General information on the sale of game meat

Hunters do not only obtain trophies by hunting or actively protect nature by hunting and take responsibility for an ecosystem. By hunting, hunters also produce a very high quality food - the so-called venison, the meat of the hunted game. Now there are absolutely hunters, district tenants and also forest enterprises, which are not at all in the position to use all killed game in the context of the own need. Since also non-hunters enjoy the high-quality meat again and again, there is a large demand in the broad population.

Game offered in supermarkets does not come from regional hunting, but is obtained from huge game gates in New Zealand or Australia and imported to Germany.

It is of course more sustainable and possibly also of better quality to purchase venison from regional hunts.

But what are the ways in which hunters can and, above all, are allowed to sell venison to interested parties? There are a number of things to consider here.

The consumption in the own household

If a hunter wants to use hunted game in his own household, he is basically free to do so as soon as he is considered a knowledgeable person.

"A hunter is to be recognized as a "knowledgeable person", if the appropriate conditions of a further training measure are fulfilled. The duties of a "knowledgeable person" are to examine the hunted game, evaluate its behavior, and provide information about possible environmental contamination."

Nowadays, almost all trained hunters are also knowledgeable persons according to the above standards, as the acquisition of expertise has been integrated into hunting training for two decades.

Meat inspection is usually only required if the expert / the hunter identifies so-called "questionable characteristics". In this case, an official veterinarian decides whether and to what extent the piece may be utilized.

A trichen examination must be carried out for all susceptible animal species. Anyone who fails to carry out the prescribed examinations - even in the case of own consumption - is liable to prosecution.

Direct marketing in small quantities

The direct sale of game or game meat is only possible for the hunter, even as a knowledgeable person, under the following conditions:

• There must be no characteristics that pose a health risk. Otherwise, the official meat inspection then required (if necessary after removal of altered parts of the carcass) must have led to the assessment "fit for human consumption".
• Only the game of one hunting day may be sold (so-called small quantity).
• The game may only be sold directly to end consumers (e.g. other hunters, hunters, acquaintances) or to local retailers who sell directly to end consumers (e.g. restaurants, butcher shops).
• Direct marketing through retail outlets may only occur within a radius of no more than 100 kilometers of the hunter's residence or the place where the game was killed.

If the hunter distributes skinned/plucked and/or butchered game, the hunter must be registered with his or her local food regulatory agency and conduct self-monitoring to control hazards. The manner in which registration is to be accomplished is governed by state law.

It is advisable to simply contact the relevant food supervisory authority / veterinary office directly with a possible interest in registration.

A great way to sell your meat directly to the end consumers mentioned above after registration is the app Forest meat.

Delivery to the game trade

The delivery of the meat to game processing plants is only mandatory if not only "small quantities", i.e. the meat of a hunting day, are marketed directly to end consumers or local retail stores.

Prior to delivery to the game processing plant, the following requirements from the EU hygiene package apply with regard to the hygienic treatment of the stretched game. All further steps - including marketing - are the responsibility of the game processing plant.

Handling of hunted game

In order for the consumer to enjoy the game meat and for the hunter not to get into trouble with the responsible food supervisory authority, it is important that he implements all measures that serve to maintain the necessary hygiene.

Thus, he has to take care of shot game as follows:

Big game:

• After killing, stomachs and intestines must be removed as soon as possible; if necessary, the animals must be bled (e.g., by opening the burn veins and the large blood vessels of the carrier).
• The knowledgeable hunter must examine the game carcass and any eviscerated viscera for characteristics that suggest the meat may be of health concern. The examination must take place as soon as possible after killing.
• The game must then be transported to a game processing plant as soon as possible. In the case of several pieces, the overlaying of the game must be avoided.
• If the hunter's examination reveals no conspicuous characteristics, no behavioral abnormalities are observed prior to killing, and there is no suspicion of environmental contamination, the hunter must certify this by a numbered statement. Heads and skins need not be added to the game carcass, except in the case of pieces of game species susceptible to trichinosis, whose heads (except tusks) and diaphragms must be added to the game carcass.
• If, on the other hand, the hunter has observed questionable characteristics, behavioral disturbances, or if environmental contamination cannot be ruled out, the viscera (with the exception of the stomach and intestines) must be added to the game carcass in such a way that it is recognizable to which piece they belong. The head (excluding tusks, antlers or horns) must also be delivered to the game processing plant. In addition, the hunter shall report the conspicuous features.
• The surveillance authority, usually the veterinary office, may order the head and all viscera to be delivered to the game handling establishment if residue and zoonosis investigations (such as under the national residue control plan or zoonosis monitoring) must be conducted.
• If a knowledgeable hunter is not available for examination, the head (except tusks, antlers, and horns) and all viscera (except stomach and intestines) must also be left with the game carcass.
• Game carcasses must be cooled to no more than + 7º C within a reasonable period of time after killing. Where climatic conditions permit, active cooling is not required.

Small game:

• The knowledgeable hunter must examine the game for characteristics that indicate the meat may be of health concern. The examination must take place as soon as possible after killing.
• -If abnormal characteristics are found during the examination, behavioral disturbances are observed prior to killing, or environmental contamination is suspected, the hunter must notify the competent authority.
• Meat from wild small game may be placed on the market only if the game is transported to a game handling establishment as soon as possible after examination by the hunter.
• Game carcasses must be cooled to no more than + 4º C within a reasonable time after killing. Where climatic conditions permit, active cooling is not required.