Trentino permits bow hunting to curb wild boar surge

The autonomous province of Trentino in northern Italy will, starting in 2027, allow a pilot programme authorising the hunt of wild boar with bow and arrow. Officials argue that the silent method is less disruptive to other wildlife and can help reduce the estimated 1.5‑2.3 million boar population that is causing up to €20 million in annual agricultural damage and additional costs from traffic accidents and protective measures.

Hunters must complete a specialised training course and obtain a permit to use bows within a maximum range of about 25‑50 metres. Proponents describe the approach as “wild‑management” aimed at keeping boar numbers at an acceptable level, echoing similar practices already permitted in Lombardy, Veneto and other European regions. Animal‑rights groups, however, warn that arrow shots may wound rather than instantly kill the animals, creating prolonged suffering, and they raise safety concerns for hikers and residents.

The measure follows broader national efforts to increase annual boar culls to 300‑400 thousand, a response to the species’ rapid expansion across Italy’s agricultural heartlands.