The Government is debating a bill which will close public wild areas to all but licensed hunters at certain points in the year.
The idea is that whenever the fancy takes the local hunters, they can whistle up the Guardia, put up a couple of signs, and should some poor fool walking his dog enter the forbidden area from the side not signposted and be shot in the head, it’s his fault.
The bill would be for large sport only, since the government reckons snipe hunting isn’t as dangerous. But when you’re blazing away at a wild boar, anyone with 300 metres could be torn to pieces by the shooting.
Here’s a fun graph courtesy of El Pais showing the main causes of deaths in the wilds of Spain:
Wild hunting was worth just over 1000 million to the Spanish economy last year, according to the hunters federation. 26.7 million small game were shot, and 411.649 large animals.
Sporting federations have already warned they consider the bill to be unconstitutional (art 45 says you’re allowed to enjoy the wilds of Spain unimpeded) and will appeal in the courts if it goes ahead.
[Adsense-C]