Rumbling in the Zillertal

After a fatal miss: comeback as gamekeeper

After a temporary "time-out", a supervisory role in the Tyrolean Zillertal has been returned to a hunter who accidentally shot a dog instead of a fox. Critics are up in arms, the district master hunter defends the decision.

It is an indictment of the Tyrolean hunting community if a man who "without seeing what he was shooting at" had killed a dog for his own supervision. The "buck stops here", according to a letter obtained by "Krone". The case damages the reputation of hunting.

A night-time shot ended the life of "Cami " 
A look back: The family dog "Cami" escaped from his owner in January 2022 during a midnight walk in the rear Zillertal valley - lured by dog food from the local gamekeeper. He was sitting at the window of his house and shot at the supposed fox from 27 meters. The border collie, which was hit in the stomach instead, dragged itself home and then died.

Two months later, the hunter sat contrite before the regional court. His function as a gamekeeper, as a link between hunters and the authorities and responsible for coordinating shooting in several hunting grounds, was suspended.

"Yes, it was a case of mistaken identity," the defendant claimed, to which the judge replied: "Have you ever seen a fox that big?" "The animal had sunk into the snow, its size was not easily recognizable," explained the man from Zillertal. Conclusion: cruelty to animals, 10,000 euro fine. The appeal was immediately lodged with the Higher Regional Court and the verdict was overturned: no wantonness, acquittal!

A one-off mistake should not be a permanent brand.

Otto Weindl, Bezirksjägermeister Schwaz

"One-off mistake, acted correctly in an honorary position"
The gamekeeper was allowed to return to his position at the beginning of April. "I'm happy because it's hard to find someone else, I put him forward to the authorities," confirms Schwaz district master hunter Otto Weindl. The reasons for this are the acquittal and the fact that the gamekeeper had previously always acted impeccably in his unpaid voluntary position. "A one-off mistake should not be a permanent brand," explains Weindl.