With April 1st, the new hunting year begins for us. Anyone who does not possess a valid three-year hunting license should not miss the opportunity to obtain a new hunting license in time. This could have unpleasant consequences. The bureaucratic hurdles have once again increased, and it remains exciting to see what further checks await us in the future.

Anyone who has leased a new hunting ground must also hurry to make all the preparations for the buck hunt in time. The new hunting permit holders must also be taken by the hand and instructed in the area. Existing high seats should be checked, cleaned, cleared, and repaired. The stalking paths also require maintenance and must be swept or newly laid out. Wildlife food plots and flowering strips need to be assessed to plan any necessary maintenance or reseeding. Salt licks will be replenished, and wallows made accessible. In consultation with the landowners, additional bushes and fruit trees will be planted. So there is plenty to do for us hunters.

Anyone concerned about potential wildlife damage should already start discussions with their hunting colleagues. Which areas are particularly at risk this year, and where must countermeasures such as a portable ladder, fence, or distraction bait be implemented? Wildlife counts provide the basis for sustainable hunting, and April offers the best opportunities. The organization for the upcoming fawn rescue must not be forgotten. For planned drone operations, the equipment must be checked and updated. In the new hunting area, the required workload is significantly higher, but only in this way will one achieve success and joy.

Our wildlife, on the other hand, is still taking it easy in April. In warm weather, the first green attracts all wildlife to the fields. The roe deer can now be found there almost all day. It is now easy to distinguish the still pregnant or already leading doe from the already colored fawn. The yearling bucks are already red but not yet shed, while the older, still gray buck has already shed. Where permitted by law, the hunting of roe deer begins now. The conditions in April are optimal, and it is certainly better to start early than to have to hunt in winter during the metabolic low.

Wild boar can now be found again in larger sounders. Usually, these are sows with their piglets. Caution is advised when hunting stronger, seemingly solitary individuals.

The vixen is now mostly in the den, taking care of her pups. By the end of April, one can encounter the young foxes playing outside the den.

While pheasants and snipe are still courting, our mallards are already busy with nesting, and the first ducklings are already hatching. It’s time for the drakes to molt, as they do not participate in the nesting process themselves.