Game-Rich New Zealand is a MUST

My group of seven rolled into Slovakia in early August, the perfect time for the roe deer rut. We had booked five tags per person through WTA, which initially made me nervous. How could taking that many animals be sustainable? But game management in Europe works on an entirely different level. Their wildlife departments track populations down to individual animals, maintaining detailed records unlike anything we have in the States. They issue licenses based on precise population data, and in many areas, they still need to conduct additional culls because game numbers are so healthy.

The hunting itself felt foreign yet familiar. Watching roe bucks chase does across open ag fields reminded me of hunting pronghorn during the rut. We watched as bucks chased does miles over the horizon, only to return and chase more. We would use the standing corn and sunflower rows for cover, glassing open areas where roe deer congregated on clover and alfalfa food plots.

The guides knew every ridge and valley, pointing out where certain bucks lived and separating solid trophies from medal-class deer. Some mornings started at 3 a.m., with hunters in position before dawn. While some stayed afield all day, others slipped back to the lodge for a late-morning feast and rest before the evening hunt.