Hunting, fishing fees reduced

Hunting and fishing course fees have been reduced to enable more military ID card-holders to enjoy hunting and fishing in Europe.
Installation Management Command – Europe Morale, Welfare and Recreation officials announced the change March 11, adding that it is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008.

***image1***The hunting course fee is now $150, with the fishing course fee set at $65. The fishing course also offers a $100 family fee when two or more immediate family members take the course simultaneously.

The hunting course is 55 hours of classroom instruction, taught in English, with additional range time for training to pass the shooting exam.
The requirements for the hunting course are that you must be at least 18 years old, a valid U.S. military identification card holder, and cannot be a European Union country citizen.

Once German hunting certification is obtained, it is good for life, Wunsch noted.
Individuals stationed outside of Germany who can’t take the hunting course may hunt through special arrangements made through the MWR Hunting, Fishing and Sport Shooting Program.

The fishing course certification allows you to apply for a German fishing license. The 30-hour course emphasizes conservation and management of fish populations, including such things as learning to recognize whether a fish is safe to eat.

***image2***The minimum age requirement for children to obtain their own fishing license is age 10 in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Rheinland-Pfalz, and 12 in Hessen. Younger children may fish when they are accompanied by an adult with a license but may not fish on their own, said Wunsch.

The hunting and fishing courses are taught at MWR Rod and Gun clubs in Baumholder, Grafenwöhr, Heidelberg, Kaiserslautern and Stuttgart, and through Outdoor Recreation programs in some garrisons. Information on hunting and fishing in Germany is available at www.mwr-europe.com.

(Courtesy of the HQ U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Europe)