USAG Stuttgart hosts Jägerschlag at historic hunting tunnels

By Balmina Sehra and Michael Roach USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs

STUTTGART, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart hosted a Jägerschlag, a traditional ceremony that welcomes newly qualified U.S. and German hunters into a local club of environmental stewards and conservationists, at Panzer Range Complex, June 7.

Conducted by the Kreisjägervereinigung Böblingen, Böblingen’s district hunting association, the ceremony commemorated the completion of the German hunting license process.

A Jägerschlag is a symbolic knighting ceremony where new hunters are tapped three times on the shoulder with a large hunting knife. According to custom, the three taps serve to inaugurate the new hunter and grant them the strength to always carry out the craft honorably by binding them to the Hunter's Code of Honor.

Following this, new hunters were presented with their Jagdschein, a German hunting license and internationally respected credential.

The ceremony took place above a series of centuries-old hunting tunnels which were constructed in 1733 at the request of Duke Karl Alexander. Notably, these tunnels which were once common throughout Germany, are some of the few whose original stonework has been largely untouched for nearly 300 years.

The preservation of these tunnels is the responsibility of USAG Stuttgart, and their significance is celebrated by the Böblingen Jagdverein. The Böblingen-based hunting club traces its roots to the post-World War II era. Decades later, it boasts more than 1,200 hunters, many of whom are American.

"This partnership goes beyond sharing hunting grounds," Timo Böckle, the club’s leader and Kreisjägermeister or District Hunting Master said, after a previous ceremony in February. "It's about mutual respect, cultural exchange and a shared commitment to wildlife, nature, and hunting ethics."

After being knighted and receiving their Jagdschein, new hunters were officially welcomed into the group with a celebratory toast. Böckle reminded them to hold the drink with their left hand and explained the tradition originated from mounted hunters who held the reins in their right hand and drank using their left hand.

“Every single ritual has been passed down for centuries, and we make sure to hold up the tradition during the ceremony,” Böckle said.

After 90 days of intensive coursework and a culminating examination, the significance of the ceremony and the responsibilities that come with being inducted into the hunting community were not lost on the participants.

“The knighting ceremony is indicative of a protector and that’s really what you are in German hunting culture is a protector of nature,” U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Chris Brock, current operations officer at Marine Forces Europe and Africa said after his June 7 induction. “There is a profound sense of ownership with this course.”

Originally from Sierra Vista, Arizona, Brock has hunted since childhood. First accompanying his father and then becoming an avid hunter himself, he has been on guided hunts in Africa and Mexico, and pursued game in 15 different states in the U.S. Having been stationed at USAG Stuttgart for a full year, he was eager to pursue his hobby while serving in Europe and earn a unique accolade.

“If you mention a German Jagdshine in Namibia or Kenya, they know what that is,” Brock said. “It’s kind of like going to Harvard for undergrad as far as hunting goes. It’s a well distinguished certification.”

Many aspects of the ceremony referenced the hunters’ commitment to conservation and respect for animals and the environment, values which form the foundation of the German hunting philosophy known as Waidgerechtigkeit or fair hunting practices— a strict ethical code that manages every aspect of the hunt in Germany.

Robert Gwinner, USAG Stuttgart’s Deputy Garrison Commander, avid hunter and member of the club, said the installation and hunting club’s partnership directly benefits conservation efforts as well as the mission partners who use the Panzer Range Complex where deer and other wildlife are common.

“Regulated hunting is a critical tool for managing wildlife populations, which in turn helps control the spread of diseases and reduces the number of dangerous animal-vehicle accidents,” he said.

Brock, who majored in wildlife sciences in college before joining the Marines, echoed Gwinner’s sentiment referencing the myriad issues that an ecosystem can face if an animal population is unbalanced.

“You get too many animals, and you start running into disease, you start running into malnutrition,” Brock said. “If you get too far below that number you have genetic bottlenecking. It’s important to come out here and be able to facilitate that process. The end state is not to take an animal. The end state is to make sure that the ecosystem is functioning as best it possibly can.”

Arguably, the responsibility to the land at the Panzer Range Complex and the deference for the traditions that have protected it has united German and American hunters and in turn, strengthened USAG Stuttgart’s relationship with the local community.

"The fact that German and American hunters work together like this is something you won't find anywhere else," Böckle said. "I am the leaseholder of the hunting grounds and therefore a neighbor of USAG Stuttgart, and I think it's great that we get along so well as neighbors."

For more information on the hunting course and to sign up, visit the Stuttgart MWR page: https://stuttgart.armymwr.com/programs/hunting-fishing-sport-sho