So it looks like I am moving to Austria in a few months. I just got back from there, and got a few hours in Isny visiting the Blaser factory as well. Great group of guys over there.

I have several questions as it pertains to Hunting/Firearm Regulations.

1. If I take the Austrian Hunting License exam; is it recognized in other European countries? Specifically Germany, Switzerland and Sweden?

2. As a Swedish citizen (E.U.); can I get licensed, or whatever you call it, to own a firearm in Europe or am I completely out of luck?

3. I'm also a archery hunter/shooter, do I need a license to own or have a bow in Austria? Even if I can't hunt with it, I'd like to be able to just target shoot for fun.


Thanks guys.

Happy Moving to Austria.....may your move be uneventful,

Within the EU there are number of countries with reciprocating agreements; I'm not familiar with each specific case; however to the best of my knowledge Germany & Austria have reciprical agreements.

I've hunted from Germany to Austria and they simply took a passing glance at my German Hunting License and issued an Austrian one. The same in France.

I have two Swedish colleagues who were transferred to The Fatherland for business purposes. Both brought all of their Swedish paperwork, aaplied here and were issued a German Hunting License in matter of days.

In Germany; and Austria is more liberal, possessing a Bow & Archery shooting is a matter of being 18 years of age. in Germnay Bow Hunting is not Legal.

Hunting in Switzerland is organized on a state (canton) level. Each canton has its own hunting regulations and licensing. Even amongst Swiss cantons, reciprocal hunting licensing is the exception.

With an Austrian hunting license, you can probably get invited to hunt in most of the low land cantons (Zurich, Argau etc.), and possibly the mountain canton of Glarus. It is also possible you could get invited in the canton of St Gallen, I'm not up to the details of the regs. In either location, you'll have to pay for a (time limited) non-resident license.

There is no pan-European firearms licensing. These days, though, travel with Firearms amongst the countries of the European Union is fairly easy once you get a "European Firearms Passport" (or whatever the correct technical terms is?). With an Austrian hunting license, you can own firearms in Austria and get the necessary European "license". With that, travel within the European Union should be comparatively easy.

Travel to Switzerland with a hunting rifle was never a problem, just get your host to write you a confirmation you are invited to hunt, and report firearms at the border. It is unlikely anybody will bother to inspect them.

Btw, if you will be stationed in Austria, you will likely look east to go hunting abroad. After all, Austria borders on such fantastic hunting countries as Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia etc., offering some of the best hunting to be had in all of Europe.

- mike

quote:

1. If I take the Austrian Hunting License exam; is it recognized in other European countries? Specifically Germany, Switzerland and Sweden?

up here you are licensed to hunt if you are in your home country.
for those nations who doesn't have hunting license, very well just get something that proves it.

The Austrian hunting exam is to my knowledge the only one which is comparable to the German Jägerprüfung and thus, recognized on a mutual base.

It will not be easy but is IMHO very well worth the effort. Hunting in Austria is just georgous, incredible landscapes, lots of different species of game animals, wonderful traditions and as an additional bonus you have other very promising places like Slovenia, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia very close by, like a typical drive in the US from suburbia to workplace (exaggerating a little).

Weidmann's Heil and best of luck, you will like it!

Thanks for all the input guys!

I hope I can find a copy of the hunting exam in english because my german is limited to about 10 words! I'm hoping to learn though.

If not, perhaps I'll be able to take the Swedish exam.

Learning Austrian (surprisingly close to German) should not be that difficult for an english speaking Swede.

Derpending on your matital state, the pretty and charming girls there are another good reason to pick it up ASAP...

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
Learning Austrian (surprisingly close to German) should not be that difficult for an english speaking Swede.

Derpending on your matital state, the pretty and charming girls there are another good reason to pick it up ASAP...

Oh believe me, that is certainly priority numero uno!

quote:

numero uno!

Language confusion increasing, this is italian