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HUNTING

Swiss hunting season claims human lives

The opening of the Swiss hunting season has proved fatal for more than just the prey, with several hunters losing their lives in accidents over the past few days.

Swiss hunting season claims human lives
The hunting season started ten days ago. File photo: Umberto Nicoletti

On Monday morning shortly after 9am the body of a 52-year-old hunter was found in Sumvitgerrhein in the canton of Graubünden, cantonal police said. He had been reported missing after failing to return home after his hunting trip.

And on Tuesday a 62-year-old hunter was found dead  by rescue workers in the Crasteira region of Graubünden. He is thought to have fallen down a steep slope while trying to carry his kill – a chamois – back down to the valley, police said in a statement.

The hunting season, which only opened on September 19th, had already claimed the life of a 64-year-old hunter who lost his life near Bex in the canton of Vaud on the opening day after slipping and falling down a ravine, police said.

Hunters in the Graubünden have been granted permission to kill more deer than ever this year in an attempt by the cantonal authorities to control the deer population, which has grown over the past year.

According to Swiss hunting organization JagdSchweiz there are 30,000 active hunters in Switzerland.

Several lose their lives in accidents every season.

In 2012 a 60-year-old was shot by hunters in the canton of Fribourg after they mistook him for a wild boar. He was in fact picking cannabis leaves.

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