History of German Hunting

Vocabulary and key terms regarding the historical development, laws, and traditions of German hunting.

Hochwild

High game; includes all cloven hoofed game except Roe Deer, as well as Capercaillie and Eagles; historically reserved for the sovereign.

Niederwild

Low game; one of the two principle divisions of game in German hunting customs.

Aufbruch zur Jagd

A hunting horn signal meaning 'departure to hunt'.

Anblasen des Treibens

A hunting horn signal meaning 'start of the drive hunt'.

Hahn in Ruh

A hunting horn signal meaning 'unload firearm/end of drive hunt'.

Hirsch tot, Sau tot, Reh tot, Fuchs tot

Hunting horn signals used to honor the harvested game.

Jagd vorbei

A hunting horn signal meaning 'end of the hunt'.

Halali

A hunting horn signal blown at the end of a social hunt, during which hunters take their hats off.

Jägersprache

The language peculiar to the art of hunting consisting of several thousand words developed over centuries.

Strecke legen

The practice of displaying and honoring the harvested game after a social hunt.

Volk

Common people; historically they suffered from game damage to their fields and served as unpaid beaters during drive hunts.

Ulrich Scherping

Born 1889 in Krackow/Pomerania, he is considered the most famous 'father' of a modern German hunting law.

Deutsche Jägerschaft

The nationwide hunting organization formed during the Nazi era to reorganize hunting organizations.

Reichsjägermeister

The title held by Hermann Göring as the head of all hunting in Germany.

Bundesjagdgesetz

The actual federal hunting law dating back to 1952, which replaced the old Reichsjagdgesetz.

Landesjagdgesetze

State hunting laws created by German states; these laws cannot ease federal or European legal requirements.

Deutsche Jagd Verband (DJV)

The German Hunters Association, to which most German hunters belong.

Landesjagdverbände

State level hunting associations within the Deutsche Jagd Verband.

Kreisgruppen

Local hunting groups organized at the county level.