Survey: Rural population wants stricter hobby hunting rules

Rural communities call for protection of predators

Since rural residents are most affected by hunting policy, it is time to change the rules.

The survey, which focused on large predators such as wolves, underscored the broad support of rural communities for their protection.

67% prioritise biodiversity over hunting tradition

Rural communities show a similarly progressive stance when it comes to hobby hunting of other species. 67% give priority to protecting biodiversity and animal welfare over maintaining hunting traditions. While hunting is currently regulated differently in each member state, 65% of respondents call for the harmonisation of hunting practices across the EU on the basis of scientific evidence and in application of EU legislation, particularly for the protection of biodiversity.

7 in 10 respondents believe that every wild animal is a sentient being that must be protected, and wish for effective non-lethal and humane methods of wildlife management to be researched and implemented. A larger group (75%) calls for a ban on hunting methods that cause avoidable suffering to wild animals (underground hunting with dogs, glue traps, etc.). This approach is broadly supported by recreational hunters (68%) themselves, demonstrating widespread support for a change in policy.

64% of respondents want hunting restricted to cases where independent scientific assessments conclude that the species in question poses a threat to the environment or public health, thereby clearly calling for an end to recreational hunting. In addition to the impacts on animals, hobby hunting also raises concerns about public safety, as only 31% of respondents feel safe going into nature during hunting season, and a larger group (39%) avoids going into nature altogether.

The survey illustrates the negative impact of hunting practices on the livelihoods of EU citizens living in rural areas and shows that the EU must promote humane practices in the management of wildlife and finally issue clear guidelines for effective regulation of hobby hunting.

Hunting lobby does not represent rural populations

«This survey clearly shows that the hunting lobby does not represent the interests of rural communities. Rural citizens across the EU are demanding change — they want protection for themselves and for wildlife that falls victim to cruel, unnecessary and unjustified killings, whether wolves or other species. It is time for the EU to seriously address this issue and promote solutions.»

Léa Badoz, Wildlife Programme Officer, Eurogroup for Animals

Hunting Survey Report

10’000 residents of rural areas in Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Romania participated in the survey, which was conducted by Savanta in November 2023. The survey was commissioned by Eurogroup for Animals, Humane Society International/Europe, Fondation Brigitte Bardot, Dierenbescherming, Djurskyddet Sverige, Deutscher Tierschutzbund, World Animal Protection Denmark, World Animal Protection Netherlands, World Animal Protection Sweden and LAV.

Natural disaster: hobby hunters

In the disarray in which nature finds itself after decades of management and stewardship by hobbyhunters, 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). Over 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, through their lobbying efforts in politics, media, and legislation, who have been responsible for this 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 pursuit of their perverse, bloody hobby.

Did you know …

• that in Switzerland innocent young wolves are being liquidated?
• that hobby hunters lie about the assessment of game meat quality and that processed game meat, according to the WHO, is carcinogenic like cigarettes, asbestos, or arsenic?
• that according to a study, 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 fair chase ethics of hobby hunters are diametrically at odds with animal welfare legislation and are nothing but a mirage?
• that hunting is war, where animal competitors are simply eliminated?
• that there are countless illegal and unmarked elevated hunting blinds 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 has become nearly impossible to live in harmony with wildlife or to encounter wild animals at all?
• that shotgun blasts cause hares to scream 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 of 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 "pleasure of 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 of course does not hold true in practice?
• that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far beyond any species protection and hunting regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel operators offering such depraved hunting pleasures?
• that the vast majority are not legitimate professional hunters, but pursue hunting as a hobby, sport and leisure activity, which is not morally justifiable and in fact contradicts the Animal Protection Act?
• that 99.07% of civilised 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 amusement?
• that hobby hunters deliberately decimate certain animal species in order to eliminate competition for their unnatural behaviour (fox, lynx, wolf, birds of prey, etc.)?
• that wildlife dies before the hobby hunter can even fire a single shot, that preventing this is the goal, 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 gives birth to young, but 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 primarily as diurnal animals in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep, cows, etc., and not in forests?
• that the wolf is vitally important for the long-term health of wild ungulates, because it hunts sick or weak animals with remarkable precision, for example, and is thereby far superior to hobby hunters?
• that foxes usually end up in the rubbish after being pointlessly hunted?
• that foxes are hunted today primarily so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters to put in the frying pan? That foxes, however, feed 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. (you need to fight fire with fire)?
• that hobby hunters, with their hunters' tall tales 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 prey 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 animals 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 lure starving animals with food only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
• that hobby hunters send specially trained dogs into burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
• that hobby hunters lure peaceful living beings into cage traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or subject animals to an often hours-long death struggle (trap hunting)?
• that hobby hunters cowardly ambush and kill or wound peaceful wild animals while they are sleeping or sunbathing, using state-of-the-art precision weapons?
• that hobby hunters support awards, fur markets, prize ceremonies for trophy culture, trophy shows, the fur trade, etc.?
• that hobby hunters place firearms into the hands of underage schoolchildren and practice killing with them?
• that hobby hunters often carry out their cruel acts in remote locations, which encourages animal cruelty?
• that hobby hunters seriously injure many wild animals, leaving the victims to suffer for hours under 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 making it prey through the act of killing?
• that hobby hunters actively promote browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as foxes, lynx and wolves?
• that hobby hunters open the door to antisocial, unethical and unchristian behaviour?
• that hobby hunters deprive the public of normal, natural wildlife observations and interactions?
• that there is no greater torment product, 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 shoot 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 clubs promote practically everything that is cruel, unnecessary and heartless?
• that the association «Jagd Schweiz» primarily cultivates disrespect and a culture of violence – the exact opposite of what a civilised person in our society should aspire to.
• that in the canton of Grisons alone, over 1’000 reports and fines are issued against hobby hunters every year?