The hunting season in France officially began on Sunday, September 13, following a summer that saw extreme weather conditions, including severe wildfires and repeated heatwaves. These events have had a significant impact on wildlife, prompting some hunters to reconsider their usual practices. In areas heavily affected by the fires, certain zones will remain closed to hunting to allow ecosystems time to recover. Maëlys Jolit, a local hunter, explained that even without an official ban, hunters would have avoided burned areas anyway. This is because wildlife populations need time to regenerate after such environmental damage. In the Var region, a government decree has officially prohibited hunting in affected areas, and teams from the French Office for Biodiversity are actively patrolling these zones to ensure the ban is respected. An environmental inspector noted that enforcement will continue throughout the hunting season, and they expect minimal encounters with hunters in these restricted zones. In the Corrèze region, where hunting is still permitted, Karine Carron, a member of the environmental group B.E.L.I.V.E. 19, raised concerns about the effects of high temperatures on wildlife. She pointed out that there has been no noticeable increase in animal births compared to last year, suggesting that delaying the hunting season might have been beneficial to better assess the current state of wildlife populations and their habitats. The hunting season is expected to last until the end of February 2027 in most regions of France, though specific regulations and restrictions may vary by department based on local environmental conditions and wildlife recovery needs.