Fauna Act (LFaune) - Purpose (LFAUNE)

1. This law aims to define the planning measures necessary to ensure the prosperity and diversity of native wildlife and to guarantee the balance between animal species and their environment.

1. By indigenous fauna, it is meant animal species living or having lived in the wild in the Canton of Vaud, as well as species that would naturally appear there or that would be introduced in accordance with Article 11 of this law.

2. By game, it is meant animals whose hunting is permitted.

1. The provisions of this law apply to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.

2. The specific provisions of the legislation on fishing [E] and those of inter-cantonal concordats [F] are reserved.

1. The management of wildlife and hunting within the canton's territory is governed by

a. federal laws on the protection of nature and landscape, on hunting and the protection of wild mammals and birds, as well as their implementing provisions;

b. intercantonal conventions provided for this purpose;

c. the present law and its implementing provisions [G].

1. The State Council is granted full powers to conclude agreements with neighboring cantons in order to harmonize regulations concerning wildlife conservation or hunting and to ensure cooperation in matters of guardianship.

2. Provisions that deviate from this law are submitted to the Grand Council.

1. The Council of State is responsible for taking all useful measures designed to achieve the purpose of the present law.

2. These measures shall notably aim to

a. the conservation of wildlife;

b. the conservation of habitats favourable to wildlife;

c. the maintenance of the balance between the various species;

d. the hunting of various species with a view to achieving this balance;

e. the encouragement of knowledge of wildlife and natural balances, and of a sound hunting ethic.

3. The Council of State designates the department (hereinafter: the department) and the service (hereinafter: the service) [H] responsible for the application of legislation concerning wildlife [I].

1. For the purpose of study, research, and knowledge of wildlife, including its biotopes and diseases, the service may take necessary measures, in particular to observe, record, and monitor the evolution of species.

2. To this end, it may use, among other things, imaging equipment and photographic traps.

3. The service ensures that, as far as possible, no personal data as defined in the data protection law is processed.

4. If personal data should potentially or accidentally be processed within the framework of the tasks provided for in this article, the service is authorized to process such data to the necessary extent. Data protection provisions apply, particularly those related to the duty to inform.

5. In the event of personal data processing, the service shall proceed to erase such data, if necessary by blurring or any other anonymization process, within 7 days from viewing.

6. The Council of State sets the implementing provisions, notably regarding access rights and the technical and organizational security measures intended to prevent data processing by an unauthorized third party.

7. The use of photographic traps is subject to authorization by the service.

1. The Council of State shall take the necessary measures to ensure the optimal development and tranquility of the indigenous fauna, taking into account local conditions.

1. After consulting the relevant parties, the Council of State may limit or regulate the use of devices or equipment likely to compromise the existence of wildlife.

2. The department may require the adaptation of certain installations.

1. Where it deems appropriate, the Council of State establishes reserves providing full or partial protection of wildlife.

2. It enacts specific provisions concerning these reserves [J].

1. The Council of State may repopulate endangered animal populations, provided that sufficient habitats in surface area and number exist, that the living conditions of the species appear to be ensured, and that other means do not allow for its conservation.

2. The department sets the conditions for releases, notably their significance, timing, and location, as well as the protective measures for the species concerned.

1. Any introduction of a wild animal species into the canton for the purpose of its release is subject to the approval of the Council of State.

1. The Wildlife Conservation Fund, recorded on the State balance sheet, is allocated to the financing of

a. measures for the protection, conservation, and management of animal species, including services provided by care centers for threatened or potentially threatened animal species;

b. services aimed at protecting, restoring, and networking natural habitats;

c. research, data collection, and biological data monitoring work;

d. measures aimed at training and raising public awareness.

2. The Wildlife Conservation Fund is notably financed by

a. an annual appropriation provided for in the State budget;

b. the amount of surcharges provided for in Article 38 of this law;

c. the proceeds from examination fees;

d. the proceeds from the sale of killed animals sold by the State;

e. the proceeds from fines and regulatory fines for infringements of this law and federal law;

f. the damages provided for in Article 81 of this law;

g. amounts resulting from program agreements concluded with the Confederation;

h. any other extraordinary payment.

3. The State Council shall determine the powers to decide on the financing of an operation.

1. The breeding of native wild species is prohibited.

2. However, the department may authorize breeding, under the conditions it sets

a. when it is intended for repopulation within the canton;

b. when it constitutes the most rational use of an agricultural plot and provided that the bred species is considered game;

c. when it concerns birds born in captivity.

1. For scientific, educational, or hygiene or management reasons, the department may authorize qualified individuals to capture, keep in captivity, or kill animals of any species. It shall set the conditions of authorization in each case.

1. The department issues permits for bird and mammal tagging campaigns.

2. It sets the conditions for these operations and the information that must be provided.

1. In all cases provided for in Articles 14 to 16, the provisions of the legislation on animal protection [K] are reserved.

1. Anyone who unlawfully or inadvertently injures or kills game or a protected mammal or bird, or who collects such a dead animal or a part thereof, is required to report it or bring it to the nearest gendarmerie or police station, or to a permanent officer, and to comply with the department's regulations.

1. Any person wishing to naturalize or have a protected animal naturalized must report it to the service.

2. The collection of eggs is prohibited.

3. The service may grant exemptions for scientific study purposes.

1. It is prohibited to allow dogs to roam.

2. The department takes measures against these animals when they pose a threat to wildlife.

1. The State Council takes all necessary measures to maintain the habitats specific to various indigenous species, notably through the conservation of a sufficient number of hedgerows, coppices, bushes, green belts, clearings, marshy areas, and reed beds.

2. It also encourages the creation of habitats.

1. Any damage to an environment that risks harming the local wildlife must be authorized by the relevant authority, which in each case determines the precautionary measures to be taken.

**1. The State may acquire or lease real estate to preserve a biotope, to create new ones, or to ensure the feeding of wildlife. If justified by the public interest, the State may proceed by way of expropriation.**

1. The balance of wildlife must be ensured

a. by the protection of rare species;

b. by maintaining predators in suitable proportion;

c. by the shooting plan established according to animal populations and executed by means of appropriate hunting.

1. All animals that do not belong to a species that may be hunted, captured, or destroyed are protected.

1. The Council of State defines the general wildlife management measures; it specifically establishes the principles for the execution of the hunting plan.

2. In general, it exercises all the powers conferred upon the canton by the Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds [C] (hereinafter referred to as: Federal Hunting Act), unless the present law designates another body.

1. The department determines the duration of the hunting season and establishes the periods, areas, and conditions for hunting different species of game.

2. It may prohibit, suspend, or terminate hunting at any time if atmospheric conditions or extraordinary circumstances require it.

1. Throughout the entire territory of the canton, the right to hunt belongs to the State, which grants the exercise thereof in the forms provided by this law.

1. The hunting regime in the Canton of Vaud is that of hunting by permit.

1. No one may hunt or take an active part in hunting without holding a permit.

2. The Council of State determines the different categories of permits and the procedures for their issuance [G].

3. The department sets the price of the permits.

1. Any person wishing to obtain a hunting permit must

a. be in possession of their civil rights;

b. not be dependent on public assistance;

c. not be the debtor of an overdue public law claim;

d. not be in bankruptcy or subject to a certificate of unpaid debt;

e. not be subject to a hunting ban by virtue of a decision taken by a Swiss judicial or administrative authority;

f. be covered by civil liability insurance for any damage resulting from the exercise of hunting;

g. have successfully passed the hunting examination or obtained a hunting permit in the canton;

h. have successfully passed the last periodic shooting test.

2. A hunting permit without the right to bear arms may be issued to anyone who meets all the conditions mentioned above, with the exception of letter h).

1. The State Council regulates the examination for obtaining the hunting license and the periodic shooting tests provided for in Article 31, letters g) and h).

2. It sets the fees to be collected.

3. Agreements with other cantons concerning reciprocity in matters of hunting examinations and exceptional cases are reserved.

1. The law on administrative procedure applies to decisions made regarding hunting examinations, as well as to appeals against said decisions.

1. The permit shall be refused or withdrawn from anyone who is subject to a judicial or administrative hunting ban.

2. At any time, the department may prohibit hunting for anyone who

a. ceases to meet the conditions provided for in Article 31;

b. could, due to their physical or mental state, endanger the life or property of others;

c. is subject to criminal prosecution for an infringement of hunting legislation [L], provided that the infringement could justify a judicial withdrawal of the hunting authorization;

d. has caused a hunting accident, endangered the life or property of others, handled a firearm or shot without taking essential precautions, or has not unloaded their weapon outside of hunting activity;

e. has resisted or assaulted a wildlife officer;

f. has contravened the implementing provisions of Articles 47 and 48;

g. has abandoned dead game or an involuntarily killed protected animal;

h. has behaved contrary to the rules of hunting ethics or inappropriately towards third parties while hunting;

i. has been convicted of an intentional offence or three times within the last five years for a negligent offence against wildlife or animal protection legislation [K];

j. has intentionally contravened the provisions limiting game shooting;

k. has not returned the hunting statistics sheet for the previous year or has not completed it accurately;

l. has fraudulently obtained a permit within the previous five years while not meeting the conditions set out in Article 31;

m. has had their hunting authorization refused or withdrawn in their canton of domicile.

3. The ban shall be for a minimum of three years if the offender has already been prohibited from hunting for a similar reason within the preceding five years. It shall be for ten years in cases of intentional endangerment of the life of others.

4. Wildlife officers may immediately withdraw the permit

1. from those caught in flagrante delicto;

2. if it is to prevent recidivism, in the cases mentioned in the second paragraph.

5. They must inform the department, which shall confirm the withdrawal measure or return the permit.

6. In minor cases, the department shall issue warnings.

1. The Department may make the issuance of the permit conditional upon passing a new examination when the applicant

a. has had authorization to hunt refused or withdrawn by a judicial or administrative authority;

b. does not possess or no longer possesses sufficient knowledge for the practice of hunting.

1. Exceptionally, the department may refund all or part of the permit fee, when equity demands it, particularly if the permit was returned before the opening of the hunting season.

1. The permit is personal and non-transferable. It is valid during the hunting season for which it was issued.

2. The hunting season begins on August 1st and ends on July 31st of the following year.

1. Persons who are not domiciled or who have been domiciled for less than one year in the canton are required to pay, in addition to the price of the permit, a surcharge in favor of wildlife preservation, the amount of which is determined by the Council of State [G].

1. **Any person participating in a pursuit or maneuver aimed at capturing or killing one of the animals listed in Article 2 of the Federal Hunting Act [C] is deemed to be actively participating in hunting and is subject to the provisions of this Act.**

2. **Those who track and drive wild animals, those who release or support dogs, and those who participate in a "drive hunt" are notably considered to be hunting, even if they are not armed.**

3. **The provision of the first paragraph applies by analogy to persons who capture or kill other species of animals whose capture is regulated or who are subject to legal protection.**

1. Any permit holder may enter another person's land to hunt.

1. All hunting is prohibited

a. in free districts;

b. in hunting reserves and other locations designated by the Council of State [J];

c. within 200 meters of occupied dwellings;

d. in ports, on quays, landing stages, and piers serving a public utility;

e. on lakes within 200 meters of occupied dwellings and locations mentioned under letter d);

f. in cemeteries;

g. without the owner's consent in market gardens, gardens, nurseries, orchards, and ornamental parks;

h. in vineyards until the end of the harvest;

i. in areas placed under ban due to epidemic or epizootic disease.

2. Trapping operations in or near dwellings are restricted.

3. The department may also authorize hunting periodically or occasionally in the locations mentioned in letters a), b), and c) above, in cases of overpopulation, risk of epizootic disease, or serious damage caused by game.

1. Every hunter must be able to present at any time to a wildlife police officer the permit, the weapon control card, the shooting certificate for the weapon used, and the documents allowing for the control of the game killed, including control tags.

2. He is also required to present his permit to another hunter who requests it.

1. The Council of State may limit the number of participants in a hunting group.

2. ...

1. It is prohibited for a person who has been deprived of the right to hunt as a result of a judicial or administrative decision to accompany a hunter.

2. It is also prohibited for a hunter to be accompanied by such a person.

1. The use of any vehicle, whether in motion or stationary, is prohibited in the conduct of hunting.

2. The provisions enacted by the Council of State regarding hunting from a boat remain reserved.

1. The Council of State may make any provisions prohibiting or limiting motor vehicles on access roads to hunting territories.

1. The Council of State establishes the types of trapping devices, weapons, calibers, ammunition, and accessories that are authorized, as well as their methods of use.

1. Only firearms whose technical system and structure comply with federal and cantonal [M] regulations and which have been declared suitable for hunting during a weapons inspection are permitted for use in hunting.

2. The State Council establishes the procedures for inspection and the fees to be charged.

1. Before shooting, the hunter must accurately identify the targeted animal and ensure that the shot does not endanger others or cause damage to property, either directly or by ricochet.

2. Outside the act of hunting, any weapon must be unloaded.

1. The shooting of game must be conducted at an adequate distance, with appropriate projectiles, and with the aim of ensuring the animal's death occurs without delay.

2. The State Council establishes the maximum shooting distances and enacts provisions regarding the search for injured game.

1. The use of artificial means intended to dislodge or attract game is prohibited. The Council of State may provide special provisions for certain types of game.

2. Baits intended for trapping are reserved.

1. It is prohibited to abandon dead game.

2. The hunter must take all necessary care in the transport of the game killed.

1. The Council of State sets the days and hours during which hunting is authorized [G].

1. The Council of State determines the types of dogs that may be used for hunting and sets out the general requirements regarding their usage [G].

2. The department may impose or limit the use of certain dogs for specific periods or specific hunts.

1. The department may restrict or prohibit the sale of game.

1. Every hunter is required to accurately complete the hunting log, the statistical sheet, and any other forms provided to them. They must return them to the department within the deadlines set by the department.

2. The individual information provided is confidential.

1. The State may grant subsidies within the framework of the objectives set forth in Article 6 of this law.

2. The service ensures coordination with the subsidies granted based on special legislation, particularly in the fields of agriculture, forestry, nature protection, and water revitalization.

1. Grants are awarded by the department.

2. Grants may be allocated to legal entities of public or private law or to natural persons.

3. This law does not confer any right to the awarding of a grant.

1. The service links the granting of subsidies to the following conditions

a. applications must meet cantonal priorities in terms of species conservation and management and their biotopes or fall within the objectives of the program agreements concluded with the Confederation;

b. measures are ordered by the service and implemented economically and efficiently by qualified personnel;

c. the implementation of the measures guarantees the preservation of biodiversity, the conservation of species and biotopes, as well as the protection of endangered animal and plant species.

2. The beneficiary must undertake to carry out the measures within the time limits set.

3. The service may make the granting of a subsidy subject to specific charges and conditions necessary for the proper execution of the subsidized activity.

4. The recipient of cantonal subsidies equal to or exceeding CHF 100,000.- is required to submit their accounts to a limited audit by a revision body in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Obligations [N].

5. Non-observance of the conditions set entails the obligation for the beneficiary to reimburse all or part of the subsidies received.

1. Subject to good faith, the granting authority may withdraw or reduce the subsidy when the priorities or objectives defined in Article 56c, letter a) are modified.

2. Failure to comply with the conditions set at the time of the grant of the subsidy entails the obligation for the beneficiary to reimburse all or part of the subsidies received.

1. The subsidy is granted according to a flat-rate scheme or as a percentage of actual costs.

2. The flat rates and maximum subsidy rates, as well as the criteria for determining the amount of the subsidy, are specified by departmental guidelines.

1. The department is responsible for the control and monitoring of subsidies, including the approval of financial statements.

2. It requests from the beneficiary the necessary or useful information and documents, in order to, in particular

a. verify the use of the subsidy;

b. ensure compliance with the obligations and conditions;

c. identify financial risks for the State, and where appropriate, implement a risk management procedure.

3. Beneficiaries of cantonal subsidies equal to or greater than CHF 100,000.- shall provide information based on the financial reporting form. The department issues directives relating to the financial reporting form.

1. Within the limits of the Wildlife Conservation Fund and the Wildlife Damage Prevention and Compensation Fund, the State encourages measures aimed at

a. the protection, conservation, and management of animal species, as well as the protection, maintenance, and development of favorable biotopes;

b. the research, collection, and monitoring of biological data;

c. the education and public awareness relating to animal species and their biotopes;

d. the prevention of damage caused by wildlife.

1. Regarding the protection, conservation, and management of animal species and their biotopes, the State may subsidize

a. measures aimed at safeguarding protected or priority animal species according to the lists of the Confederation or the canton;

b. the establishment of action plans for protected or priority animal species according to the lists of the Confederation or the canton, or management plans;

c. measures aimed at protecting or maintaining biotopes, as well as measures aimed at creating new natural habitats for wildlife;

d. the acquisition of land, if this measure proves necessary to implement the measures provided for in letters a), b), or c) of this paragraph.

2. Regarding research, data collection, and monitoring, the State may subsidize research on game and on protected or priority species according to the lists of the Confederation or the canton.

3. Regarding training and awareness, the State may subsidize

a. educational measures in favor of wildlife conservation and management;

b. the training of stakeholders, such as municipalities, businesses, institutions, associations, federations, or individuals involved in the conservation or management of species.

**1. Owners and titleholders are required, to the fullest extent possible, to take necessary, rational, and locally adapted preventive measures to protect crops and lands against damage that wildlife may cause to them.**

**2. Under the conditions set forth by Article 56j, the State grants subsidies charged to the Wildlife Damage Prevention and Compensation Fund to owners and titleholders who take preventive measures to protect crops, pastures, and meadows from damage caused by game.**

**3. The State may grant subsidies charged to the Wildlife Damage Prevention and Compensation Fund to owners and titleholders who take preventive measures to protect, in particular, forests and livestock.**

**4. The implementing regulation specifies the preventive measures that may be subsidized and the methods for determining the amount of subsidies for the acquisition of protection equipment, as well as for installation and maintenance costs.**

1. Based on the sustained presence of game, the department defines risk areas for damage it is likely to cause to crops, grasslands, and pastures. The department may redefine these areas at any time.

2. The subsidy for protective equipment is, in principle, only granted in risk areas and provided that the preventive measures are necessary, rational, and adapted to local conditions. When conditions warrant, the subsidy is granted to prevent damage caused by species other than game or for agricultural land located outside risk areas.

3. The subsidy for protective equipment is, in principle, not granted

a. when there is a significant risk that the protective measures induce damage to more vulnerable adjacent crops;

b. when the protective measures hinder important biological corridors and risk isolating animal populations, or when they significantly worsen the risk of collision between wildlife and road traffic.

1. In accordance with the rules prescribed by the Vaud Forest Law (LVLFo) [O], damages caused by game to forests are compensated within the limits set by Article 56l of this law, without the necessity to take preventive measures to protect the trees. However, preventive measures may be required in an area where damages have already resulted in compensation.

2. The subsidy is granted only to prevent damage to young stands or stands undergoing rejuvenation.

3. When subsidies for forest protection can be granted under other legislations, the allocation of subsidies based on Articles 56i to 56k of this law can only be complementary.

1. The Fund for the Prevention and Compensation of Damage Caused by Wildlife shall compensate, subject to the restrictions provided for in paragraph 2 of this article and Article 56m of this law

1. damage caused to crops by game and beaver;

2. damage caused to forests by deer, roe deer, chamois, and beaver;

3. damage caused to pastures and meadows by deer, roe deer, chamois, ibex, and wild boar;

4. damage caused to livestock and equidae by large predators.

2. The following shall not be compensated, in particular

1. damage caused by other animals;

2. damage caused by animals against which individual measures can be taken under Article 58; damage caused to crops by badgers and martens is reserved;

3. damage caused to equipment and real estate;

4. damage caused to forests that does not prejudice their conservation, sustainable yield, or regeneration;

5. damage caused to ornamental gardens or gardens whose products are primarily intended for family consumption;

6. insignificant damage.

3. The department shall determine the procedures for claims for compensation and the service shall rule on the claims.

1. The service may reduce the compensation by at least 20% and at most 80%, in particular

a. when there has been negligence in the implementation of prevention measures, whether concerning use or maintenance;

b. when the crop has not received the necessary care;

c. when the harvest was not carried out in a timely manner;

d. when the late notification of damage prevented an accurate assessment of the damage;

e. when another cause of damage is added to the depredations caused by game;

f. when the claimant provides inaccurate information or fails to provide the requested information.

2. It may also charge a portion of the expert appraisal costs to the claimant whose request is abusive.

3. In cases of gross negligence, particularly when the service has recommended prevention measures and these have not been taken, the damages are not compensated.

1. At any time, the department may order or authorize the shooting or capture of animals of a specified species when they

a. impair their habitat;

b. endanger the diversity of species;

c. cause significant damage to forests and crops;

d. constitute a considerable threat to human beings;

e. spread epizootic diseases.

2. It shall determine the conditions for these operations.

3. It may also take other measures aimed at limiting the proliferation or concentrations of animals when they cause serious inconveniences.

1. The Council of State establishes under what conditions individual targeted shootings can be carried out against certain game species or against protected species designated by the Federal Council that cause damage to crops, in residences and their immediate dependencies, or in certain technical structures.

1. The Wildlife Damage Prevention and Compensation Fund, entered on the State's balance sheet, is allocated to the financing of activities and services related to the prevention and compensation of damage caused by wildlife.

2. The Wildlife Damage Prevention and Compensation Fund is notably financed by

a. an annual payment;

b. amounts resulting from program agreements concluded with the Confederation;

c. any other extraordinary payment;

d. ...

3. The Council of State determines the powers to decide on the financing of an operation.

1. The estimation of the damage is done through expert assessment. The costs of restoring the premises, if necessary, must be included in this estimation.

1. The department appoints the experts responsible for the assessment of damages.

1. The department decides whether the compensation for the damage should be provided in kind or in the form of a financial indemnity.

2. The State collects an administrative fee amounting to 5% of the compensation amount determined by the expert assessment.

1. The wildlife-nature police contribute to environmental policing.

a. ...

b. ...

c. ...

d. ...

e. ...

2. The wildlife-nature police force is notably composed of permanent agents and auxiliary agents within the meaning of this law. These agents ensure compliance with the application of this law, the law on fishing, and the law on nature protection.

3. The following contribute to the wildlife-nature police

a. service collaborators designated by the department;

b. district forest inspectors and rangers;

c. federal border guards, insofar as the service does not suffer as a result.

d. the gendarmerie and communal and intercommunal police forces.

4. The persons mentioned in the preceding paragraphs 2 and 3 have the rights and obligations provided for in Articles 68 to 73.

1. Wildlife and nature police officers are required to report to the competent authority any violations of wildlife and hunting legislation that come to their attention. They take all necessary measures to establish the facts, identify offenders, and prevent further violations.

2. They are authorized to collect fines, under federal and cantonal law, related to forestry, hunting, fishing, and nature protection.

3. They also undertake preventive missions, particularly during awareness campaigns.

1. They must be able to justify their status if required.

1. They have the right to request the presentation of identification papers and hunting permits of any person they intercept in the course of their mission.

2. They may inspect weapons and ammunition, intercept and search vehicles, bags, and other containers that could be used to transport weapons and ammunition, as well as captured or hunted animals.

1. For the purposes of their mission, wildlife-nature police officers have access to private lands.

2. However, they may only enter a house, dwelling, closed premises that are part of a house, an enclosed space, yard or garden adjacent to a house, with the delegation of a judge, a prefect, or if there is imminent danger, one of the police officers designated by the implementing regulations of the cantonal police law [P]. The house visit is ordered and executed in accordance with the provisions of the code of criminal procedure [Q] and the contraventions law [R].

1. Wildlife and nature police officers are required to keep confidential all operations they conduct and any facts that come to their knowledge in the course of their duties.

2. This obligation continues after the termination of their duties.

3. However, the individuals concerned may be released from this obligation by the head of the department.

1. Permanent agents are in charge either of a district or of overseeing one or more wildlife protection sites.

2. The service establishes the boundaries of the districts and determines the wildlife protection sites.

3. It appoints the permanent agents, defines their number, and assigns their general tasks.

4. ...

1. The service also appoints auxiliary agents. It determines their competencies and the duration of their mandate.

2. Auxiliary agents work on a voluntary basis. They may receive compensation for the execution of special tasks.

1. The service provides basic training and continuing education for permanent agents, auxiliary agents, and those who contribute to wildlife-nature police tasks.

1. Any person who, intentionally or negligently, contravenes this law or its implementing provisions [G] shall be subject to a fine, without prejudice to the obligation to compensate for the damage caused.

2. Attempt and complicity are punishable.

3. The penal provisions of the federal hunting act [C] remain reserved.

4. Prosecution takes place in accordance with the law on contraventions, subject to the summary penalty procedure provided for by this law.

1. The procedure for summary fines provided for by the Federal Act of March 18, 2016, on Summary Fines (SFIA; SR 314.1) is directly applicable to contraventions of cantonal law.

1. The State Council defines the cantonal infractions that can be sanctioned with summary fines and determines the fixed amount of these fines.

1. As an ancillary penalty, the prefect or the Public Prosecutor may prohibit the perpetrator of a serious offense or repeated offenses against this law from hunting for a period of at least one year and no more than five years.

1. The confiscation of weapons, devices, and vehicles used to commit an offense may be ordered pursuant to Article 58 of the Swiss Criminal Code [S].

1. Game and protected animals illicitly killed are confiscated and sold for the benefit of the Wildlife Conservation Fund.

1. The value of game and protected animals is set by a tariff of the Council of State.

2. It serves as the basis for calculating damages resulting from a hunting offense or violation, unless it can be established that at the time it was unlawfully shot, the animal was already sick or injured.

1. The proceeds of fines and administrative fines shall be allocated to the Wildlife Conservation Fund and the Nature Conservation Fund concerning biotopes or species covered by the Federal Act on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage (NCHA; SR 451).

1. The Council of State issues the implementing provisions for the present law [G].

1. The Wildlife Advisory Commission appointed by the Council of State includes, among others, representatives from sectors interested in wildlife, agricultural and forestry sectors, and hunters.

1. The Advisory Commission provides its opinion particularly on issues related to wildlife conservation, animal protection, the reintroduction of animal species that have disappeared from the canton, biotope conservation, reserves, the protection of various species, as well as on the shooting plan and its implementation methods.

1. The Law of May 30, 1973, on Wildlife is repealed.

1. The Council of State is entrusted with the execution of the present law. It shall publish the text in accordance with Article 27, number 2, of the Cantonal Constitution and shall set the date of its entry into force by decree.