German hunt story

[Pheroze]

I liked this article for its content, but also it’s more subtle reminder that we can enjoy other cultures, no matter the political climate.

Participating in a Traditional German Boar Hunt Requires Grit, Luck, and a Sense of Humor

I joined many driven game hunts in Germany. Here's what I learned about the culture — and the skills required to be an effective hunter.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Enjoyed the read, thanks for posting.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Great story, as Phoenix Phil wrote above, thanks for posting it.

 

[Red Leg]

Really enjoyed reading that article. The Germany that I hunted in the late seventies was very much the hunting experience described by the author in 1953.

 

[SaintPanzer]

That matches my experience on a German driven hunt, and explains well the requirement for a Keilernädel.

 

[Muskox]

As an American with the Armed Forces in Germany, I have lived this experience quite a few times.

I personally don't like driven hunts very much, but they beat the hell out of sitting in my office trying to solve the worlds problems.

I have one scheduled for December and one for January of 2026. That will probably be it.

I think organization was better back then. I have been on a lot of driven hunts, needle pin shoots every year and I have yet to get a needle. They never seem to get back to you with the needle these days.

Wiesbaden to this day has one of the best American hunter organizations in Germany. The other ones are in ok shape, but not the same.

Something I have enjoyed is collecting all the little hat pins from the various hunting authorities throughout Germany and Austria.

There is very little tourist hunting in Germany, by comparison with our neighbors. I think it is a mixture of lack of trophy availability to finance enough of, a limited number of private individuals interesting in an outfitting business.

 

[SaintPanzer]

I think organization was better back then. I have been on a lot of driven hunts, needle pin shoots every year and I have yet to get a needle. They never seem to get back to you with the needle these days.

Wiesbaden to this day has one of the best American hunter organizations in Germany. The other ones are in ok shape, but not the same.



There is very little tourist hunting in Germany, by comparison with our neighbors. I think it is a mixture of lack of trophy availability to finance enough of, a limited number of private individuals interesting in an outfitting business.

The club in Stuttgart does a very good job, and is now tied at the hip with Kreisjägerverband Böblingen (KJVBB).

There, we gave the needle at the conclusion of the shoot, right when the card was signed. It's the card that matters, but the needle is nice.

MSZU in Ulm will issue the Bavarian pins. Again, at the conclusion of the shoot.

There are two issues with tourist hunts in Germany. The first is the high cost of the trophy fees. The second, and more difficult to overcome is the licensing. Tourist licenses are not easy to get.

Now, Poland, on the other hand, will easily issue a tourist license, and the trophy fees are more than reasonable. And an easy drive from Stuttgart, or even Wiesbaden.

 

[Muskox]

Yes there forest service here in Rheinland Pfalz charges an insane amount for a stag on a trophy hunt. 5000 Euros to start for our Pfalz-Forest area for a 1a, plus points for CIC.

Poland is a long damn drive, but it is the cheapest option. I drove to Hungary last year, and it was 12 hours. Just about 150 miles past the Slovenian border near Lake Balaton. Good hunting, but it wasn't the experience I thought it was going to be. Like hunting in rural America.

Enjoying Slovenia. I won't make it to Poland this year, and we are done next year and headed back in the Spring.

 

[SaintPanzer]

Oh, it's less than 8 hours to Bolesławiec, where we had a great Rehbock hunt, and 7 to Szczecin, and I took my Rothirsch not far from there. Rothirsch are much larger near Warsaw, and that is a much farther drive, but our SOP was to pick a four day weekend, drive out Friday morning, hunt Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday, then Monday morning. Breakfast, and then drive home.

This guy was only a IIIB, but I had a lot of fun on this one:

 

[Muskox]

Oh, it's less than 8 hours to Bolesławiec, where we had a great Rehbock hunt, and 7 to Szczecin, and I took my Rothirsch not far from there. Rothirsch are much larger near Warsaw, and that is a much farther drive, but our SOP was to pick a four day weekend, drive out Friday morning, hunt Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday, then Monday morning. Breakfast, and then drive home.

This guy was only a IIIB, but I had a lot of fun on this one:

Lovely stag. Do you know what they aged him?

Waidmannsheil!

 

[SaintPanzer]

Going off memory, between 5 and 6. I really enjoyed that hunt. Brought home a few Rehbok as well, but didn't see any Keiler...

 

[Muskox]

I never find pigs.

I had a pig on a drive hunt, dead to rights but he was facing the wrong way and went straight down the hill away from me.

I had another one a few years ago and he had a jagd terrier fallowing him and I couldn't shoot him.

That's it!