Schaffhausen: the regale with the canton, leasing with the municipalities
The canton holds the regale, but the residents’ municipalities grant the right to hunt, on lease-territory principles.
The Schaffhausen hunting act (SHR 922.100) of 15 June 1992 separates who holds the right from who grants it. Article 2 states that the hunting regale belongs to the canton, then adds that the right to hunt on their territory is granted by the residents' municipalities, on the principles of the territory lease. The area of each municipality forms, as a rule, one hunting territory. Municipalities may nevertheless divide their area into several territories, merge it wholly or partly with that of neighbouring municipalities, or exchange parts to round out the boundaries. The act even lays down a duty to negotiate: where a hunting society or a territory municipality asks for a transfer or exchange of land to achieve a better division on hunting, wildlife-biology or ecological grounds, the hunting societies of the territories concerned and the municipalities are obliged to enter into talks.