Hunting accidents in France 2013-2014
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palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
What grim reading that makes!
Haggis Hunter
Well-Known Member
There's a lot to be said for hunting on one's own and that very clearly includes boar.
K
K
8x57
Distinguished Member
I notice that several of the cases mentioned were actually the result of illness or falls etc whilst hunting rather than injury/death as a result icidents involving firearms. Such incidents in this country are not exactly unheard of and it shouldn't be forgotten that France is a far more rural country than this one so travel distances to medical assistance would be far greater.
palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
Group hunting (La Chasse) clearly not good.
Elderly folk, high seats, and Le Weekend (main Chasse time) also not good.
"Alcohol tests proved negative" seems to be the exception, actually worth mentioning.
Whilst they have cracked down severely on drink driving, other traditions are still followed.
Still they seem a loyal lot, the "my rifle fell over, the bullet unfortunately ricocheted off a steel bowl then hit me in the back" rather amused me. As well as the "I wuz charged by a rampaging boar (surgeons removed bullet fragment from wound)"
For a decade I used to holiday the 1st half of September in La France Profonde.
Regularly strangers would hear my accent and put themselves out to warn me not to venture into the countryside that weekend, because it was the start of the season.
This is still the case.
The 2014 season opening dates are here:
Oncfs - Dates d'ouverture de la chasse saison 2014-2015
Elderly folk, high seats, and Le Weekend (main Chasse time) also not good.
"Alcohol tests proved negative" seems to be the exception, actually worth mentioning.
Whilst they have cracked down severely on drink driving, other traditions are still followed.
Still they seem a loyal lot, the "my rifle fell over, the bullet unfortunately ricocheted off a steel bowl then hit me in the back" rather amused me. As well as the "I wuz charged by a rampaging boar (surgeons removed bullet fragment from wound)"
For a decade I used to holiday the 1st half of September in La France Profonde.
Regularly strangers would hear my accent and put themselves out to warn me not to venture into the countryside that weekend, because it was the start of the season.
This is still the case.
The 2014 season opening dates are here:
Oncfs - Dates d'ouverture de la chasse saison 2014-2015
PS: these were the best recorded statistics for the last 15 years.
Well, the ones actually reported...
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Well, the ones actually reported...
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longlowdog
Well-Known Member
On the occasions I have been in Alsace the shoot instructions have been quite clear and repeated in English for guests. I have been escorted to my allocated place and been given precise instructions on where to stand and permitted arcs of fire. I have never felt unsafe. Drink has been present at lunch time but I've never seen anyone take too much. There are far more folk involved in rural activities and I wonder if there were the same number of folk involved on a daily basis in this country how the statistics would stack up. I have been peppered twice whilst beating in the UK and saw at first hand a shotgun discharge after the owner fell and the shot passed within 4 inches of another chaps ankle who was in front of the faller. I think if all the stat's for the UK including cardiac failure and illness were recorded in one place it would look quite grim. Don't let the figures put you off going abroad, it is a great trip and safety has never been an issue on the shoots I've attended.
The profile of French hunting and shooting related accidents may be different from ours, but the practice of presenting a summary of reports for the edification of the (still) hale and hearty is surely a laudable one.
UK Skydivers and scuba divers both used to be (and still are?) able to read such reports and I daresay they led to some living longer more complete lives than might otherwise have been the case.
Nevertheless, publishing similar material for those involved in UK field sports would undoubtedly be seen as handing ammunition to our enemies and we can well do without the ensuing "Ooh look! It's too dangerous! Make them stop!" silliness.
UK Skydivers and scuba divers both used to be (and still are?) able to read such reports and I daresay they led to some living longer more complete lives than might otherwise have been the case.
Nevertheless, publishing similar material for those involved in UK field sports would undoubtedly be seen as handing ammunition to our enemies and we can well do without the ensuing "Ooh look! It's too dangerous! Make them stop!" silliness.
The French shoot over half a million boar per year, and are nowhere near on top of them. So clearly the great majority of hunting is being done safely, albeit inefficiently.
I'm sure the vast majority of hunts are run very correctly.
Nevertheless some entirely avoidable "accidents" do still occur, and are worth publicising in the hope that people may learn from them.
It isn't really acceptable to dismiss them on the basis that these things are bound to happen from time to time.
And remember that these are just the reported ones, goodness knows how many others, and near misses, are not.
At this time of year, as the season is just starting, there can be a genuine unease in the countryside, and a justifiable reluctance to venture out at weekends.
8x57
Distinguished Member
What is the political bias of the La Buvette des Alpages, do they have some sort of axe to grind, are they placing some sort of spin on these figures? Looking at some of the other articles their perspective seems rather anti to me.
I can only endorse what others have already said about safety on organised hunts in France, on the couple that I have taken part in safety has been a top priority as it is not unknown for organisers to be imprisoned if something goes wrong and spot inspections by the authorities are not unheard of. How many shoots in this country require you to show your shooting licence and evidence of insurance at the start of the day? No documentation then no shooting, and there are no exceptions.
I can only endorse what others have already said about safety on organised hunts in France, on the couple that I have taken part in safety has been a top priority as it is not unknown for organisers to be imprisoned if something goes wrong and spot inspections by the authorities are not unheard of. How many shoots in this country require you to show your shooting licence and evidence of insurance at the start of the day? No documentation then no shooting, and there are no exceptions.
I'm not sure whether they have an "anti" agenda, I only happened on the site whilst researching something else. But it did seem to me that they have collated some interesting information from which lessons can be learned.
As far as I can tell it appears to be genuine, references are given, and it broadly corresponds with the official statistics.
I recall that the situation in Italy is supposedly worse, though I don't know of any similarly detailed description of the actual incidents.
By its nature, hunting in France is far more visible to the public than here, and not universally welcomed.
I did not post the link in order to disparage a different culture, but out of genuine interest.
If it was inappropriate then please could a moderator delete the thread.
stalkinginengland
Well-Known Member
As some of you know we run trips to France shooting boar. I have never know such rigorous safety rules ever on any shoot in England. Insurance, and permits are checked before you go out and if you don't have them you don't shoot. The safety rules are announced at the beginning, normally taking 20mins then repeated in English, then again all explained at the peg, angles of fire are explained and I have witnessed one Frenchman banned from one shoot for life for shooting in the unsafe area. However I have seen an injury and also a shot taken straight towards the beaters and in both cases it was by an Englishman. So please stop the scaremongering, there is a hell of a lot of shooting going on over there but from personal experience, I can't fault them.
I've never been on one that doesn't require proof of insurance. As for showing a SGC/FAC I've found this to be a common requirement, even though it has nothing directly to do with safety.
8x57
Distinguished Member
I don't doubt that the references are genuine nor do I think that it was posted to disparage the French or for that matter any other country.
I think it was a very interesting article and certainly useful as a stimulus for debate. I suppose if someone took the trouble to list all the incidents that occur during shooting in this country over say 10 years we would all be surprised and perhaps a bit shocked until that is other information is supplied to put it all in perspective.
8x57
Distinguished Member
I've seen quite a few that have relied solely on trust with no one ever checking. Lack of insurance is probably the greater problem rather than lack of legal authority though on one fox shoot a few years back one of the shooters was quite open about the fact that he wouldn't be issued with a SGC ordinarily but that's another story.
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rick6point5
Well-Known Member
Well there is a great deal more shooting across France, Spain, Italy & other European countries than here, they have much more access to the countryside than we do as shooters, they don't really have the same ' he will steal my permission' worries, the result is many more shooters out at the same time, this will unfortunately increase the opportunity for accidents, its not scaremongering to have it reported or brought up in topic. From my limited experience shooting in these countries, although i have never been part of a paid hunt, which i imagine has more rules than going out with the locals on their yearly rampage.. whether is is fur or feather, i have always been asked for paperwork, always needed permits/insurance in 1 form or another and always received fantastic hospitality & exciting hunting, even if i did on occasion think....blimey that was close!
Pine Marten
Well-Known Member
I thought I may add a little detail to this. In 2012-13, there were 179 hunting accidents according the Office National des Forêts et de la Faune Sauvage, which was an increase from 143 the previous season, and the first increase for quite a few years. 21 of these accidents were fatal. Two of these fatalities were non-hunters. 86% of the accidents involve the participants. The split between accidents occurring on big game or small game shoots is about even, but on big game, it's noticeable that driven boar shooting accounts for 70% of accidents. A third of accidents involve hunters hurting themselves...
Finally, and here's a launchpad for discussion, hunters aged under 40 and who have therefore all had to undergo practical training as well as the theory test before being awarded their licence account for considerably fewer accidents than older ones. So in France, mandatory training results in a safer shooting field for all involved.
Oncfs - Bilan des accidents de chasse 2012-2013
Finally, and here's a launchpad for discussion, hunters aged under 40 and who have therefore all had to undergo practical training as well as the theory test before being awarded their licence account for considerably fewer accidents than older ones. So in France, mandatory training results in a safer shooting field for all involved.
Oncfs - Bilan des accidents de chasse 2012-2013
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