History of U.S. Forces Hunting in Germany

Initial Entry and Weapon Prohibition: The history of U.S. Forces hunting in Germany commenced in September 1944 as the first American troops crossed the border into Nazi Germany.
Disarmament of the German Population: In all occupied areas, the possession of any weapons was strictly prohibited for German citizens. Germans were required to surrender and turn in their private inventories of guns, swords, and daggers.
GI Hunting Practices: Some of the confiscated German firearms were utilized by American GIs. Hunting served as a means to supplement standard military rations with fresh game meat.
Equipment Used for Hunting: During this initial, less regulated period, game was hunted using a wide variety of weaponry, including:
- Captured shotguns.
- Drillings (triple-barrel guns).
- M1 rifles.
- Carbines.
- $0.30\text{ cal}$ Browning machine guns.
Photographic Documentation: Historical records include documentation of 4th ID (Infantry Division) Soldiers following successful hunting expeditions in early 1945.

Post-Surrender Organization: Following the official surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945, hunting activities transitioned from opportunistic foraging to a more organized structure.
Geographic Distribution of the Occupation:
- U.S. Forces Occupation Zone: This was primarily located in the southern regions of Germany, encompassing the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Hessen.
- French Forces Occupation Zone: The state of Rheinland-Pfalz was occupied by French forces; however, the area around Kaiserslautern maintained a significant U.S. Forces presence.
Administration of Hunting Rights: During the occupation era, all hunting rights were administered directly by the occupying military force.
Cooperation with German Locals: U.S. hunters eventually recognized that hunting success was significantly enhanced by collaborating with local Germans, who possessed generations of expertise regarding game behavior and the optimal hunting locations (reviers).
Professional Transitions: Many former German revier owners (private hunting ground managers) transitioned into new careers as game wardens for the U.S. Forces.
Reconciliation and Gun Restitution: This period saw the beginning of long-term friendships between U.S. and German hunters. In some instances, confiscated guns were returned to their original German owners with the tacit approval of local U.S. commanders.

The Länderagreement (1951): A formal agreement was signed between the U.S. Forces in Germany and the German states of Bavaria, Hessen, and Baden-Württemberg to regulate military hunting activities.
Key Regulatory Provisions:
- The U.S. Forces maintained the right to conduct hunting courses and certification tests in the English language.
- Establishment of clear procedures for the issuance of hunting licenses to force members.
- Implementation of a "quota" system to guarantee a specific volume of game for U.S. hunters.
Specific Game Quota Allocations:
- Male Red Deer: $15\%$ of the population.
- Other Male Big Game: $25\%$ .
- Male Roe Deer: $20\%$ .
- Female Big Game and Roe Deer: $15\%$ .
- Wild Boar and Small Game: Permitted without any numerical limitation.

Historical Fee Structure: Initially, the U.S. Forces paid an annual fee for harvested game. Until the start of 1985, the German state governments charged the U.S. Forces a special, lower "conservation fee."
Fiscal Equalization (1985): Starting in 1985, the U.S. Forces began paying the same standard hunting fees that were required of German citizens.
Reunification and the Two Plus Four Agreement (1990): The reunification of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (DDR) fundamentally changed the legal status of U.S. Forces. This was codified through the Two Plus Four Agreement involving the FRG, DDR, USA, Great Britain, France, and the USSR.

The New Authorization (1998): A new arrangement was established between the U.S. Forces and the states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hessen, and Rheinland-Pfalz.
Systemic Reforms:
- Abolition of Quotas: The previous game quota system reserved for U.S. hunters was completely eliminated.
- Training Standards: Current procedures for training and testing for the German hunting license were established.
- Oversight by Landesjagdverband: The agreement formalized the role of German state hunting association (Landesjagdverband) representatives. These representatives oversee and certify hunting instructor training and basic hunter certification to ensure total compliance with German federal and state laws.
Current Status of Equality: Since 1998, U.S. Forces hunters have operated under the same rights and responsibilities as their German counterparts. This include:
- Equal access to the same game and hunting areas.
- Equal payment rates for licenses and harvested game.

Army Europe Regulation 215-145: The specifics and summaries of the 1998 authorization are formally documented in Appendix D of this regulation.
Program Identification: These protocols are part of the U.S. Forces Europe Hunting, Fishing, and Sport Shooting Program, specifically detailed within the "Guide to Hunting in Germany."