Harvest hunting is one of the most efficient, but also one of the riskiest hunting methods - by far the most hunting accidents happen due to insufficient organization during this form of social hunting. In order to avoid any danger during this exciting and dynamic hunting method, we have summarized here the most important requirements for safe hunting success - and what equipment you should have.

Organization

All too often, hunters are not informed by the farmer until just before the harvest begins, which can lead to hectic and chaos. There is no time left for important preparations, such as safely lining up and instructing the shooters. For safety reasons, participation in such hunts is strongly discouraged.

Organizing harvest hunts can be difficult, however, as the dates can often only be set at short notice due to the weather - a logistical challenge for the hunt tenant and hunt leader. Early communication with eligible hunters and the farmer is key here!

Increased hunting facilities

Only in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the use of elevated hunting facilities required by law. In all other federal states this circumstance is not clearly regulated by law. The greatest danger during harvest hunts lies in the fact that shooters hunt at ground level, without a bullet trap, in a shooting area that is not clearly defined, thereby putting others in danger. Therefore, for safety, in addition to the organization, in this case clear instruction of the shooters, elevated hunting facilities are mandatory. However, caution should be exercised in the case of driven hunt trestles mounted on pick-up truck beds. In case of doubt, these may fall under the prohibition of shooting game from motor vehicles.

Equipment

For the harvest hunt one needs to a large extent the same equipment as on driven hunts. In addition to clothing in signal colors, sighting devices suitable for driven hunts are a must, since the hunter usually has to shoot at relatively short distances while moving. In addition, it is important to be able to keep an eye on the surroundings, since it often takes only a few seconds to decide whether to shoot or not. As in most cases, when in doubt, keep your finger straight.