Starting tomorrow (28 January), JAGD & HUND, Europe's largest hunting show, will again turn Dortmund into a go-to meeting place attracting hunters, hunting enthusiasts, outdoor enthusiasts, dog and nature lovers, and families – six whole days giving everyone the opportunity to discover all the new products, trends and challenges of hunting. The focus is also on dialogue and, above all, trying things out – with lots of activities spread across nine exhibition halls at Messe Dortmund. Visitors can look forward to several new features including informative master classes and a photo competition for unique hunting images and shots of natural surroundings.

Dortmund, 27 January 2025 – For the first time since 2020, the legendary Westfalenhalle is being pressed into service again for JAGD & HUND, accommodating the popular WILD FOOD FESTIVAL where game delicacies await. This year, eight other halls will again be home to top exhibitors from a total of 36 countries, including companies from Australia, Botswana and Argentina.

Product diversity and big names among the exhibitors

As well as international exhibitors, JAGD & HUND is also featuring the major players in the industry, and visitors can look forward to a wide variety of products including hunting and sporting firearms, accessories and outdoor clothing from Blaser Group and Frankonia as well as guns from Carl Walther, UMAREX, Manfred Alberts and Browning. RWS ammunition is in attendance along with Grube KG for hunting apparel and equipment. High-quality optics will be on offer from manufacturers such as Swarovski, Leica, HIKMICRO, Nocpix and ZEISS. Because this segment is now an increasingly high-profile part of the show, its exhibitors are now spread across Halls 7 and 8 as well as the customary Hall 6.

JAGD & HUND is also traditionally the place where new and innovative products are unveiled, and a great many débuts are awaited again this year – including the new Mauser 25 which visitors will have the opportunity to hold and inspect for the very first time.

They're back – two speciality zones

They débuted last year, and this time JAGD & HUND is again joining forces with hunting outfitter Jagdwelt24 to present the 'Jagdwelt' hunting world shopping zone in Hall 8 where visitors will find a wide range of products from firearms and thermal imaging cameras to riflescopes, roof tents, equipment for dogs and dog handlers, gear, silencers and game cameras as well as clothing and footwear. The 'Jagdwelt' hunting world will also be featuring companies such as Härkila, Anschütz, Gehetec, Roedale and Wild Land Drivers. What makes 'Jagdwelt' really special is the fact that not only can many of the products be tried out (for example on a footwear trial course), but they can also be purchased at the venue with expert advice and guidance on hand, and in some cases with visitors also getting the benefit of exclusive show discounts.

The KNIFE ZONE is back this year in Hall 5 where visitors will find suppliers of high-quality blades and experts to talk to, and will also have the opportunity to listen to informative presentations and talks. Among the many specialists taking to the stage will be Carsten Zulauf, knife expert and one of the JAGD & HUND podcast hosts, who will be sharing his knowledge with the audience. The exhibitors will include companies such as PUMA, OTTER and MAIN KNIVES. Like last year, manufacturers also had the opportunity to submit applications ahead of time for the Messer Award (knife award). An expert panel of judges will conduct the assessments and make the awards at the show. The award ceremony will take place on the stage on Saturday (1 February) at 15:30 hrs. There will also be an audience prize. Click here for the KNIFE ZONE programme.

Benefit from a wide range of information

JAGD & HUND is certainly the perfect opportunity to explore the entire product line-up for hunting and outdoor enthusiasts all in one place and keep up to date with all the latest trends – but it also offers special added value in the form of a host of information and mini-events offering bespoke skills training opportunities and knowledge transfer. For example, new additions to the programme include the “JAGD & HUND Masterclasses powered by Geartester Academy" (all held in German). Interested parties have been able to purchase tickets in advance for the daily events covering a wide range of topics. They were able to choose between 16 different master classes, several of which were fully booked even before the show got underway. Experts such as Prof Dr Hans-Dieter Pfannenstiel, Martin Linke and Alex Mohr will offer in-depth information on topics such as 'The Wolf in Germany', 'Hunting Meets Survival' and 'Drones in Hunting'. The full programme is available on the website.

Guests from Africa visiting Messe Dortmund

Once again, JAGD & HUND is expecting numerous visitors from all over Germany and beyond. The importance of the show, and that of hunting in general, is also underscored by a number of special guests travelling here this year. Botswana's ambassador in Berlin, John-Thomas Dipowe, will be among those attending the opening, and so will be Alice Mashingaidze, Zimbabwe’s ambassador. Prof Edson Gandiwa, newly appointed Director of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), and Tinashe Farawo, Head of Corporate Communication at Zimparks, have travelled all the way from Zimbabwe to be here. As last year, Isaac Theophilus from the Botswana Wildlilfe Producers Association (BWPA) will also be representing the country, accompanied by James Tebogo from NCONGO (the Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations). “This visit is really special for us,” said Sabine Loos, Managing Director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe which owns and operates the Messe Dortmund venue. “We're expecting great things from the dialogue that can arise with representatives from these countries. Together, our aim is to discover and demonstrate how hunting in these countries can help not just the population, but also the local flora and fauna.”

The WILD FOOD FESTIVAL sets its sights on enjoyment

As always, visitors can experience live cooking demonstrations and exclusive workshops with top chefs at the WILD FOOD FESTIVAL – accommodated this year in the special atmosphere of the Westfalenhalle. Anyone looking for inspiration for their own cooking will also find a varied line-up of exhibitors here, with companies such as Zwilling who will be presenting their latest barbecues and extensive ranges of add-on equipment. High-quality chopping boards and knives are available at the Schneidholz Manufaktur stand, and the Grafschaft Manufaktur craft distillery is presenting a line-up of fine liqueurs. Tasty game meat is on hand from Wildhandel König and from master butcher and chef Conrad Baierl, fondly known in the community as the 'Wild Butcher'.

The live cooking sessions on stage will see top TV and Michelin-starred chefs – and newcomers too – demonstrating the culinary spectrum of game, woodland, field and meadow in a host of dishes ranging from the down-to-earth to exotic game cuisine. Demonstrating their expertise and passion for game cuisine will be Austrian TV chef Johann Lafer, Florian Conzen, a passionate hunter and head chef at Brasserie Stadthaus in Düsseldorf, and Michelin-starred chefs Christopher Wilbrand and Daniel Dal-Ben, among others. As in previous years, hunting couple Magdalene and Wolfgang Grabitz will be back, as will game cook Ina-Maria Klups. This year will also see a newcomer shaking things up on-stage at the WILD FOOD FESTIVAL: Christian Frobieter is a passionate hunter and game cook who presents his dishes regularly via his 'wildfood_selfmade' Instagram channel. He is also the winner of our community shout-out for a face to be used in the poster campaign for JAGD & HUND 2025, so many show-goers will have seen him before.

Amateur chefs had to register in advance for the exciting workshops. The topics on offer will include (by way of example): Game Street Food Dishes ('Wilde Streetfood-Gerichte') with Ina-Maria Klups, Game for Game – Quick Dishes & Gripping Conversations ('Wild auf Wild – Schnelle Gerichte und spannende Gespräche') with Jan Urban and California Roll of Venison ('California Roll vom Rehwild') with Florian Conzen. The full WILD FOOD FESTIVAL programme is available here. Some workshops can still be booked.

JAGD & HUND competitions (including a new one!)

The various competitions held at the show have always been real crowd pullers, and this year they're joined by a new one. Since November, the JAGD & HUND team, together with FACE, the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU, had been looking for 'Europe's Hunting Photo of 2024' – in the four categories of Big Game Hunting, Small Game Hunting, Portraits and Game Utilisation & Food. In the passageway to the North Entrance complex, visitors can admire the finalists' pictures in a small exhibition and also cast their votes for an audience award. The best photo will then be honoured on Tuesday at 14:00 hrs on stage in Hall 4. The panel of judges will include representatives from FACE as well as professional photographer Tobias Westen, Christine Fischer, a communicator and teacher in hunting education and training, and a representative from Swarovski Optik.

The German Deer Calling Championship is an integral part of the supporting programme. It is being held for the 26^th time this year and will draw people to the stage in Hall 4 on Friday at 12:00 noon. Co-organiser is hunting magazine WILD UND HUND published by Paul Parey Zeitschriftenverlag. The finalists will compete against each other in three disciplines: 'Call of the old, searching stag', 'Call of the dominant male in a pack of does' and 'Calling duel between two equally strong stags at the height of the rut'. In the event of a one-on-one run-off, it will appropriately feature the cry of the victorious stag after the fight. The top three winners will not only receive non-cash prizes, but will also be able to travel to the European Deer Calling Championships to be held in Lithuania from 17 to 19 October 2025. The participants include last year's third-place winner, Jerome Böhm from Lower Saxony, the reigning German champion, Fabian Menzel from Bavaria, and the 2024 runner-up, Thomas Soltwedel from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Two other competitions made their débuts last year and are now being reprised. One of these is the Small Game Calling Contest ('Locker-Meisterschaft – Ein Calling Contest für Niederwild') on Friday at 14:00 hrs immediately following the German Deer Calling Championship. It is being organised jointly by hunting magazine 'Unsere Jagd – Im Revier zuhause' and hunting shop 'OVIS'. The participants will imitate the calls of greylag geese, crows, foxes and ducks as naturally as possible. The other competition now making its second appearance is the KIDZ FIEP World Championship which is being held on Saturday at 12:00 noon on the HORRIDO stage in Hall 8 and is aimed at children aged 6 to 16 who are enthusiastic about stag hunting.

Popular 'evergreens' at JAGD & HUND

There are some programme items that JAGD & HUND fans wouldn't dream of missing, so – guess what? – they're back gracing the exhibition halls again this year. These include the Offroad Parcours obstacle course in Hall 3 for action-loving petrol-heads. The off-road vehicle course offers the unique opportunity to experience new off-road vehicles from well-known brands that are suitable for hunting and put them through their paces. The corresponding models will also be on display at JAGD & HUND – including Land Rover and Subaru. They will be joined by equipment experts such as Tom's Fahrzeugtechnik and TAUBENREUTHER.

The performances by brass bands in the Hall 3 event area and on the main stage in Hall 4 are also an integral part of JAGD & HUND. And in Hall 3, where JAGD & HUND's conceptual partner, the Working Gundog Association (JGHV), is setting out its stall, the breed presentations and shows by experienced dog handlers will once again attract dog lovers. Click here for the individual programme items.

Donations to good causes:

Every shot a hit for the environment

Visitors looking for a hands-on experience will be able to put their marksmanship to the test at the shooting range of hunting ammunition manufacturer RWS (5.A18) while simultaneously generating a donation for animal, nature and environmental protection. A sum of EUR 5,000 was raised for the NRW Wildlife & Biotope Protection Foundation in 2024.

German Wildlife Rescue

For a donation, visitors can show their talent at the 'Schieß die Sau' hog-shoot by aiming softballs at an outsized dartboard. The fundraising campaign for German Wildlife Rescue was initiated by 'Wild Butcher' Conrad Baierl whose stand (WH.A30) is hosting the dartboard, plus 'Wild auf Wild' (Game for Game). The proceeds will be handed over on the final day of the show. Last year, this initiative raised the princely sum of EUR 5,000.

Associations at work at JAGD & HUND

This year also, JAGD & HUND is being supported by conceptual partners, the State Hunting Association of North Rhine Westphalia (LJV) and the Working Gundog Association (JGHV). Both associations will be in attendance with stands in Halls 6 and 3.

Further assistance will be on hand in the form of programme items and with local contacts in attendance from the German Hunting Association (DJV) and the Order of German Falconers. International assistance is on hand from the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE), the International Council for Game & Wildlife Conservation (CIC) and the European Bowhunting Federation (EBF). All organisations will be holding groundbreaking general meetings and sessions as part of JAGD & HUND. On the day before the show, the EBF will hold its Annual General Meeting in Dortmund for the first time – an organisation with over 20 member associations (the presidents of many of these will be in attendance at the start of the show).

HORRDIO – The Social Media Area

New media and social media are playing an increasingly important part within the hunting community, with hunters wishing to share their hunting experiences, highlight the full spectrum of hunting and network with like-minded people. The hunting community is constantly growing and becoming increasingly vibrant. HORRIDO is a meeting place for young hunters looking to discover and deepen their passion for hunting. In the speciality zone, they will have the unique opportunity to meet and engage with hunting influencers face-to-face. The programme also includes various hunting-related talks and film premieres. Everyone will also be looking forward to the HORRIDO PARTY on Saturday at 20:00 hrs.

Buy tickets online
Anyone who has not yet secured their tickets to experience JAGD & HUND can still do so. The online ticket shop can be found on our website.

>>> Click here for all the press releases we've published during the run-up to JAGD & HUND.

 >>> Find photos of today’s photo tour here.

Other interesting and important notes:

Collectors will love them ...
The coveted show badges will be on sale at the North Entrance – while stocks last.

Bringing dogs
All dogs are welcome, but must be shown to have been vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days prior to the show (vaccination card must be presented). Admission with dogs is via the North Entrance only.

Important note on travelling to the event
Due to the increased volume of traffic during the show, we recommend you enter 'Maurice-Vast-Straße' as the destination address in your satnav. From this destination address, signposting will direct you to the appropriate car parking facilities.

Regular updates on JAGD & HUND can be found on the show's Instagram and Facebook channels, and also on the website and via the newsletter.