Investigation launched after hunter fires at wild boar just feet from a busy road in central France
A 76-year-old man was taken into custody after the incident
Two men were not wearing hi-vis clothing, as is required by law when hunting
Maksim Safaniuk / Shutterstock
An investigation has been opened after a hunter fired at a wild boar at the edge of a busy road near a shopping area in central France on Saturday.
According to local reports in ICI Berry, a 76-year-old man was taken into custody following the incident on December 6, which the Indre public prosecutor described as “particularly serious and shocking”.
The man was one of two hunters which targeted the boar near the Cap-Sud commercial zone in Saint-Maur, near Châteauroux, at around 16:30, while numerous vehicles were passing nearby.
Following the incident, the man’s firearm was seized.
Laurent Gandillot, president of the Indre hunting federation, condemned the behaviour and said the federation would consider taking legal action if safety regulations were violated.
He added that while the federation supports all forms of hunting, it does not defend hunters who disregard basic safety rules.
“Hunters who fail to respect elementary safety measures cause serious harm to those who hunt responsibly,” he said.
According to the witness, who filmed the scene from her car, two armed men surrounded the boar on the roadside without fluorescent vests or identifiable hunting clothing.
“They weren’t wearing high-visibility gear or hunting outfits. I saw a man with his gun in front of my bonnet - it was shocking,” she told ICI Berry, adding that traffic was almost at a standstill and she did not believe the animal posed any threat to nearby vehicles.
Her video appears to corroborate this account and shows one of the men firing at close range.
The hunter's lawyer however says the man was justified in his actions.
"He was fully aware of his surroundings," said Jeremy Schuletzki to media outlet FranceTV.
"He saw the cars that had stopped [because of the boar on the road]... and saw that if he finished it off, it was precisely so that it wouldn't return to the road and damage vehicles or injure people."
The incident has sparked wider concern about hunting near populated areas. Local authorities are expected to reinforce safety measures for hunting zones close to roads and commercial centres.
The number of fatal hunting accidents during the 2024–2025 season in France almost doubled compared to previous years, rising to 11 deaths despite a decline in hunter numbers, according to the annual report from the French Biodiversity Office (OFB).
This represents a marked increase from the six fatalities recorded in each of the two preceding seasons.
