Slump in the hunting ground

Fulfilling the shooting quota: hunters in a dilemma

Slump in the hunting grounds: heat and flooding have hit the game hard.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

First the floods, then the heat - meeting the officially prescribed shooting quota has become a distant prospect. But the hunters should not be punished.

Cold fronts, rain, falling temperatures: autumn is taking over the whole country. With the cooler season, culinary delights are also heading for a climax. We are talking about game, because it is hunting season and roe deer, wild boar, stag and hare are waiting to end up on our plates.

840,000 kilograms of venison are sold every year
The 500 or so hunting grounds in Burgenland supply consumers with around 840,000 kilograms of venison every year, of which 240,000 kilograms is venison and 340,000 kilograms is wild boar alone. However, the past few weeks with record temperatures and the flooding in the south have taken their toll on the game, says provincial hunting master Roman Bunyai.

Emergency time in the forest. The hunters had their hands full this summer trying to save the game from dying of heat exhaustion.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

For the local game, these conditions meant a kind of emergency period. This is particularly true for hunting grounds that have few or no permanent water areas. While the hunting community, as one of the largest nature conservation organizations in the country, had its hands full in the summer to save the game from heat death with fresh water, hunters are now heading for another dilemma.

"The heat and the human factor in the forest have made the animals extremely shy," says Bunyai, explaining the "lull in the hunting grounds" currently described by many hunters.

Hunters face high penalties
It is therefore extremely difficult to meet the officially prescribed shooting quotas. However, if these are not normally met, hunters face severe penalties. "Many animals have been killed due to environmental influences and if their skeletons are not found, they cannot be counted towards the shooting plan," says Bunyai, who has already cautiously announced that there will be no fines, "a solution is currently being negotiated between the authorities and hunters."

Regional, healthy, tasty, versatile - the culinary benefits of local venison are coming back into the consciousness of chefs and guests, especially now in the fall.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Plenty of game for sale
All lovers of venison can also breathe a sigh of relief - despite all the negative influences, there will be enough game for sale. The demand for it is increasing, by the way. "Game meat is regional and sustainable. The animal had a species-appropriate life until it died, and it doesn't have to be transported to the slaughterhouse," says Bunyai.