Germany Crowns Deer-Calling Champion

There are some really zany contests in the world. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) Germany is not immune to this. On the weekend, the battle for the German deer calling champion heated up.

Using snail shells, plant stems, and ox horns, 8 men and 1 woman battled it out for the title of the German Deer Calling Champion. This celebrates a hunting tradition that is centuries old.

Acting like a deer

The winner of the competition was Andreas Toepfer. The 9 contestants were judged in 3 different deer-calling disciplines, which were meant to mimic the sounds of deers when mating. Specifically, the deer’s call that they were asked to reproduce was the red deer call during breeding season. This season runs from September to October, and the calls beckon deers out of their cover in the forest during this time.

“It’s not always about shooting or hunting but simply about a nature experience where you can attract a deer to just a few metres away,” participant Immo Ortlepp said at the competition’s site in Dortmund, western Germany.

This year, the single female participant, Hildegard Zervos, became the first female to enter this competition which has been running for 13 years. Zevros told reporters, “It’s a joy. It’s simply fun and one’s a bit closer to nature.”

Andreas Toepfer was delighted in winning the competition as he finished 3rd last year. Toepfer will advance to the Europe deer-calling champions which will be held in Slovenia.