The harvest hunt is one of the most efficient, but also one of the riskiest hunting methods - by far the majority of hunting accidents occur due to insufficient organization in this form of social hunting. To ensure that this exciting and dynamic hunting method does not pose a danger, we have summarized the most important prerequisites for a safe hunting success here - and what equipment one should have.

Organization

Too often, hunters are only informed by the farmer just before the start of the harvest, which can lead to haste and chaos. There is no time left for important preparations, such as safely positioning and instructing the shooters. For safety reasons, participation in such hunts is strongly discouraged.

However, organizing harvest hunts can be challenging, as the dates can often only be set at short notice due to the weather - a logistical challenge for the hunting tenant and hunting leader. Early communication with the potential hunters and the farmer is key!

Elevated Hunting Facilities

Only in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the use of elevated hunting facilities legally required. In all other federal states, this situation is not clearly regulated by law. The greatest danger in harvest hunts lies in the fact that shooters hunt at ground level, without a bullet trap, in an ambiguously defined shooting area, thereby endangering others. Therefore, for safety, in addition to organization, in this case, clear instruction of the shooters, elevated hunting facilities are also mandatory. However, caution is advised with drive hunting stands mounted on the beds of pick-up trucks. These may fall under the prohibition of shooting game from motor vehicles.

Equipment

For the harvest hunt, you need largely the same equipment as for drive hunts. In addition to clothing in signal colors, especially drive hunting suitable sights are a must, as shots usually have to be taken from movement at relatively short distances. It is also important to be able to keep an eye on the surroundings, as decisions about whether to shoot or not often have to be made in a matter of seconds. As in most cases, the rule for the harvest hunt is, when in doubt, keep your finger straight.