‘Hunting in France has changed over the years – not for the better’

Bigger, more aggressive groups and breaches of no-hunting zones are among the main concerns for our reader

A hunter waits for a wild boar outside a village in Corsica
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I agree totally with the views on hunting in Nick Inman’s article. I am not anti-hunting except when it is done irresponsibly.

When I came to live in France 22 years ago, hunting here took place on Thursdays and Sundays. Hunters were local men, singletons with a dog or small groups. They respected the no-hunting area of which my land forms a part.

Pet lost to hunting dogs

By the time of the first Covid lockdown, hunting was happening every day in the season and often involved groups from out of the area using large numbers of vehicles and mobile communications to seemingly encircle a place.

There was no respect for the no-hunting zone.

We have had to rescue our chickens from hunting dogs and have lost a cat to them.

Aggressive when challenged

They would shoot from the roads and across roads at anything that moved. When challenged, they were aggressive.

This is totally irresponsible and it is no surprise that people get shot.

Read more: Six months’ jail demand for French hunter who shot man dead in garden

Covid brought a welcome break.

For the moment, we are back to mostly Thursdays and Sundays so it’s safe to walk on other days, but I wonder for how long?

Keith HOWLETT, Vienne

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