The hunting seasons and closed seasons in Schleswig-Holstein are an important part of hunting regulations, which take into account both the interests of hunters and the necessity of species protection and the preservation of animal populations. It is important to understand the difference between these two terms:
- Hunting seasons refer to the time windows in which hunting certain animal species is permitted. They are established to ensure sustainable hunting without endangering the population of a species. Hunting seasons are based on the biological conditions of the animals, such as reproduction and raising of young.
- Closed seasons, on the other hand, are periods during which hunting certain animal species is explicitly prohibited. They serve to protect the animals during particularly sensitive phases, such as during the breeding season or the raising of young.
The exact determination of hunting and closed seasons varies depending on the species and serves to balance the needs of hunters with the preservation of a healthy and stable animal population. In Schleswig-Holstein, these times are regulated by law to ensure sustainable management of the native wildlife. Below, the specific hunting seasons for various animal species in Schleswig-Holstein are detailed.
Game Species | Hunting Season in Schleswig-Holstein |
Red Deer | |
Calves | August 1 to January 31 |
Yearlings | May 1 to May 31 and August 1 to January 31 |
Spikers | May 1 to January 31 |
Stags and Old Animals | August 1 to January 31 |
Fallow and Sika Deer | |
Calves | September 1 to January 31 |
Yearlings | May 1 to May 31 and September 1 to January 31 |
Spikers | May 1 to January 31 |
Stags and Old Animals | September 1 to January 31 |
Roe Deer | |
Kids and Does | September 1 to January 31 |
Yearling Bucks | May 1 to May 31 and September 1 to January 31 |
Bucks | May 1 to January 31 |
Other Ungulates | |
Mouflon | August 1 to January 31 |
Wild Boar | Year-round |
Hares & Rodents | |
Field Hares | October 1 to December 31 |
Wild Rabbits* | October 1 to February 15 |
Nutria | August 1 to February 28 |
Predators | |
Stone Martens | October 16 to February 28 |
Beech Martens | October 16 to February 28 |
Ferrets | October 16 to February 28 |
Weasels | October 16 to February 28 |
Badgers | August 1 to January 31 |
Foxes* | July 1 to February 28 |
Foxes ("Young Foxes") | Year-round |
Mink | Year-round |
Raccoons | Year-round |
Raccoon Dogs | Year-round |
Game Birds | |
Rooster Pheasants | October 1 to January 15 |
Wood Pigeons | November 1 to January 31 |
Gray Geese* | August 1 to January 31 |
Egyptian and Canada Geese | August 1 to January 15 |
Brent Geese* | October 1 to January 15 |
Wild Ducks | September 1 to January 15 |
Teal* | October 1 to January 15 |
Shoveler and Heron Ducks | October 1 to January 15 |
Rooks | August 1 to February 20 |
* please note current exceptions.
Here are the hunting seasons for other federal states:
Hunting Seasons Berlin
Hunting Seasons Hamburg
Hunting Seasons Saxony
Hunting Seasons Saxony-Anhalt
Hunting Seasons Brandenburg
Hunting Seasons Thuringia
Hunting Seasons Bremen
Hunting Seasons Rhineland-Palatinate
Hunting Seasons Lower Saxony
Hunting Seasons Baden-Württemberg
Hunting Seasons North Rhine-Westphalia
Hunting Seasons Bavaria
Hunting Seasons Hesse
Hunting Seasons Saarland
Hunting Seasons Mecklenburg-Vorpommern