History of U.S. Forces Hunting in Germany

Vocabulary and key dates related to the historical regulation and progression of U.S. Forces hunting programs in Germany since 1944.

September 1944

The month and year when the first American troops crossed the border into Nazi Germany and U.S. Forces hunting began.

Länderagreement

A 1951 agreement between US Forces in Germany and the states of Bavaria, Hessen, and Baden-Württemberg that regulated hunting procedures, licenses, and game quotas.

1951 Quota System

A regulation reserving a guaranteed number of game for U.S. Forces: 15% of male Red Deer, 25% of other male big game, 20% of male Roe Deer, 15% of female big game and Roe Deer, and unlimited Wild Boar and small game.

1985

The year U.S. Forces began paying the same hunting fees as German hunters, ending the period of paying a special, lower conservation fee.

Two Plus Four Agreement

The 1990 agreement involving the FRG, DDR, USA, GB, France, and USSR that changed the status of U.S. Forces in Germany during reunification.

1998 Authorization

An arrangement between German States and U.S. Forces that abolished the game quota system and established current training and testing procedures for German hunting licenses.

Landesjagdverband

The German state hunting association whose representatives oversee and certify hunting instructor training and basic hunter certification.

Army Europe Regulation 215-145

The regulation that contains a summary of the 1998 authorization in its Appendix D.

Occupying Force Administration

The system during the occupation era where hunting rights were managed by the foreign military forces stationed in the southern states of Germany.

Drillings

One of the types of captured or confiscated German weapons used by U.S. soldiers for hunting during the early occupation period.