Hunting

Hunting rights are understood to mean the authorisation to hunt wild animals that are subject to hunting rights (game) in a specific area (private hunting district or communal hunting district), to hunt them and to appropriate them.

The aim of game management is to maintain a species-rich and healthy game population that is adapted to the conditions of the landscape and the culture of the land, as well as to care for and secure its livelihoods. Game management must be carried out in such a way as to avoid any adverse effects on proper agricultural, forestry and fisheries utilisation, in particular damage caused by game.

In order to hunt, you must have a valid hunting licence, which can be issued after passing the hunting test. Anyone wishing to lease a hunting ground must hold a valid annual hunting licence and have held one for a total of three years in Germany.

The Federal Hunting Act takes into account the findings of animal welfare and nature conservation. It therefore contains a whole series of factual prohibitions, the violation of which is severely penalised. The Federal Hunting Act also stipulates that the generally recognised principles of German hunting justice must be observed when hunting.

Another important area of hunting can be summarised by the term hunting protection. The Federal Hunting Act defines hunting protection as the protection of game, in particular from food shortages, game diseases, poachers and poaching dogs and cats. The careful and constant exercise of hunting protection is just as important for the preservation of a species-rich and healthy game population as the conscientious implementation of game management measures.