Swiss hunting laws: Tradition vs. animal welfare in Zug

Zug's hunting traditions clash with modern wildlife ethics in Switzerland

The canton of Zug maintains a mix of old traditions and modern wildlife management. Since 1993, hares have been protected from hunting to help their numbers recover. Yet other practices, like the use of shotguns in roe deer hunts, have drawn criticism from animal welfare groups. Hunting in Zug follows long-standing customs, particularly the laute Jagd—a method where packs of hounds drive roe deer toward amateur hunters armed with shotguns. This approach is defended as cultural heritage rather than a practical need. The canton itself reports no major issues with wildlife damage or overpopulation that couldn’t be handled by professional rangers.

Quotas for roe deer are set each year by the Cantonal Office for Forests and Wildlife. Officials rely on spring population counts, summer estimates, and records of roadkill and natural deaths. Despite this structured system, Swiss Animal Protection has called for a ban on shotgun use, arguing that pellets often wound rather than kill cleanly. A Danish study supports these concerns, revealing that about 25 percent of examined foxes carried pellet fragments from previous encounters. Beyond deer, hunters in Zug can target waterfowl from October to January. Permitted species include mallards, red-crested pochards, and Egyptian geese. Those seeking a hunting licence must complete 18 months of training, covering wildlife biology, firearms safety, and the handling of hunting dogs. Despite Zug’s status as one of Switzerland’s most urban and affluent areas, its hunting culture mirrors that of rural Alpine regions. The blend of tradition and regulation continues to shape how wildlife is managed.

Zug’s approach to hunting balances conservation goals with cultural practices. While hare hunting remains banned to aid recovery, other methods—like the laute Jagd—persist despite concerns over animal welfare. The canton’s system, with its quotas and training requirements, reflects both local heritage and ongoing debates over ethical hunting.