I have not yet hunted continental Europe. I would like to plan a future hunt in Central or Eastern Europe. Hunting a country that was formerly behind the Iron Curtain has an appeal both from a historical and cultural standpoint for me. I would like to hunt red stag, mouflon sheep, and wild boar if possible on one hunt. I understand that in the European system, the trophy fees skyrocket quickly as trophy size increases. I am not interested in paying for gold medal trophies, but would like the opportunity good solid middle range trophies. I guess SCI bronze to silver would be considered.

I am interested in any advice you can give on a hunt of this kind.

Thanks.

It should be easy enough to arrange a trip like that. Many Eastern European countries, and some Western too, offer good hunts for the species mentioned. Examples include Hungary, Poland and, perhaps with limitations for reds and number of pigs, the Czech Republic.

One thing you have to be aware of, is that if you want to combine species, although completely possible, you'll have to compromise in terms of hunting period. Red stags are best hunted in the rut (September - October, earlier the further south you go). This is a tad earlier than the best hunting time (rut) for Mouflon (Oct-Nov), and quite a bit earlier than the best time for pigs (Dec-Jan). Still, it is certainly possible to combine the species you mention. Perhaps a later (Winter) hunt would not be a bad option?

I personally think an awful lot of Hungary as a hunting destination. They have the highest standards of game management, and your guide is required to judge the animal you are looking at and deem it within +/- 10% of the size you have agreed on in advance, otherwise you can refuse the trophy. All this in totally free range hunting means, not only that the game populations can be astonishing, but that the game keepers must have an intimate knowledge of the game on their areas (min. 3000 Ha ~ 7500 Acres). Don't expect them to let you shoot the first red stag you see, if the age (as well as the trophy) is not appropriate, no shot will be fired.

If you are not looking for a monster stag, as well as good mouflon and pig, Northern Hungary holds exceptionally good populations of all three species. In addition, the terrain can be quite varied (hillish), and surprisingly good hunting can be found in very close vicinity (less than 150 miles) from the capital Budapest. That makes travel from the airport a lot easier.

A superb reference for arranging a hunt in Hungary, is this company:

http://www.sevako.hu/kontakte/

Although their website is only in German (reflecting the traditional origin of most of their foreign customers), they represent an incredible amount of hunting areas, including the very top ones. You can write to them in English, and they will propose area(s) and hunting period for you to suit your objectives. A price list will be included. It is fine if you you don't want monster trophies, I'm not sure they will know how to translate SCI scores, though. Good, middle class trophies of red stag would be 7-8 kg, mouflon - perhaps 60-70 cm, boars are scored on their teeth, and are extremely hard to score on their feet.

See also this page:

http://www.sevako.hu/wildarten_und_empfohlene_riviere/

For suggested areas for the various species. Click on the species to get a list of suggested areas. That will get you to a page dedicated to the species in question. Each page will have a (slightly obscure) text like:

quote:

Klicken Sie hier die Reviere mit Muffelwildvorkommen in Ungarn zu betrachten

That in turn is a link to the list of areas for this species, (click on each area in turn to get more information - all in German, though).

There are tons of other agencies offering hunts in the likes of Poland and Hungary. On the continent, a lot of them are in Austria and Germany, and they generally know their business well. Here are a couple of options:

http://www.diana.dk/page/43/English

http://www.mistral-jagd.at/

http://www.westfalia-jagdreisen.de/

http://www.kettner-jagdreisen.de/Home.46.0.html

http://www.jagd-tour.de/

These people will all communicate with you in English and have been in business for a long time.

Good luck - mike

I strongly recomend www.molnarjagd.hu for hunts in hungary...hunted with them a Couple of time and i returned never disapointed.

Seloushunter

Having just watched a DVD of big stag hunting in Hungary I can vouch that there appear to be some truly incredible stags there!

Mike - how much would a >12kg stag trophy run too?

Here are some Hungarian prices fro reference - they may vary between different areas and seasons:

[kg]]...............Price €......+ €/10 g

up to 2,99.........250
3,00 - 3,99..........600
4,00.................600..........3,00
5,00.................900..........5,00
6,00...............1.400..........6,00
7,00...............2.000..........8,00
8,00...............2.800.........10,00
9,00...............3.800.........16,00
10,00..............5.400.........28,00
10,50..............6.800.........36,00
over 11,00.........8.600.........40,00

Am I right to make that Eur12,600 for a 12kg stag?

What does a 12kg stag look like? I'm assuming he's gonna be pretty bloody big!!

Rgds,
FB

Above it all its going to be massive (reds develope their antlers up to ~120 cm all the rest is about thickness and weight - from Mike's link you can see a 13+kg trophy - upper right:

http://www.mistral-jagd.at/angebote/2008/k10-12.pdf

Yes, the upper end of the price scale can be pretty dizzying stuff. One thing we have to realize, is that there are few areas in which you can realistictically expect to find a stag of 10 kg and above. Yes, one always sees pictures of giant stags, but in reality they don't lurk behind every tree - even in the areas where they might be a possibility.

I would venture a guess, that if you consistently wanted to take stags of 10 kg and more, you would be limited to a handful of areas in South Western Hungary and some areas in Bulgaria. Anywhere else, a 10+ kg stag would be the exception - or even a minor miracle. You could then venture to such an area - "Labod" in Hungary, say - and if you were picky about the size and type of stag you were looking for, you would have to figure in a realistic chance of going home empty handed. Even in the VERY best areas, the biggest stags don't hide behind every tree.

I realize the Continental system of charging a trophy fee based on size can be pretty initimidating. It certainly makes it necessary for most of us to establish a budget and discuss this with the guide before the hunt. The good side of this system is, that if you are out of luck and do not find your dream trophy, you'll have paid no more than a comparatively low fee for guiding and accommodation. Compare that to what you pay for an unsuccessful hunt for sheep in North America, say.

- mike

Actualy I think it's amazingly good value. There must be some other limitations such as waiting lists, needing contacts etc. For a reasonably wealthy industrialist it's not enough money to prevent him wanting to do it year on year no?

The 8x60S will be my trophy stag rifle - I'll think of trophy stags while I wait for fallow to show themselves in my hunting grounds!

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
There must be some other limitations such as waiting lists, needing contacts etc.

The good areas will naturally book out earlier. But in Europe, there is not the same tradition as in the US (and with US hunters in Africa) of booking years in advance.

The 8x60S would work a treat. Depending on where you hunt, shots can be had both in heavy cover and over open ground (fields). A versatile gun with a comparatively large diameter bullet is a good choice. Stags are not armour plated, but they can be hard to put down when they are in rut.

- mike

Mike thanks for the info,

Apart fromt he opportunity at some huge Norfolk stags over the last couple of years I've never really considered much that would be bigger than the Scottish hill stags. given my opportunities in thhe UK are for Free, I had never really considered the financial value of the big fellas.

Given the relative rarity of them and the fact that there is something really special about big red stags, I don't see the rates as being too outragous in comparison to some other critters one could chase around the world.

BTW, the photo atthe end of the big fella with his hinds kinda sums it all up really why they are such a magnificent trophy.

Rgds,
K

Fallow, you are right, if one has the opportunity to hunt reds locally, the incentive to pay big $$$ for a trophy hunt is much less. Still, I can't help being infatuated by a set of really good antlers - sadly my imagination in this respect widely exceeds my economic realities...

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
BTW, the photo atthe end of the big fella with his hinds kinda sums it all up really why they are such a magnificent trophy.

So True. A red stag is much more impressive like that - compared to photographed on the ground.

- mike

One of the very best places for Free Range Red Stag hunts in hungary ( mayby in the world ) you can find in www.sellyeiszarvas.hu
But this hunts arent cheap.

Seloushunter

As the starting point was to find a well priced trip for 'solid' trophies without the need for record heads, I would have to suggest Poland.

There is no point paying Hungarian/Czech prices if you want a decent 7 kg stag. A wild boar can also be combined with a stag hunt fairly easily as they are widespread but the mouflon is more localised.

Though I have not personally hunted in Poland, it is the most popular destination for European hunters looking east by far. Look at the Diana catalogue for some inspiration, they book all over the country.

mboga biga bwana

This is the estate where I shot my wild boar a few years ago but at the time they didn't have a website. Thankyou for posting.

Do you know Jeno Jung?

Jeno and his wife offered us some fanatstic hospitality and to hunt the boar under the moon from a high seat in te snow is still an impression vividly etched in my mind.

I saw ALOT of Red deer in general as well as Roe and was over whlemed by the amount of game roaming around. We were also taken around the estate on horse and cart which I think was a better way to see all the different game animals wandering around. I do plan to go back in the next year or two for a repeat visit. We drove from the UK and picked up a friend in Germany (the drive from the UK I would not chose to do again if possible).

I was lucky enough to take a 21cm Kieler (which I had shoulder mounted) and I was really really over the moon.

A very enjoyable experience and could recommend this particular area to anyone as Jeno is a true professional and very very nice bloke too.

Just thought I would post some pictures of the aforementioned estate (posted by mboga biga bwana)and my experience when I hunted the East European Wild Boar.

I had a fantstic experience and hunting these super animals under a full moon in the snow is an amazing experience and one I can recommend thoroughly.















Hope you enjoy the pics.

Great pig Jon, love the photo's.

You have never been truely cold until you have sat out in a high seat at -15c.

All I could do was watch Roe and Moufflon which were out of season.

QUOTE [I had a fantstic experience and hunting these super animals under a full moon in the snow is an amazing experience and one I can recommend thoroughly.]

I will agree to that.The silence of the forest with only your tinnitus to keep you company is a buzz.
Congratulations on the boar,those are some great specimens.

quote:

Originally posted by SIKA98K:
QUOTE
I will agree to that.The silence of the forest with only your tinnitus to keep you company is a buzz.

Haha, how true unfortunately...

Thanks folks

Actually Brian, I had an issue with the fact that some of the pics have been cropped. The website I had been storing them on deleted them (photobox.com) without notifying me. Lesson now learnt.

Also (no offence meant here to the guide who took the pic of me and the boar just after the shot being made) but it is amazing how many hunters/guides are absolutely crap at taking photos.

I take alot of time sorting pictures as I know that one day I will be too old to mooch around the hills and I will take great pleasure in being able to relive the memories through my album.

I happened to have those photos to hand which I scanned in and fortunately my brother has the "master" album which we are going through the process of backing up (soft copy). I think the ones he has have not been cropped so we should be ok.

Best

Jon