Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Europe Hunting in France

To Our European Members:

Business may have me spending time in France,about 1.5 hours outside Paris if the entire arrangement comes to pass....and I've been informed of the existence of hunting "leases" on the property where I will be staying...

I am curious and wonder what types of hunting opportunities may exist there(?)

Thanks for any information any one can provide.

hunting in France? :? that smelly country doesnt have any game, they all hightailed ass away from the stink. either that or it will be so easy to walk up to them cause you dont stink and use a knife. . . . . damn frogs!

That was helpful..

Rancho: Yeah, huh? Class act don't ya think?

Depending where you are in France, I would guess the most likely game available will be Roe Red or wild boar..In Europe there is usually a fair amount of red tape around hunting, so you'd need to do your research carefully. The other noteable thing about France is they don't allow military calibers..

From the little I know, the whole thing is a bit hit and miss as I've heard of some folks getting turned back with a .308win while others have been let in..I guess its why the 7x64mm is so popular of there!

Thanks Pete! I figured there were boars somewhere in the mix.The roe deer would be interesting animals to me.

I have no plans to bring a rifle myself,if I go(January), but thank you for that info....I had no plans to hunt,yet but you never know because the opportunity could be open to me.

I wonder if there is any birdhunting? And what species might be there.

Main big games in France are roe deer, wild boar and red stag but depending on the area you can find mufflon, chamoix or fallow deer.

Bird hunting and small game: hare, rabbit, pheasant, grey partridge, red partridge, woodcock, ducks, geeses and many many birds available only in France.

grand veneur: Thank you! Interesting....I am curious now of what I might see there.

1.5 hours outside Paris, in which direction ?

I am not sure yet..... This is all I know so far...

Can't use any army rounds in France.No 30-06, 7-57, 303 Brit ect.For you Bob you can take my STW.

The French are very keen small game hunters, and they can make a festival out of hare and rabbit hunting. Take advantage of the opportunity. The lunch and after hunt feast are more important than the hunt. Wild boar and roe deer are plentiful.

It could be useful to know ... Even Brussels is 1.5 Hours away from Paris with the train

Forget hunting. Go to Liege, Belgium for the Musee de'Arms, the chocolate and the beer. Don't miss the beer. Mike

Why choose when it's possible to get everything ?

Guys, thanks for all the input! I'm looking forward to seeing what becomes available over there,and if things go as planned my first trip will be sometime in January.

I will most definately pay a lot of attention to the food and the beer.I was a bit surprised to learn that there is a great deal of agricultural land there;that the cities are crowded but lots of openspace in the country.

Boars and roe deer sound very cool!

I was impressed by all the agricultural land in France as well. We traveled to France from England and Belgium and then from Paris to Normandy and it reminded me of Indiana and Michigan at times.

Enjoy the beer especially a fresh Kronenbourg and the Dutch and Belgium beers. Don't forget the wines and I would suggest a wine tasting.

Enjoy France, I was pleasantly surprised. If you have any questions feel free to pm.


ddj

trouthunter Thanks! i will for sure keep eyes peeled for the wine and food....I owuld like to kill something and cook it....the European folks understand that stuff real well, I guess.

They do. Keep in mind that in most of Europe and in the UK that game can still be sold for the market. I had a venison burger at a pub in northern UK last trip that was very good. Went back and talked to the cook and it had come from a hunt in Scotland. He thought the heather diet made them better. It was different than most US venison, much more like Axis deer, and very good.

So, play your card right and at least you get to eat some game over there.

I rather enjoyed my short time in France. Folks in Paris are no different than our NY yankee brethren.
It's attitudes like this that make us look bad and visitors to be closed minded.

Hope you're able to get out and do a hunt for whatever game. I'd be interested in a followup to you excursion and hear how your hunt went and your thoughts on the 'after hunt'.