Hunting BeNeLux?

[Décio]

Does somebody here ever hunted in BeNeLux?

Did you have any problem getting rifles or shotguns? Are there good land to hunt?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Interesting question. I had never considered hunting in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

 

[Décio]

Interesting question. I had never considered hunting in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

I believe it's expensive, bureaucratic and not too much land. That's why people don't consider it as a hunting place.

 

[ArmyAV8tor]

I hunted ducks in Belgium in 1990. Stayed on a boat and then shot out of blinds in the marsh. I was in the Army at the time and don't recall any issues with guns but that was a long time ago! Sidenote: we shot over decoys with a couple live mallards tossed into the rig. Man they quacked like crazy.

 

[Décio]

I hunted ducks in Belgium in 1990. Stayed on a boat and then shot out of blinds in the marsh. I was in the Army at the time and don't recall any issues with guns but that was a long time ago! Sidenote: we shot over decoys with a couple live mallards tossed into the rig. Man they quacked like crazy.

https://www.bustle.com/articles/149...ws-like-belgium-has-restrictive-firearm-rules

(...)
Until 2006, Belgium had surprisingly lax gun control laws. After a man shot two innocent people, however, the nation become increasingly concerned with the illegal flow of firearms. The 2006 legislation requires gun permits to be renewed more frequently and sought to prevent the impulsive purchase of guns by requiring prospective gun owners to go through a three-month process which includes an extensive police screening. Six years later, in 2012, the European Union passed regulation aimed at interrupting the transportation of guns across borders by requiring exporters to obtain a special license.


Today in Belgium, it's not easy to own any type of gun, unless it's a rifle or shotgun. The nation prohibits the private possession of fully automatic weapons, and permits ownership of semi-automatic weapons only in certain case scenarios. Furthermore, the private possession of handguns is only allowed after obtaining special permission from the government. In the country, long guns, such as rifles and shot guns, are the only guns not prohibited by the state.(...)

 

[dchamp]

Decio if you are from the EU then it might be possible, if not then I don't think it is possible. I looked into to it seven or eight years ago searching the internet and making inquiries. I was wanting to get a temporary firearms permit and if possible do a little hunting while traveling back from Namibia to California. My wife is from Belgium and was visiting her family while my son and I were hunting in Namibia. Our route took us to Frankfort and we wanted to stop and visit the her and her family for a week or so. Getting permits for Germany was no problem, Travel With Guns handled everything for us so we could leave our firearms with the German Customs while we were in Belgium and then pick them up on our return leg to California. But Belgium was a different story. I tried going through the Belgium Embassy for six to eight months, they didn't know anything and even contacted Brussels but could never get an answer.

Good luck to you. If you figure it out and are able to hunt there please let me know.

 

[Décio]

Decio if you are from the EU then it might be possible, if not then I don't think it is possible. I looked into to it seven or eight years ago searching the internet and making inquiries. I was wanting to get a temporary firearms permit and if possible do a little hunting while traveling back from Namibia to California. My wife is from Belgium and was visiting her family while my son and I were hunting in Namibia. Our route took us to Frankfort and we wanted to stop and visit the her and her family for a week or so. Getting permits for Germany was no problem, Travel With Guns handled everything for us so we could leave our firearms with the German Customs while we were in Belgium and then pick them up on our return leg to California. But Belgium was a different story. I tried going through the Belgium Embassy for six to eight months, they didn't know anything and even contacted Brussels but could never get an answer.

Good luck to you. If you figure it out and are able to hunt there please let me know.

Thanks for your answer. Like I imagined, only possible for residents (and even than it's hard).

 

[BenKK]

We have a member on this forum from the Netherlands who was telling me about the process and challenges there for citizens.

 

[DieJager]

Does somebody here ever hunted in BeNeLux?

Did you have any problem getting rifles or shotguns? Are there good land to hunt?

No commercial hunting (outfitting) is allowed in the Netherlands. If you live in an EU country I know for certain you could be invited , if you live outside the EU I am not certain.

In Belgium until recently there were being offered driven hunts for wild boar in the Ardennes.

Luxemburg I know a few Dutch hunters that are invited but I am not aware of any commercial hunting being offered but that does not mean it does not exist.

 

[DieJager]

I believe it's expensive, bureaucratic and not too much land. That's why people don't consider it as a hunting place.

Bureacratic yes for sure. Expensive to start, getting your hunting education will set you back for at least 3000 euro's. After that the challenge is to get a area that your are designated and allowed to hunt in. Hunting is good but do not expect any large, wild untamed areas. That is talking about the Netherlands. Certain parts of Belgium and Luxemburg the hunting can be a bit more wild.

 

[Filip]

Hi Décio,
I am from Belgium and doing some hunting here...in Flanders it is mostly small game and in Wallonia big game, ie boars, deer and roe...
But I am puzzled why ou wanna come and hunt here?
The hunt in Belgium is mostly an excuse to be away with some lads and have a great meal and some fine wines....
If you wanna hunt properly you need to be in France , Poland, Romenia...
And I will not go into the admin nightmare to get the paperwork done...all the relatives of Kafka are working in the gun administration department over here...
Have a great day

 

[Décio]

Hi Décio,
I am from Belgium and doing some hunting here...in Flanders it is mostly small game and in Wallonia big game, ie boars, deer and roe...
But I am puzzled why ou wanna come and hunt here?
The hunt in Belgium is mostly an excuse to be away with some lads and have a great meal and some fine wines....
If you wanna hunt properly you need to be in France , Poland, Romenia...
And I will not go into the admin nightmare to get the paperwork done...all the relatives of Kafka are working in the gun administration department over here...
Have a great day

It was more a curiosity because I didn't see anyone talking about hunting there, and I knew it is legal.

I agree with you that the countries you said (France, Poland and Romenia) are better choices for foreigners.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Décio]

No commercial hunting (outfitting) is allowed in the Netherlands. If you live in an EU country I know for certain you could be invited , if you live outside the EU I am not certain.

In Belgium until recently there were being offered driven hunts for wild boar in the Ardennes.

Luxemburg I know a few Dutch hunters that are invited but I am not aware of any commercial hunting being offered but that does not mean it does not exist.

Thanks.

Bureacratic yes for sure. Expensive to start, getting your hunting education will set you back for at least 3000 euro's. After that the challenge is to get a area that your are designated and allowed to hunt in. Hunting is good but do not expect any large, wild untamed areas. That is talking about the Netherlands. Certain parts of Belgium and Luxemburg the hunting can be a bit more wild.

Thanks.

 

[Nyati]

A friend of mine hunted wild boar in the Ardennes forest (Belgium) and enjoyed it very much. But that was years ago...

 

[CBH Australia]

Interesting question. I had never considered hunting in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Good answer, I opened the thread to see what BeNeLux is.
Good luck with the hunt @Décio

 

[VertigoBE]

In Belgium, it is possible for a foreign hunter to be invited to a a private hunt by a Belgian. I have never done it myself, but a good friend of mine does it yearly for a few UK and French hunters.

There is some hunting in Belgium, mostly small game in Flanders (northern half of Belgium) and big game in Wallonia (southern half). I think it is formally not allowed to have it commercialised. That being said, as a Belgian it is quite easy to purchase a share in a Ardennes battue's hunt and each year through different means (facebook mostly) they will be offered to whoever wants those. Not a big fan of those personally.

The small game hunting however, can be top notch, but even for a Belgian it is almost impossible to get a share in the good ones. This is often impossible or the work of years, before you'll get a chance. Connections are the name of the game...

As a foreigner, I would not pick Belgium as the place to go. It will be too difficult to organize, if at all. Unless you have connections, then you could get an invite for a small game hunt (pheasants, hare's, rabbit, partridge, duck, pigeon, fox) but do not expect volume shooting. Or if that floats your boat a driven hunt on wild boar, roe deer and red deer.