Man dies after being shot during boar hunt in south-west France
Fellow hunter in his eighties was taken in by police for questioning
Fatal accidents are often recorded during the hunting season. Photo for illustrative purposes only
Maksim Safaniuk / Shutterstock
A 64-year old man has died in south-west France following a hunting accident on Sunday (October 19) in which he was shot in the groin during a wild boar chase.
The accident took place in the small commune of Laparade, Lot-et-Garonne during a hunt among fields and groves with around a dozen participants taking part.
The victim died after being shot in the groin and was pronounced dead on the scene.
A fellow hunter, 83, was taken into custody for questioning following the incident. He was released in the evening.
He is believed to have fired the gun that killed the man. Drug and alcohol tests came back negative.
It is unclear whether one of the hunters missed their shot and hit the victim directly, or if the bullet (a buckeye or chevrotine) ricocheted off an object before becoming lodged in the man.
Reports suggest the shot was aiming for a wild boar that ran between the hunters.
An investigation has been opened.
“I know many of these hunters, who are serious and rigorous people, who observe the rules,” said Laparade mayor Ghislain Gozzerino, quoted in local media Sud-Ouest.
“This accident is unfortunate especially since with this hunt, they help to regulate game [such as boar] that can cause a number of problems and we really need them,” he added.
In the 2024-2025 hunting season, 11 people in France were killed.
The issue of wild boar devastating rural communities has led to innovative solutions, including one commune in Dordogne where residents can ‘rent’ iron traps to catch them.
