Acquittal of poachers in the Cher region: One Voice appeals

A procedural irregularity… and immunity for poachers?

When it comes to finding the cruellest methods of killing animals, hunters are well versed in the practice and will use any means necessary to innovate. Pursued by 4x4s, deer and wild boars have endured years of hell at night in the heart of the Sologne forest. The lengthy investigation by the OFB revealed paths destroyed by the night-time outings of the six poachers between 2023 and 2025… Massacres orchestrated at full speed for “ever stronger sensations”.

Because hunting is a closed environment where the code of silence reigns, convictions for poaching are rare. We therefore expected an exemplary punishment for these acts of unspeakable gravity and cruelty. To everyone’s surprise, the entire proceedings were dismissed by the judges on procedural grounds, as the French Office for Biodiversity had identified the six hunters using cameras installed without the authorisation of a magistrate. The six men were released… and their guns were even returned to them.

We will meet these poachers again in the Court of Appeal!

This is a dramatic outcome and yet another example of the glaring lack of resources and training available to these officers. They are targeted by many elected officials who want to reduce their resources and disarm them, while at the same time they are responsible for monitoring hunters who are over-equipped and armed with a veritable arsenal of weapons.

To ensure that the deer, sows and their piglets who were victims of this crime are not forgotten, One Voice is appealing to the Court of Appeal in Bourges, following the prosecutor’s appeal. These acts must not go unpunished. While we wait for justice to be done, sign our petition for a radical reform on hunting!