Hunting in Europe

[Jäger_Ivo]

I am from Central Europe myself and, whenever I want to go hunting, even in neighbouring countries, I almost always use my outfitter's services. They have contacts everywhere I need them and organise everything that needs to be done.
Each European country has completely different laws regarding weapons, hunting, hunting methods, the use of silencers and night vision... Information is often only available in the local language. Guides often do not speak foreign languages. The hunting area often does not offer accommodation or meals. Transporting weapons and trophies is often not arranged. Insurance and transport organisation are lacking.
However, if American hunters are interested, I can provide the contact details of my outfitter Heming Hunting. In addition to holding an official licence, they have experience with foreign clients and even have their own contact person in the US. Their prices are reasonable, even though almost everything is tailor-made.
An example of hunting clients from the US, including the production of a professional video.

 

[Lancaster]

I heard there’s a lot of opportunities there, some bear, different kinds of deer, wild boar (the boar drives on YouTube look cool), and birds, both upland and waterfowl. I’m probably missing a few but this what I’ve heard and read about. @375Fox those were some nice deer.

If you are interested in bear, wild boar and deer then Croatia would probably be your best bet.

I hunted with Mike at https://thehuntinglodgecroatia.com/ two years ago and we had a great trip.

He has bear, boar, red, roe and fallow deer. He has access to some properties that have exotic deer species from Marshall Tito's time

Here in the UK we have six species of deer, two of them native

 

[mark-hunter]

Each European country has completely different laws regarding weapons, hunting, hunting methods, the use of silencers and night vision... Information is often only available in the local language. Guides often do not speak foreign languages. The hunting area often does not offer accommodation or meals. Transporting weapons and trophies is often not arranged. Insurance and transport organisation are lacking.

Hahaha, it sounds like a nightmare from third world country! (pls dont scare the American friends) But, yes, it can be described that way. I am from Croatia, BTW.

 

[mark-hunter]

He has access to some properties that have exotic deer species from Marshall Tito's time

There are 4 huntable species of deer in Croatia. Roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, and axis deer.
Fallow deer and Axis deer were introduced on Brioni islands, summer residence of marshal Tito, now tourist destination, but also a national park.
At one point, limited hunting was allowed on the island to control the population under lack of predators, but few years ago, new director of the park had a moment of animal rights and green ideas, and hunting was stopped. They are facing problem now with overpopulation.

Fallow deer, in the meantime is introduced in many places, and are available country wide. Axis deer has not been introduced widely. There is another area with axis deer, which is managed by university for their game management curriculum. Not open to public. And possibly there is occasional offer on the island of Pag for axis, but very few deer are taken there. Have not seen offers lately.

Moreover, EU has issued updated list of invasive species.
Axis deer (chital) is added on the list, and will have to be culled to the last, as I hear.

22 species added to the European list of invasive alien species | Institute of Natural Sciences

www.naturalsciences.be

 

[Russ16]

I will say that it is a drain to book any major international trip. I mean emotionally not necessarily financially. But probably that as well.

I took the 5 of us to Iceland in March. Was an absolute terror to work out. I am an experienced world traveler and have something like 50 counties travelled and lived in 4 foreign countries for over 2 years each and spent several months in another 6. Lived on every continent except South America and Antartica.

A European agent like Lief Jonas can still put all the pieces for you together. He does it for all his other European clients, and works out his own American western draw hunts, New Zeeland and Norway hunting on his own every year.

I am driving down to hunt with him 1 country away and he tells me what hotel to book, what taxidermist to use and what the roads are like. Once he called me when I was stuck in traffic and helped me work out a quicker way.

It would have been easy in Iceland to pay a booking agent to work it all out. We would have paid 4 or 5 times the price and been on a big 80 person bus tour. Not what we wanted at all. In the end my extra work was worth it.

I’m the opposite. I actually love dong the research and booking. My finance and best friend hate it. So I book trips for us. This year was a chartered catamaran in Croatia. Last year was two weeks in Scotland with 4 different AirBnB and tee times at 10 courses.

I almost like the planning more than the trip. I sometimes just prowl airline websites l checking dates and destinations looking for a deal to go somewhere new.

 

[Muskox]

I’m the opposite. I actually love dong the research and booking. My finance and best friend hate it. So I book trips for us. This year was a chartered catamaran in Croatia. Last year was two weeks in Scotland with 4 different AirBnB and tee times at 10 courses.

I almost like the planning more than the trip. I sometimes just prowl airline websites l checking dates and destinations looking for a deal to go somewhere new.

Yes, there are countries that are easier than others to make work.

Iceland was challenging because even though it was not supposed to be tourist season, it is similar to Hawaii it is almost always tourist season.

I do trips to Slovenia, Austria, Norway, Finland all the time. Easy peasy, like booking America.

 

[wesheltonj]

I have one European hunting trip down (Croatia & Slovenia) and a second booked in Spain (Oct 2026). From this limited experience, the pricing in Central & Eastern Europe cannot be beaten even with the overhead of an European Agent. I am still in sticker shock over Spain pricing and the 21% VAT.

 

[Redfishga1]

I have one European hunting trip down (Croatia & Slovenia) and a second booked in Spain (Oct 2026). From this limited experience, the pricing in Central & Eastern Europe cannot be beaten even with the overhead of an European Agent. I am still in sticker shock over Spain pricing and the 21% VAT.

That VAT will get you

 

[wesheltonj]

That VAT will get you

Yes it will. Usually in Europe the VAT is included the price of an item. This hunt the VAT is added on like sales tax in the USA. So far 2k+ in VAT and I have not left home yet.

 

[Muskox]

Yes it will. Usually in Europe the VAT is included the price of an item. This hunt the VAT is added on like sales tax in the USA. So far 2k+ in VAT and I have not left home yet.

Not in Spain or often in Slovenia. Austria and Germany can do it both ways. Never when you are expecting it.

Spain has to do with bank transfers, but they will usually accept a cash price.

Slovenia, my experience has gone 100% on them charging vat. I love that country but my last experience was kind of soured, I have three more Slovenia hunts this year and I am not really excited about how I got screwed in June. So we will see how it goes. Stags and Chamois.

Here we know there is vat, but it is usually hidden in the price. But every once in a while I will get quote without vat and then have to add vat or fight to get it taken off.

Austria is metro-sexual on VAT. I never know what they are going to do. The Tyrol Forest Service for the Solden area did not hit me with VAT. My buddy usually hits me with vat on most things. Innsbruck they took it off at the world of Swarovski for no reason. My hotel in Solden hit me with VAT.

My agent charges 300 Euros booking fee, for most hunts, but not a lot of other BS. His prices are low.

Eastern European guides are generally expecting 100 Euro for a hunt, or in the case of multiples 50 Euro a head. Nice change!

 

[Rafiki]

I know that this is an African hunting forum, but I also heard that a lot of people talking about hunting in Europe. My question is what is it like? I’m also interested in this as well.

Yeah, well I thought it was an African Hunting forum also but (unfortunately) gone wildly astray of that goal; if it was ever that goal. Pretty easy to filter out all the chaff though so have at it. Hell, I didn't know there was any hunting left in Europe so ths may be interesting.

 

[Rafiki]

I shot this one in Belarus.

Is there a hunt report associated with this?

 

[ftrovato]

For the first time I'm hunting the Scotland Highlands this Sept for Red Stag, Sika Stag & Roe Buck.

I'll provide a report when I return.

As always, I set my expectations low and hope for the best. I do think this will be a fun several days of stalking the highlands with vacationing in Scotland & London before and after the hunt.

 

[Jäger_Ivo]

Not in Spain or often in Slovenia. Austria and Germany can do it both ways. Never when you are expecting it.

Spain has to do with bank transfers, but they will usually accept a cash price.

Slovenia, my experience has gone 100% on them charging vat. I love that country but my last experience was kind of soured, I have three more Slovenia hunts this year and I am not really excited about how I got screwed in June. So we will see how it goes. Stags and Chamois.

Here we know there is vat, but it is usually hidden in the price. But every once in a while I will get quote without vat and then have to add vat or fight to get it taken off.

Austria is metro-sexual on VAT. I never know what they are going to do. The Tyrol Forest Service for the Solden area did not hit me with VAT. My buddy usually hits me with vat on most things. Innsbruck they took it off at the world of Swarovski for no reason. My hotel in Solden hit me with VAT.

My agent charges 300 Euros booking fee, for most hunts, but not a lot of other BS. His prices are low.

Eastern European guides are generally expecting 100 Euro for a hunt, or in the case of multiples 50 Euro a head. Nice change!

These are precisely the reasons why I use (my trusted) outfitter: we agree on a fixed price, so I don't have to worry about additional costs or discuss them with the guide, accommodation provider, transport company, taxidermist, etc. I don't have the time or inclination for that during the hunt. He'll make me a "package" that we agree on, and I'll have peace of mind.

 

[Jäger_Ivo]

Hahaha, it sounds like a nightmare from third world country! (pls dont scare the American friends) But, yes, it can be described that way. I am from Croatia, BTW.

I don't want to scare my American friends. Quite the opposite, in fact. I want to advise them on how to enjoy hunting and travelling in Europe without fear, stress or unpleasant surprises.
Hunting here is not the same as in Africa, where the organiser takes care of everything, from picking you up from the airport to arranging permits, accommodation and full board, as well as transporting trophies. In Central Europe, none of this is usually done automatically.
How does it work in Croatia with a random hunt that I find on the internet and would like to go to?

 

[Rafiki]

The Wisent hunt was some time ago and at that time, I was not active on a forum. Furthermore, I never report in detail about my hunts and I won't do so again anyway in the future.

The recent posts I received from member @dchum by the topic First buffalo hunt question prove that some reports are not always received so positively. Perhaps jealousy is sometimes at play, I don't know. I hunt because I enjoy it, not to show off to others. I have hunted and shot more than what appears on this forum anyway.

I understand completely. I was curious because I like hunting bison but have only done so in the United States. I do like to read some of the hunt reports, and I do agree that in far to many cases the emphasis is not focused on the hunt but on killing whatever the person was after. Now that I've written this I find myself somewhat guilty of what I just said because I did post images on this thread.

 

[mark-hunter]

How does it work in Croatia with a random hunt that I find on the internet and would like to go to?

Legally every hunting club can invite you for a hunt.
The trick is, that they dont have web pages where you can find contacts. There is 1200 hunting areas and cca that much hunting clubs.

Some clubs are fully commercial.
Some are members only, with few commercial opportunity offers to help them pay annual concession. (like they will offer brown bear, or few deer per year, the rest is for members)
Some are member only, no guests.
But as I said, it is a problem to find their contacts, with exception of few cases.

But there are hunting agents, and they are active.
So, to hunt in Croatia you must contact the hunting agent. Agents have their local contacts and web pages, easy to find.
Agent will organize everything. Well established agents with experience, already know which clubs offer which type of hunt, season to season. Croatia is small, and every agent can cover entire country.
The club will offer the hunt, and assign the local guide, and should prepare local hunting permit.

Agent will organize lodging (local apartment ot hotel), airport pick up, meet and great, transport.
And later for trophy export, agent will be responsible to collect all export papers, trophy certificate etc.
Theoretically, within EU, a hunter who comes with his own car, can take his trophy immediately in his car and bring it home.
If required, agent will find taxidermist as well.

Once I asked agent for a mouflon hunt, price was 700 eur, but with direct local contact, final price was 400 eur, same hunting area. If you go with agent first, then next year you can keep local club contacts and go directly withut agent service.

So, for a local hunt, I organize everything myself, if visiting other places in the country. Of course, as a club member, I have club hunting for membership fee, and voluntary work in my area of responsibility, in hunting area of my club.

Repetitive hunters who visit the country often (EU nationals) in some clubs have option to be club members as well.
There are examples like this, those hunters are usually joining the clubs with frequent driven boar hunts.

For bird hunting, some clubs offer annual rent of hunting areas. This is popular with Italian hunters, who rent entire area for winter season to hunt woodcock.

 

[Muskox]

I book both ways, with my agent and directly. Mostly so I can hunt different areas.

 

[chuckwellington]

For the first time I'm hunting the Scotland Highlands this Sept for Red Stag, Sika Stag & Roe Buck.

I'll provide a report when I return.

As always, I set my expectations low and hope for the best. I do think this will be a fun several days of stalking the highlands with vacationing in Scotland & London before and after the hunt.

I want to do this same basic plan with my wife (non-hunter) and possibly my oldest. Please post a report after your trip.