Walkers in Großefehn: Shotgun pellets hit bystanders while hunting!

Walkers in Großefehn: Shotgun pellets hit bystanders while hunting!

Last Saturday, November 25, 2025, two unpleasant incidents were reported in Großefehn, Aurich district, while a hunt was taking place. A 42-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man were hit by shotgun shells and did not need to be hospitalized. The hunter who fired the shot, a 40-year-old, is now facing investigations for negligent bodily harm. The investigation was initiated due to the serious consequences that such hunting accidents can have, as reported by NDR.

Appropriately, it turned out that the first version of the article accidentally mentioned dangerous bodily harm, which has now been corrected. Such misunderstandings can easily happen in the hustle and bustle of a hunting event, and they highlight the risks associated with hunting.

Frequent hunting accidents and their consequences

Unfortunately, hunting accidents are not uncommon. According to the Abolition of Hunting, numerous incidents have recently been documented, ranging from serious injuries to deaths. For example, on November 17th in the Czech Republic, a 67-year-old hunter was shot in the head by a colleague. These types of incidents raise questions about safety and responsibility when hunting.

In addition, there have been several serious hunting accidents in Germany and Austria in recent months. To get a feel for the scope, here are some examples from the recent past:

• 16.11.2025: Eine 34-jährige Frau wurde schwer verletzt, als ein angeschossenes Wildschwein sie bei einer Drückjagd attackierte.
• 26.10.2025: Ein 67-jähriger Jagdkollege wurde von einem 62-jährigen Hobbyjäger schwer verletzt.
• 18.10.2025: Ein 16-jähriger Treiber wurde bei einer Treibjagd in Klagenfurt-Land weithin schwer verletzt.

All of these incidents highlight the risks of hunting and the need for careful safety precautions. The Hunting Association has also documented the dark side of hunting. Around 384,500 hunters in Germany own legal weapons, and the numbers show that the number of hunting accidents is by no means decreasing.

Keep an eye on the wolves and other problems

Another point that contributes to the discussion about hunting is the wolf population in Lower Saxony, which is now classified as favorable. While many are happy about the return of wolves, there are also concerns about the shooting of deer and the control of other wild animals such as nutria to protect dikes. This raises questions about the balance in nature and the role of humans.

Overall, it is to be hoped that the incidents in Großefehn and the numerous other hunting accidents will encourage the responsible authorities and the public to critically question hunting practices in Germany. Because safety should come first when it comes to hunting.