WIESBADEN, GERMANY - The Wiesbaden Hunting, Fishing, and Sport Shooting program, in partnership with Wiesbaden Outdoor Recreation, hosted its first Night Vision Clinic on the evening of Feb. 23, 2022, at the Outdoor Recreation Building located on North Clay Kaserne. The Night Vision Clinic was attended by more than 20 American hunters as well as students currently enrolled in the U. S. Forces German Hunting Course.
This event, led by HFSS Member-at-Large and hunting course instructor, Mark Walworth, began with a classroom presentation covering various types of night vision optics and their applicable uses for hunters in Germany. Afterwards, participants were able to get hands-on experience with an assortment of thermal and night vision binoculars, scopes, spotting devices, and forms of illumination--all brought in by members of the HFSS community. “Being able to see both night vision versus thermal imaging at night, [and] having the information of how it all pertains to uses in Germany before going outside to see it all in use was invaluable education that no store shopping experience has ever been able to provide,” commented LaDon Hoosier, who is currently enrolled in the U.S. Forces German Hunting Course. “We were fortunate to have very knowledgeable and experienced volunteer instructors that allowed us to handle their personal gear,” she added.
The unique opportunity to hunt with night optics is just one facet of safely and successfully managing the current over-population of Wíldschwein (wild boar) in Germany. Wíldschwein are primarily active at night, and can cause thousands of Euros in damages to land and crops in a few hours. Without proper management, the wild boar population also negatively disrupts the surrounding eco-system. The priority of the German hunter is to promote a balanced environment, and Americans with the privilege of holding a German Hunting License are responsible for helping manage the Wíldschwein population as well.
Selecting the right equipment is a crucial part of a hunter’s success, and the Night Vision Clinic was an excellent opportunity for participants to see what gear might best suit their needs and budgets. It was nice occasion for like-minded outdoorsmen and women to get together and share their knowledge and experience with the American hunting community here in Wiesbaden. The HFSS aims to host similar events in the future, especially as COVID restrictions ease. For more information visit www.hfsswiesbaden.com.
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