Typical Day & Tactics

Connect with the outfitters’ interpreter or guide at the airport and make the often-quick drive through the rural countryside to the lodgings. Depending on arrival time, hunters could instantly head afield for an evening hunt, or simply settle in, enjoy dinner and unpack with plans to be out by dawn the following morning. Like most big game animals, Fallow deer are most active in the mornings and evenings, but during the peak rut, these social & vocal deer can be active most of the day.

Hunters link up with their guides at the lodge early pre-dawn each morning grabbing a coffee or quick bite to eat on the way out. Depart the lodge and head to a likely spot for sunrise seeking groups of rutting Fallow deer. They tend to assemble in traditional areas in the rut, which is always a good place to start. Spend the morning cruising the backroads looking for Fallow, or patrol a network of logging roads on foot. This is an excellent strategy as rutting Fallow are extremely vocal and their repeated croaking and antler clashes echo through these forests each October. It’s enchanting, and provides both exciting and ideal stalking conditions. Hunters can generally expect to encounter numerous mature Fallow bucks per day, which keeps things entertaining. At times, Fallow bucks can be hunted from the many elevated high-seats set up in strategic vantage points.

Spend the first few hours or each day searching, stalking, and judging Fallow deer. Come late morning, head back to the lodge and take a midday break, enjoying a hearty and delicious brunch with all the local favorites. An hour to catch up with things and home and a quick nap later find hunters back with their guides for the evening hunt. Continue keying in on croaking Fallow as they rut inconspicuously. These showy and aggressive deer are truly a natural marvel that are an incredible pleasure to watch. Something every passionate deer hunter must experience firsthand. Upon locating a shooter buck, things become real. A short-calculated stalk, or simply some patience is often all that’s needed to close the gap for a clean shooting opportunity. Approaching the fallen buck, the guides honor the animal with a traditional ceremony and congratulate the hunter. Once back at the lodge for the night, experience a wonderful three-course dinner, freshly made from locally sourced ingredients and traditional recipes.

Very affordable flat-rate trophy fees with no size restrictions, coupled with a target-rich environment finds most hunters harvesting two Fallow bucks in a 5-day hunt. Polish wildlife management is well orchestrated, and each hunting area or unit is allocated harvest quotas. Should permits still remain, combo opportunities for trophy Mouflon and Red Stag can also be possible on most Fallow Deer hunts. Wild Boar are also always available as a target of opportunity, rounding out this excellent, indigenous, and free-range European species line up! While Roe deer are extremely plentiful and sure to be encountered, the season closes in late September.

Once the hunt has concluded, guests are shuttled back to the airport, or a hotel in accordance with their travel plans. Hunters are always encouraged to do some sightseeing while already in Europe. We are also happy to make recommendations and assist with pre-post hunt logistics to facilitate vacation planning.

Landscape & Climate

Rural western Poland offers a very huntable and game-rich terrain. The landscape is generally flat, but complete with wooded hills and highly fertile rolling farm country. Cereal crops, vegetables, canola, corn, and pasture lands are prevalent. This region is dotted with woodlots, fruit orchards, pine plantations, and larger tracts of mixed forests, largely comprised of Birch, Oak, Poplar, and species of Pine. Many of the best Fallow deer hunting areas are within close proximity to some of the larger and denser forested areas.

With the peak rut in October, the weather this time of year is generally warm and pleasant with the vegetation starting to change to fall colors. Later in the month, temperatures may hover around the freezing mark overnight with beautiful frosty mornings coupled with the colorful foliage. In all this is a lovely time to be out hunting eastern Europe’s rural countryside!

Meals & Accommodations

A country like Poland comes with rich culture and historic charm. A variety of lodging options can be arranged for hunters. Palaces, old luxurious manor homes, renovated heritage hotels in small villages, or rural cottages are all options. Nearly every venue will have its own unique story or post-war restorations. You can expect private rooms, complete bathrooms, moats, gardens, courtyards, dining halls, gracious common areas, and of course, Wi-Fi.

Meals are often catered or served in an adjoining restaurant already included with every package. Enjoy 3 hearty meals daily featuring an array of locally sourced Polish favorites. Soups, sausages, sauerkraut, salads, assortments of cold cuts & cheese, smoked fish, schnitzel, chops & roasts, followed by delicious desserts. In classic eastern European hospitality, no one ever goes hungry!

Key Equipment Suggestions

This hunt only requires basic equipment. Appropriate layered hunting clothing, light day pack, 10x binoculars, rangefinder, headlamp, comfortable walking boots, rain gear, a digital camera, European double adaptor, sunglasses and a hat or thin gloves covers the essentials.