France in Focus

Is anyone upto date with the hunting rules, especially pigeon shooting? Some guy has just built a hide about 200m down the hill from us, it is 150m from the nearest habitation, but in practically every direction they will be shooting over a road, admittedly not very busy, but a reasonable amount of local trafic, to and from two hamlets, its not as if to my knowledge anyone from either hamlet hunt.

I know I am in France and unfortunately hunting is still a big thing, deer and sanglier ok, but trying to shoot as many pigeons out of the sky as possible then taking a couple home, I do object to, all the time during the pigeon shooting season we see pigeons with broken or damaged wings wandering about.

In our comune we are not supposed to use chainsaws or other noisy equipment on sundays or fete days, but we are supposed to put up with idiots shooting from first thing in the morning. And I also realy object to hunting being allowed on 11th November, I think that is totally disrespectful.

Anyway my apologies, a question has turned into a rant.
Dave

I am fairly sure that shooting over a public road is forbidden. Shooting from a public road is not, as long as you shoot away and conform to all the other rules - closeness to habitations etc.

Our very steep environment means that hunts often congregate at the downside edge of roads, while beaters struggle up the slopes below.

From what you have written, I think a quiet word in the ear of the local president of the hunt might be in order. The Mairie can probably advise on who to contact.

The minimum legal distance that must be observed when using a firearm whilst hunting is set at 150 metres from dwellings, buildings and outbuildings.

Direction of fire: it is strictly forbidden to fire in the direction of dwellings, roads or paths within firing range, regardless of the exact distance from the point of fire.

Local regulations: for operations involving the culling or control of pigeons (whether considered a nuisance or in urban areas), specific prefectural or municipal by-laws may apply, restricting or regulating such culling near residential areas. Authorised hunting of wood pigeons is governed by a prefectural order in each department and only permitted during the periods specified by the regulations.

More detailed information, in French.

exile wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2026 5:53 pm I am fairly sure that shooting over a public road is forbidden. Shooting from a public road is not, as long as you shoot away and conform to all the other rules - closeness to habitations etc.

Our very steep environment means that hunts often congregate at the downside edge of roads, while beaters struggle up the slopes below.

From what you have written, I think a quiet word in the ear of the local president of the hunt might be in order. The Mairie can probably advise on who to contact.

i dont know what the hunt is like now, but 15 years ago, if you did that, you would suddenly discover things like screws mysteriously resting up against the tread of your tyres etc.

Not round here. The president takes his responsibilities very seriously and in return, I take their enshrined rights seriously.

Always was a country boy at heart, even if I never took part.

As I say a quiet word and no threat of escalation. You may not be aware but....

The purple blob is where they have built a tower, right by a juction, the ground is about 3 meters above the road, plus the height of the tower, but even then I cant believe it within regs.



Just for scale the house in the top middle is just over 150m away