You Crazy Americans - Brief Article

While on the subject of hunting in Europe, a lot of American hunters would be surprised at how differently hunts are conducted over there and how they are priced. Here in the U.S., even when hunting on a preserve or on private land where a premium price guarantees a shot at a trophy-quality animal, the price of the hunt is fixed. In other words, we pay our money ahead of time, and whether we shoot a forkhorn or a B&C monster, the price is the same.

In Europe, the price of the hunt is also fixed, but there's an add-on trophy fee that's determined by the weight of the antlers per the CIC scoring system. In the case of a red stag, for example, a nice representative head scoring between 170 and 189.99 CIC points would qualify for a bronze medal and would have antlers roughly comparable in size to a nice 5x5 bull elk. A nice trophy to be sure, but not a monster.

On that Bulgaria hunt I mentioned, I could have shot a Bronze Medal stag for a total hunt price of about $6,500 -- about the same price as a good horseback elk hunt in the U.S., but with no guarantees.

Had I shot a Silver Medal stag -- between 190 and 209.99 CIC points -- it would have cost me an additional S2,900. A Gold Medal stag -- 210 points or more -- would have set me back $4,500 for starters, then up from there depending on how good a Gold Medal stag it was! That would be roughly comparable to the cost of a 6x6 trophy bull elk hunt on the White Mountain Apache reservation.

If on that same bunt I also opted to shoot a Bronze Medal roe buck and a chamois, I would have had to shell out an additional $670 and $1,350, respectively. Consider, however, that if you choose not to shoot or don't see the kind of trophy you're looking for, the trophy fee is refunded.

Also, if your guide makes a mistake and you shoot an animal that he's misjudged by more than 10 percent plus or minus on scoring points of what you wanted, you're not obliged to claim or pay for it.

Yep, hunting in Europe is different all right, and it's not just in the way hunts are priced. There's no "roughing it" in tents or spike camps; food and accommodations are deluxe class and as such the value of the hunt is more reasonable than price alone would indicate. There's always that refund if you don't get your critter.

European hunting is not for everyone, but when you think of it as a cultural as much as a hunting experience, it comes into its own.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Publishers' Development Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group