The focus: a defense against prejudices according to tragedy

The focus: a defense against prejudices according to tragedy

Salzkammergut. The shock sits deeply after a tragic double murder and suicide of a hunter in the Rohrbach district rehearses the hunters. District hunter Johann Enichlmair from Gmunden and his colleague Anton Helmberger from Vöcklabruck defend the work of the hunters in a recent interview and emphasize that the vast majority act responsibly.

Enichlmair, who has been in office since 2013 and represents almost 1,800 hunters, emphasizes that hunting is not just a leisure experience. "It is a legal mandate that bears the load on land and forestry. We live in a cultural landscape in which people are increasingly intervening. It is crucial to maintain a healthy game in order to keep the forest that protects us from natural hazards," he explains.

The misunderstandings related to hunting

False information is often circulating about hunting in society. "Many believe that we only feed wild animals so that we can shoot them down. This is completely wrong. They are fed to get over the winter because people have displaced them from their natural habitats," said Enichlmair. The district hunter is of the opinion that not only hunting itself, but also the way, as reported, contributes to a bad reputation of the hunters.

Helmberger agrees and explains that the hunters do not do any healthy public relations. "The depth of the information is often inadequate, which leads to prejudices and misunderstandings. Hunting is a complex topic and cannot simply be explained," he says. In addition, the weapon that hunters use is constantly considered negatively. "It is important to see the weapon as a tool for keeping the wild population and not as a symbol of aggression," he adds.

Both district hunters emphasize that most hunters act responsibly. "If the hunters were really shot, we could hardly find wild animals in the region," clarifies Enichlmair. Instead, the hunters target excess and weaker animals from the population to promote the healthy development of the game population.

focus on negative examples

Enichlmair criticizes the media reporting, which often focuses on negative examples. "If an incident happens like the double murder, the whole group of hunters is immediately convicted. The term" amok hunter "only creates negative emotions and does not affect the reality of the multitude of responsible hunters," he explains. It is unfair to project the behavior of an individual onto the entire hunting company.

For the specific case of the perpetrator Roland Drexler, Enichlmair says: "This was a single offender. Such acts have no longer occurred in Upper Austria. Drexler was someone that we cannot tolerate in our ranks. His behavior led to the escalation of the situation." Helmberger agrees to the assessment and explains that the case is processed internally to draw teaching from it.

Despite the challenges that she is currently standing, the hunters are firmly together and remains committed to reform and education. "We have to improve our image and make it clear to the public that hunting is important for the balance in nature," concludes Enichlmair. Information about hunting practices and their importance could help to reduce the prejudices against hunters. For a detailed view of this topic, more information can be found in an article on www.tips.at .