Bulgaria is relatively small country in the South Eastern part of Europe but with various relief forms and great game animal trophies. Roe deer population is stable all around Bulgaria and roe deer is among the mains hunting game species in our country. That graceful animal is usually smaller in the mountains where the food sources are scarce and roe bucks’ trophies are longer but less heavy. In the plains, where the agriculture is well developed, hunting areas offer big body roe bucks with shorter but more massive antlers. In the mountains roe deers prefer vast, open spaces without trees for the morning feeding. These favorable meadows are the best places for roe deer stalking. Unfortunately, this hunting method is beneficial till the end of June.  After June roe deers tend to prefer thick forests and stalking seems to be impossible. The roe deer hunting season is from May 1^st till October 31^st but for the above mentioned considerations May and June are the most active and preferred hunting months.

It is wise during that time – before the rut season – selective hunting to be conducted, taking out bad and weak trophy roe bucks, excluding them from mating. This benefits roe deer population afterwards with strong and potential trophy bucks for the future hunting seasons.

In many hunting areas where roe deer population flourishes taking some trophy animals out will do no harm to overall population performance. We prefer offering roe deer hunting in such hunting areas, so our clients have enough choice according to their specific needs – selective roe buck or one with serious trophy.

We conduct the hunt with stalking in the morning and stalking combined with high seat in the late afternoon. Our practice showed us that this is the most productive way for roe deer hunting in the Balkan Mountains. We recommend at least three hunting days, so the hunter will have enough time to observe many roe bucks and choose the ones that he likes best.

Although most of our clients are experienced hunters, we have created “recommendation list” for roe deer hunter’s equipment. Stalking in May is sometimes wet activity and thus we would recommend comfortable and wet proof clothes and shoes. Compact binoculars and rangefinder are essential for observing, trophy assessment, and choosing the right roe buck. Our professional hunters will try to bring you as close as possible to the trophy roe buck but sometimes long range shots have to be taken and measuring the distance and bullet drop compensation have to be made. Any caliber from .223Rem and bigger will do the job. Of course, roe deer venison is considered great delicacy and using too big calibers will damage too much meat. Thus, magnum hunting calibers are not the most appropriate for that purpose, unless you do not care about the meat. Hunting roe deer in Bulgaria is done with rifle equipped with riflescope. Riflescope should let you take shots in between 50-300 meters. The rule in choosing riflescope is buy the best scope you can afford. Upon arrival, we always ask our clients to take several “check” shots prior to the hunt. Sometimes during travelling to the hunting area, airports and so on the riflescope gets out sighted and further sighting is obligatory. Once we are ready with equipment and rifle sighting, it is time to go some roe deer hunting.

Personally, roe deer hunting is my favorite way of hunting because of the spring time when it is taking place. The heaviest trophies are in the plains but only the mount can deliver those spectacular, magic, and breathtaking views. That is the reason we mostly prefer mountain roe buck hunting in Bulgaria.

The sun goes to the horizon, the meadows grass is wet and juicy – this is the best place to stalk your trophy roe buck. As in chamois stalking in the Alps, it is useful to have long wooden stick helping yourself climbing up and down. The stick can be used as rifle monopod at the right moment. The buck is taken into the riflescope crosshairs, you hold your breath, and gently squeeze the trigger. The long waited and dreamt roe buck is at your feet. Last bite ritual is obligatory.

Weidmannsheil, dear hunter!

Wolf hunting slowly became my biggest passion because it is the most alert, cautious, and suspicious predator in our country. It takes a lot of efforts to have the wolf as a trophy – strong will, stamina, decisiveness to bear long nights alone high in the cold mountain. Wolf hunting in Bulgaria is difficult and thankfulness way of hunting. You have to spend many nights at the bait in order to have the chance of seeing Him – the mystique Master of the Mountain – the Wolf…

There were six wolves in the hunting area and the damages on roe deers were obvious all around. The wolf pack was comprised of alpha couple and four younger wolves, maybe brothers and sister from same litter two or three years ago.

There is strict hierarchy in the wolf pack and division on alpha, beta, gamma pack members.

The bait was seldom visited by one and sometimes two wolves but I did not have chance meet one of them. Actually, so far I had not met wolf in the nature. Every night was very excited and I was able to keep myself awake because of the fore coming meeting with Him, the Master of the Mountain – the Wolf.

Prior to face the challenge of hunting wolves I have met almost all of the successful wolf hunters in the region and have soaked a lot of knowledge about the best way to do it. Now, it was my turn to prove the learned. Waiting for wolf is quite difficult and lonesome activity. Usually, I am waiting all night and do not leave the high seat or the place where I am standing till the morning. I go to pea in a bottle, so I do not leave any signalizing smells out there.

My high seat was not real high seat but a container on the back of old military truck ZIL. I prefer to put the bait around 80-85 meters from the high seat. It is close enough for a good shot during the low light conditions and is far enough so the wolf could not detect any smells left from going to the high seat. Old hunters say that it takes around 3-4 hours for the smell to be gone but I am always taking precautions and go to the high seat earlier. The container was transformed into comfortable place for spending long and cold winter nights waiting for the wolf. On the bottom I put a thick carpet so any suspicious sounds were absorbed by it. For several nights I did not meet the wolves but this day I had a feeling. It was 4^th of January and it started snowing. When the weather conditions are worsening, that is signal for the predators to go out and search for food because the next few days could be with scarce food supplies. I had good visibility through the small window and was waiting patiently. Two roe deers appeared and I was glad because their behavior would show me the wolf presence. They stayed for 15 minutes and were gone.

Around 23:00 two foxes came on to bait and started tearing small pieces of it and feeding. They were doing it for around 25 minutes and suddenly they disappeared. In two minutes they were back but their legs were a lot longer and I knew these were wolves. My heart started running like crazy and I could feel my pulse in my throat. Since then I have seen lots of wolves but this keep happening when I see that elusive and mystique predator. I opened the window and prepared myself with the rifle. I tried to relax my breathing before the shot because it was essential. There were two wolves on the bait. I could not determine if they were young or old because they were my first wolves. The one on the right laid down and started feeding and the other was standing up and eating as well. The left one was in better position for shooting and I gently pulled the trigger. The .308win TTSX Barnes bullet took it down immediately and the other wolf started running. I aimed it and took two shots but they were unsuccessful.

I lost my words; everything looked irrelevant at this pure minute to me. When I realized what have happened I remembered an advice from old wolf hunter that had told me that if I kill the female the male will usually wait and come back to look for her. But if I shoot the male, the survival instinct will not bring her back to search for her partner. I waited like one our but no wolf appeared. It was young three-years-old female/26 kilos/, I checked for footprints for the male but he was gone. I brought the pick-up truck closer and started driving down to the village.

I was a wolf hunter…

Red deer – The nobility of this animal is known from the middle ages and not surprisingly poaching a red deer once was punished by death. The red deer is widespread almost throughout Europe excluding Portugal, Spain, Greece and Finland. Grown red stags weigh around 80-90 kg in Southern Italy and go as heavy as 250 kg. in Romania and Bulgaria. There are rare specimens with weight up to 350 kg.

Red deers have their first antlers in their second summer. On the very next year their antlers have 6-8 spikes. In the well managed hunting areas in Bulgaria and Europe you will not be allowed to hunt red deer younger that 10 years when it is considered the trophy reached its potential as size and weight. Antlers shape and size are highly dependent on red stag’s social ranking, nourishment, and health condition.

The rut season in Bulgaria starts in the beginning of September and this is the reason why red deer hunting season starts at September 1^st. There are controversial opinions about the correctness of hunting red deer stags during the rut season but it is fact that many hunting areas are using that period for intensive hunting programs. Hunting season ends at January 31^st.

Red deer lives in herds. It is not as territorial animal as the roe deer is, and red deer is fighting not on territory but rather on the right to cover as many hinds as possible. After the end of rutting the males are forming male herds and are active mostly during the night – nocturnal way of life.

When you go for red deer hunting in Bulgaria, you have to have comfortable and warm clothes and shoes, preferably with water-block membranes since the hunting is done in September when the autumn knocks on the door and rains are not rare. In terms of rifle caliber choice, we recommend any reliable rifle in .308win caliber or bigger. The shots are taken when the red deer is calm but in Bulgaria red stags easily surpass 250 kg. Using inappropriate caliber shows no respect to this magnificent animal. Deer’s stamina can help him run even with severe wound for a long distance from the shot spot. As far as riflescope choice is concerned, there is great variety of quality products on the hunting market. Any riflescope that you feel comfortable with in shooting 50-200 m distances will be considered appropriate for the emotional, once-in-a-lifetime red deer hunting in Bulgaria.

Trophies in Bulgaria are the biggest in the world and easily surpass 12 kg. Our best trophies are in the North Eastern part of Bulgaria where terrains are mostly flat. In the mountains trophies usually do not exceed 10 kg and no hunting area will let you shoot a red deer with trophy less than 7 kg.

During the red deer hunting season we recommend landing in Varna, second biggest airport city in Bulgaria after Sofia. This way we have to travel only around 100km to the best trophy hunting areas for red stags. If you decide to land at Sofia airport, you have to be prepared for around 4-hour drive by car.

We recommend at least 5 hunting days stay with 7 overnights in order to have enough time for observing the trophy red stags and choosing the trophy deer that you would like best.

The booking should be at least 3 months prior the hunt.

We look forward to hunting with you and to organize the dream hunting trip for you and your hunting friends!

The decision for hunting in Bulgaria deserves admiration not only because of the great trophies that could be bagged in Bulgaria but for the unforgettable adventure that is about to make your hunting dreams come true. Touching to Bulgarian hospitality, local traditions, Bulgarian cuisine with recipes handed down from one generation to the other will bring you back again and again. Thus, 70% of hunters have visited our country plan their next hunting trip to Bulgaria right before leaving back to their home.

Essential info about hunting in Bulgaria

Wild boar driven hunting

Wild boar driven hunting is among the most desired and preferred hunts in Bulgaria. Outfoxing that clever and intelligent animal gives the hunter unparalleled satisfaction. A well placed shot is needed not only for clean boar kill but for safety reasons as well. Wounded wild boar is usually more aggressive and willing to attack hunter that even brown bear is. For the sake of respect, we recommend using calibers from .308win and bigger combined with the heaviest bullet for the caliber, capable of deep penetration. Male tuskers develop up to 2 cm thick breast plate during the winter ant this explains why the bigger the caliber is, the better.

The drive is usually done by 2-4 beaters and up to 15-18 shooters. The drives in Bulgaria are relatively short and last not more that 1-1.5 hours covering not very big area. The hunting terrains for the most part are highly mountainous.

Shooting a fast moving object like the wild boar is a big challenge even for quite experienced shooter. Most of the Bulgarian hunters who are using rifles prefer them in .308 win, .30-06sprg, .300winmag, 9,3×62. We recommend red dot sights equipped with the rifles or riflescope with minimum magnification starting from 1, 1.1, 1.5 for quick target acquisition /1-4, 1-6, 1,5-6, etc./. Recently, there are more hunters preferring shotguns with a slug cartridge. The shotgun closes down the effective shooting distance and increases the adrenaline rush when meeting the wild boars.

Males are hunted all year round and driven hunts season starts October 1st and ends February 28th.

There is no such pleasure as seeing a big, hairy tusker digging out the snow, running towards you. You’d better be prepared for that once-in-a-lifetime meeting!

Red deer stalking

As far as red deer hunting is concerned, everybody knows that the last four World Records trophies are taken in Bulgaria. Often referred as the Monarch of European forests, Red deer is no doubt the most magnificent animal on our continent. The season starts at September 1st and ends on January 31st. Red deer is strong and tough animal and we also recommend calibers starting from .308win, .30-06sprg and bigger for securing the trophy. Grown males with more than 14 kilos trophies are not unusual. Very appropriate period for stalking red deer stags is during the rut.

The unforgettable view of fighting bulls careless about the rest of the world is one of a kind.

Roe deer stalking

Roe deer hunting in Bulgaria is fundamental for our country. Roe deers are equally distributed everywhere. Normally, the trophies in the mountains are longer in length but lighter in weight. The heaviest trophies are around Danube river plains in the North-Eastern part of Bulgaria where also the red deer trophies are the biggest in the world.

Hunting roe deers is associated with the most beautiful season – the spring. Hunting season starts at May 1st and ends October 31st.

Stalking roe deers in the morning during May will enrich you with spectacular mountain and plains views and with the smell of the spring – flowers and herbs.

We recommend calibers starting from .223rem and bigger but with appropriate bullet for not damaging the meat too much. Roe deer meat is considered among the best tasting venison. Roe deer hunting will give you an intimate touch to the nature and beautiful landscape snapshots will be kept in your mind for a long, long time. At least till your next hunting trip to Bulgaria.

Predator hunting

Brown bear hunting

Brown bear hunting in Bulgaria is done under strict regulation since 1.1.2013. Hunting areas obtain bear permits only for problematic, troublesome bears. A bear hunting permit can be issued only if it proved that the animal is aggressive towards humans and/or livestock. This increase the brown bear hunt popularity in Bulgaria and many hunters are willing to face that challenge. The satisfaction often comes not only from the successful battle between hunter and bear but because of the thankful village people who appreciate hunter’s efforts to eliminate the dangerous animal and saves their livestock from future bear attacks. Thus, the brown bear hunt in Bulgaria should be booked at least 6-12 months in advance.

The hunting periods are March 1st-April 30th and October 1st-December 31st. usually it takes more than 3 months for the permit to be issued if there is a troublesome bear in the area.

You can go bear hunting in several European countries but only in Bulgaria you will try your hunting skills against truly wild and aggressive beast. Calibers that we recommend are starting from .30-06sprg and bigger with the heaviest available bullet with controlled deformation. Hunting is done during the night, so warm and comfortable clothes and shoes are necessary. Your riflescope should be with at least 50 mm front lens for maximum light transition. Illuminated reticle is a must. Bear hunt is serious occupation and we will help your prepare well for it!

Wolf hunting

Bulgaria is among the few European countries with stable wolf population. Hunting wolves is allowed throughout year and is encouraged by local authorities. It is widely discussed topic and we are defending the position that wolf should be hunted on a country basis and common European policy is not fair and equally objective, because in recent years wolf population is growing and in many parts of Bulgaria there are constant damages for the farmers like the case in 2012, when 3 wolves killed 54 sheep during one-night attack.

Hunting predators is great passion for many hunters because wolves have keen senses and are significantly more cautious and alert than herbivorous deers, wild boars, etc.

Outfoxing a predator gives a hunter incomparable pleasure because this is considered to be the essence of the eternal game – hunting.

The most effective way is waiting on bait during the night. The chances are significantly higher during the winter because of the scarce food source but it is not unusual for the wolf to visit the bait anytime of the year. Sitting all night in a high seat infers comfortable and warm clothes and shoes. Normally, most of the baits are 75-85 meters from the high seat – a good compromise on descent distance for the wolf not smelling you and you being able to take secure shot during lowlight conditions. We recommend .243win and bigger calibers and riflescopes with min 50 mm diameter front lens. Hunting wolves needs at least 5 nights waiting for having chances of meeting that mystique animal. Usually one in every three hunters sees wolf, so this is not trophy for everybody. Only truly decisive and persistent hunters are getting that elusive predator.

Other game hunting

For any other game hunting /fallow deer, chamois, mouflon, pheasant, duck, goose, jackal/ send us an inquiry and we will get back to you with detailed description on how the hunting is done in Bulgaria, specific

advices, recommended equipment – rifle, shotgun, scope, clothes, shoes, appropriate seasons and preferred hunting areas. We will also include available dates and detailed pricelist.

Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have!

Contact us

In the biggest part, hunting was a privilege only to noblemen. It started that way because the nobles were the owners of the land where the hunting was taking place. Even not all of the aristocracy people were allowed to hunt.

1.1 Varmint hunting

Peasants were encouraged to participate only in varmint hunting since varmints were considered to be damaging noble animals like red deer, roe deer, hare. Wolf and fox were the main game animals in varmint hunting in Europe. Wolves were even viewed as a threat not only for the animals but for humans too. This explains why in eighteen century it was almost extinguished specie.

1.2 Hunting as a food source

Noblemen started eating venison more in a symbolic meaning since they had almost every meal they wanted during Royal fiests. Venison was the meat that differed noble people from the peasants.

1.3 Hunting as a sport

Hunting was royal and noble activity since ancient times. It was thought to be important test for man’s skills in using arms. Driven hunts were born and it became the most exciting way of hunting game animals till nowadays.

Europe – driving force of the hunting industry

Europe is home to the best hunting equipment manufacturers in the world – shotguns, rifles, rifle scopes binoculars, ammunition, clothing, and shoes. European hunter’s needs are the driving force of improvement of every aspect of hunting industry. England, Italy, Belgium are known for the finest shotguns produced in the world. Brands like Holland and Holland, Benelli, Beretta, Browning speak for themselves. Germany produces precise rifles in the high end class – Blaser, Sauer, Mauser, Merkel, Krieghoff, Heym.

Optic instruments like riflescopes, binoculars, rangefinders of the highest quality are also German – Zeiss, Schmidt and Bender, Leica, Docter, Steiner. Austria is proud with Swarovski and Kahles and the Ferlach region which is synonym for top quality rifles and combination guns. Nordic countries are leaders on the market producing the best hunting clothing – Harkilla, Chevalier, Seeland, etc.

Tikka and Sako are known for their Finnish precision, durability, and reliability.

Europe – great game animals variety

European continent is home to many and various game animals:

Two of the most spectacular ways of hunting in Europe are wild boar driven hunts and deer stalking. Traditional hunt for the Alps region is chamois /gams/ stalking offering breathtaking mountain views.

Hunters all around the world are dreaming about visiting the Old Continent, having the chance of hunting European game animals and experiencing the local traditions coming with it.

Bulgaria – Europe’s pearl in hunting tourism

For many European hunters, Bulgaria is famous for its exceptional game trophy potential, beautiful nature, people kindness and hospitality, local traditions and delicious cuisine. Bulgaria holds the last four Red Deer World Records Trophies including the current one. Our country used to be World Record Holder for Wild Boar tusks for 18 years till 2004. Current Wild Cat fur World Record is also Bulgarian.

About us

Outfoxing a predator gives me incomparable pleasure because this is the essence of the eternal game for me.

Most of our country territory is rich in foxes and jackals which I started with. I use three main methods of hunting them – on bait, with rabbit-in-distress game calls, and driven hunts.

Driven hunting is the most emotional among the others and I like it because of the chance of hunting with fellow hunters, share the adventure together. Very productive way, especially in South-Central and South-Eastern parts of Bulgaria where jackal population flourishes. I use a shotgun for it and 2/0 – 6/0 shot shells depending on the season, hunting area, and the expected game – jackal or fox.

Waiting them on bait is lonely sport but very challenging and satisfactory at the end. I have best results during December-February when there is a lot of snow and scarce food sources for predators. It takes long nights sitting alone in the dark but it worth it at the end.

Game-calling could be emotional way of hunting, it is harder to get an animal but I prefer it because everything depends on hunter experience – choosing the right hunting place, taking into account the wind direction, camouflaging well, experience in using the game call, and precise rifle with appropriate rifle-scope.

After gaining knowledge and experience in fox and jackal hunting, I started thinking of Him – the Wolf…

Bulgaria is among the few European countries with stable wolf population. Hunting wolves is allowed throughout year and is encouraged by local authorities. It is widely discussed topic and I am defending the position that wolf should be hunted on a country basis and common European policy is not fair and equally objective, because in recent years wolf population is growing and in many parts of Bulgaria there are constant damages for the farmers like two weeks ago, when 3 wolves killed 54 sheep during one-night attack.

I started with reading almost any book I have found for wolf hunting in Bulgaria, found and met many successful wolf hunters and try gain knowledge as much as possible. There are different understandings and advises I have received, but according to my experience I would say that four simple rules are key to success in that challenging, demanding, and truly interesting hunt:

1. You have to hunt them in areas where there is constant wolf presence. Seeing one or two does not mean that it will be a promising area for wolf hunting. Wolves usually prefer areas with decent amount of wild boars and roe deers.
2. You have to supply the bait always with dead animals in order to lure the most cautious animal on the Balkans, if not in Europe, to start visiting the bait regularly. I am using caucuses of big animals, so there will be enough food, even if a wolfpack appears for several nights. There are no rules of how often a wolf goes to the bait, but if it feeds on it for the first time, it is almost 90% sure it will come back on the very next night. So, regular checking the bait is a must. Setting big animals is also important in order to determine if a fox or wolf visited the bait last night. Photo traps are sometimes used because daily checking the bait is impossible.

   

3. You have to wait every possible night you can, no matter it is during the winter, or summer. Yes, the chances are greater during the winter when the wolf is hunting harder its quarry but my last two wolves are taken in June and August. The wolf is territorial animal and if its routes and paths are through the bait, the wolf visits it even during the summer to mark its territory, giving us the chance to have that rare trophy.
4. When the wolf finally appears on the bait, wait until it starts to feed and take a calm and secure shot. If you are not 100% sure, you’d better wait and do not take any risks. I was waiting my second wolf for 4 and ½ months and it is wise not to waste that rare chance with quick and poor shot.

These four may look simple and well-known for many but they guided me to success several times and I rely 100% on them!

I hope it is interesting article and if there is interest I would share specific wolf hunting situations with you!

Nasluka! /It means Good Luck in Bulgarian/

Stefan Stefanov

]]> http://ultimate-hunting.net/de/predator-hunting-in-bulgaria-wolf-jackal-fox/feed/ 0