Best Country in Europe for Hunting

[gordon-kruger]

Yes Nyati, good wine is a important detail also....

 

[joester]

I'm not sure about bowhunting, but France is a hunter/gun-friendly country, easy to fly in/out w/shotgun or rifle... Wines? Check. Beautiful coast? Check. Huntable species from birds to boar to deer to stags to chamois? Check.

 

[Saul]

I'm not sure about bowhunting, but France is a hunter/gun-friendly country, easy to fly in/out w/shotgun or rifle... Wines? Check. Beautiful coast? Check. Huntable species from birds to boar to deer to stags to chamois? Check.

Great to hear positive reviews of France. I appreciate all of the information from everyone here, I am leaning towards either France, Isle of Man, Ireland, or England mainland. I do not have the time to visit all of these places looking at properties, so in the meantime, I am having a real estate agent look around for me. Thank you for everyone's help so far.

 

[Foxi]

The best country does not exist.
It depends all from :
your time
your money
your connections
your talent for foreign languages
your talent to identify with other cultures
the law and order in these countries
the medical facilities
and
and
and
For example: what are you doing in Bulgaria ?
A awesome hunting state,but you can't read the basics there like streetsigns or something,except you can cyrillic.
In France,when you don't speak their beautiful language fluently and you know nothing about their history,it will be difficult for you (or me).
You will always be a tourist.

Greetings to Florida,
especially Key West (and our motel Mermaid and the Alligator.....)
Foxi

 

[UKHunter]

If you end up choosing London, let me know and I can put you in contact with outfitters who have good ground, within reach and well priced. They will even pick you up from the train station and provide a rifle.

I would say the UK is the cheapest hunting destination in Europe on the whole, as well as having two species of deer no where else has. However, Hungary is expensive but hard to beat for game but I would also not discount Spain. Again, it expensive but you can hunt Ibex, Boar, deer, etc..

 

[Foxi]

I would say the UK is the cheapest hunting destination in Europe

ups,
a brace of Grouse 200.- Pound
1 Pheasant 35 .-Pound
a good, but simple breakfast in a landmarket coffeshop 15.- Pound ..................
1 British Pound =USD 1,53
Foxi

 

[UKHunter]

ups,
a brace of Grouse 200.- Pound
1 Pheasant 35 .-Pound
a good, but simple breakfast in a landmarket coffeshop 15.- Pound ..................
1 British Pound =USD 1,53
Foxi

Driven shooting is a different ball game. A lot more people involved and costs for the outfitter.

I thought the OP was talking about hunting ie deer stalking? I dont know anywhere in Europe other than the UK where you can go hunting for £150 a day, cull animals included!

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Hunting in Hungary doesn't have to be as expensive as many think.
If you are only going on cull hunts or are satisfied with a bit smaller red stags(bronze), then it doesn't cost that much.
But if you are going for gold, then it becomes pricey, but that is not cheap in UK either.

 

[UKHunter]

Hunting in Hungary doesn't have to be as expensive as many think.
If you are only going on cull hunts or are satisfied with a bit smaller red stags(bronze), then it doesn't cost that much.
But if you are going for gold, then it becomes pricey, but that is not cheap in UK either.

Agreed. If I wanted to shoot gold medal Reds, Fallow, etc I would be heading somewhere like Hungary for the quality there.

 

[Nyati]

Gold medals are expensive everywhere.

 

[Velo Dog]

Saul,

One of my friends here is from Romania and speaks highly of the hunting there and of the low cost of living, excellent food & wine, plus generally friendly people out in the rural/farming/hunting areas.
He plans to return to his homeland after he retires from his career here.

No place is perfect, except Alaska (just kidding) but some places are better than others.
If you haven't found the best place yet, good luck in your search, I hope you end up in a great hunting and fishing country/location.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Adrian]

Has anyone heard of/hunted in Hampshire, England? Chef Marco Pierre White lives there and constantly hunts and fishes the area.

All of my shooting is in Hampshire as it's my home county.

I don't know if Pierre White lives in Hampshire, I thought it was Hertfordshire but may be wrong.

Good county for Roe deer, Fallow and some nice Reds. The fly fishing is superb on the gin clear chalk streams and famous river of the Test.

Driven shooting can be good but it's a relatively flat county so the birds are not as high as other places in the U.K. but good driven shooting can be found.

A good county for pigeon shooting either over decoys or in the woods. I actually would rather have a good day pigeon shooting than driven pheasant. Much more fun!

 

[Saul]

Thanks guys. I haven't come close to a decision yet, but I have been looking at Ireland and England more. For what Im looking for, it really is a seller's market, so I will have to be patient and hope I can get the right property for the right price.

 

[UKHunter]

House prices are expensive in England, especially compared to NA.

The further south in the country you are the more expensive the housing also.

 

[Pheroze]

I mention this as an interesting bit of trivia: the most recent Sports Afield has an article that lists Portugal as a hidden hunting gem.

I envy the predicament you find yourself in!

 

[Adrian]

To be honest and to go against the thoughts of my compatriots, if I were in your situation I would look to the European continent as opposed to the UK.

It is an expensive hobby living here and the options abroad are far better when it comes to hunting. Housing is cheaper on the continent.
We are an overcrowded little island with too many cars on the roads and too many houses being built on our green land.

Hunting and shooting inexpensive and owning firearms can be a nightmare depending which constabulary you fall under.

You have to demonstrate good reason to own a firearm or have land upon which to use it which has also been passed as suitable for the calibre of weapon you wish to own.
(Saying that, I put in a speculative request for another calibre on my license, fully expecting to be refused but apparently it will be granted along with a European Firearms permit just in case I need it!)

Owning a shot gun is a lot more straightforward but as already mentioned, bow hunting is illegal.

Don't get me wrong, there are some superb places to live here but my advice would be to live on the mainland of Europe and use the UK as a visiting destination.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

I mention this as an interesting bit of trivia: the most recent Sports Afield has an article that lists Portugal as a hidden hunting gem.

I envy the predicament you find yourself in!

Sports Afield is correct.
If I personally was to move to a country in Europe, it would be Portugal.
And it would be because of bowhunting being legal, hunting in general for many species, climate, cost of housing, cost of living and the nice people living there.
I still think Hungary has the best hunting, but when all considered, I think Portugal is my clear favorite if I was to move out of Norway and to a mainland of Europe.
But the country I would like to live in the most, is New Zealand

 

[Pondoro]

Portugal intrigues me too......did you hunt there Norwegianwoods..?

 

[Norwegianwoods]

I have not hunted in Portugal myself yet, but know a few that have and all say they got very much surprised about the hunting possibilities and quality of the hunting there and all highly recommended it to me.
You can be sure that it will not take long before I will go there for a hunt myself.

 

[spike.t]

Portugal intrigues me too......did you hunt there Norwegianwoods..?

@Pondoro try pm @shakari as he lives in portugal now and has info on hunting there.