Not so good ( or old ) news from one of the premier Hunting Country in Europe

From the www.huntingreport.com

Hungary - Watch Out for Scam Operators
(posted January - 2012)

If you are planning a trophy hunt anywhere in central Europe, particularly in Hungary, take note. As this issue goes to press we've been informed of several cases of alleged fraud being perpetrated there. Specifically hunters are being told they are hunting free-range animals when, in fact, the trophies in question may have been captive-bred and released in a controlled location just prior to the hunt. The information we have comes to us from subscriber Jens Kjaer Knudsen (jens@kjaerknudsen.dk), the chairman of Nordisk Safari Klub. (Their website is http://safariklub.dk/, but note that the site is not available in English). We are indebted to Henning Kørvel (hkpress@stofanet.dk) for forwarding us additional details on the incidents in question.

In 2010, a Danish hunter hunted in eastern Hungary near the border with Romania. In three days of hunting, he shot 31 roebuck; 17 scored CIC gold (130 points and up), five scored silver medals, four scored bronze medals, while three others scored 100 points. One was a non-typical (perücke bock in German).....

I am sure the Danish "hunter" must be very proud of his trophies.....

Who would shoot that many and large headed game and not be sort of questioning ones success.

Besides I saw some one in here quoting a bear hunt in Hungary,

as far as I could tell from the scenes of the hunt, I found then strange and unusual at best and worst those from a canned hunt or a fenced hunt,

them bears acting like nothing I have ever seen or heard of from Sweden.

Canned hunts are fare more common than one would like to think of.

/Chris

quote:

Originally posted by mboga biga bwana:
... In three days of hunting, he shot 31 roebuck; 17 scored CIC gold (130 points and up), five scored silver medals, four scored bronze medals, while three others scored 100 points. One was a non-typical (perücke bock in German).....

The numbers are rather staggering! Eastern Hungary does indeed have some exceptional roebuck, but the above does not sound very realistic.

Hungary has its share of fenced hunting areas. By far the most of them are specifically for pigs. I have always suspected (although I don't actually KNOW this for a fact) that the videos you see of Hungarian driven pig hunts were probably filmed in fenced areas. Per-se, there is nothing odious about this. Fenced pig hunting is a fact of life in many European countries (I know of fenced hunting areas at least in Germany, France and Austria). If you don't want to hunt a fenced area, just be specific when you book your hunt.

Hungary also has fenced hunting areas for more general hunting. Some of these are very large (e.g. part of the Labod hunting area is fenced - and parts unfenced - and the entire area is about 48000 ha), and still offer very good hunting. Just like the fenced pigs areas, this is a traditional part of Hungarian hunting and it is easy to avoid if you don't want to hunt a fenced area.

In later years (and I guess in the years before that?), there have been well documented cases of European trophies taken which had been raised in captivity. I recall a record stag raised in captivity in Austria and shot (I believe?) in Bulgaria, or a record roe buck shot in (I believe?) Northern Serbia. If such animals are offered as "free range", this is obviously fraudulent, and buyer should beware. I don't, however, believe this phenomenon is restricted to Hungary.

In general, Hungary has a long and proud hunting tradition. If you hunt in a good area, you can expect exceptional professional hunters, great game populations and (with luck) hunting success. It would be a pity if fraudulent hunt offers were to form the opinion of outsiders about hunting in Hungary in general.

- mike

P.S. It is actually pretty uncommon to keep roe in captivity. For most of the year (with the possible exception of winter), roes are loners and don't tolerate competition - except for family groups of does and youngs, or perhaps buck and doe. I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, but in general, because of their competitive nature, it is quite rare you see roe bred and kept in captivity - as opposed to red or fallow deer, say.

quote:

In general, Hungary has a long and proud hunting tradition. If you hunt in a good area, you can expect exceptional professional hunters, great game populations and (with luck) hunting success. It would be a pity if fraudulent hunt offers were to form the opinion of outsiders about hunting in Hungary in general.

+1

Enclosed areas are common but what I experienced in Hungary is that many times they didn't tell to people in advance what to expect, many times they would make the trophy bigger then you think (if you wound one), they would ad too many km on their sheet to pay extra for the transport and many times when I asked for non fenced animals they would still take me in enclosed areas. Most of the people wouldn't know the difference but after first drive I knew. Now I have two open grounds where I take my guests without the problem. In my opinion Hungary is great hunting country but too expensive and not prepared to follow our wishes. To negotiate there is stressful and before you sign the contract read it again twice.

If you want to be suer that you hunt for free range animals in a non fenced teritory come to Poland.
This is the only type of hunting you will get here.

Hey mho, best thing about Hungary is the halupki. Wifey comes from good hunkie bloodlines, still has relatives back in Hungary from her people who didn't like America and went back to Hungary after WWI. Anyway, I eat so much cabbage and luv the halupki.

I was reading the posts, sounds as though they don't have enough game or land to hunt on in Hungary. Here in Alaska, no questions about animals being for sure wild. They wouldn't survive the wolves & bear if they weren't. I'd fly to Alaska, rent a car, and go hunting. If ya know any ALaskans, they could put you in a place you'd get some shootin. My kids and me got 3 moose, half dozen blk bear, I tagged a grizz, and we always get a bunch of caribou every fall. Just sayin, it ain't all that hard. And thanks again to you especially for answering my reloading questions in the past.

quote:

Originally posted by Pawel:
If you want to be suer that you hunt for free range animals in a non fenced teritory come to Poland.
This is the only type of hunting you will get here.

Every country in Europe has fenced and unfenced grounds. The only thing is the honesty of the operator to tell this to his guest. Unfortunately they are not always honest and than you have the problem like in Hungary. Hungary is not the only one because speaking to some of my clients who were hunting all over the world they've experienced cons in many countries and by many reputable agents. The examples you can find in every country. In SA more than anywhere, in Croatia, Poland, Ukraine, Macedonia, Namibia, NZ, Austria, Spain, UK ect. It's shame that only some ends up in news.

This fence or free range hunting is a real mess

I don't mind coming out of the closet

Every year I book a fence hunt

Get plenty of trigger time and get that urge out of my system

Then I play with you guys all green, ethical and politically correct

Can't see anything wrong with that

Pawel! polen have som hunting for wildboars in highfence places just look at the hunters videos wildboar films 2-3 and 4! dont mind hunting in high fense place but i want to be told what type of property it is i am hunting in !

I have personally been hunting driven boar in Hungary for the last 12 years and have been offered fenced areas but we only hunt open areas. We have had good quality hunting every year with bags of up to 89 boar in 3 days with 10 guns. It is possible to shoot more than this in one day in fenced areas the choice is yours.

Hmmmmm.... Hunting in Hungary is a very traditional act.We have fenced and open areas as well. If you want, you can "shoot" 31 roebucks in three daxs in an open area. If you want, you can SHOOT over 100 boars in two day alone. IF YOU WANT...

If you want, you can hunt the traditional hungarian driven boar hunt, and could have a bag of over 10 boars a day-OPEN AREA!

If you want, you can stalk and hunt red - and fallow deer of the world class! (Or a non typical,what gives a wonderfoul hunt too)

Hungary is a multifaced huntig destiny. And if you want,you can find a trophy hunt for a lifetime!-Without fence!!

Nothing wrong with high fence if you've been told in advance or if you actually shoot wild catch and release animals. The problem is when you shoot confused, caged animals which run in circle and sometimes just stare at you.
Few days ago I read the report in Sporting Rifle form one of the agents(he is just a shooting agent) where he says that he organise Dangerous Wild boar big game in Croatia. He also says that you can get 3 extra big boar in one day and that they are aggressive and not scared of hunters or dogs.
First of all the animals are bought from villagers and raised in barns. They are big but not wild at all. Just before you go to hunt they release a few in small fenced are, really small. Than dogs starts attacking but because those animals used to be close to people and dogs they don't run (they don't have energy after few minutes anyway) and it looks that they are dangerous. They are not, they are pets for selling alive, make sausages or train dogs. Once they are very big they are released 5min before the hunter comes and killed.

This practice is more and more common in many countries but I'm talking now about some examples in Croatia. I was laughing so much when I sow my friend's boar, which was raised 200km away from the ground, in one magazine with British hunter staying behind. The hunter didn't know about the scam. I do a lot of hunting extra big wild boar but in genuine way, wild and full of adrenaline and with 98% success but only thanks to my team guys who are on the ground 7/365.

Do you really want to put this on the wall????

Farmers from Serbia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riWl2AJl8I8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuWEK8vxjWY

Dangerous and not scared!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_LND-ZD19g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtA09OxG6MQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6FcQ2ckx0I

Hi Londonhunter,

I agree with this however it can be done in two ways, good one with wild animals and in a bad way with caged animals.
One of the grounds and it's in top 5 in Europe gives you plenty of shooting and guaranteed numbers but you basically don't see the fence and one side is fully opened for 5km. Boar there are truly wild and we take 100 or more in 3 days.

quote:

Originally posted by londonhunter:
This fence or free range hunting is a real mess

I don't mind coming out of the closet

Every year I book a fence hunt

Get plenty of trigger time and get that urge out of my system

Then I play with you guys all green, ethical and politically correct

Can't see anything wrong with that

Quite obviously, if there is a demand for this kind of "trophy hunting", someone will be willing and prepared to satisfy it.

Now, one could argue that no harm is done, both sides go away happy from the deal.

After all, it brings some money to these areas and employs people.

quote:

Every year I book a fence hunt

Get plenty of trigger time and get that urge out of my system

Then I play with you guys all green, ethical and politically correct

Can't see anything wrong with that

That's right ,

There is demand for it but only a few can afford it. Most of those who can are very busy guys with little time to waste. They pay more they get more. However, almost all agents and leaseholders think of them like dumb rich guys who don't know anything about hunting and they'll do anything to take as much as they can from them. Well, this is the part where everything goes wrong and even though I am an agent and hunting guide myself I disagree with this way of organising hunts and dealing with hunters.
There are excellent, special places and people where the hunt in enclosed ground can be done in fair and good way.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
Quite obviously, if there is a demand for this kind of "trophy hunting", someone will be willing and prepared to satisfy it.

Now, one could argue that no harm is done, both sides go away happy from the deal.

After all, it brings some money to these areas and employs people.

Tomo nice talking to you

awaiting your email about the up and coming fence hunting in October - 200 rounds enough ?

Then please book me for a green wild unfence boar hunt and I will bring 02 bullets and a few beer.

I promise I will not post here or talk behind your back afterwards complaining "What a shity place" you took me whereby I saw 01 boar after standing in the snow for 03 days and paying 2000 euro for the priviledge

I need to go to church more often

I must confess I only ever wanted to shoot one boar a year and that's all

Hi Londonhunter,

It was great speaking to you too.
I'll send it tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by londonhunter:
Tomo nice talking to you

awaiting your email about the up and coming fence hunting in October - 200 rounds enough ?

Then please book me for a green wild unfence boar hunt and I will bring 02 bullets and a few beer.

I promise I will not post here or talk behind your back afterwards complaining "What a shity place" you took me whereby I saw 01 boar after standing in the snow for 03 days and paying 2000 euro for the priviledge

I need to go to church more often

I must confess I only ever wanted to shoot one boar a year and that's all