JAGD & HUND 2026: Exhibition focuses on innovation and international networking

High satisfaction ratings, exclusive product presentations, and global engagement

After six successful days, the JAGD & HUND fair has again cemented its reputation as an international industry meeting place of major economic significance. More than 700 exhibitors from 36 countries used the forum for product launches, business deals, and professional dialogue. Favourable reviews from around 90% of the exhibitors and visitors give a clear indication of the importance of this trade fair. The participation of leading professional associations and high-ranking delegations from Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia also reflects its international reach. 

Dortmund, 3 February 2026 – Summing up on the last day of the fair (1 February), a well-satisfied Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe which owns and operates the Messe Dortmund venue, concluded: “JAGD & HUND is the central meeting point for the hunting and outdoor community. The great diversity and quality of the professional and political discussions, alongside intensive community networking between associations, specialists, and industrial players, clearly demonstrate the strategic importance of this exhibition. At the same time, JAGD & HUND is the forum where this industry gets to showcase its innovative power, with so many top companies targeting the show for product launches, impressively demonstrating the fast-paced dynamics of this rapidly evolving market. The rather special synthesis of dialogue, inspiration, and entertainment, coupled with an inviting shopping experience, makes this fair quite unique. And the participation of exhibitors, visitors, and associations from all around the country, indeed the world, confirms its major significance for the entire industry.” A good 32% of the exhibitors at the show came from abroad, from other parts of Europe to the USA, Canada, Australia, and China. Not only arriving from all parts of Germany, around 11% of the visitor mix once again ventured to Dortmund from foreign lands. 

Industry giants such as Carl Walther used the JAGD & HUND as a forum to present their latest offerings to ultimate consumers for the first time. The long-established manufacturer even took the opportunity to present its innovative new hunting rifle, the Walther RS3. Subaru Germany celebrated the unveiling of its two electric models, UNCHARTED and SOLTERRA, at the exhibition. Marking a production run totalling 300,000, the Blaser Group also presented a Custom Edition of the R8. ZEISS revealed the seca-Cam 1 and the SFL 50 for the first time. Other leading companies, such as Aimpoint, Mauser, Askari, SWAROVSKI OPTIK, the Bresser Group, Minox, Nocpix, and Parforce, also had other new offerings in store at the Dortmund convention. 

International hunting associations made good use of Europe’s leading hunting fair not just to present themselves and their work, but also to hold high-level talks. For instance, the North Rhine-Westphalia State Hunting Association held various sessions and review meetings during the show, the German National Professional Hunters’ Association held its “Training Day”, the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) met to exchange ideas with representatives of the European hunting industry, and the International Council for Game & Wildlife Conservation (CIC) hosted an evening event in the Westfalenhalle focusing on hunting in southern Africa. 

Southern African countries target the forum for informative discussion
This well-attended soirée offered a stage for the delegations from Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia to spell out the true importance of hunting in their countries. In his speech, Wynter Boipuso Mmolotsi, Minister of Environment and Tourism in Botswana, gave an insight into the state of affairs in his country, as at the opening ceremony of the exhibition on the previous day. “Botswana is renowned for her resolute commitment to biodiversity conservation, strong wildlife governance, and sustainable hunting practices,” he explained. “I wish to highlight the fact that Wildlife contributes significantly to Botswana’s national development through tourism, employment, and improvement of community livelihoods particularly in rural areas. Sustainable wildlife utilisation, including controlled hunting, is the mainstay of Botswana’s conservation strategy.” 

In the panel discussion which followed, specialists from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Botswana, the Botswana Wildlife Producers Association, Zimparks (Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority), and the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) shared a wealth of background information about the various projects and initiatives in their respective countries and engaged in a lively exchange with an interested audience. Throughout the trade fair, delegations from Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia were also represented with a joint stand in Hall 7, giving visitors and hunting experts alike a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about the challenges faced by the local population and the authorities, and which problem-solving strategies have proven effective. 

Dortmund’s Lord Mayor, Alexander Kalouti, has also taken note that the JAGD & HUND has evolved into an eminently important forum for such expert dialogue. As stated in his welcome address, “This exhibition is the perfect place for dialogue on wildlife management, responsibility, and the use and protection of nature. Not from afar, but face-to-face. This makes it especially valuable, particularly in dealing with controversial issues.” 

The Lord Mayor also took the opportunity to extend a special invitation to Wynter Boipuso Mmolotsi, Minister of Environment and Tourism of the Republic of Botswana, to sign the prestigious Golden Book of the City of Dortmund in his presence after the opening ceremony. 

Associations appreciate the exhibition stage
Nicole Heitzig also expressed her appreciation of the many political representatives in attendance and the activities on offer at the JAGD & HUND. As President of the State Hunting Association of North Rhine Westphalia, one of the fair’s conceptual sponsors, she was delighted by the many political statements in favour of hunting made at the show, for example, by the Minister of Agriculture in the state government of North Rhine Westphalia, Silke Gorißen, who praised the commitment of the hunting community. “I’m also especially pleased to see our partner country, Botswana, at the show. In his speech, Botswana’s Environment Minister Wynter Mmolotsi made it very clear that sustainable hunting is an important economic factor for his country, without which nature and conservation would not be feasible in Botswana. Our association is always open to discussion, even critical exchanges. I’d like to thank all the full-time and volunteer stand assistants from our association, over 250 of whom were on hand at the JAGD & HUND exhibition for precisely this kind of discourse!” 

In reviewing the show, other associations also joined in the chorus of positive sentiment. As Friedhelm Röttgen, Vice-President of the Working Gundog Association (JGHV), another conceptual sponsor, explained: “The JAGD & HUND is an essential part of our association’s work. Here, our recognised breeding clubs have a unique opportunity to present their gundogs to a wide audience as ‘family dogs with careers’. 33 clubs showcasing 59 dog breeds in daily shows – such a compact demonstration all in one place is hardly feasible anywhere else. I was particularly pleased to be able to convey the importance of our work as an association to so many representatives from the world of politics. It shows that this exhibition has firmly arrived as an all-embracing forum for the hunting industry.” 

Christian Weiken, Head of Trade Shows & International Collaboration at the German Bowhunting Association (DBJV), was also well satisfied. “Our verdict on the JAGD & HUND 2026 is distinctly upbeat,” he enthused. “Lots of visitors came to Dortmund specifically to find out about the DBJV’s further education and training programmes. Growing acceptance of bowhunting as a complementary hunting method has become increasingly apparent of late, with new training and cooperation projects on the rise following intensive discussion with State Hunting Associations and international partners.” 

Visitors and exhibitors agree – survey returns positive results
After six, jam-packed days of inspiring sessions, in-depth consultation, professional discourse, and a wealth of experiences, visitors and exhibitors at the JAGD & HUND were all of one mind, as reflected in the extremely positive results of the surveys: A good 93% of visitors – almost 3% more than in 2025 – claimed they would want to return in 2027, with around 88% of the more than 700 exhibitors stating an intention to make another appearance. 

New products on show win hearts and minds
An exclusive lounge for trade visitors, merchandise and souvenirs to keep the JAGD & HUND experience alive back home, and even more valuable information were just some of the new features at the 2026 show which received wide acclaim. The B2B Lounge in the North Entrance complex allowed exhibitors to engage intensively with business associates in a relaxed, secluded atmosphere. 

But it wasn’t just new formats and professional exchange that generated enthusiasm: numerous competitions bringing the many facets of the hunting world to life also captivated visitors. The first day of the fair kicked off with the ‘Europe’s Hunting Photo of the Year‘ competition, which was inaugurated in 2025 by Messe Dortmund in collaboration with the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE). This year’s winners: Marie Schmid from Ottobrunn (in the category ‘Wildlife & Landscape’), Jasmin Roloff from Rotenburg (‘New Perspectives’), Alexander Belik from Nuremberg (‘Fresh on the Table’), and Melanie Blochberger from Rudolstadt (‘Hunting Culture & Heritage’). 

One contest followed another in quick succession on the Friday of the show. In time-honoured fashion, the deer callers competed in the German Championships, co-organised by the magazine ‘WILD UND HUND’ (Paul Parey Zeitschriftenverlag). And one person in particular was overjoyed this year – twice runner-up, Thomas Soltwedel from Mecklenburg & Western Pomerania finally took the title, edging Gösta Rehse from Mecklenburg & Western Pomerania, and Enrico Braun from Brandenburg. 

But that didn’t see the end of the grunting and growling. Returning for a third time, the ‘Luring Championship – Calling Contest for Small Game‘ was co-organised by the ‘unsere Jagd‘ magazine published by the Deutscher Landwirtschaftsverlag and the hunting shop ‘OVIS‘. Two participants dominated this competition: Cris Neumann from North Rhine Westphalia won the two categories ‘Carrion Crow’ and ‘Grey Goose’, with Manuel Gumina from Bavaria totalling an impressive three wins in the categories ‘Fox’, ‘Raccoon’, and ‘Mallard’. There were also two lucky prize draw winners, with a delighted Tobias Göpferich winning a pulpit, and a thrilled Manuel Gumina scooping a rifle to take his fourth prize of the day. 

Finally, two very different events concluded the series of competitions on the Saturday of the exhibition. In the early afternoon, the youngest visitors to the fair battled it out in the HORRIDO area, where the ‘KIDZ FIEP World Championships‘ organised by Hunt on Demand saw children and adolescents aged between 6 and 15 showcasing their luring skills. Lenny came out on top this year, impressing the jury just ahead of Finn-Luca and Boraz. Later in the afternoon, the focus was trained more on the exhibitors at the JAGD & HUND, where companies represented in the KNIFE ZONE had had a previous opportunity to compete for the coveted Knife Award. On Saturday, the jury presented the prizes for the best blades on the KNIFE ZONE stage. First place went to MAIN KNIVES with Marek Bialous and Teckel Messer following in second and third. The new date has been set for JAGD & HUND 2027
So grab your calendar and a pen, as all hunting, outdoor, and dog enthusiasts should already note down February 2–7, 2027, because that’s when the JAGD & HUND will once again be drawing visitors back to the Dortmund Exhibition Centre. If you’d like to keep up to date in the meantime, how about subscribing to the JAGD & HUND newsletter, the exhibition website, and the social media channels on Instagram and Facebook.

EXHIBITION AT A GLANCE

JAGD & HUND – EUROPE’S LARGEST HUNTING EXHIBITION Once a year, Europe’s largest hunting exhibition JAGD & HUND opens its doors to the public, offering hunting and nature enthusiasts a universe of hunting-related opportunities at Dortmund Exhibition Centre’s superb indoor and outdoor facilities. As well as showcasing a comprehensive range of products, the fair is also characterised by a varied supporting programme which makes JAGD & HUND very special, turning it into a unique shopping and leisure experience for people of all ages. Meanwhile, the tandem culinary WILD FOOD FESTIVAL gives visitors the opportunity to meet professional, TV and celebrity chefs revealing modern, tasty and varied ways to prepare game dishes. For anyone looking to experience a unique mix of modern hunting practice and cultural tradition at first hand, JAGD & HUND is surely the place to be.

NEW DATE: 02  – 07 February 2027 EVENT ORGANISER: Messe Dortmund GmbH EXHIBITORS: More than 700 exhibitors from 36 countries VISITOR NUMBERS: 79.000 visitors

CONCEPTUAL SPONSORS: LJV NRW: Landesjagdverband NRW e.V. (State Hunting Association of North-Rhine Westphalia) JGHV: Jagdgebrauchshundverband e.V. (Working Gundog Association) TARGET GROUPS: Hunters, dog and nature lovers, and lovers of good cuisine HALLS OCCUPIED: Halls 1 to 8 (JAGD & HUND), Westfalenhalle (WILD FOOD FESTIVAL)