The 36th annual gathering of JAGD&HUND is taking place from 31 January to 5 February at Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund, Germany, in partnership with the CIC.

JAGD & HUND, Europe’s largest hunting exhibition, brings together hunters, dog lovers, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts from all over Europe. The event offers a unique experience at the Westfalenhallen Dortmund Exhibition Centre. Besides the comprehensive information and products offered by the many international exhibitors, a diverse accompanying program also makes a visit to JAGD & HUND truly enjoyable. The birds of prey and hunting dog presentations, the spectacular cross-country vehicle course, and the hunting clothing fashion shows make this event one of Europe’s most interesting hunting exhibitions.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Wilhelm von Trott zu Solz, Head of the German Delegation of the CIC in his opening remarks underlined the need for explaining the relationship between sustainability and hunting: “Overall, we assign the topic of sustainability to three areas: an ecological dimension, an economic dimension, and finally a socio-cultural dimension.”

The ecological dimension is concerned with wild animals and their habitat, for example the CIC supports a large project which transforms corn fields grown for the purpose of biogas plants into flower meadows, which offer caloric values ​​of comparable value. This change not only leads to a substantial improvement in the population of insects, beetles, and pigeons but also fundamentally alters the visual of the landscape, to the joy of humans and animals.

The farmers which undertake this conversion of their biogas plants, and thereby suffer economic losses, must be compensated for the fact that they create a new paradise for bees, butterflies, partridges, and others and thus also helps defuse the problem of game damaging the crops.

Sustainability in the economy “Hunting is also an economic factor!”– highlighted Dr. Trott. The value added of the hunting in Germany is estimated to be € 1.6 billion, plus € 200 million annually for the value of the wild meat. In many parts of the world, such as in Africa or in Asia, hunting is the only source of income for the rural population. Hunting tours, shooting fees, meat, skins, and services for the hunters provide many families with a source of income—without which they would have to leave their home. The rearing of wild animals in captivity for the purpose of shooting them is not hunting, and should be condemned. The CIC sincerely welcomes the fact that such vendors of “canned shooting” will no longer be presented here at the show.

Hunting as socio-cultural dimension includes the professional training of hunters, the communication with the non-hunting population, and also the exchange with other users of nature such as the agricultural and forestry industries. The German Delegation of the CIC drafted a position paper on red deer management two years ago, which is now being discussed in the individual federal states with authorities, deer hunting communities, and also, importantly, with farmers and forest owners.

In the afternoon the German Delegation hosted a successful opening event in the name of the CIC. The presentations by Wilfried Pabst and Stefan Michel were followed by a lively discussion moderated by Dr. Rolf Baldus.

Programme
16.00 Greeting by Dr. Wilhelm von Trott zu Solz, Head of the German Delegation of the CIC
16.10 “Sustainable Hunting – Instrument for global wildlife conservation”, Dr. Rolf Baldus, CIC
16.15 “Tajikistan – How hunting cooperatives fi ght against poaching”, Stefan Michel
16.30 “Zimbabwe – The Sango Savé Valley Conservancy as lighthouse for sustainable hunting and wildlife conservation”, Willy Pabst
16.45 Discussion, moderated by Dr. Rolf Baldus, CIC

The CIC, together with DJV and other hunting associations, will continue to support these three dimensions of hunting and provide guidance to all hunters in doing the same.

The CIC is grateful to the organizers of the fair, the Messegesellschaft Westfalenhalle, for the opportunity to be a partner and for all of the the support they offered in the preparation and execution of this event.