Image: Karl Hammer
“Hunting connects” was the title of this year’s district hunters’ day in the Urfahr area, to which 500 hunters came in the Buchensaal in Puchenau. What was meant was the good cooperation between hunters, landowners and authorities, which district master hunter Sepp Rathgeb had proclaimed to be the theme of the year.
Honorary district master hunter Franz Burner, district governor deputy Claudia Handlbauer, who is a passionate hunter herself, hunting course participant Christian Lehner and hunter Kathrin Gossenreiter spoke in an interview round about the values of hunting that unite generations and what particularly inspires them about the Waidwerk. Gossenreiter has been a hunter for eight years: “You can’t learn everything from books. As a young hunter, you benefit from the advice of older hunters, who you can always ask for help. Nature also teaches you a lot,” she says. The woman from Schenkenfeld also takes a stand for venison as a valuable, regional foodstuff.
Above all, Christian Lehner, a hunting course participant from Engerwitzdorf, praised the experience of nature: “Actually, I grew into hunting. I enjoy going out and am happy to see a good sight.” Claudia Handlbauer is not only a hunter, but also works in the hunting authority as a deputy district governor, she knows the hunting work from both sides: “It is the top priority as an authority to be objective. That’s why I only go hunting in Vorarlberg. This separation is personal to me very important,” she said.
As an enthusiastic hunter, State Secretary Claudia Plakolm was of course also a guest at the local district hunters’ day: “I like going to the hunting ground with my father. Unfortunately, we often don’t have the time at the moment.”
communicate values
As a long-time trainer, Honorary District Hunters’ Master Franz Burner was delighted with the addition of 60 young hunters. The hunting course is also about teaching values: “Hunting is more than just shooting and killing. As a hunter, you see nature with different eyes,” he says. It is always about “respect for the creature”.
Contact with non-hunters
In the end, however, it is also part of the work of hunting to kill an animal. However, it is becoming increasingly necessary to explain to the non-hunting population why this is the case. “That’s why we start at school and try to get in touch with the children. We take them to the hunting ground or they help to rescue fawns,” explains Jägermeister Sepp Rathgeb.
Because hunters also kill animals, a hunter’s day also includes the route of the past year: With a total of 5,356 deer killed, the officially specified shooting plan was 100 percent fulfilled. The shooting plan is determined annually in each of the 48 hunting grounds based on the browsing situation on young plants between hunters, landowners, the forest service and the hunting authorities.
13 red deer, 315 wild boar and one mouflon were killed. With 1,419 animals (hare, pheasant, snipe, wild duck, wild pigeon), more small game than predatory game (fox, marten, polecat, badger, stoat and otter) were shot last year. The long range of predatory game with around 1323 animals shows how adaptable these game species are in our cultural landscape and how high the pressure on rare and sensitive species is increasing as a result.
Dear hunters
Well-deserved awards and honors rounded off the district hunters’ day. Johann Venzl was honored for 65 years of membership. Adolf Bachl and Rupert Weidinger celebrated their 60th anniversary. Werner Fürstelberger, Michael Kappl, Franz Leitner, Franz Reisinger, Franz Panholzer, Franz Stummer, Anton Penkner, Franz Druckenthaner and Rudolf Horner were honored with the Golden Break for 50 years of membership in the state hunting association.
Karl Füreder, Reinhard Stumptner, Lukas Mösinger and Anton Nimmervoll were awarded the predatory game needle.
Walter Landl, Josef Landl, Klemens Landl, Ignaz Landl, Michael Landl, Bernhard Landl, Johann Landl, Reinhard Danner, Viktor Kefer and Peter Schmidt were awarded the hunting horn blower badge for decades of loyalty.
Source: Nachrichten
