The Big Bushcraft Laws Test (for Germany)

Wild camping is generally prohibited in Germany. It is easier to sleep in the forest without a tent and only with a sleeping bag / hammock / bivouac - in that case, authorities often turn a blind eye. If you want to be on the safe side, get a permit from the municipality or the forest owner in advance.

You are not allowed to carry a one-handed knife with a lockable blade in public in Germany. It doesn't matter what the blade length of the knife is. You are only allowed to carry lockable one-handed knives in public if you have a legitimate interest.

In Germany, you are not allowed to build bushcraft camps. This includes fences or barriers made of wood. Any kind of shelter (including one made from branches, sticks, and leaves) is prohibited in the forest or on meadows since those properties always belong to someone. And to build something there, you need a permit.

Fishing without a fishing license and without permission for the body of water is strictly prohibited. And what if you catch the trout with your hand? That is also not allowed. You are not allowed to catch, torture, or kill any animals without permission. This applies to lakes, rivers, ponds, and even the sea.

An axe is not considered a weapon. It is classified as a tool since its main purpose is woodwork. Therefore, you can safely take an axe into the forest. The exception is axes used as throwing axes. Such axes are considered weapons.

You are allowed to build traps to practice and improve your skills. However, you must disarm them when you are done. In general, no animal should be harmed by the trap. If that happens, it is poaching, which is a criminal offense under § 292 of the German Penal Code.

You are allowed to use wood if it is dead and lying on the ground. Cutting down trees, removing tree bark, or tapping birch sap is prohibited. It is also prohibited to harvest old wood from the forest on a large scale. You need to ask the forester for permission to do so.

The famous garden snail is considered an endangered species and is protected under nature conservation laws. You are not allowed to kill, collect, hunt, or harm them in any way.

The law states: "It is prohibited to carry fixed-blade knives with blade lengths over 12 cm." However, you are allowed to own such a knife, just not carry it in public.

In general, hunting is strictly prohibited in Germany. By law, you are not allowed to kill any vertebrate animals. It is prohibited to kill these animals in any way, whether with your hands, blowguns, or slingshots.

You can collect mushrooms as much as you like. However, you are only allowed to harvest mushrooms in quantities justified for personal use. You are not allowed to pick mushrooms in nature reserves.

Nature reserves are subject to particularly strict laws. You are not allowed to leave the designated paths. You are also not allowed to collect anything: no plants, no mushrooms, no wood.

You are not allowed to leave any trash in the forest. You have to leave the forest as you found it. Anything else is considered littering (see the "Law on Improper Handling of Waste").

What many people do not know is that taking antlers, bones, and feathers is technically poaching under the hunting law. Generally, only the authorized hunter is allowed to take game and parts of game in his territory.

The forest is not a lawless place, and there are rules that bushcrafters and survivalists must follow. In general, the trees and wood in a forest belong to the landowner. Therefore, tearing off and breaking dead or living branches is not allowed.