RED STAG HUNTING OFFER IN ROMANIA/EUROPE

Originally Posted by Macs B

"Waidmannsheil-born wild" that is a wonderful hirsch.

Gentlemen in an attempt to clarify European hunting to you all I would offer this. The pictured stag would set you back about E 12,000 in Germany, (listed rate) if and only if you were allowed to shoot it. Actual price might well be half of that. If you are going to hunt Europe, you have to be sure that your guide knows what you are willing to pay for and only shoot what you are willing to buy. It is assumed that if your guide gave you a price and you pulled the trigger you were willing to accept the risk of secondary kills, slight variations in the price, and any other risk associated. Your guide was chosen to make the assessment on the hoof, and that is not a job trusted to an amateur hunter. You can trust his years of experience and knowledge. Just remember that when the smoke clears you are the one who pulled the trigger.

The sliding price scale for trophy weight is standard in every European country I have hunted. Some countries add or subtract from the price based on subjective evaluation of the quality of the trophy. The strength of the purlen or dimpling of the mains, the joining of the rosen or bases of the two mains, or the quality of the ivory like tips of the tines can add to the price of a red deer stag in places like Bavaria, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Penalties can be applied for shooting an animal that is too young or shows too much future promise, and they can be stiff fines often 2x or 2.5x the cost of the trophy.

If you are fortunate enough and have the means to take a national or other record the trophy will stay in the country. Remember that unlike the USA, the wild game of Europe almost always belongs to the state, not the land owner. From our perspective in America that may feel like you are getting ripped off, but in the European perspective they are preserving that trophy for history. It will be prominently displayed and admired for hundreds of years. My own Jager Club still proudly displays the trophies and stories of our members dating back nearly five hundred years. It was my honor to leave a single worthy specimen in that hall after my years in Germany. I visit it each time I return; it is still worth a few drinks at the bar.

Your hunt masters and guides will be completely up front with you regarding prices. The listed price is rarely the charged price since the determination is that of the hunt master. I have personally guided German hunters to 10+ kg Red Deer Stags that were charged out at less than 50 percent of the advertised price. So many factors play into the final pricing it is almost impossible to explain here. I can honestly say that I have only seen one hunter charged the full list price of a trophy, and frankly he was an ass, who when sober made it known that he could buy and sell everyone in the room, and when drunk which was nearly always he was worse.

It was a pleasure to read it ...especially the end ...
thank you ...

Originally Posted by Second Wind

I have read this post from end to end and I do not believe I have ever seen a more complicated pricing system.

Is not complicated ...the prices depends of the trophy value

But, to summarize I believe what I have learned is that in Europe, you really don't ever know what the hunt is going to cost until you get the bill. That is to say, someone else decides. Further it appears the final judgement is wholly subjective and dependent, apparently from the previous narrative, upon how the person making this decision felt about you personally.

In europe you can also get a "package offer" that means that the trophy value does not matter ...but in this case many hunters will ask ..." that means that you have no big trophy in the area "

If he didn't like your jokes, your conversation or your table manners you quite possibly will pay more, perhaps much more, at the end of the day.

before you go to a hunt be sure that you have a contract and you understood the conditions

I will conclude by stating what should be obvious to all, "such methodology does not work where I am from nor will it work where I am going"

I'm just curious what conditions are you expecting from an offer

I harbor no ill will towards any European outfitter, guide or sponsor and wish them the best of luck for a prosperous operation, however they choose to run it. It is just not something that I could abide.

I have always considered hunting as a gentleman's game and in that a deal is a deal and no one backs up, fudges or slides.

Outfitters, PH's, guides and sponsors are normally quite specific in their expectations of the client and, likewise, we as hunters, are of the same mind toward them and that's they way I believe it should be and from South Texas to Southern Africa I believe that, in most instances, is how it works and has for some time.

I put the answer in red ...: