Croatia is a hunters paradise, abundant with game typical of central and south-eastern
Europe. Of particular interest are the lowland deer that can be found in the hunting
grounds along the Sava river. Other types of game found in Croatia, which are of
particular interest to hunters from abroad, are bear (south-western Croatia), chamois,
and numerous types of small game such as hare, fox, waterfowl, etc.
There is a long tradition of hunting tourism in Croatia, and there are a large number
of hunting resorts. In central Croatia and Slavonia one can hunt deer, wild boar, martens,
foxes, hares, pheasants, wild geese and wild ducks. In Gorski Kotar and Lika there are
also opportunities for bear hunting and, in Dalmatia, chamois and Mouflon.
A lot of money is invested into Croatian hunting grounds to ensure that the animals
have peace, a natural diet and enough food and drink during droughts and harsh winters
or hot dry summers.
All hunting trips are organized according to the Croatian hunting season. The types of
hunting in Croatia are traditional (driven game, stalking or high-seat) and often
depend on the geographical location and the weather.
Birds are hunted with shotguns either with the help of hunting dogs, beaters, or by
waiting. Hunting is strictly regulated and must be carried out in groups of a minimum
of 3 people. Shooting is allowed with shotguns (including semi-automatics) and lead
pellets charged with a minimum of 28g of pellets.
Big game hunting is usually done with bolt action, lever action and semi-automatic
rifles. The exception is wild boar hunting, which can be done with all types of
shotguns and combination guns loaded with slugs, at distances of up to 50 meters.
The wild boar is the only type of game that can be shot at while it is moving, and
hunted with the use of dogs. All other types of big game can be shot at only when
they are stationary and the use of dogs is not permitted.