Hunting Adventure And Animals In Germany

Whatever your personal views on hunting (I for one dislike it), there is no doubt that hunting and sports shooting is very popular in Germany. There are 350,000 registered hunters in the country, and more than 300,000 Km² of land designated as huntable area.

Where do I get such exact numbers? Well, while hunting may be a casual sport in other countries, in Germany hunting is highly organized and regulated. The German Hunting Association, Deutscher Jagdschutz-Verband, is the official representative of 84% of all hunters in Germany.

They work closely with the Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food, and Agriculture, the Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection, and Reactor Safety and the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation to coordinate the process of hunting. Each hunter needs to pass a hunting examination and be cleared by the Land Office of Criminal Investigation to get a license to hunt in designated areas.

Once the hunting license is granted, hunters must still abide by regular hunting seasons for the various animals.

Boar hunting is primarily done in the winter months, while fox hunting can be done all year round. Still, it is important to check with the landowner for each hunting site to see what they are allowing in that season as landowners are free to add more restrictions on top of the federal guidelines.

As a guest hunter in Germany, you can get a temporary permit to go shooting. It is also possible to bring three of your own guns into the country if you have an invitation from a licensed hunting group to go on a hunt. However, you don’t necessarily need a gun, as falconry and trapping are also popular permitted hunting methods in Germany.

Whichever your preferred hunting method, if you want to go on a hunting trip, plan ahead. It is somewhat easier for residents of European Union states to hunt in Germany than for visitors from other countries, but all of you prospective hunters will need to reserve spots early for your hunt! Competition for good hunting space is fierce, and locals tend to get the best spots first.

Happy Hunting!

—Marcus