We are all used to seeing and using the term, "Big Game" for creatures larger than deer. I would like to know what the term is in German. I have seen the term, Gross Wild, and Hoch Wild (is it correct to equate "wild" with "game"? Anyway, I would appreciate any comments on this from German speakers on what the common term is for big game. thanks. tj

I have only seen and used the word Hochwild for big game, nobody I know uses the term Grosswild -- well, except for maybe a non-hunter? Game is classified as either big or small game. Incidentally, Auerhahn (Caipercaille) also belongs to the Hochwild category.

It is correct to refer to game as Wild, such as Rehwild, Schwartzwild, Rotwild, etc. That term includes all family members, i.e., Buck, Doe, Kitz.

On the other hand, small game is Niederwild, and the common Rehwild (Roe) belongs in that category, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

Dom - I might be wrong - but I believe they do use term "grosswild" and they refer it to African biggest game (elephant, rhino, buffalo, hypo...). Again I might be wrong, so lets just wait for a guy from a Fatherland to clear it.

dpcd,

You gotta get up early to beat Dom to the Worms - I'm retired .....

As usual he's spot-on.

As Mouse has noted the term "Grosswild" today is applied to the Big 5; although not indiginous Teutonic & Continental Game.

As far as Teutonic speaking countries go also divide Game into: Haarwild (Haired Game & Cloven Hooved Mammals) & Federwild (Feathered Game):

Hochwild (literally translated as High Game=Large Game) is:
Das Schwarzwild (Wild Boar=Sus scrofa),
Das Rotwild (Red Deer=Cervus elaphus),
Das Damwild (Fallow Deer=Cervus dama),
Das Sikawild (Sika Deer=Cervus nippon)
Das Gamswild (Chamois=Rupicapra rupicapra)
Das Alpen-Steinwild (Alp Ibex=Capra ibex ibex)
Das Muffelwild (Mufflon=Orvis musimon)
Das Elchwild (Moose=Alces alces)
Der Seehund (Seal=Phoca vitulina)
Das Auerhahn (Capercaille=Tetrao urogallus L.)

Neiderwild (Lesser Game=Small Game) includes
Das Rehwild (Roe Deer=Capreolus capreolus)
Der Dachs (Badger=Meles meles)
Der Rotfuchs (Red Fox=Vulpes vulpes)
Der Marderhund (Inok, Nyctereutes procyonoides)
All the Martens, Minks, ect. and includes all other Haired & Feathered Game, Hare, Rabbits, Geese, Ducks, Phesants, Doves, Pigeons, Partridges, ect.

Then there are also other subdivisions:
Die Bären (Ursidae)
Die Horntrager (Bovidae)
Die Hundeartigen (Canidae)
ect.

I also think the term "Grosswild" is what you are looking for - if you explicitly want to exclude deer.

"Hochwild", as alredy explained above, is a term covering European game such as Ibex, Boar, Red Fallow, Sika and - as Dom points out - Capercaille, as well as traditionally swans and golden eagle. The latter two are no longer hunted. Hochwild was the privilege of nobility from the middle ages and onwards.

The contrast to "Hochwild" is "Niederwild", i.e. the common man's game. As explained above, this includes game such as roe, fox, badger, common birds etc.

The term "Schalenwild" refers to all pair toed hoof animals - deer, pigs (only nonruminant), sheep, goats etc.

The term "Kahlwild" (literally "bald game"), is used to designate female members of the Schalenwild group.

I'm sure there are more terms designating particular kinds of game, but these are some of the more common ones.

- mike

If I am not completely wrong, Hochwild also is the traditional "term" for all game, which was reserved for the higher classes, whereas "Niederwild" refers to all game that was to be hunted by the lower classes (i.e. peasants).

(hoch = high)

So, both terms do not relate to the size of the animal and the terms are therefore not applicable to any other but European game.

I do not think that there is a specific equivalent for plains game, I guess on would use "zoological" terms like antelopes etc.

Hope that helps ;-)

Makes sense. thanks.

Hi everybody, as an Kraut, i can maybe explain the term Grosswild, as it is used in germany.
Grosswild means huntable animals, called Wild in german, in Afrika, for example Rhino, African Buffalo, Kudu and so on. Not only the big five. Our largest Wild here in germany is the Rothirsch, red deer, so everything bigger than that we call Grosswild, typically located in Africa.
The term Grosswildjäger, big game hunter, is only used for hunting the big five in Africa. So if you going to hunt a kudu in africa the kudu is Grosswild, because it is bigger than our huntable animals (Wild), but you are not the typical Grosswildjäger for us. So use the term Grosswildjäger, big game hunter, in germany only when you are hunting the big five, or equal.
Sorry for my bad english, im not so common with writing in english.

"Großwild" is the word you are looking for. That is the equivalent for big game.