Athletes stress wildly
In addition, the lockdown is currently driving a particularly large number of walkers and recreational athletes into nature and thus into the wildlife habitat. They scare away the highly sensitive red deer, roe deer or wild boar from the feeding grounds. This increases the mortality of the game. On the one hand, the animals have less food and, on the other hand, they have to exert more effort to escape in the meter-high snow. Totally drained from this hunt, the wild mortality increases.
In addition, the hunters get into trouble. In the affected areas, the hunters can hardly keep up with the shooting plans. The COURIER reported.
Virtual crisis summit
Another problem: recreational athletes who criss-cross the terrain cause massive damage to young tree crops. A virtual summit on Wednesday in Carinthia also dealt with this topic. Alpine associations, hunters, mountain rescue services and mountain guides, tourism and the Chamber of Agriculture advised at the invitation of VP Provincial Councilor Martin Gruber how to unite the interests of wild animals and sportsmen and women.
“It was a step in the right direction. Everyone should now have an educational effect on their clientele, ”reports Mario Deutschmann, Administrative Director of the Carinthian Hunters’ Association. Above all, the Weidmänner want the possibility of unbureaucratic winter closures. “There should be a route command. Anyone who drives cross-country will be punished, “explains Deutschmann.
More powers for mountain rescue?
“In a first step, more information is required, and in the second, a platform needs to be set up, such as an app, where athletes can obtain information,” explains Regional Councilor Gruber. Enlightenment with information brochures is already being used in Mallnitz in the Carinthian Mölltal. The folders contain the following sentence, which illustrates the excesses of the run up the mountains: “Please do not chase any wild animals on your skis in order to film them for social media, the animals do not care about the many ‘likes”. “So far did not have the desired effect. “Apparently only rigorous punishments help,” says one hunter.
These would be possible according to the Forest Act. For Provincial Councilor Gruber, an increased use of the Carinthian Mountain Rescue for control in this area would be conceivable.
Much debate is likely to take place until the end of winter. And Hirsch “Ernstl” will probably remain a permanent guest in the Astner family’s barn.
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