Lee Loader

Army, stationed in Germany ''86-'89. Belonged to the local Schutzenhaus in my small town and shot at the big city one across the river occassionally. Also on the Army Rod and Gun Club range. Also hunted extensively my 3 yrs there. We have no idea how lucky we are here, even as bad as it sometimes seems. The Schutzenhaus I was a member of was nowhere near as elaborate as this one, but a lot more than anything you typically see in the states. As mentioned, permits to shoot/own guns, etc is much more restrictive than here. Our range was 100M. Only saw 300M on military bases. We did have a 50 running boar target. Man, I miss shooting that one!

And to hunt, even with a Status of Forces status, I still had to take a 6 week course - and the Germans had to take it for 6 months-1 year! Pay to hunt. Get the trophy - horns/internal organs. Buy the meat - they sell it on the open market.And what you can shoot is much more restrictive also. Each forester/professional hunter has to submit an annual harvest plan - that includes bucks/does/fawns - too!

I enjoyed my time there immensely, and wouldn't trade it. But it sure is much easier to shoot here, and also to hunt.

So there is no wild pigs problems there?

oscarflytyer wrote:We did have a 50 running boar target. Man, I miss shooting that one!

Oh yes, that's a fun target to shoot at. I like that one, too.

oscarflytyer wrote:and the Germans had to take it for 6 months-1 year! Pay to hunt. Get the trophy - horns/internal organs. Buy the meat - they sell it on the open market.And what you can shoot is much more restrictive also. Each forester/professional hunter has to submit an annual harvest plan - that includes bucks/does/fawns - too!

I made my hunting permit in 2010. The course was two evenings a week for 9 months. Then a 3 day test, including a 4 hours written test and some shooting. You need to identify animals by the bones and trees by a single leaf and stuff... and then you only got the permit to apply for a hunting permit. The course did cost about 3000 EUR in total. But then you still can't hunt. You need someone who has the hunting rights on some area to allow you to hunt there. Usually you have to do some work in the woods for him, pay per kill and when you're lucky you can keep the trophy and buy the meat under market price.

Hunting is not a recreational activity here, it's some very expensive and time consuming hobby for rich retired guys and some wealthy young guys who don't mind beeing pushed around. I never went on a hunt after I made my permit.

daboone wrote:So there is no wild pigs problems there?

Yes, it is. They even reached the inner cities.

Fyodor wrote:

daboone wrote:So there is no wild pigs problems there?

Yes, it is. They even reached the inner cities.

Apparently the liberals politicians have gotten there as well. A one year training program to hunt doesn't look like they understand the problem or even want a solution.

One of the problems are the hunting community themselves. They feel like an elite with special privileges (what they actually are) and don't want that to change. The hunting permit is often called the "grünes Abitur" (green college diploma), and the hunters proudly state that not everybody is able and worthy to get it.

One problem with privileges is, that they are granted and can be taken away anytime, while rights can't. But being privileged seems to give some people a special feeling that they are superior to others.

Fyodor wrote:...... But being privileged seems to give some people a special feeling that they are superior to others.

I guess the following is

Well that is a very universal problem and not just a in Germany Even the idea of privileged is subject to interpretation. Education and science seems to take a back seat to those who deem themselves "privileged".

daboone wrote:Nice! It nice to see someone else enjoying a Swiss Schmidt Rubin K31 as much as I do mine.

That's a heck of a set of sights that one is wearing.

Make smoke,

Swiss Product makes these sights and interesting after market stuff for this rifle. I have their scope mount.

also have to carry annual hunting insurance. As stated above, it is NOT easy for a German to get hunting privileges, and then has to own property or have a friend to hunt with. And it is very expensive.