[Killing in wild boar traps - Studies on the point of impact and effects of head shots (caliber .22 lr) in wild boar (Sus scrofa)].

Objective: The spread of African swine fever in Germany has brought wild boar trapping back into focus as a method for animal disease control. While data on free-bullet slaughter in domestic mammals is available, data on the gun shot and caliber selection for use in wild boar trapping is largely lacking.

Material and methods: The heads of 138 wild boars captured in 10 corral-style traps and shot with a bullet (caliber .22 lr) were analyzed with respect to following data: number of bullet entry holes, bullet entry location, as well as tissue damage to the brain and bleeding by the use of frozen sections of the heads.

Results: With the exception of one animal, all wild boars were killed by head shot with the caliber .22 lr. In 76% (105/138) of the wild boars, only one bullet hole was identified in the head, and in 96% (126/131) of the animals, damage of varying severity was observed in the end brain. In the animals with a frontal bullet hole, in which damage was detected in the cerebrum and brain stem in the frozen sections (n=77), the location was, on average, 2.2 cm above the eye line and 0.35 cm to the right of the median.

Conclusion: The .22 lr caliber appears to be sufficient for culling wild boar with head shots in corral-style wild boar traps. The choice of the smallest possible caliber is of great importance for reasons of animal welfare and safety for the personnel operating the cull.