Spain: Cyclist shot by hunter in Girona after being mistaken for wild boar

Cyclist shot by hunter in Girona after being mistaken for wild boar (stickybottle.com)

02/14/2024

A cyclist out for a ride in Girona last Sunday was shot and wounded by a hunter who mistook him for a wild boar. However, the local hunters’ organisation in Girona, Spain, has insisted the cyclist knew he was entering a live fire area when he rode into it.

While the rider was badly injured, and was airlifted from the scene, he was expected to survive after having surgery. He has been recovering in hospital in the Girona area in recent days.

The injured cyclist, aged 54, was on an off-road ride through a wooded area near Sant Climent de Peralta, in the municipality of Forallac, Baix Empordà, when a hunter mistook his movement for that of a boar and opened fire.

The man’s gun was also taken for examination while the local police were checking claims that signage had been erected in the area warning people a hunt was underway.

The Girona branch of the Catalan Hunting Federation claimed the cyclist “had been informed” the was entering a hunting zone.

“The hunt that took place in the area was properly communicated and signposted,” it said. “The federation has repeatedly expressed to the Catalan government the lack of respect it has shown for properly signalled raids.

“We understand and defend the importance of living together outdoors and, for this reason, we must respect each other’s rights and duties.”

Carles Compana, the president of the victim’s mountain bike club, said the incident was not an isolated case. With the wold boar hunting season running from September to March, he said new regulations needed to be drawn up to make things safer.