public, however, notices it in every conversation with a hobby hunter.
According to studies, case examples, biologists, and even hunters, all small game hunting is unnecessary. The Ticino Hunters' Association, however, takes pleasure in killing these wild animals and promotes this lack of culture.
and much more.

Hunters' slogans are pure window dressing. Analysing the hobby hunter faction, one quickly recognizes that they rarely, if ever, engage for nature — it becomes clear instead that exploitation and self-interest are their true motivations. The experts of the hobby hunters are mostly nothing more than advocates for a selfish lobby, seeking to preserve and whitewash a culture of indecency. In environmental rankings, hobby hunters occupy last place. Nowhere else is there so much manipulation through falsehoods and fake news. Violence and lies are two sides of the same coin.

Whenever common sense takes action to protect nature and biodiversity, it is systematically opposed by the hunting community. Upon close analysis, hunting protects and benefits absolutely nothing!

Since 1 April 2015, Luxembourg has made the right decision based on verifiable scientific facts and banned fox hunting.

If hobby hunters were not constantly allowed to satisfy their primitive urge to kill, there would be no problems with the population size of deer and roe deer — because there would then be enough predators such as lynx, fox, wolf, etc., and consequently less wildlife browsing damage and other harms such as wildlife accidents.

For genuine wildlife stewardship, a handful of game wardens suffices, as the example of Geneva or entire countries with a hunting ban demonstrates. Wildlife would no longer be fairground shooting targets for people with low ethical standards and psychological problems.

In the chaos in which nature finds itself after decades of stewardship and management by Swiss hobby hunters, the proportion of threatened species is, according to the United Nations, higher in Switzerland than in any other country in the world.

Not even the hunting dogs of hobby hunters are generally well cared for. Outside the brief hunting season, they eke out a sad existence throughout the year on a balcony or in a kennel, and do not enjoy daily walks as dogs belonging to the general population do.

A long weekend to celebrate the anniversary

The FCTI anniversary will be celebrated from 9 to 11 May 2025 in Olivone at the Polisport Centre. The event includes a meeting with the authorities on Friday evening, the assembly of clubs affiliated with the FCTI on Saturday, and a day open to the public on Sunday featuring demonstrations, informational events, and a hunting dog show.

A lunch for the local population is planned at 12:30. “It will be an opportunity to strengthen dialogue between hobby hunters and citizens, and to bring hunting culture closer to the public in a modern, ethical and mindful way,” said hunting president Davide Corti in conclusion.

Further content

Template texts: Cantonal popular initiative Canton Ticino · All template texts for cantonal motions · FAQ: Is hobby hunting necessary? · All dossiers

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Natural disaster: hobby hunters

In the chaos in which nature finds itself after decades of stewardship and management by hobby hunters, the proportion of threatened species is nowhere in the world as high as in Switzerland. The contract killers have been creating an ecological imbalance in the cultivated landscape for decades, with sometimes dramatic consequences (protective forests, diseases, agricultural damage, and much more). More than a third of plant, wildlife and fungal species are considered threatened. Switzerland also ranks last in Europe when it comes to designating protected areas for biodiversity. It is precisely these circles of hobby hunters, with their lobbying, who have been responsible for this through politics, media and legislation for decades. They are the ones who notoriously block contemporary, ethical improvements in animal welfare and sabotage serious animal and species protection. Hobby hunters regularly oppose more national parks in Switzerland, because their concern is not nature, biodiversity, species protection or animal welfare, but rather the cultivation of their perverse, bloody hobby.

Did you know …

that in Switzerland innocent young wolves are being liquidated?
that hobby hunters lie about assessing game meat quality, and that according to the WHO, processed game meat is carcinogenic — like cigarettes, asbestos or arsenic?
that according to studies, nowhere is the lead contamination of golden eagles and bearded vultures higher than in the Swiss Alps, due to the ammunition used by hobby hunters?
that the hunting ethics of hobby hunters are diametrically opposed to animal welfare legislation and amount to nothing more than a mirage?
that hunting is war, where animal competitors are simply liquidated?
that there are countless illegal and unmarked hunting stands in our natural landscape, some so rotten that they pose a danger to children and can cause people to fall to their deaths?
that year after year, countless people are killed or injured by hunters’ weapons — some so severely that they end up in wheelchairs or have limbs amputated?
that in Switzerland, approximately 120,000 perfectly healthy roe deer, red deer, foxes, marmots and chamois are killed each year, mostly without purpose?
that because of hobby hunters, it is today barely possible to live in harmony with wildlife or to observe wild animals at all?
that shotgun blasts cause hares to cry out like small children, and tear apart the entrails of “shot” roe deer and red deer so that they leave a trail of blood for hunters to follow?
that the claims made by hobby hunters that the cruel wildlife massacres are necessary to regulate animal populations have been scientifically refuted?
that hobby hunters openly admit that hunting is about the “lust for killing” and “the joy of making a kill” — a pathological passion?
that hobby hunters have no sixth sense and yet regularly claim to shoot only sick and weak animals, which is of course not the case in practice?
that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far from any species protection and hunting regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel agencies for such depraved hunting pleasures?
that the vast majority are not legitimate professional hunters, but pursue hunting as a hobby, sport and recreational pastime, which is not morally justifiable and in fact contradicts the Animal Protection Act?
that 99.07% of civilized people in Switzerland are not hobby hunters, meaning only 0.3% of hobby hunters take pleasure in these bloody activities?
that these wildlife killers do not hunt on the basis of scientific justifications?
that protected species do not actually belong under hunting law, because hobby hunters are overwhelmed by species conservation and repeatedly shoot animals listed on the Red List — such as lynx, wolf, hare, grey partridge, quail, etc. — for sport?
that hobby hunters deliberately decimate certain animal species to eliminate competition for their unnatural behavior (fox, lynx, wolf, birds of prey, etc.)?
that wildlife dies before the hobby hunter can even fire a single shot, that this must be prevented, and that this is arguably the central idea behind wildlife stewardship, care and hunting planning?
that with wild boar (and foxes), normally only the lead sow bears young, but that due to her being shot, all female animals within the sounder reproduce, and that this is also a reason why we have a wild boar surplus?
that grazing animals — deer, roe deer, etc. — originally lived predominantly as diurnal animals in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep and cows, and not in forests?
that the wolf is vitally important in the long term for maintaining the health of wild ungulates, because it hunts sick or weak animals with remarkable precision, for example, and is therefore far superior to hobby hunters?
that foxes, after being senselessly hunted, usually end up in the rubbish?
that foxes are hunted today primarily so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters to put in the frying pan? That the fox, however, feeds on hares in less than 10% of cases and would never catch a healthy hare?
that in animal protection, one cannot deal with hobby hunters through gentleness alone, street festivals, prayer chains, etc. (desperate times call for desperate measures)?
that hobby hunters use hunters' tall tales to engage in a disrespectful mockery of living beings?
that it is frowned upon to shoot big game at feeding stations or during mating season, yet hobby hunters have no scruples about doing exactly this to their competitor the fox?
that in some cantons, hobby hunters go hunting solely for the tender meat of a young animal?
that hobby hunters shoot pregnant mother deer in front of their young, or target only young animals during the rearing period (post-special hunt)?
that hobby hunters poison the environment, nature, humans and animals with their ammunition?
that bestiality, barbarism, cruelty, bloodshed and senseless suffering cannot be considered cultural heritage in a civilized society?
that hobby hunters shoot approximately 10’000 roe deer fawns every year?
that during harsh winters, hobby hunters use food to lure starving animals only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
that hobby hunters send enraged dogs into burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
that hobby hunters lure peaceful living beings into box traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or subject animals to a death struggle lasting hours (trap hunting)?
that hobby hunters cowardly ambush and shoot or injure peaceful wild animals while they sleep or sunbathe, using high-tech precision weapons?
that hobby hunters support awards, fur markets, prize-givings for trophy cults, trophy shows, fur trading, etc.?
that hobby hunters place firearms in the hands of underage schoolchildren and practice killing with them?
that hobby hunters often carry out their cruel acts in isolation, which encourages animal cruelty?
that hobby hunters seriously injure many wild animals, leaving the victims to suffer for hours in enormous pain and fear until a tracking dog finds them and they are shot?
that hobby hunters (apart from vivisection) inflict the most suffering and abuse on animals, including through the manner in which they kill?
that the hunters' love of animals and nature does not rejoice in the existence of the beloved object, but rather aims to possess the beloved creature body and soul, culminating in turning it into prey through the act of killing?
that hobby hunters actively promote browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as fox, lynx and wolf?
that hobby hunters open the door to antisocial, unethical and unchristian behavior?
that hobby hunters withhold normal, natural wildlife observations and interactions from the general public?
that there is no greater product of torment — and one contaminated with ammunition — than venison?
that there is no uniform nationwide regulation in Switzerland regarding vision tests, shooting practice, etc. for hobby hunters?
that there is no psychological character assessment for hobby hunters?
that there is no alcohol ban for hobby hunters when they are shooting at animals with their weapons?
that hobby hunters intrude into educational institutions to foist their hunters' tales and their violence upon children?
that a court in Bellinzona recently confirmed that hunting associations promote virtually everything that is cruel, unnecessary and heartless?
that the association «Jagd Schweiz» cultivates above all disrespect and a culture of violence — the exact opposite of what a cultivated person in our society should aspire to.
that in the canton of Graubünden alone, more than 1’000 complaints and fines are issued against hobby hunters every year?