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France's hunting season claims eight lives - and it's only half way through

The Local France
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France's hunting season claims eight lives - and it's only half way through
Photo: AFP

Eight people have died already during this year's hunting season in France - which still has another three months to run.

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The figures have been released from the French environment ministry along with a plea from the minister Emmanuelle Wargon for hunters to fully implement new safety regulations.

Last year 131 accidents were recording during the hunting season - which has regional variations but generally runs from September to March - of which seven were fatal.

READ ALSO How to stay safe during the French hunting season

 

This year eight fatal accidents have been recorded already with at least another three months of the season to go.

In 2018 a new set of safety protocols were introduced to try and stop the appalling accident rate of the French hunting season, which every year sees people being accidentally shot by hunters taking part in la chasse, or hunters themselves being injured by their own shotguns.

They included the compulsory wearing of high-ves vests and refresher courses every 10 years on gun safety.

Emmanuelle Wargon has now written to the president of the Fédération nationale des chasseurs (national hunters' federation) asking for a progress report on the introduction of the new safety measures.

On Saturday a 59-year-old man died in Ardennes after being shot in the abdomen during a hunt. A 43-year-old man has been arrested for manslaughter.

Earlier in the season a man out picking mushrooms in Charentes-Maritime was shot by hunters.

And in northern France a pregnant woman was killed by dogs while walking her own pet in a wooded area during a deer hunt. Prosecutors have launched an investigation and taken DNA tests from all dogs in the local hunt's hound pack.

 

 

 

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