Chamois hunting in the Hohe Tauern

Chamois hunting in view of the Grossglockner
The premier class of high mountain stalking

Mountain stalking for chamois is one of the most beautiful, original, but also most challenging hunting experiences for a real hunter. The chamois lives in high alpine terrain, is an outstanding climber, nimble, alert and agile. The hunter must not only be a confident and technically skilled shooter and have good physical condition and surefootedness even in pathless terrain, but also be prepared to brave adverse wind and weather conditions in the high mountains if necessary. But if you are lucky on the hunt, you will be rewarded with a unique feeling of effort, where the stalking experience rather than the trophy will remain an eternal memory.

Together with a friend who is a gamekeeper and professional hunter, we offer you the opportunity to hunt chamois in one of the most fascinating mountain landscapes in the entire Alps, the Grossglockner region in the heart of the Hohe Tauern. And as a base camp, a stately, beautifully situated mountain chalet, with perfect comfort and many holiday options, where family and friends can also accompany you on your hunting trip.

A hunting ground like in a picture book

Your hunting area is at the end of the Upper Möll Valley, in the high altitudes of the Goldberg Group and the Grossglockner massif, Austria's highest mountain at 3,798 meters. Here, in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park and far away from mass tourism and hustle and bustle, there are rich populations of roe deer, red deer and chamois. One of the largest ibex populations in Europe also lives here. Although they may not be hunted, they can be observed during a photo stalk.

There are three hunting areas available for chamois hunting at altitudes between 1,700 and 2,400 meters in the area of ​​the national park communities of Großkirchheim and Heiligenblut, with the topography of the tree line, high alpine pastures and rocky regions. All three are first-class chamois areas and can be reached by off-road vehicle from our chalet in around 15 to 20 minutes. Long, time-consuming journeys from your accommodation are therefore eliminated. Which area will be visited depends on the current weather conditions, especially the snow situation in late autumn, and your fitness level, and will be decided during the preliminary discussion with the hunting guide.

You should allow yourself at least 5 days for your hunting trip. On the one hand, even a physically trained hunter needs some time to acclimatize to the conditions in the alpine 2000m region. Above all, however, the weather, which is difficult to predict in the high mountains, especially in autumn, is a certain uncertainty factor, and of course the chamois will not wait willingly on a silver platter until the hunting guest sets his sights on it...

We usually plan 2 days of stalking with the stalking guide, which is usually enough for our hunting conditions. If you still haven't managed to get a shot, the guide will go with you for a third day, at no extra cost. If you succeed in killing on the first stalking, you can use the second day to go on a walk in the area or for a photo stalking, e.g. for ibex or bearded vulture.

The chamois stalking in the Hohe Tauern is unique, but also demanding. The demands on the hunter are fundamentally different from stand hunting in the lowlands or low mountain ranges, which is what makes it so special. You don't have to be a mountain climber to do this. But you should have some experience in mountain hiking, and you should be able to cope with a height distance of 300 to 400 meters in one go without any problems. Your dog, who is very welcome with us, should also be used to mountain tours. If not, we are of course happy to do a day or two of dog sitting while you are out hunting.

The stalking takes place in the early morning hours and in the late afternoon "until the last light of the gun". This is when the chamois are most active and the chance of a safe shot is greatest. In the evening you are back in our cozy alpine chalet. If desired or if it makes sense for hunting, an overnight stay in a hunter's hut (very simple equipment, we ask for your understanding!) in the high alpine area is also possible, at no extra cost.

For the hunt, you will receive a rental weapon and suitable ammunition from our professional hunter. You can choose between the Blaser K95 single shot rifle or the R8 bolt action rifle, both first-class and particularly easy-to-handle special weapons for high mountain hunting. This ensures that you are out stalking with optimal equipment. If you would like to shoot with your own weapon as an exception, we ask that you inquire in advance in good time. The final decision is always made by the stalking guide on site.

Before the hunt, we ask you to take a test shot at a distance of 200 m in the shooting tunnel of the Grossglockner shooting arena. The Grossglockner shooting arena in Großkirchheim is considered one of the most modern shooting ranges in Europe and is only a 10-minute drive from our Almchalet Goldbergleiten. Here you can also practice shooting with the rental weapon and, if you wish, book additional shooting times in the shooting cinema.

Hunting holiday with handshake quality

We don't believe in CIC point counting and terms and conditions with 53 paragraphs. As a member of the Carinthian Private Landlords Association and an official partner of the Hohe Tauern National Park, we offer you a private hunting holiday at a fair flat rate with no hidden costs. And the hunting fee that has to be paid to the owner of the area or the person authorized to hunt is based only on the three chamois age classes in accordance with the regulations of the Carinthian State Hunting Association (details here). The hunting guide also doesn't lead you as a hunting guest to earn money, but primarily for the joy of hunting and to bring you closer to our wonderful mountain world of the national park.

We hunt strictly within the framework of the Carinthian annual hunting plan and in coordination with the wildlife management of the national park region. Therefore, a specific class of chamois cannot be guaranteed. However, the population here in the Upper Mölltal is so large that local hunters can hardly meet the quotas themselves and there is usually enough game in each class at any time. In the Heiligenblut hunting district alone, there are around 1,500 chamois, with a stable trend, according to a count by the National Park Administration in 2019. In addition, hunting is also necessary from an ecological point of view. This is because the chamois no longer has any natural enemies, and an overpopulation in the mountains would not only harm the entire game population (keyword: competition for food in mid-winter), but would also endanger the avalanche protection forest and thus the villages in the valley.

Wounding of the animal can happen even to the most experienced hunter. In this case, the professional hunter who accompanies you will immediately fire a follow-up shot. If this does not kill the chamois, the stalking guide will send his dog, a first-class mountain bloodhound, to track it down. In our experience, this procedure only rarely ends in failure. In such cases, it would be usual to charge 50% of the estimated shooting fee as hunting fees.

If, for whatever reason, you do not get to shoot at all, no extra payment is necessary. However, this has never happened before.

A mountain house where you can feel at home, a whole house for you alone!

Whether with family, friends or as a romantic couple, our Almchalet Goldbergleiten offers the perfect setting as a base for your hunting holiday. In our former mountain farmhouse, built in healthy solid wood construction, you can experience an authentic mountain summer in peace and nature and a winter holiday like something out of a fairytale book.

Three cozy bedrooms with natural wood furniture in a cabin style, each with a balcony and a view of the 3000-meter peaks of the Hohe Tauern, and the peace and quiet of our secluded location ensure relaxation and healthy sleep. Of course there is high-speed WiFi throughout the house and a smart TV with Netflix, internet browser and the most important streaming services.

The country house kitchen is perfectly equipped with a dishwasher, oven with ceramic hob, old wood stove and all kitchen appliances. Even elaborate dishes can be prepared well there, and the open architecture to the old parlor ensures conviviality and communication. Beautiful table linen, fine dishes and designer glasses make eating together an experience. And if you don't want to cook, we'll be happy to spoil you with exquisite culinary delights such as fondue or raclette evenings, seafood dinners fresh from the Adriatic or a gourmet wine tasting from the owner's legendary wine cellar.

Our house is an official partner of the Hohe Tauern National Park. This is not an empty slogan, but means sustainability and knowledge of nature, the mountains and their benefits for our descendants. We live and work according to the basic values ​​of the largest national park in the Alps. You can find out all the details about our mountain house here.

Chamois hunting at the Grossglockner - Our offer for the hunting season autumn 2024

Services included:

• 5 Nights in the Almchalet Goldbergleiten at 1,300 m above sea level, including final cleaning, WiFi Internet, parking space and all consumption costs.
• Experienced stalking guide (professional hunter) for chamois hunting in the high mountain area of ​​Großkirchheim-Heiligenblut in the Hohe Tauern, 2 days, possibly 1 additional day
• Off-road vehicle transfers Almchalet-hunting areas and back
• Rental weapon Blaser K95 single shot rifle or R8 bolt action rifle, including ammunition
• Food package for stalking days (bacon, hard sausage, mountain cheese, home-baked farmhouse bread, schnapps)
• Use of the Grossglockner shooting arena for test firing (approx. 15 minutes)
• Welcome package: 1 bottle of Austrian wine from our top winemakers for the "grown-ups", 1 bottle of Austrian fruit juice for the "little" guests, snack basket with home-smoked sausages, bacon, cheese, alpine butter and bread from the mountain farmer as a welcome.
• Large map and information package with hiking maps, MTB maps and excursion information.
• Alpine hunting menu to finish in the cosy farmhouse parlour of the hut, including suitable drinks and the traditional "Totvertrinken" (= ritual of "farewell drinking") of the chamois.
• Boiling trophy (skull/crutches)
• Carinthia hunting guest permit including hunting liability insurance for the duration of the stay
• Your hunting dog stays with us for free!
• Kärtnen Card for free use of the mountain cablecars, swimming pools, museums and other leisure facilities throughout Carinthia (only until November 3rd, 2024 !)

Price example hunting package: 2,290.- Euros for 1 hunter
plus 2,20 EUR per night per person local tax for guests of age 16 and above.
each additional accompanying person (accommodation only, not hunting): 150,- Euro

To be paid separately:

• Chamois hunting fee, according to the classification of the Carinthian Hunters Association: Class III 1,500.00 €, Class II 1,700.00 €, Class I 1,900.00 €. Wounded animal: 50% of the hunting fee. Calculated in the name and on behalf of the hunting area owner/person authorized to hunt.
• Tip for the hunting guide, if the hunt is successful, traditionally about 10% of the hunting fee

Extras available on request:

• Half board (Breakfast basket, 3-course dinner)
• Gourmet evenings: fondue, raclette, oyster and seafood dinner, wine and champagne tasting
• Game meat cut up and prepared for cooking (vacuum packed) by butcher, approx. €100. (no obligation, we also take game meat)
• Professional trophy preparation by a master craftsman in Spittal an der Drau, head shoulder or full preparation, costs on request.

Meals:                 Self-catering, 1 evening menu, stalking snacks
Travel period:   October 12th to December 18th, 2024, arrival daily, extension days possible on request.

This offer cannot be booked online. Possession of a valid hunting license is a prerequisite and must be proven when booking. It can be booked directly with us until the end of the hunting season, provided the alpine chalet is available during the desired period.

Dates available

Online Inquiry

Special cancellation and payment conditions apply to this offer: Deposit of 50% of the total price requested after booking confirmation. Remaining amount payable by bank transfer 30 days before arrival. Cancellation fees: up to 90 days before arrival: free of charge; up to 30% days before arrival: 50% of the travel price; later than 30 days before arrival: 95% of the travel price. We therefore recommend taking out travel insurance if necessary, e.g. Hotelstorno Premium from Europäische Reiseversicherung, Vienna.
Program changes due to weather, price changes, prior sale and errors reserved.