Why do Europeans add greenery to trophy photos?

[Foxi]

Normally it’s a last meal and a sign of respect.

yes

 

[VertigoBE]

As @VertigoBE shared, mostly sourced from old German traditions & Letzebissen/Last Bite was originally only intended for: Male Cloven Hoofed trophies.

The branch must be broke not cut & from a tree native to the Country … hence, why you see allot of spruce or pine used here in Germany.

A shoutout to BE: Saint Hubertus origins are from the area of Leige, Belgium or 1.5hrs from where I live In Germany.

There is actually a yearly mass of st Hubertus in Belgium, where hunters and their dogs are blessed by the priest.

If you live 1.5hrs from Liege, that’s only 1hr from where I live in Brussels practically neighbours!

 

[Jaegger]

There is actually a yearly mass of st Hubertus in Belgium, where hunters and their dogs are blessed by the priest.

If you live 1.5hrs from Liege, that’s only 1hr from where I live in Brussels practically neighbours!

A mass for Hunters & Hunds - that would be a memorable event.

I did an accurate search, I’m actually 2.5hrs from Liege but still practically neighbors. Maybe a Waffle & some quality Beer in the Grand Place is a good plan this Summer. You still considering the Dortmund Expo in June?

 

[VertigoBE]

A mass for Hunters & Hunds - that would be a memorable event.

I did an accurate search, I’m actually 2.5hrs from Liege but still practically neighbors. Maybe a Waffle & some quality Beer in the Grand Place is a good plan this Summer. You still considering the Dortmund Expo in June?

Make it some Belgian fries and a good beer and I’m in

Yes I’ll be in Dortmund in June. I’ve always gone on a Saturday, but might try a weekday this year. It’s supposedly a lot calmer then and the outfitters are nicer (fresher )

 

[Jaegger]

Make it some Belgian fries and a good beer and I’m in

Yes I’ll be in Dortmund in June. I’ve always gone on a Saturday, but might try a weekday this year. It’s supposedly a lot calmer then and the outfitters are nicer (fresher )

Fries & a good beer = got it

Dortmund - we can stay in touch & LOL on the ‘fresher’ comment! I usually drive up on Thursday, hit the Expo all day Friday & any re-attacks on Saturday. It’s been 2-yrs since the last Expo … sooooo … maybe everyone from Outfitters to Product Rep to Crowd to Food Vendors will be excited & fresh!

 

[Muskox]

I read once there were preferred plant types to use for this. If I am remembering correctly oak or evergreen was most often used. Is there any truth to this? I really like this tradition and am looking to incorporate it into my hunting and photography.

In Germany there are rules as part of the German Hunting tradition. Normally it is only native trees that exist in Germany. So if you cut a branch off of a Colorado Blue Spruce and put it in the mouth of a roe deer (rehbuck) you'd be wrong.

I got my Jagdschein in 2017. Here is the page.

https://kaiserslautern.armymwr.com/application/files/9414/9272/9548/Guide_15_Hunting_Traditions_2013-08.pdf

 

[CBH Australia]

There is actually a yearly mass of st Hubertus in Belgium, where hunters and their dogs are blessed by the priest.

If you live 1.5hrs from Liege, that’s only 1hr from where I live in Brussels practically neighbours!

That's a Day trip.
My town is 3 hours from the next substantial town.
I'm 6 hours from a capital city of the neighbouring state.
8 hours from Melbourne
12 hours from Sydney.

We have a German historic town about 6 hours from here, I recently tried a German Stout that has peanut butter in it. Pretty good . I think pork knuckle and a few other traditional foods were available.

 

[Robmill70]

Letzter bissen ..... last bite. I starting hunting when I was stationed in Germany in 1991-95 and absolutely loved the tradition side of hunting there. It is very respectful of the animals and fellow hunters. I still have my hunting license (Jagdschein)!! Pic of my nicest Roebok

Weidmannsheil!

 

[Jaegger]

Letzter bissen ..... last bite. I starting hunting when I was stationed in Germany in 1991-95 and absolutely loved the tradition side of hunting there. It is very respectful of the animals and fellow hunters. I still have my hunting license (Jagdschein)!! Pic of my nicest Roebok

Weidmannsheil

I 2nd that & scored my Jagdschein (Kaiserslautern) in 2004 … don’t lose yours - it can always be renewed w/ background check. Nice Reh …

Weidmannsdanke!

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I love the traditions of paying respect to the animal. There is so much more to hunting than just the kill. We hope to make it to Liege this November.

Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes

Safe Hunting

 

[Hunt anything]

I try to honor every animal I hunt be it a dove or big game . I say a prayer thanking the animal and promise to use every scrap of meat and allow nothing to go to waste.

 

[Jaegger]

@Hunt anything … I hear you & I’m tracking w/ @SFRanger7GP comment on “ … more to hunting than just the kill.” The round going downrange is the End Game but far from the Whole Game.

Simply put, a life ended on that Hunt & that should have purpose. I wrapped up my 8th PG Hunt last Sept & I’ve hunted w/ four (4) separate Operators each doing a great job to ensure full utilization of the trophies.

I carry a German Jagdschein & have made it a conscience effort to follow the mentioned hunting traditions wherever I hunt & to improve on my trophy pics - show of respect.

 

[ofbiro]

The "last bite" is a Central European tradition, i.e. German, Austrian, Hungarian, Czech a.s.o. but not in use in other European Countries.
I, living close to the Austrian border, follow that tradition while hunting here and in those Countries.
The first time I hunted in France, however, I broke a fir twig as a "last bite" for a chamois. My guide, a ranger belonging to the "Office National des Foret" coldly remarked that, first it was an "Alsacian tradition" (while we were in Savoy) and, second, that you should never damage a tree under the eyes of sworn ranger.
Conclusion: west of the Rhine don't do it!

 

[Foxi]

pause,even in small game,cultivating companionship.
That is also what hunting is all about

 

[PARA45]

When I kill an animal, I take a knee, place my hand over the heart, say a small prayer and give thanks to God and to the animal. I'm the first one to touch the animal, by touching the animal and placing my hand over the heart, I take the spirit of the animal taken. This was taught to me by a local tribe's man in Nicaragua, after I killed my first deer. This gentleman was a spiritual individual, and taught me to respect the animal taken and the forest. We also gutted the deer in the woods, because we needed to share what we took with the other animals in the woods. He was a very interesting individual, he knew how to live in the woods. He was also very superstitious.

 

[Nyati]

We "mature" hunters should try to teach the younger generation respect to our kills.

A few years back I was hunting in RSA with a friend, his father and his nephew. The young guy, (turned 15 while on the hunt) had shot a wildebeest, and was all excited and rushing to take a picture.

I told him, wait a bit, and with the help of the PH, cleaned the animal with water and dirt, so as to remove all traces of blood, and set it up for a nice pic.

His grandfather thanked me for it, adding, this is the right way to do it.

 

[Hunt anything]

Amen Nyati, I was in a duck lease in Mississippi and we had a mix of older guys and 20 somethings, the young guys would jump up and blast away at any duck that came in. If they were lucky enough to hit it they would run out and just throw it in a pile, I would try to get them to respect the life but after a few hunts I knew it was impossible, they wanted to shoot anything and worst of all wanted to shoot group limits. It came to ahead when the guy said we needed x number of ducks for OUR limits and I put my foot down and said I was going to shoot MY ducks and slipped of to another part of the lease shot my 4 drake mallards and 2 drake pintails. Never hunted with the group again and eventually left the lease because I felt there was no reforming these guys.

 

[Nyati]

From Germany

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Always thought it was paying homage to the preferred diet of the Greenie Libs that have taken over Europe? Placing some veggies next to a delicious, healthy hunk of meat they'll never eat.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I like all the information and this "last meal, last drink" tradition in giving the animal due respect.

Admittedly, I often but not always preform one of the formentioned rituals after a kill.

But ....where did this ritual/tradition actually start??....uhmmm.....

I learned this as giving the animal food/ nurishment and drink /water so it may have the strength for its journey into the after life. As part of Native/Aboriginal American custom/ritual.

Coincidentally, In some (Native American) tribes it is customary to cry over the killed animal to show respect and remorse. The hunter eats the heart, generally freshly removed from the animal and eaten raw (or it can be eaten cooked at that evenings meal) with the "idea" the hunter will gain the animal's knowledge/power/ bravery.

Thus regardless where it originated, IMO I would guess long before the division of what is modern day countries.

By practicing this ritual perhaps we can rekindle a forgotten tradition into a modern day trend.