Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Private Limited Company (Gyulaj Plc for short) is one of Hungary's 22 state owned forestry and hunting companies. Its online marketing brand name is Gyulaj Hunting Hungary. Besides forest management one of its main business activities is big game management carried out in professional and traditional near- nature way. Its game management branch activities include receiving international hunting clients for purpose of hunting for local big game species (red deer, fallow deer, wild boar, roe deer). Its business premises are located in Tamási, South- West Hungary in Tolna County. Among the Hungarian state-owned forestries Gyulaj Plc is the leader by its highest rate of incomings from hunting section (approx. 30%) compared to the total annual incomings of the company. By this performance Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Plc is a key player of the Hungarian big games management and hunting. Its legal predecessors and different hunting grounds look back at a rich hunting history and performance: a heritage that has been kept alive until today. Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Plc has been operating in the legal form of a private limited company (by shares) since November 3, 2005. With its center in Tamási it presently does forest management on nearly 23,500 hectares (nearly 60,000 US acres) state forestland and quality game management on nearly 30,000 hectares (nearly 75,000 US acres) in South-West Hungary.
It has three different forestry- offices in Tamási, Hőgyész and Pincehely, in this last case together with a sub-office in Nagydorog. The company has four different game management districts (hunting grounds): in Tamási (called Gyulaj Hunting Ground), Hőgyész (called Hőgyész Hunting Ground), Pincehely and Kistápé (called Pincehely and Németkér Hunting Ground) districts, the hunting areas being between 7,000 and 8,000 hectares (17,000 and 20,000 acres) each. For the time being there are six hunting lodges for catering and lodging purposes: in two lodges at Óbiród (on Gyulaj Hunting Ground), in Kisszékely and Kistápé (on Pincehely and Németkér Hunting Ground) and Csibrák, as well as in Szálláspuszta (both on Hőgyész Hunting Ground). The company is dealing with the management and hunting of three deer species (fallow deer, red deer, roe deer) and wild boar in both closed (fenced areas) and open, free range areas; and with the management and hunting of red deer and roe deer in free range only. 100% of the shares are owned by the Hungarian state, ownership rights are currently managed by the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary (Földművelésügyi Minisztérium - FM).
General information One of Hungary's 22 state owned forestry and hunting companies is Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Private Limited Company (Gyulaj Plc for short). Its online marketing brand name is Gyulaj Hunting Hungary. Besides forest management one of its main business activities is big game management carried out in professional and traditional near- nature way. Its game management branch activities include receiving international hunting clients for purpose of hunting for local big game species (red deer, fallow deer, wild boar, roe deer). Its business premises are located in Tamási, South- West Hungary in Tolna County. Among the Hungarian state-owned forestries Gyulaj Plc is the leader by its highest rate of incomings from hunting section (approx. 30%) compared to the total annual incomings of the company. By this performance Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Plc is a key player of the Hungarian big games management and hunting. Its legal predecessors and different hunting grounds look back at a rich hunting history and performance: a heritage that has been kept alive until today. Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Plc has been operating in the legal form of a private limited company (by shares) since November 3, 2005. With its center in Tamási it presently does forest management on nearly 23,500 hectares (nearly 60,000 US acres) state forestland and quality game management on nearly 30,000 hectares (nearly 75,000 US acres) in South-West Hungary.
It has three different forestry- offices in Tamási, Hőgyész and Pincehely, in this last case together with a sub-office in Nagydorog. The company has four different game management districts (hunting grounds): in Tamási (called Gyulaj Hunting Ground), Hőgyész (called Hőgyész Hunting Ground), Pincehely and Kistápé (called Pincehely and Németkér Hunting Ground) districts, the hunting areas being between 7,000 and 8,000 hectares (17,000 and 20,000 acres) each. For the time being there are six hunting lodges for catering and lodging purposes: in two lodges at Óbiród (on Gyulaj Hunting Ground), in Kisszékely and Kistápé (on Pincehely and Németkér Hunting Ground) and Csibrák, as well as in Szálláspuszta (both on Hőgyész Hunting Ground). The company is dealing with the management and hunting of three deer species (fallow deer, red deer, roe deer) and wild boar in both closed (fenced areas) and open, free range areas; and with the management and hunting of red deer and roe deer in free range only. 100% of the shares are owned by the Hungarian state, ownership rights are currently managed by the 100% state-owned Hungarian Development Bank (Magyar Fejlesztési Bank Zrt.- MFB).
Four hunting grounds of Gyulaj Hunting Hungary (Gyulaj Plc) The four different hunting grounds provide different landscape and views for hunting clients and different habitats for big game species.
Tamási (Gyulaj) Hunting Ground Nearly 8.000 hectares (~20.000 US acres) estate with hilly landscape. The forest coverage is around 80% of the total area. The fallow deer population is excellent, one of the most known populations in Europe. Five International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) world record fallow buck trophies were taken here, a performance still unique in the world. The wild boar population also has excellent features both in quality and quantity. Red deer also can be found in this area but the stags antlers size is smaller compared to the main red deer area, the Hőgyesz Hunting Ground.
Hőgyész Hunting Ground Hilly, more than 8.000 hectares (20.000 US acres) area with landscape. Home of trophy red stags and wild boars. The current SCI (Safari Club International) No.1 (World's record) Eurasian wild boar was taken here in 2011 by a US hunting client. The tusk scored 31 9/16 SCI by master measurers achieving the No.1 place on the SCI's rifle ranklist regarding this species. In 2005 season the heaviest red stag antlers (13,80 kg trophy weight) of entire Hungary was also bagged here.
Pincehely and Németkér Hunting Ground Various landscape areas with ~14.000 hectares (~35.000 US acres). On Pincehely area the fallow deer population is excellent, each season this area provides trophies over 5 kg trophy weight. The red deer and wild boar population is also significant here. Németkér Hunting Ground is a flat, mainly sandy soil area with pine, poplar and oak tree stand providing good habitat for red deer, wild boar and roe deer. Fallow deer cannot be found here even though the two hunting grounds are relatively close to each other.
Gyulaj Hunting Hungary (Gyulaj Plc) is in Safari Club International's 2010 Annual Convention in Reno, Nevada, United States Gyulaj Hunting Hungary was part of the Hungarian delegation including the representatives of five different state owned hunting companies as well as the leadership of SCI Central-Hungarian Chapter in introducing the Hungarian state owned hunting grounds in the US market. The Hungarian booth (which included Gyulaj's booth) had a successful trophy exhibition during the Reno show between January 20–23, 2010. In the opening dinner's auction the Hungarian delegation offered a hunting package called the "Hungarian Big Five". This hunting package included the five main trophy big game species of Hungary (red stag, fallow buck, mouflon ram, roe buck and wild boar tusker). The winner was a US hunter from Oregon.
Specialized hunting equipments for hunters with physical disability In 2011 Gyulaj Hunting Hungary became one of the first Hungarian and Central-European hunting grounds officially providing special hunting opportunities for hunters living with physical disabilities. In this ability project the company built a special track on site designed for wheelchairs. This truck can be used in any weather conditions with wheelchairs to approach a specially designed shooting stand/low seat. Inside the shooting cage even a big size wheelchair and an adult guide can fit providing enough space for shooting and hunting. One of the company's pick up truck was rebuilt for the safe off-road transportation of wheelchairs. A room and its bathroom at the local hunting lodge (Óbiród Hunting Lodge) was also renewed, designed and tested by a local hunter with physical disability.
History of game keeping and hunting performance
Hunting Historical Background of Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Plc Gyulaj Hunting Hungary's hunting reputation is rooted in its hundreds of years of history. The hunting reputation of its estates grew large during the Ozora royal driven hunts in the 18th century. These driven hunts were organized every second year and lasted 2–3 weeks. The local royal family employed more than 12,000 village people to arrange the hunt. After the hunt finished thousands of big game were taken by high-ranking international politicians and members of royal families. The local hunting grounds and region's reputation became even bigger when in 1910 the CIC‘s new measuring system at that time scored and awarded a famous red stag from this county from 1891 the CIC world’s record stag of that era (Szálka stag, Tolna county, Hungary, 1891 - CIC score: 243,90- weight of antlers:11,25 kg number of tines:22 - became world record between 1910-1937). In 1930 a red stag from Gyulaj Plc’s Hőgyész Hunting Ground became also well known by hunting enthusiasts of the world. Its nickname is still the "Hőgyész Hungarian Ox“ (Hőgyész, Tolna county, Hungary, 1930 - weight of antlers:10,60 kg number of tines:16) because of its extremely widespread antlers giving an ox-like looking for the stag. The legendary stag was taken by a noble man. The photo of the stag's head, the hunter and his guide posing next to his automobile travelled around the hunting world in that time. The „Hőgyész Hungarian Ox“ called stag still can be visited in the Hungarian National Museum, Budapest. These trophies were followed by the record fallow buck trophies of Gyulaj Plc predecessors‘ golden era. In 1923, 1965, 1969, 1970 and 1972 five CIC fallow bucks were awarded by the CIC's international trophy awarding commission as the world's record trophies (trophy is able to achieve the No.1 place on the world ranklist). The legendary 1972 Kádár- buck led the CIC fallow buck ranklist for 20 years, which performance is still unique.
Besides the hunting section Gyulaj Plc's bigger part of incomings comes from forest management and wood trading. The main tree stands are Turkey oak, different oak stands, black locust, Scots pine and black walnut with a few beech and hornbeam stands.
Bronze Age, Hungarian Conquest and Royal Era All the historical signs and sources refer to the fact that the conquering tribes were amazed watching the game and fish abundance of the Carpathian Basin and South-West Transdanubia. Even before the times of the Hungarian conquest, hunting practice in the forests and fields of the present South-West Hungary were characterized by different hunting methods. Archaeologists assume that besides trap boards, ancient Hungarians used to hunt deer, wild boars, fur-bearing animals from horseback with bows and arrows. 'Anonymous' (Historian of the early Middle Ages) confirmed that Hungarian tribes of the Conquest times applied bows and arrows, and used dogs for hunting.