Number of wild boars killed by hunters in France 1973-2019

The number of wild boars killed by hunters in France has been growing steadily since the 1970s, going from 35.8 thousand in 1973 to over 800 thousand in 2019.

Wild Boar overpopulation

In the 1960s, the staple of hunting was small game preys. However, as their number collapsed, hunters had to turn to big game preys, such as wild boar. To maintain and increase the populations, hunters sometimes spared big female wild boars, as they reproduce more successfully.
Nonetheless, other factors have helped to (over)develop the wild boar population in France. The development of intensive agriculture with large fields of corn and other large crops provides food and hiding places for the pigs. Additionally, the agricultural decline and urban exodus have opened up new spaces for them. More recently, climate change, by promoting the production of fruit (acorns, chestnuts), has further multiplied their resources. Overall, over half of French people agree that hunters are useful to limit the proliferation of these animals.

Hunting in France: mixed feelings

In France, hunting is an activity enjoyed by a minority of the population. On the other hand, a majority holds rather unfavorable views towards this activity. This could be explained by the fact that many French people report feeling uninformed on the matter.
Safety is also a polarizing issue. Indeed, French people have declared feeling increasingly unsafe while in nature during the hunting season over the past decade. While the number of hunting accidents has generally decreased in France, and most victims of such accidents are hunters, 14 civilians were injured, and one killed, during the 2019-2020 hunting season.