Das Jagdmagazin mit Weitblick

Why do even experienced hunters start shaking before the shot? Hunting without fear doesn’t mean hunting without nerves. Psychologist and hunter Nika explains why tension, buck fever, and fear of failure are part of the experience—and how hunters can learn to handle pressure, responsibility, and emotion while still making safe, ethical decisions.

The roe deer rut is the most exciting time of the hunting season—and at the same time, the ultimate test of a hunter’s patience. In this personal story, Hannes from the Schuss & Stille team shares a memorable hunting experience that reveals why a mature roe buck can never be forced and why humility, patience, and trust in nature are often a hunter’s greatest tools during the rut.

The roe deer rut is one of the most exciting and rewarding times of the hunting season. But true hunting begins long before a mature buck steps into view. In this reflection, Hannes from Shot & Stillness shares why a rainy summer sit in a mountain hunting stand overlooking the Julian Alps can become one of the most meaningful experiences in a hunter’s life—and why humility is often the greatest trophy of all.

Emperor Franz Joseph I. was not only Austria’s longest-reigning monarch but also its most legendary hunter. For more than six decades, he roamed the alpine hunting grounds of the Salzkammergut and Styria, harvesting an estimated 55,000 game animals. A remarkable 1912 photograph captures the Emperor with his trusted gamekeepers and a magnificent 12-point red stag, offering a rare glimpse into Austria’s rich hunting heritage.

Hunting is far more than a pastime in Austria. With nearly 139,600 annual hunting licenses, an economic impact approaching €800 million, and thousands of jobs supported, hunting has become a major force in rural Austria. Schuss & Stille shows how hunters drive business, tourism, skilled trades, conservation, and land stewardship.

The search for the world’s best hunting bullet has occupied hunters for generations. Whether it’s the Hornady ELD-X, Norma Bondstrike, RWS HIT, or Sako Powerhead Blade, the selection has never been greater. But is ballistic performance alone really what determines success in the field? Hunting psychology suggests otherwise. More often than not, it’s not the bullet itself that makes the difference—it’s the hunter’s confidence in the ammunition loaded in the chamber.

Hunting trophies are far more than just antlers or horns. This article explores why trophies have been part of hunting culture since the Stone Age and why many hunters view the modern reduction of hunting to meat utilization, population control, and wildlife management with growing criticism. A search for the cultural soul of hunting.

Why more people are turning to hunting: Across the U.S. and Europe, newcomers seek real-world experiences, self-reliance, and sustainable food. Hunting offers a direct connection to nature, responsibility, and mental focus—making it a powerful counterbalance to digital, fast-paced modern life.

Why do female hunters often hunt more precisely and sustainably? This article explores how attention to detail, patience, and deliberate decision-making make the difference in the field. From observation to the moment before the shot, it becomes clear: it’s not about speed, but about timing, composure, and ethical hunting—and that’s often where the real advantage lies.

Black grouse hunting ranks among the most demanding and captivating spring hunts in the European Alps. It is a short, tightly regulated season, played out in a narrow window where habitat, weather, and the bird’s extreme sensitivity to disturbance all come together—right along the timberline, where dwarf pines, alpine shrubs, and open meadows meet.

The cultural hall in Arnoldstein was packed wall to wall. Hunters, officials, foresters, mayors, and delegates came together to take stock. But the Villach District Hunters’ Convention was far more than just another date on the annual calendar. It was a clear-eyed status report on the state of hunting—and a hard look at the challenges facing Carinthia’s hunting community in the years ahead.

Hunting usually begins long before the first light of day. As the morning breaks over the mountains and the dew still hangs heavy on the meadows, the true essence of the craft becomes clear in the field: responsibility for wildlife and the land it inhabits. Yet while much out in the woods has remained the same, one thing has changed dramatically in recent years—the legal framework governing firearm ownership in Austria.

Today, when people talk about hunting, the conversation increasingly turns political. Decisions about wildlife management, ammunition regulations, or the return of large predators are no longer made solely in the hunting grounds—they’re debated in government ministries and EU committees. For Austria’s roughly 135,000 hunters, this means one thing: their way of life now stands more than ever at the crossroads of tradition, science, and a rapidly changing society.

When the last shot echoes across the ridgelines of Carinthia and the woods finally grow quiet, most hunters hang up their rifles and turn toward winter stories and shed antlers. For Eric Leitner, that’s when the real rush begins. Up on the Kreuzen above Paternion, Austria, trophies start arriving at his workshop—carefully wrapped capes, antlers still carrying the scent of the rut, birds frozen mid-wing. To the hunter, they are memories. To Leitner, they are responsibility.

When one hunting year comes to an end and a new one quietly takes shape during the closed season, many hunters enter a time of reflection and assessment. Landowners, wardens, hunters, and visiting sportsmen gather in community halls, local inns, and shooting ranges for game exhibitions and district meetings. These are evenings without the crack of gunfire—but with real weight to them, professionally, socially, and ethically.

With the turn of the year, a quiet yet consequential change has taken place at the top of Austria’s national hunting organization. As of January 1, 2026, Anton Larcher has taken over the rotating presidency of the Conference of State Hunting Commissioners—sending a clear signal about where Austrian hunting is headed. The future, Larcher says, rests on solid knowledge, open dialogue, and a deep sense of responsibility toward wildlife, habitat, and society at large.