Hunting Plans; Preparation, Approval, Adoption, and Monitoring of Compliance

The hunting plan must be drawn up by the hunting ground owner in consultation with the hunting board; in the case of leased private hunting grounds, it must be drawn up in consultation with the person holding the hunting rights. It must be approved or established by the lower hunting authority in consultation with the hunting advisory board.

When planning the cull, in addition to the physical condition of the game, priority must be given to the condition of the vegetation, particularly forest regeneration. The competent forestry authorities must be given the opportunity in advance to comment, based on a forestry assessment, on any game damage that has occurred on forested properties and to present their views on the status of forest regeneration.

Monitoring
The hunting district owner is obligated to fulfill the hunting plan for hoofed game. Compliance is monitored, in particular, by maintaining a bag list and submitting it to the hunting authority, as well as by providing physical evidence through the presentation of the entire game carcass or parts thereof, and may be enforced if necessary.

Hunting Inspection
Public game inspections are held annually to monitor the implementation of culling plans and to collect specific data.
The purpose of these game inspections is to provide information, particularly regarding

1. the development of game damage and forest regeneration, taking into account the forestry authorities’ assessments of the condition of the vegetation,
2. compliance with culling plans, the physical condition of the game, and the structural development of game populations, taking into account the antlers of hunted or found-dead hoofed game,
3. population trends of game species not subject to culling plans, and
4. measures to improve the living conditions of wildlife.

Hunting ground owners are required to submit the antlers of all hoofed game killed or found dead in their hunting grounds during the last hunting year. The conduct of the public game exhibition is the responsibility of recognized hunters’ associations. The performance of sovereign duties is the responsibility of the hunting authority.