Roe deer hunt 2026

[Miletic]

A two-day hunt, an uneven 8-pointer
.

It is not a national thing, it is our internal system on our group. You can shoot either three 6-pointers OR one fork buck plus a 6-pointer; none smaller than fork, no buck in velvet. So, since my first one was a fork, I only had a 6-pointer left.

Other groups have no such system, others have an overall limit, and in other groups you might pay per animal. The hunting law does not specify it. Among hunters it's hotly debated: do you use the spring hunt to take out the weak ones, or (also) the strong ones. And how many in total. We use this system and get roughly the same number every year, and this year another hunter got a potential medal buck.

The hunting season in our country lasts from 15.04.-30.09. Every year, the best trophies are shot from 15.04. to 15.05. When I say the best, I mean those old enough with large trophies. The age group is divided into young (1-2 years), those who are growing up (2-3 years), middle-aged (4-5) and old (6+). We hunt the oldest and best roe deer at the beginning of the season. There are some that are left for mating in midle July. We select and shoot the worst individuals in the youngest categories. The hunting season for all game ends on 28.03. In March, we count game (hunters are deployed in the field and approximately count the game), and based on that, a plan is made for how many game will be shot next season

 

[Miletic]

I'm a forestry engineer and I've done MSc additional training specifically in trophy improvement. In my opinion, the most important thing is the selection of young roe deer, immediately shoot the ones that are not good. Also, a lot of attention should be paid to females. They significantly affect the value of the trophy of the next generations. Also, good fawns, those of middle age, should be kept until old age. In our country, the full age is 6 years.

 

[Luminous Ham]

I'm a forestry engineer and I've done MSc additional training specifically in trophy improvement. In my opinion, the most important thing is the selection of young roe deer, immediately shoot the ones that are not good. Also, a lot of attention should be paid to females. They significantly affect the value of the trophy of the next generations. Also, good fawns, those of middle age, should be kept until old age. In our country, the full age is 6 years.

Most here don't reach 6 years. I think the thinking is: if I don't shoot it the neighbours will - many fairly smallish hunting grounds.

And expensive in many places, so people want to get a bang for their bucks

 

[Miletic]

Most here don't reach 6 years. I think the thinking is: if I don't shoot it the neighbours will - many fairly smallish hunting grounds.

And expensive in many places, so people want to get a bang for their bucks

I don't know hunters from Denmark. I have contacts with the Swedes. I think you are quite educated and I think you know hunting well. The problem is always small hunting area. A certain buck cannot be controlled there. I completely understand what you're saying.
Poaching is a big problem here. We also have jackals that destroy wild roe deer.

 

[farmer_john]

The hunting season in our country lasts from 15.04.-30.09. Every year, the best trophies are shot from 15.04. to 15.05. When I say the best, I mean those old enough with large trophies. The age group is divided into young (1-2 years), those who are growing up (2-3 years), middle-aged (4-5) and old (6+). We hunt the oldest and best roe deer at the beginning of the season. There are some that are left for mating in midle July. We select and shoot the worst individuals in the youngest categories. The hunting season for all game ends on 28.03. In March, we count game (hunters are deployed in the field and approximately count the game), and based on that, a plan is made for how many game will be shot next season

Like that whole process blows my mind. As thats a level of depth for game managment and hunting that doesnt exist in USA.

 

[Miletic]

Like that whole process blows my mind. As thats a level of depth for game managment and hunting that doesnt exist in USA.

I would very much like to have the opportunity to hunt in the USA. I have a good friend in Chicago. You may not have specific and strict rules, but you have a lot of animals. Also, your democracy is expressed in hunting.
And I think that's the right thing to do

 

[farmer_john]

I would very much like to have the opportunity to hunt in the USA. I have a good friend in Chicago. You may not have specific and strict rules, but you have a lot of animals. Also, your democracy is expressed in hunting.
And I think that's the right thing to do

We do. Its just it seems like hunters in europe are alot more involved. I wouldnt even know where to stsrt on a deer census in my area.

But if you ever want to hunt deer your welcome to come out.

 

[Miletic]

We do. Its just it seems like hunters in europe are alot more involved. I wouldnt even know where to stsrt on a deer census in my area.

But if you ever want to hunt deer your welcome to come out.

I had several hunters at our place where my friends and clients came to hunt. Now that same hunter has been taken over by private owners. When I make a connection with them (the new owners) I will send you an invitation. If you ever want to come, it would be my pleasure. I sincerely thank you for the invitation and consideration

 

[Miletic]

France
Paris envr

 

[farmer_john]

I had several hunters at our place where my friends and clients came to hunt. Now that same hunter has been taken over by private owners. When I make a connection with them (the new owners) I will send you an invitation. If you ever want to come, it would be my pleasure. I sincerely thank you for the invitation and consideration

Anytime i love learning and meeting new friends.

Dont have the variety of alot of folks game wise. But this is what runs around the farm in nc.

 

[Miletic]

White teil
beautiful

 

[farmer_john]

White teil
beautiful

i dont know where the bucks dissapear to during deer season but there around most of those i think are in the 2-3 year old catagory

 

[Miletic]

i dont know where the bucks dissapear to during deer season but there around most of those i think are in the 2-3 year old catagory

They are probably more protected because there are more people (hunters) in their environment. They are here, they will not go anywhere. When are their trophies the best, how old should they be?

 

[farmer_john]

They are probably more protected because there are more people (hunters) in their environment. They are here, they will not go anywhere. When are their trophies the best, how old should they be?

There is but isnt. Most the areas people would normally hunt are owned by non hunters these days. Alot of horse folks bought some others developers.

1.5 Years (Yearling): Often a spike, four-pointer, or small eight-pointer. Antlers only represent about 20–30% of their total lifetime potential, and the spread typically stays within the width of the deer's ears.

2.5 Years: Skeletal growth is mostly complete, and antlers show significant jumps, typically reaching 50–60% of their maximum genetic potential.

3.5 Years: Reaching about 75–85% of his ultimate potential, a buck will often sport a recognizable, respectable rack, though mass and tine length are still increasing.

4.5 Years: The buck is physiologically mature and will grow roughly 90% of his maximum antler size. Racks become heavy and display true maturity in their main beams.

5.5 to 7.5 Years: This is the prime age for whitetails. Bucks typically reach their maximum antler size, mass, and overall score.
8 plus. The quality declines.

 

[Miletic]

Thanks for the explanation.
I wish you to shoot a beautiful deer this year

 

[farmer_john]

Thanks for the explanation.
I wish you to shoot a beautiful deer this year

I might just shoot some does. Let em grow.
I wish i understood more about contenental game managment strategies. To better manage the area. And mayve get some neighbors on board.
If your ever out this way we can hunt one.

 

[Miletic]

That would be awesome. You would probably make excellent results. At least now it is easy to find out about the strategy of preserving the species and increasing its value. The most important thing is that you have the will.
I have no doubt at all that you will understand and learn it very well

 

[Nyati]

Lucky you. my Spanish Roe Deer hunt did not go so well.
The guide just drove around in the car on public roads and wanted me to shoot animals out the car window. ( off a public road I might add) After a day of this I told them to take me home.
Very dissapointing. They seem bewildered that someone like me would decline to hunt that way.
I did spend a few days in Barcelona though and that was fun. I met some nice Polish guys in camp and they put me onto their outfitter in Poland. Looks like I will be hunting near Krakow for my Roe Deer and will give Spain a miss.

Really sorry to hear that, this is certainly not the way we do it, and it is also illegal.

Of course there are some unscrupulous operators in the hunting scene.

 

[Muskox]

I like hunting roe deer, I think I would like it more if I had a private revier in Austria or Slovenia where I was the game keeper. I do not like hunting in Germany outside of Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels.

When I hunt in Slovenia and Austria I love it, but you. are on the guides schedule.

Sitting in a high seat in Czech or Hungary and waiting for something to happen is kind of productive. Sitting in a high seat in most of Germany is kind of a disappointment. Either way I prefer to stalk. Even if it isn't as productive in a good area.

Driving down the road and auto-stalking or motoraadpirch sucks. But I have done a lot of it.

I really like the mountain stalks for mountain roe bucks, even if they are small in antler.

 

[Muskox]

Like that whole process blows my mind. As thats a level of depth for game managment and hunting that doesnt exist in USA.

I’ve grouped the U.S. states into Eastern/Midwest whitetail powerhouses (Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin — massive deer harvests) and Western states (Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico — mule deer + premier elk/pronghorn hunting with lower volumes but high-quality, often draw-limited opportunities).
Data is from the most recent available seasons (primarily 2024–2025/26), drawn from state wildlife agencies (WGFD, FWP, AZGFD, NMDGF), National Deer Association reports, and prior European sources (DJV/FACE, Statistics Austria, UK reports). Exact statewide totals for some western states are often reported by hunt unit/group rather than simple aggregates, so figures are the best available estimates or recent reported numbers.

1. Annual Deer Harvest (heads shot)​

Key distinction: Eastern states harvest hundreds of thousands of white-tailed deer due to abundant habitat and liberal seasons/tags. Western states harvest far fewer mule deer (and limited white-tailed/Coues) because of lower densities in arid/mountain terrain, harsher winters, and limited-draw or quota systems. Germany far outpaces the others in total deer harvest (mostly roe deer).

State/Country	Primary Deer Type	Recent Annual Harvest	Notes
Texas	White-tailed	~866,000 (5-yr avg)	Highest in U.S.; strong private-land management
Pennsylvania	White-tailed	~400,000	Very high hunter participation
Wisconsin	White-tailed	~322,000	Strong Midwest tradition
Wyoming	Mostly Mule deer	~27,500 (2025)	Down significantly from ~41k in 2020 due to harsh winters & population challenges
Montana	Mule + White-tailed	~25,000–40,000 (typical)	Unit-based reporting; lower than eastern states
Arizona	Mule + Coues whitetail	~10,000–20,000+ (est.)	Arid habitat limits numbers; draw + OTC archery
New Mexico	Mule + Coues whitetail	Low tens of thousands (est.)	Similar to AZ; unit-specific
Germany	Roe (main) + Red + Fallow	~1.47 million	Roe deer ~1.33M (2023/24); dominates Europe
Austria	Roe + Red	~355,000	Roe ~294k + Red ~59k (recent)
UK	Multiple species (roe, red, fallow, muntjac, etc.)	~350,000 total removals	Heavily management/cull-focused (not pure recreational)

Summary on deer: Texas alone harvests more deer than Austria + UK combined. Germany’s roe deer harvest dwarfs every U.S. state listed. Western states offer excellent mule deer hunting but in much lower volumes.

2. Other Big Game Harvest (elk, pronghorn, wild boar, etc.)​

Western states shine here with elk and pronghorn (antelope). Eastern states have very little/none of these. Europe has wild boar (major in Germany) and chamois (Austria).

• Wyoming: Premier elk state (thousands harvested annually; healthy populations). Pronghorn strong — ~32,000 licenses in 2025 with high success rates (often 80%+ in many areas), so harvest likely 15,000–25,000+. Also moose, bighorn sheep (limited).
• Montana: Major elk producer (typically several thousand to 8,000+). Pronghorn and mule deer solid in eastern parts.
• Arizona & New Mexico: Several thousand elk each in good years/units. Good pronghorn in places; also javelina, bighorn (limited draws).
• Texas/Pennsylvania/Wisconsin: Minimal elk (very limited or none in most areas). Some black bear in northern states. Texas has feral hogs (not always counted as traditional big game).
• Germany: Wild boar ~551,000 (huge management focus) + smaller chamois/mouflon/sika.
• Austria: Wild boar ~48,000 + chamois ~20,000 (important alpine species).
• UK: Very low wild boar (~3,000+ feral). Focus almost entirely on deer species.

Western U.S. advantage: World-class elk and pronghorn hunting with trophy potential. Europe has boar and alpine species instead.

3. Number of Hunters / Licensed Participants​

U.S. eastern states have hundreds of thousands of hunters each. Western states have fewer overall (draw systems limit tags) but high non-resident participation. Europe has far fewer total hunters than major U.S. states.

State/Country	Hunters / Licensed (approx.)	Notes
Texas	~1.1 million paid licenses	Largest in U.S.
Pennsylvania	~930,000	Extremely high participation rate
Wisconsin	~670,000–700,000	Strong per-capita hunting culture
Wyoming	Tens of thousands (big game tag holders); high non-resident %	Draw-heavy for many species; popular destination
Montana	Similar to WY — high non-resident draw participation	Popular for elk/deer
Arizona	Draw + OTC tag holders (tens of thousands for big game)	High non-resident interest in elk
New Mexico	Similar to AZ	Draw system dominant
Germany	~468,000 licensed hunters (2025 record)	Whole country; structured Revier system
Austria	~130,000	Whole country
UK	~50,000–100,000 deer stalkers (est.)	Much lower recreational participation; many professional culls

Per-hunter insight: European hunters (especially Germany/Austria) often harvest more animals per person on average due to quotas and district responsibility. U.S. eastern states have high volume but lower average success per hunter. Western states emphasize quality/limited opportunity.

Key Takeaways & Context​

• Eastern U.S. states (TX, PA, WI) dominate deer harvest volume — comparable to or exceeding entire European countries except Germany. High hunter numbers and accessible seasons.
• Western U.S. states (WY, MT, AZ, NM) offer premium mule deer, elk, and pronghorn experiences with lower harvest numbers but often higher per-hunt quality and more limited tags/draws. These are destination states for many non-residents.
• Germany is in a league of its own for total deer harvested in Europe (roe deer powerhouse) and has the most hunters among the three European countries.
• Austria is solid and balanced (good roe + red deer + chamois).
• UK focuses on management culling of multiple deer species (~350k total removals) rather than high-volume recreational hunting; far fewer dedicated stalkers.
• Big differences in systems: U.S. (especially West) uses draws/limited tags for quality management. Germany has a strict, quota-based Revier system. UK emphasizes ecological control. Land access, seasons, and hunter training also vary widely.

I am not currently a member of a hunting area or a leasee.

I generally do guided or semi-guided hunts or hunt big German military training areas.

I was a member of a state forest lease when I got here. I could shoot as many wild boar and roe deer as I liked, but this is a small area next to a major town. So their goal wasn't so much anhiliation, but the very real concept that there was not a lot to shoot to begin with.

Most areas will have quotas enforced by wildlife managers. Personally feel like as an individual hunter, I have more input on what is going on in my area than I did in America.

We don't have such things as tags, at least in Germany.