Hunting/wildlife

The hunting season started late September, and I hear a few shots several times a week, so know that the chasseurs are out there.

I asked one of the neighbours whether it was safe to walk when they are hunting, and she replied that they haven't managed to ban us from walking, but to turn back if you hear the guns; the huntsmen are so intent on the chasse that they will fire on anything that moves!

Thankfully, I've not heard any guns whilst I've been on a walk!

But I did surprise a couple of deer - they bounded off into the wood before I could get close enough to take a photo (from experience, I know my camera's zoom won't make it that far).

They were lucky I wasn't after venison!

We see (what seems to someone used to England) a lot of wildlife round here: red and roe deer, herons, buzzards, other birds of prey (I'm no good at telling them apart - just know that they are incredibly noisy to have round the garden!).

I wonder whether that's because they are so keen on hunting in France that they make proper efforts to preserve wildlife habitat?

Being vegetarian, perhaps I should be against hunting? But I'm not, as long as it is people killing animals that they intend to eat, and killing them cleanly.

Let's not get into why I find it disturbing that some people enjoy the sight of a living animal being ripped apart for fun...!