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Once upon a time a long time ago...

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oldsailor

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I found this on ALDEER and it is interesting.
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Once upon a time a long time ago...

November 1785 in the Veldensteiner Forst 75 kilometers northeast of Nuremberg on a high snow covered ridge.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN stood motionless as he stared at the Red Stag standing in the middle of the trail 200 meters away on the crest of the ridge. The stag's eight by eight antlers were as high as the animal was tall and clearly distinguished at that distance.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN checked the priming powder underneath the frizzen of his short barreled, heavy stocked .63 caliber flintlock Jaeger rifle and slowly turned to his guide DER RÄTTEBUBE. The guide shook his head in disapproval and flicked his finger towards a second animal slightly to the side and behind the magnificent beast.

This was a lessor animal much smaller than the first. It looked old and one side of the stag's antlers was twisted. DER RÄTTEBUBE had selected this animal to be taken because his genetics were inferior or he was past his prime. The big stag would be allowed to live and breed another year.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN nodded in reluctant compliance. DER KÄSEBURGER, a Hessen by origin, was amazed at these Bavarians. In Hessen that big animal would be cooked!

The trio slowly started to move down wind along the military crest of the ridge to close the range. They traveled across the snow on long clunky cross country skis with leather bindings much wider and heavier than the modern versions. Down below in the snowless valley, they could hear the sounds of hunting hounds and bugles. The Baron and the Bishop's hunting party hunted behind hounds.

In them days deer were chased to exhaustion by packs of long legged hounds followed by hunters on horseback. The deer were killed by spears jabbed by riders on horseback while the dogs ravaged the prey.

Hunting in Germany, then as it is today, is a sport for nobility and the privileged class. While the nobility is mostly gone, it costs a ton of Euros to hunt.

In this time, DAS STILLHUNDCHEN had hunting privileges on this property because he was an extremely high government official. DAS STILLHUNDCHEN had a lot of trash on the Baron and the Bishop so they let him hunt to keep him quiet plus DAS STILLHUNDCHEN kept the tax books because he could both read and write. DER RITTMEISTER KÄSEBURGER was commander of the cavalry unit in Bindlach near Bayreuth and was extended privileges for his service.

DER RÄTTEBUBE is the gamekeeper for this property. He cannot read nor write, but as his father, he knows the land and animals. He carefully selects which animals are taken and ensures the animals do not exceed the capacity of the land to feed them. Of course he will admit his primary job is to provide big trophies for the Baron and Bishop's infrequent hunts without allowing the forest to be over browsed.

Public land in Germany today is divided into plots of 400-1000 hectares (1000-2000 acres) called Reviere and is leased to individuals or groups of individuals. Hunting rights are bid to the highest bidder. Leases are good for nine to twelve years. Whoever owns or leases the land is the hunting rights holder. The hunting rights holder may allow others to hunt and can realize considerable profit from game killed. The owner of the hunting rights owns all game killed and sells the meat and trophy to the hunter. You kill a deer in Germany today and all you get is the guts. You must pay for the meat and horns.

The hunting rights holder takes an annual census of game and proposes an annual expected harvest to the hunting authority, usually at county level, for approval. The hunting authority may approve or alter the final Abshussplan. Failure to execute the Annual Game Harvest Plan may result in the state intervening if public safety or the environment are threatened.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN stopped. Several Reh deer were browsing among a rocky outcrop. It was best they did not push them or they might spook the stags off the ridge line.

Today's Germany has a wide variety of big game (Hochwild) animals including Red Deer, Fallow Deer, Sika Deer, Ibex, Mouflan, Chamois, wild boar, Capercallie, Golden Eagle, Birkhahn and the White-tailed Eagle. While they are no longer present, Bison and Moose are still listed under German Game laws as large game animals.

Neiderwild (small game) include Waterfowl, Hares and Rabbits, Pheasants, Pigeons and Doves, plus Foxes and other predators. A small deer known as a Reh or Roe deer is also considered non capitol game. They are about the size of a six month old Alabama whitetail and are very prolific in some parts of Europe. Hitting a Reh Deer on the AUTOBAHN is like running over a possum or armadillo in Alabama. Reh's are lifetime spikes, but with age they will grow some hefty spikes.

DER RÄTTEBUBE felt it was best the hunters halted under a rocky ledge while the Reh's were on the slope. He knew the stags would remain on the top of the ridge line where they could see any approaching threats. Though he did not have a time piece, he knew there was still a couple hours of daylight left. There were burnt marks on the rocks under the ledge in one place. The peasants from the valley below had seeked refuge here during the Thirty Year's War and baked acorn bread under the rock out crop to survive.

Light snow was beginning to fall. This was good land and DER RÄTTEBUBE knew it well. Many years later this part of forest would become Herman Goering's private hunting preserve.

Goering had the great misfortune of hanging out with the wrong people. Other than his association with the Nazi Party, he was really a great sportsman. Hunting in Germany went to manure in the 19th century and Herman Goering restored it with good management practices and regulations in the 1930's.

Goering grew up at Schloß Veldenstein at Neuhaus am Pegnitz a few kilometers to the south. When you see his medieval castle, you know he must have had an idyllic childhood. Hunting was always his true love. Later he would become a distinguished ace in World War One and earn considerable suffering from his wounds in addition to the Pour Le Merite's BLUE MAX.

Herman was a colorful and tragic figure. He took his own life after the Nuremberg Trials because he had been denied the right to a soldier's death by firing squad instead to the hangman's noose.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN thought about the Reh deers. He killed a lot of them and donated the meat to his worthy subordinates. A gift of meat brought loyalty. This trip he wanted something bigger.

DER KÄSEBURGER was just along for the ride on this trip. Someday he hoped to get a stag, but he needed to learn this ground for professional reasons. DER KÄSEBURGER was new to this area. He had recently been hired as commander of the cavalry unit in Bindlach near Bayreuth. Many years later that same kaserne would be occupied by a squadron from the 2nd US Armored Cavalry Regiment. Today the barracks and stables are empty.

DER KÄSEBURGER was a professional soldier. Only in his later years did sport hunting take on an importance. Prior to accepting his contract in Bindlach, DER KÄSEBURGER had served with Hessen units employed by the King of England to suppress the rebellion in the American Colonies. **** BRITS! If DER KÄSEBURGER had his way, the colonies and the English would all be speaking German.

DER KÄSEBURGER carried a long barreled Virginia rifle he brought back from his employment in the Americas. Good rifles were hard to find. Most of the rebels carried half stock .69 caliber smoothbore guns of questionable reliability. Colonial weapons had long barrels because their powder was of questionable quality and it took a long length of barrel to burn it up.

DER RÄTTEBUBE observed the Rehs move down the slope. He popped his head over the rocks and saw the stags were still on top of the ridge. "Horrido!" he whispered and DAS STILLHUNDCHEN dropped his skis and started his stalk up the hill to close the range. DER RÄTTEBUBE followed a few meters behind. He wanted to be sure DAS STILLHUNDCHEN took the right animal.

DER KÄSEBURGER remained among the rocks and watched the pair ever so slowly approach the stags. DAS STILLHUNDCHEN was really good at stalking as he planned each step and kept his vigilance on the target. He had been taught by Hunting Master DAS STEINGUT to pin a tiny bell to his lederhosen. If the bell chimed, he knew he was moving too fast.

To get a hunting license in Germany today requires the candidate to complete a two week hunter education course with a comprehensive examination and a shooting skills test. There is no bow hunting in Germany. It is regarded as an ineffective and cruel tool. The crossbow is the implement of a poacher.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN finally closed to shooting range. The snow was crusted on the top and he dare not take a step closer. He slowly shouldered his rifle and supported the barrel on the trunk of a tree.

Verdammte Scheiße!!" The big magnificent stag was blocking the shot on the designated stag! DAS STILLHUNDCHEN looked back at DER RÄTTEBUBE. Again DER RÄTTEBUBE shook his head in disapproval and pointed his nose at the stag with the malformed rack.

The sun was falling behind the ridge line. The glare through the trees was blinding DAS STILLHUNDCHEN. There were only a few minutes of shooting light left and these woods got dark quick. DAS STILLHUNDCHEN slowly moved to the side to put the sun behind a tree.

THE BIG STAG BOLTED! The lessor animal looked up and DAS STILLHUNDCHEN pulled the trigger. DAS KABOOM! The animal dropped to the ground in a pile.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN quickly reloaded and brought his rifle up again for a second shot. Seconds seemed like hours. Finally DER RÄTTEBUBE burst out "JAWOHL!!!"

DER KÄSEBURGER came up from the rocks and the three approached the downed animal together.

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN and DER RÄTTEBUBE rolled the stag over on its right side. DAS STILLHUNDCHEN placed a small branch crosswise in the animal's mouth signifying the Letzer Bissen (last bite).

DER RÄTTEBUBE took another small branch and dipped it in the blood of the stag, placed it on the blade of his knife and presented it to DAS STILLHUNDCHEN with the salutation "WAIDMANNSHEIL!"

DAS STILLHUNDCHEN responded with a grateful "WAIDMANNSDANKE!" and accepted the Hunter's Branch honoring his kill. DAS STILLHUNDCHEN placed the branch on the right side of his tri corner hat.

In the fading light, DER KÄSEBURGER looked down the trail and saw the big eight by eight stag profiling in the distance. "Dieser männliche Hirsch vertraut mir!" he thought.
THE CHEESEBURGER

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Sehr interessantes gelesen!!!
brody joe

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[url] http://www.tndeer.com/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=002323[/url]
:grin:
 
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"DAS KABOOM!" ? ? :rotf:

Good read.

We're fortunate Goering did pay more attention to hunting than business.

The better aces of WWI (possibly II) were those that had been hunters. They withheld their shots and made them count (a fighter plane carried about 20 seconds worth of bullets).
 
Yeah , THAT'S Germany. :youcrazy:
For a 'Hunting Licence' you pay between € 1000 and €3000.
And NO hunting with bow or ML. :youcrazy:
I'm living in the wrong country.
:hatsoff:
 

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