Here in Germany the hunting year starts April first and in Hessen where we live and usually hunt it’s also the start of the buck season. Other parts of Germany don’t start till May 1st.
We’ve been out in the reviver a lot in the past weeks. We have permission to hunt on some state owned property. There are pross and cons to this but it works for us for now. I will talk about the system in a later post. In short the stands are owned and theoretically maintained by the foresters from the city. But we have taken the time to go check all of the stands for safety and make sure everything is ok for the start of the season.
I took a few pictures from the stand this week and it is amazing how much more green is around in less than a week. I think I will try to get at least 1 picture from the Zoo every week and show how the seasons change.
Conveniently enough I had vacation planned for the first week of April. I didn’t think the weather was gonna be good as I logged off on Friday but ultimately it was ok. in fact today it was 75°F out there today.
It’s been a good week of hunting. So far I have not been successful in harvesting anything, but it was still a good week. Sometimes hunting is like watching paint dry, or grass grow. Some days you sit out there for hours on end without seeing anything at all. I’ve been out in the stand 4 times this week. and have had something to look at every time.
4 responses to “Kicking off the 2024 Hunting Season”
I love how you use the word harvesting, it is in fact what you’re doing but it’s a much gentler way of saying it. My favorite is venison liver, especially from a younger deer. What’s yours?
To be honest… I am not a fan of liver of any sort. My hubby is working on me on that one… maybe he will find a recipe that I like, I will of course share it with all of you.
the best dish I have had so far was a venison backstrap wrapped in bacon and then simmered in red wine and cognac.
I love and use the term ‘harvesting’. That is what I’m doing. I am harvesting meat for my family. I am thankful to and pray over every harvest. I do not hunt for trophies. I hunt for meat. I love time in my blind as it is quiet time in the midst of my crazy busy life!
Yes, the primary interest is food production, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t like the trophies too. Although it’s not about the size… I like the trophies because when I see them on the wall, I remember the hunt and the experiences. I consider it to be part of honoring the animal. In Germany it is also a tradition to give the animal that is harvested a branch of leaves in their mouth. It’s called “letzter Bissen” which translates to a last meal. It is an old tradition here which I also really like because it is taking the time to respect the animal that is harvested.