Ive been to several different countries and it seams there is always something the guides / hunters could use that is hard to get in their country. (Africa - ammo)

Since my new German friend is taking me hunting for basically nothing. I thought I would get him a gift to show my gratitude.

Any suggestions?

I think camo wear is a good gift. The digital camo from the north american top brands aren't available in europe.
Scope mounts, trail cams and feeders are much cheaper in US.

Enjoy your hunt.

Waidmannsheil

Vogtlaender

quote:

Originally posted by Voigtlaender:
I think camo wear is a good gift. The digital camo from the north american top brands aren't available in europe.
Scope mounts, trail cams and feeders are much cheaper in US.

Enjoy your hunt.

Waidmannsheil

Vogtlaender

I second that
I usually take trail cameras and optics

By all means any US born electronics - like Garmin etc. that are almost double the price here...I'd be careful with camo - there are places with deep rooted traditions here in EU, where wearing camo is a big no-no - check first.

Thanks guys,

A trail camera or nice piece of camo sounds good. Ill ask for his advise on what I should bring for clothing that will answer any questions about camo.

Mouse93

Is the camo a government issue or is it strictly cultural?

Thunder Head:

Is he reloading? I always bring a lot of reloading stuff from USA. Also I buy Hornady One Shot Tap HD Extreme gun oil and EEZOX. Not available here at all.

Jiri

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
Mouse93

Is the camo a government issue or is it strictly cultural?

Cultural.

Germany and Austria and most of connected nations aren't really into camo.

Scandanavians like it a lot more.

Brits like it sporadically but mostly for deer or foxes.

Eastern Europe, Spain, Italy and others like camo quite a bit.

Helga Wimmer was the Miss Jagerein (Hunting Queen for 2013?) she got burned by the German speaking hunters for wearing camo for her sponsor company. I can't remember if it was Harkila or Deer Hunter or who.

Headed to the hunting show in Saarbrucken in a few minutes. Wearing green and brown with my lame Blaser hat.

I noticed that the guides I hunted with in Poland 2 years ago wore military(government issue) camouflage, so it must be accepted there at least. I guess the Germans must just prefer loden.

Camo, synthetic stocks on a bolt action, a autoloader or even a AR? Very thin ice. Some hunters like it and some not. The generation who don't like it is a declining species. If you know your host don't like that, you have to go traditional with loden, cord or tweet, a hat or a flat cap (not a baseball cap! ) and a over and under or a walnut stocked bolt action in a medium calibre. It is only a question of respect. There are no mandatories by any of our big choice of laws.

Waidmannsheil

Vogtlaender

PS: a pound or two of elk jerky is also a very good present

I was speaking to the Haenel representative at the local hunting show this weekend.

He was telling me that if I lived in Bavaria or planned to hunt Bavaria he would have to sell me a wood stalked rifle (or those bastards won't let you hunt).

Here in far Western Germany, as long as it doesn't look like a snipers rifle it is fair game.

The Sauer rep said they still made wood stalked rifles that cost $15,000 with full engraving for the Bavarians, everyone else wants a thumbhole Blaser or Sauer.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I was speaking to the Haenel representative at the local hunting show this weekend.

He was telling me that if I lived in Bavaria or planned to hunt Bavaria he would have to sell me a wood stalked rifle (or those bastards won't let you hunt).

Here in far Western Germany, as long as it doesn't look like a snipers rifle it is fair game.

The Sauer rep said they still made wood stalked rifles that cost $15,000 with full engraving for the Bavarians, everyone else wants a thumbhole Blaser or Sauer.

The Germans has always had a strong tradition and outlook of how to perform their hunting. There are official rules and unwritten rules.
Here in Denmark we´ve always said about the Germans they don´t go use the toilet before clarify with the rules. I would say here in Scandinavia things are a little more relaxed. Here we do a little backyardshooting(beer cans, old tv sets shot at) too. That would be unthinkable in Germany.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I was speaking to the Haenel representative at the local hunting show this weekend.

He was telling me that if I lived in Bavaria or planned to hunt Bavaria he would have to sell me a wood stalked rifle (or those bastards won't let you hunt)

Here in far Western Germany, as long as it doesn't look like a snipers rifle it is fair game.

The Sauer rep said they still made wood stalked rifles that cost $15,000 with full engraving for the Bavarians, everyone else wants a thumbhole Blaser or Sauer.

Quite distasteful wording for someone who is guest in a foreign country. Be assured that a lot of people use plastic stocks for hunting noawadays in Germany. And of course you can get nice bolt action rifles with wood stock for less than 15k.

Frank it was not my goal to be insulting. Just repeating what I was told.

The Haenel sales rep was joking with me. About 10-15 industry people where there; Schmidt Bender, Zeiss, Haenel, Blaser, Sauer, Mauser, Sako, Roessler. Maybe a few more.

They were giving me a hard time about owning Remington 700s and a Howa.

The guy from Sauer and the guy from Haenel were both sales people who spoke absolutely perfect English, without much of an accent.

Frank what part offended you?

I had the impression that you called the Bavarians bastards. But I will not take it personally!

Frankly, plastic stocks are quite common these days. Of course some people are in a friendly and gentlemanly way more old school than others. And if I am invited then I respect the rules of my host and if I know he is more the "oak man" (remember Pulp Fiction?) then I bring a wood stocked rifle and dress more traditional. Actually for me this part of the fun.
One thing comes to my mind regarding semi automatic rifles. It can happen that they are not allowed by the host on a driven hunt. Some people think they motivate the hunter to not carefully choose the shot. I have no firm opinion here and had various semis but went back to bolt action.

...and I would not worry about Rem700, Howa, Tikka etc. They are used here too. Especially Tikka is very popular and nit expensive. And you can get all kind of stocks!

Got it!

They insulted my beloved 700's in jest.