Course starts in September

“Jegetarians”: new trend among Carinthia’s young hunters

A new generation of hunters will soon be learning all about the forest.

(Bild: zVg)

On September 26, 2024, the preparatory course for the hunting exam starts in St. Veit/Glan. The training for prospective hunters provides valuable knowledge about wild animals and their habitats as well as practical insights into a traditional craft. The latest trend: more and more "jegetarians" are enrolling in hunting training.

Just a few years ago, the classic huntsman was seen as a hat-wearing dachshund owner in his 60s, but today's young hunters are nature and environmentally aware and want to get involved in applied animal and nature conservation.

The team at the St. Veit/Glan hunting course not only provides interested young hunters with the theoretical and practical tools they need, but also shares their passion for flora and fauna and teaches them that hunting is more than just a shot. They complete their apprenticeship by passing the "green Matura", but then the lifelong learning period begins. Because hunting has a lot to offer. "We actively look after and care for game, create new habitats, contribute to species conservation, help animals in extreme emergencies and, all the more, we honor the game we have shot ourselves, which is a valuable foodstuff," says hunting course instructor Angelika Kabas-Auer, who has been the instructor for twenty years and teaches the participants together with wildlife, dog, weapons and legal experts as well as a veterinarian.

Conscious meat consumption is becoming increasingly popular

(Bild: P. Huber)

"Jegetarians" - a new trend
But just like hunting, game cuisine is also enjoying great popularity and is another reason for many aspiring young hunters to complete the hunting course. "Venison is in tune with the times and meets the participants' needs for enjoyment, animal welfare and sustainable local cycles," says Kabas-Auer.

We have even had one participant who was a conscious vegetarian.

Angelika Kabas-Auer, Jagdkurs-Leiterin

"The whole processing of venison is becoming increasingly popular and the natural approach to meat is often the reason for the hunting test. This sustainable approach is what hunting is all about," says the course instructor. "We've even had one participant who was a conscious vegetarian. After completing her hunting test, she only eats meat from animals she has shot herself: 'Jegetarians' reject factory farming - they go hunting for their own consumption and see it as a sustainable way of eating meat," recalls Kabas-Auer.

Sustainability, regionality and animal welfare are the arguments of the hour as to why so many people want to have their "own game meat" on their plates instead of lab-grown or factory-farmed meat. "The game lived in the wild until it died, didn't have to live in pens, is free of hormones and not sprayed with antibiotics and, above all, the meat is very healthy and an original, unadulterated source of food," explains Kabas-Auer. 

"Women have a different approach"
Another trend has also emerged in recent years. More and more women are training to become hunters. "We now have at least a third, but usually half of the course participants are women," as the "Krone" is told. They have a "different approach" to hunting and are more interested in experiencing nature and enjoying game products.

Safe hunting and active nature conservation
Other points on the "curriculum": safe hunting and nature conservation! "However, safe, responsible handling of hunting weapons and ammunition is an essential prerequisite for sparing wild animals unnecessary suffering," adds master marksman Christopher Honsig-Erlenburg, who also teaches on the hunting course. Hunting based on the principle of sustainability can rightly be described as "living nature conservation". Hunters also have the task of ensuring that the livelihoods of animals are adequately secured and that natural areas are preserved. "Hunting is not just about obtaining food, but also about a deep understanding and respect for nature."

Registration for the hunting course

• Start of course: September 26, 2024
• Course location: Restaurant "Das Hunnenbrunn" (formerly Hüglwirt), St. Veit
• Course day: Thursdays from 6.30 to 9.30 pm
• Registration: www.jagdkurs-stveit.at
• Telephone number: 04212/2132 or 0650/4177847 or by email to [e-mail]

Every year, graduates of the St. Veit/Glan hunting course are entered into a prize draw to win a shot at cloven-hoofed game in a mountain forest area.

Berries and herbs are also on the curriculum
It should not be forgotten that our forests also offer an abundance of edible plants. Berries, herbs and wild vegetables - nature offers us a rich buffet of ingredients that can enrich our cuisine. Those who hunt learn to recognize and use these treasures and thus gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between flora and fauna.