New app aims to keep walkers safe in French hunting season
The smartphone tool can create alert zones around anyone out in the countryside
The app allows walkers and hunters to set up an alert zone of 500 metres to two kilometres that lasts for up to two hours
Zhanna Kavaliova / Shutterstock
A free app has been created by a French developer to help protect people in the hunting season.
When 38-year-old Mikael Wawrziczny’s wife said she was worried about coming across a hunter, he decided to try to help.
Keep everyone informed about who is in the countryside
Mr Wawrziczny, who lives near Vernon, Normandy, took inspiration from the Waze app.
It allows road users to post real-time updates about accidents or incidents that could affect other drivers’ journeys.
He created a similar system for his free app Chasse en cours for iPhone and Android.
It aims to keep everyone informed about who is out and about in the countryside.
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“You have walkers, hikers, people walking their dogs, people picking mushrooms, people riding bikes,” he said.
“All these are people who are likely to come across hunters.”
Read more: Do I risk fine if I walk my dog off-lead in France?
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Walkers or hunters set up alert zone
The app allows users to indicate whether they are a walker or a hunter.
They can set up an alert zone covering 500 metres to two kilometres that lasts for up to two hours.
“It could prevent a hunting dog from coming face to face with a walker’s pet, a hiker or even a car,” Mr Wawrziczny said.
Read more: Driver tells how hunter’s bullet entered car as he drove in Dordogne
We note however that when we tried it on a Monday in November we did not see hunts in progress indicated in any local areas.
Hunters using the Chasse en cours app can update fellow users about other details, such as the number of guns in a party, or whether hunting dogs are present among the group.
In January, the government said its Suricate app, which allows people to report issues such as pollution or signage problems while enjoying the outdoors, would be expanded to include the geolocation of hunters.
To date, it has not been listed among the activities covered by the site.
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