Definition and significance of the professional hunter
The term professional hunter refers, in German-speaking countries, to a person who pursues game management as their main occupation. Professional hunters are responsible for the care, upkeep, and sustainable use of wildlife populations, performing comprehensive tasks in wildlife management, nature and animal protection, and landscape maintenance. The role of the professional hunter is legally regulated in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, requiring not only solid training but also certain personal reliability and specific professional qualifications.
Legal foundations of the activities of a professional hunter
Statutory provisions in the Federal Hunting Act (Germany)
The professional hunter is, according to German Federal Hunting Act (BJagdG) as well as the respective state hunting laws, legally enshrined. The Federal Hunting Act regulates the exercise of hunting, the proper handling of game and firearms, and the requirements for obtaining a hunting licence. Professional hunters are usually employed by hunting right holders or as employed gamekeepers in larger hunting operations.
Requirements and qualifications
The legal requirements include in particular:
- Training: A completed apprenticeship as a Revierjägerin (female professional hunter) or Revierjäger (male professional hunter), governed by the regulation on vocational training for Revierjäger and Revierjägerin (Revierjäger-Ausbildungsverordnung).
- Hunting licence: Valid hunting licence according to §§ 15 ff. BJagdG, issued after successful completion of the hunter examination and official reliability assessment.
- Reliability: Fulfilment of the personal requirements specified more closely in weapons law (WaffG, especially § 5), as well as in the BJagdG (reliability and personal suitability).
- Weapons permit: Permit according to German weapons law for acquisition and possession of hunting firearms and their use in the hunting area.
Range of duties
As employed or self-employed wildlife managers, professional hunters carry out maintenance of the hunting area, care, and conservation of wildlife populations. Their tasks include, among others:
- Implementation of game management plans
- Carrying out winter feeding
- Supervision of compliance with hunting regulations
- Combating wildlife diseases
- Protection of wildlife populations against poaching and predatory animals
- Prevention and mitigation of wildlife damage
- Organization and management of driven hunts
- Administration and utilization of game meat sales
Professional hunters within the legal framework of hunting organizations
Legal status and supervision
Professional hunters often also assume tasks as hunting right holders, however, their main role is typically that of an employed gamekeeper within the meaning of § 25 BJagdG. Furthermore, they have supervisory and monitoring powers in the respective hunting district, represent the interests of landowners, and contribute to meeting hunting and environmental law requirements.
Binding instructions and responsibility
As employees, professional hunters act under the instructions of the landowner or forestry operation, but they bear comprehensive responsibility for compliance with the relevant laws, particularly those of animal welfare law, nature and environmental protection, and species protection law.
Training and examination regulations
Single-occupation professional hunter (Revierjäger/in)
Training as a Revierjäger is carried out in the dual system according to the Vocational Training Act (BBiG). Training usually lasts three years and includes both practical work at a hunting operation and classes at a vocational school. The job title is legally protected and may only be used after successful completion of the corresponding final examination.
Examination requirements and responsibilities
Die Final examination is taken before an examination board of the competent authority (usually chambers of agriculture or forestry offices). Examination subjects include, among others:
- Hunting law and firearms law
- Wildlife biology and conservation
- Basic knowledge of agriculture and forestry
- Nature and environmental protection
- Accident prevention and occupational safety
Scope of activity and liability
Legal obligations
According to § 23 BJagdG, professional hunters are required to fulfil all obligations of a hunting licence holder. In particular, they are subject to reporting requirements regarding epizootics or wildlife diseases and must ensure the proper use and care of the hunting district.
Liability
For damages arising in connection with the exercise of their profession (e.g., during driven hunts or as part of wildlife damage prevention), the professional hunter may be held civilly liable. Therefore, a professional liability insurance is usually taken out by the employer or privately in the case of self-employment.
Criminal law and administrative offences
Violations of hunting, firearms, or nature protection laws can result in both administrative and criminal consequences. This particularly applies to the unlawful killing of protected species, infringements of firearms law, or improper documentation of culls.
Developments and particular features in international comparison
Austria and Switzerland
In Austria and Switzerland, the term professional hunter is also legally defined. The entry requirements, job title, and training are comparable across Europe and are subject to national legal provisions, such as the Austrian Hunting Act or the Swiss Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds (JSG).
Summary
The professional hunter plays a central role in German hunting law. The occupation is highly regulated and requires extensive knowledge in wildlife biology, hunting practice, firearms law, nature conservation, and landscape management. The legal framework is defined in detail by the Federal Hunting Act, the state hunting laws, firearms and nature protection regulations, as well as the relevant training laws. Professional hunters are entrusted with great responsibility for nature and species protection and make an essential contribution to the sustainable management of native wildlife populations.
Frequently asked questions
What legal requirements must be met to work as a professional hunter in Germany?
To work as a professional hunter in Germany, various statutory requirements must be met. First, passing the hunter examination (‘green diploma’) is essential. The hunter examination is regulated in the hunting laws of each federal state and consists of written, oral, and practical elements. After passing the hunter examination, the individual acquires eligibility for a hunting licence. However, access to the profession of professional hunter also requires recognised training as a Revierjäger or an equivalent qualification, which must be demonstrated by a state-recognized final examination (§ 2 para. 1 Federal Hunting Act in conjunction with state regulations). Furthermore, professional hunters typically require a permanent, valid hunting licence according to § 15 Federal Hunting Act, to be applied for annually or every three years at the responsible hunting authority. They must also be reliable and personally suitable within the meaning of the Weapons Act (WaffG), which requires a government background check. Certain prior convictions, particularly those related to violent or firearms offences, can exclude individuals from the profession. Depending on the federal state, a police clearance certificate, a training certificate from the company, and proof of passing the master’s examination in hunting may be required.
What hunting law-related duties and responsibilities does a professional hunter have towards a hunting leaseholder or landowner?
Professional hunters usually carry out their tasks on behalf of hunting leaseholders or landowners. Their duties primarily arise from the provisions of the Federal Hunting Act (BJagdG) and the relevant state hunting laws. Among other things, professional hunters are responsible for managing wildlife stocks according to legal guidelines (cull plans, species protection directives) and ensuring compliance with hunting periods and protection periods. They are obliged to cooperate during official inspections and to fulfil documentation duties (e.g., shooting lists, records of game taken, documentation required by animal disease control law). They also owe the client a duty of loyalty and must maintain hunting peace, meaning that the disturbance of wildlife, disruption of the natural environment, or violations of animal welfare and nature conservation law must be avoided. Any form of poaching or assisting in it is punishable (§ 292 StGB). A professional hunter may also be asked by the leaseholder or owner to maintain the hunting infrastructure and deal with wildlife damage matters. If professional hunters do not comply with these legal obligations, they can be held liable under employment, civil, and criminal law.
Under what legal conditions are professional hunters permitted to carry and use firearms?
The carrying and use of firearms as part of the professional hunter’s work is strictly regulated. Professional hunters are required to possess a valid firearms ownership card (WBK) for hunting weapons, allowing them to carry such firearms. According to § 4 WaffG, issuance of a WBK requires ‘reliability under weapons law’, ‘personal suitability’, proof of expertise, and a need— which is regularly assumed for professional hunters. Furthermore, the ownership and use of ammunition and firearms licences for work are thoroughly documented. The safe storage of firearms under § 36 WaffG is mandatory; violations constitute an administrative or criminal offense. Hunting actions with firearms may only occur within the legally permitted hunting practices— i.e., within set hunting and closed seasons, on authorized land, and in compliance with all animal welfare and conservation regulations. The unauthorized carrying or use of firearms outside the scope of hunting or professional duties is generally a criminal offense.
What reporting and documentation obligations apply to professional hunters regarding culls and game meat marketing?
Professional hunters are subject to various reporting and documentation obligations. According to § 25 BJagdG and state hunting laws, all culls carried out must be properly recorded. This includes precise information on the species, quantity, age, and sex of the hunted game as well as the date and time of the cull. These lists must be regularly submitted to the responsible hunting authority. In the field of game meat marketing, additional food law regulations apply. For instance, every professional hunter who sells game meat is required by the Game Meat Hygiene Regulation (VO (EC) No. 853/2004) to document self-monitoring and, if necessary, provide further evidence such as a certificate of trichinae examination for wild boar. If animal diseases are detected (such as ASF or fox tapeworm), reporting obligations arise under the Animal Diseases Act or Infection Protection Act. Violations of these reporting and documentation obligations may result in fines or criminal sanctions, and frequently cause further legal consequences related to hunting and firearms law.
What liability risks do professional hunters face from a legal perspective?
Professional hunters are liable in civil, criminal, and sometimes administrative law for their professional actions. They are civilly liable both from contractual obligations to the hunting leaseholder or owner as well as tortious liability to third parties, e.g., in cases of negligently caused wildlife or hunting accidents due to improper handling of firearms. As a result, liability insurance for hunting is often mandatory in the state hunting laws. Criminal liability may arise, for example, in cases of negligent manslaughter or bodily harm (§§ 222, 229 StGB), violations of firearms or hunting laws, or poaching (§ 292 StGB). Administrative liability particularly covers fines and consequences under hunting and firearms law, such as the revocation of the hunting licence or WBK. Professional hunters must be aware of their special position as guarantors: If, for example, they fail to eliminate a hazard for which they are responsible, this can have legal consequences.
To what extent are professional hunters subject to data protection law and the protection of personal data?
Professional hunters, as part of their activities, sometimes process personal data, for example, of hunting leaseholders, participants in hunts, or landowners. They are thus subject to the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as specific data protection regulations under the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG). The collection, storage, and transmission of such data require a legal basis, usually explicit consent or a legal obligation (e.g., reporting culls to authorities). Professional hunters must implement technical and organizational measures to ensure data protection (e.g., keeping files locked or using protected digital systems). Violations of data protection requirements can result in fines or professional sanctions.
What special regulations apply to professional hunters with regard to species protection?
Professional hunters, in the course of their work, are bound by national and international species protection regulations, particularly the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (BArtSchV), the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), as well as the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. They may only hunt those wildlife species for which this is expressly permitted; for certain strictly protected species (e.g., lynx, wolf, certain birds of prey), a strict hunting ban applies. The legal requirements of species protection must also be observed when creating and maintaining habitats. In the event of accidental killing, or finding injured or dead animals of protected species, there is an obligation to report to nature conservation authorities. Violations of species protection regulations are usually administrative offenses and can result in significant fines, loss of hunting license, and even criminal prosecution.
