ARCHIVED - Murcia authorises wild boar hunting with night vision to control rising populations

The Regional Government has declared a ‘temporary hunting emergency’ in Murcia due to rising wild boar numbers

1. Hunting with firearms or bows in hunting grounds, with authorisation from landowners;
2. Hunting with firearms or bows on non-game lands, in which the owner or licensee of the land has suffered damage due to wild boar. A request must be made by e-mail to the Hunting Society of the municipality seven days in advance. The hunters designated by the Hunting Society will have a period of five days to inform the owner/licensee when they are going to carry out control measures so that they can coordinate the hunt and reduce the risk of an accident;
3. Stalking boar with no time limit, in collaboration with the hunting societies of the municipality and the owners of the reserves, with prior authorisation from the Directorate General for the Natural Environment, which will determine the measures to be taken. This practice may only be authorised in affected areas where other measures are not sufficient;
4. Live capture in security zones using trap cages in hunting grounds and non-game grounds with authorisation from the hunting/land owner. Under no circumstances may firearms be used and only exceptionally, with the authorisation of the competent directorate for hunting and river fishing, may archery be used;
5. Live capture and slaughter in situ on non-game land, by means of trap boxes, placed by authorised companies, and capture sites.