Wild boar populations in the UK require management, but the methods used affect individual boar welfare. Evidence-based, humane management approaches respect boar welfare while meeting population objectives.
Wild boar management is necessary in the absence of natural predators, but the methods used carry welfare implications. Driven shooting — flushing boar toward a line of shooters — is less selective, increases the risk of wounding rather than clean killing, and disrupts family groups. Selective rifle culling by trained stalkers allows species-specific, sex-specific, and age-specific targeting, produces cleaner kills, and causes less family group disruption. The welfare-conscious approach to boar management minimises wounding rates through training requirements, appropriate equipment, and selective shooting methods, and avoids targeting sows with dependent cubs.