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Over one million boar killed last hunting season in France
Population continues to rise despite several departments seeing increase in numbers killed
Hunters killed more than one million wild boar across France during the 2025/2026 season, new data shows.
This is 15% higher than the previous year (2024/2025), and the number of wild boar killed during hunts has more than doubled in the last 20 years, according to figures released by the French Biodiversity Office (Office français de la biodiversité, OFB), to AFP.
It uses information given by hunters to the Fédération Départementale des Chasseurs on wild boar killing.
Hunters in France have to confirm each wild boar they kill during a drive. A small number of boar killings last year (21,000) were made by administrative authorities outside of hunts.
This year’s hunting season has seen partial bans in light of the devastating summer wildfires, although major wild boar drives have continued in most departments.
Wild boar hunting in France
Total wild boar killed by hunters per department, 1973–2025. Click a department for its history.
Figures are the total number of wild boar killed in each department; from 2020 they also include administrative culls.
Source: Office français de la biodiversité (OFB) Grey means no data for that year.
Departments across France see rise in killings
Several departments saw the number of boar killed increase significantly. In 16 departments, the number of boar killed in 2025/2026 compared with the previous year rose by at least +30%:
Despite the increase in killings national wild boar populations are not at risk, and indeed wild boar populations are rising across France.
Wild boars are generally not subject to a departmental hunting plan, which sets minimum or maximum limits on the numbers that can be killed annually.
In some departments, the typical hunting season is extended for wild boar drives.
Boar numbers have increased significantly since the 1970s, as wild boar began roaming from their forest habitats.
Several reasons for the sharp increase in numbers have been given, including milder winters keeping more piglets alive (each litter typically contains five or six piglets, leading to rapid proliferation if the majority survive) and access to food.
