Another peaceful Sunday ruined

[Mik_Bennett]

@Mik_Bennett

“Never come here on a Wednesday”, she warned “you may get shot accidentally by the hunters”

Her husband owned and farmed a lot of land around our house and he hated the hunt with a passion. I asked why he didn’t apply for “reserve de chasse” signs around his property.

He replied, “I couldn’t do that. It would be far too un-neighbourly”

[DrMarkH]

@Arcalia

but hunting is a largely unnecessary activity

Keeping the sanglier population in check is a necessary activity in many rural parts of France. Deer perhaps less so.

However, indiscriminately trapping small birds with glue is illegal under a 2009 EU directive and a 2021 EU Court decision, yet glue traps continue to be sold throughout the country.

The only effective action seems to be petitions targeting individual stores.

[Arcalia]

I think if done by professionals in areas where there is actually a problem ok, although shooting by itself doesn’t seem to be working at the moment as the boar population increases. In fact some argue that shooting indiscriminately, which is what amateurs seem to do, may change the sex/age structure and actually increase the population.

[John_Scully]

@Arcalia

Many chasseurs don’t follow the rules, they are often under the influence, especially post lunch

Seriously, where do you live?

The chasseurs in my neck of the woods (and it’s a big woods) are not pissed and take safety very seriously. I think you’ve a local problem.

[DrMarkH]

I’d welcome the opinion/s of @Dr-Le-Dolly on this thread because, unlike most SFers, he actually hunts apparently with gun and bow.

[Earthdave]

@John_Scully

@Earthdave

I don’t want a gang of men of any age crashing about at the end of my property, after a well-lubricated lunch, stumbling in mud and over downed trees with guns in hands.

Where the hell do you live, Texas? Nothing like that would ever, ever happen where we live.

I’m in Aisne (Hauts de France, the North). After every lunch between the morning and afternoon shoots, they fill a poubelle to overflowing with alcohol bottles; some beer but mostly champagne. I’m always stunned by what they can put away in a couple of hours. And then, yes, they go out for the second round.

[DrMarkH]

@Earthdave

After every lunch between the morning and afternoon shoots, they fill a poubelle to overflowing with alcohol bottles; some beer but mostly champagne. I’m always stunned by what they can put away in a couple of hours. And then, yes, they go out for the second round.

That’s been illegal for years:-

France revises hunting rules but stops short of Sunday ban

[Earthdave]

@John_Scully

First or second degree murder These are not nice creatures. They are sneaky and devious and if cornered would gore you. They breed like crazy and in some areas they are a plague that needs to fixed.

The only problem I have with the hunting lobby is because they claim that they are “managing” the population they’re standing in the way of a real practical solution.

I too thought at first that you were talking about the hunters. This reputation sanglier have is undeserved. Lots of animals could turn on you if cornered. I grew up in Canada with massive bear traps in our neighbourhood and coyotes and bobcat roamed the woods we kids played in. No issues. Ever.

I am a biologist and have seldom seen sangliers up close despite great efforts (in a region supposedly over-run); they steer clear of humans. Three of them were running from a hunt, terrified, trying to get through my property and ignored me. Another troupe ran down a hill past a group of parents and kids here; didn’t give them a second glance.

Meanwhile there are enclosures in France where they are currently bred to release for a hunt. That doesn’t sound like an overpopulation.

[John_Scully]

@Earthdave

fill a poubelle to overflowing with alcohol bottles; some beer but mostly champagne. I’m always stunned by what they can put away in a couple of hours. And then, yes, they go out for the second round.

Well I can tell you that is not what happens in the Var. I’ve friends that hunt, all sensible and responsible people. You have a local problem and if they are behaving as you describe I’d just call the police. No debate, call the police.

[Earthdave]

@DrMarkH

That’s been illegal for years:-

As the foreigner in our commune, I don’t want to be the one who calls the cops. The mayor lives next door to the hunt shack and has done nothing all this time, as did the previous mayor who also lives within sight of the carousing and the mob of hunters standing in the road, slowly (and barely) moving out of the way when a car tried to get past. They have real attitude- and I don’t recognize any as locals!

[KarenLot]

The problem is lack of enforcement whether ny mairie or gendarmes.

Reflecting the lack of enforcement of safety standards within those calling themselves “hunters”.

[John_Scully]

@KarenLot

The problem is lack of enforcement

The problem everywhere all over the World in enforcement. From people parking on a pavement near you, to Israel murdering people in the illegally occupied West Bank.

[Arcalia]

I think there are others on this forum who have witnessed hunters wielding firearms who would not pass the fitness to drive test.

[John_Scully]

@Arcalia

others on this forum who have witnessed hunters wielding firearms who would not pass the fitness to drive test.

I’ve missed that? Who?

I’m sort of coming to the point of thinking that if you don’t like the way things happen in your commune the problem isn’t the commune We are guests, we can’t just breeze in and tell the French they are “getting it wrong”. If we don’t like the way things are done in France we all know what we can do

[hairbear]

Living in the country can be very different to living in a town or city. Things happen differently, people can be very different. Living in the French countryside can be even more so. I’ve lived in or around the countryside most of my life. As @John_Scully says, we have to accept those differences and live with them.