Paris (France) (AFP) – Good surprise for fans of traditional hunting: the Council of State is finally paving the way for a possible return to the capture of the skylark by the net method, known as pantes, in certain departments of the South-West.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 18:50

Seized by nature defense associations, the high administrative court had several times in the past disavowed the government, when it had authorized this hunting in the departments of Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

As recently as September 2025, the Council of State suspended the execution of a ministerial decree authorizing this hunting, based on the 2009 European birds directive.

But the decision published Friday now considers that "the condition of selectivity" can "be considered satisfied", that is to say that this traditional method does not lead to the death of too many birds of other species.

The requests from the One Voice and League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) associations are thus rejected. And the way is clear for the government to set new hunting quotas for this fall.

The Ministry of Ecological Transition indicated on Friday its intention to reissue a decree authorizing hunting taking into account “remarks from the Council of State”. “The quotas will be those compatible with the definition of the birds directive (less than 1% of the estimated bird population),” he specifies.

“Small quantities”

This apparent turnaround by the Council of State is based in particular on experiments carried out in 2023 and 2024, which demonstrated a selectivity rate greater than 99.9%, according to the judges' arguments.

They further estimate that the number of larks which could be captured for the 2025-2026 season, i.e. some 98,700, does not contravene the condition of "taking in small quantities" and the conservation of the species.

“In view of the scientific knowledge available at the date of the contested decrees, the capture of the skylark using pantes, as it is regulated by these same decrees, must be considered as constituting a selective hunting method, allowing samples to be taken in small quantities and not compromising conservation efforts,” indicates the decision.

"None of the alternatives likely to be authorized", such as gun hunting, make it possible "to respond satisfactorily to the food, cultural and recreational purposes pursued with less harm to the conservation of this species", it is added.

"Happiness"

“The LPO is surprised by this decision of the Council of State, whose previous arbitrations have always contributed to advancing the protection of biodiversity,” the president of this nature defense association, Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, immediately responded to AFP.

“Naturally the LPO will file, in the days to come, a European appeal in order not to let practices from another era come to weaken the efforts to protect a species which, in France, is disappearing from the skies of our territories,” he added.

Conversely, the National Federation of Hunters (FNC) welcomed “a major step for the future of traditional hunting”. “I am happy for the hunters who keep these traditions alive and for the preservation of this cultural heritage!” rejoiced its president, Willy Schraen, quoted in a press release.

Thibault Varenne, president of the Gironde departmental federation of hunters, welcomed to AFP "a victory which gives us happiness".

“From a personal point of view, these are magnificent childhood memories. I have young children, I tell myself that I will have the chance to show them this,” says this resident of Médoc. “When we had three larks at the end of the day, we were delighted,” he adds to underline the low number of animals killed.

© 2026 AFP

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