MovieChat Forums > Jagten (2012) Discussion > The Rifle

The Rifle

posted 9 years ago by JackBluegrass
18 replies | jump to latest

We Americans tend to think of Europeans as efficiently-disarmed people who are merely targets for other people who know that they are disarmed. We're used to carnage in larger cities in the United States which ban weapons.

This movie is the first "modern" story from Europe that I've seen showing a cherished rifle being passed down through a family's generations and used for local hunting. The "rite of passage" scenes for Marcus approaching manhood accompanied with much drinking and singing by his elders is astonishing, even though actually firing the weapon is not shown.

The ability to hunt deer without police or military pouncing down on such "criminal activity" is hard to believe occurring in 21st century Europe.

E pluribus unum

[–] Lucy9596 9 years ago

I don't know about Denmark but in my country - Germany - you have to have a gun licence and a shooting licence and you have to be a Jagdpächter (you pay for the right to hunt in an area) or be invited by someone who is.

If you hunt just anywhere it's poaching. (If you hit a game with your car and take the animal with you, it's poaching too BTW)

I read in the newspaper today a mom got shot by her four year old with her own rifle - in the car. She allegedly was proud her kid could shoot so well already... It was in the US, can't remember the exact location though.

Can.You.Hear.Me?
Hell yes!

****

[–] JackBluegrass 9 years ago

"If you hunt just anywhere it's poaching. (If you hit a game with your car and take the animal with you, it's poaching too BTW)"

Wow!

Often, collisions between vehicle drivers and deer will result in significant damage to the vehicle. Struck deer often impact the windscreen, injuring or killing the driver or front seat passengers. So, any survivor of that collision in Germany will be prosecuted for "poaching", if the deer carcass is taken away by a survivor?

Justice seems tilted toward the animal, which doesn't appear to be justice at all!

E pluribus unum

[–] Lucy9596 9 years ago

if the deer carcass is taken away

That is the important part.

You have to call the police and tell your insurance.
Germany is small in comparison to the US, often there are fences alongside the streets or traffic signs to be aware of deer etc. like this one http://www.billigstautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/achtung-wildwechsel-verkehrszeichen.jpg

We learn we have to drive slowly if we see such a sign or in areas where game is likely to cross the street. Don't panic if there is an animal on the street already, better allow the car to collide with low speed than hit a tree...

Can.You.Hear.Me?
Hell yes!

****

[–] przgzr 8 years ago

Not only Germany. However, this rule is applied only on sections of the road where traffic sign warns drivers that game exists there (and can unexpectedly appear in front of the car). On non-signed section drivers wouldn't be accused for poaching, but they are still not allowed to take animal's corpse unless they pay for it (as if you buy meat on market) and the insurance would cover the expenses of car repair.

[–] Piyei 9 years ago

I didn't really get what your post is suppose to be about. There are some very divergent ideas in it I must say. But they used the hunting license thing as a rite of passage, not the rifle. The rifle was a family gift.

[–] JackBluegrass 9 years ago

they used the hunting license thing as a rite of passage,
Hunting licenses are a commodity, easily bought and with little sense of them being a "rite of passage", but with little more significance than a driver license (the latter based on age, training). The hunting license can be obtained by someone of a younger age to the elderly.

The rifle was a family gift.
Aren't there strict restrictions on civilians owning firearms? Possession is generally restricted to police and military. "Civilians don't need a firearm", until they do. Passing on a rifle from an older to a younger member of a family would require relicensing to the new owner by civil authorities. That's a much more restrictive ownership and administrative issue than it merely being "a family gift" from one generation to another, along with drinking and bonhomie included in the transfer.

E pluribus unum

[–] JackBluegrass 9 years ago

I've seen a German response to this post. But, it would most valuable to have a response from someone in a Scandinavian nation.

Is "The Hunt" just a fairy tale of an impossible occurrence in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, or Finland? With sportsman from those nations using a firearm in an Olympic skiing event, it could not be an impossible occurrence.

E pluribus unum

[–] Jeorj Euler 8 years ago

I've seen a German response to this post. But, it would most valuable to have a response from someone in a Scandinavian nation.

Well, it can't be just any Scandinavian nation. The law can vary considerably among the constituent parts of the particular "bloc". Finland, for instance, is a little more permissive about civilian ownership of firearms than the other Scandinavian countries.

[–] Lucy9596 8 years ago

Finland, for instance, is a little more permissive about civilian ownership of firearms than the other Scandinavian countries.

Finland does not belong to Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) but is one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland).

That been said, I think you are right to assume laws about weapons might differ in those countries.

… sometimes one life… If it’s the right life… That’s enough. Goodbye, Harold."
John Reese

[–] Jeorj Euler 8 years ago

Finland does not belong to Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) but is one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland).

O, good point. I didn't think closely about the nuances of the monikers of the regions.

[–] OzzellOnasi 9 years ago

Eh, hunting is a completely normal activity. You just need a weapon's license and I think there are different hunting seasons for different animals.

I'm no expert as I have never hunted. I'm from Finland. Europe generally has lots of weapons. I think the only continent with more weapons is North America.

[–] JackBluegrass 9 years ago

Thanks for your reply! I was wondering how someone in your part of the world would answer. Best wishes!

E pluribus unum

[–] WithTheDawn 8 years ago

Funny, you view Europeans as efficiently disarmed people while the rest of the world see Americans as gun crazy maniacs who insist on having them everywhere despite their huge mortality rates compared with other countries. Most of the world allows guns in the way shown here, which consists of regulated and registered hunting rifles strictly for the purpose of hunting. You know, as opposed to semi-automatic rifles and handguns.

[–] JackBluegrass 8 years ago

If I were looking for a large number of people to slaughter in one dramatic - and well televised - newsworthy event (e.g., England, France, Germany, Belgium), I'd select a nation where "regulated and registered hunting rifles) is the law.

An inner-city appears to be the site chosen.

E pluribus unum

[–] WithTheDawn 8 years ago

Weird how those attacks appear to almost always happen in the US and literally never somewhere like here in Australia. Anyway...this is off topic and hardly matters.

[–] Bolchevik (377) 6 years ago

Biggest surprise was to see there is still deer in Denmark! US firearms problem is more that you can get some crazy weapon by FedEx and then wipe out half the city. Probably the reason why there is so much mass murder in US compared to other places.

[–] Strazdas (2472) 4 years ago

Most mass shootings in US happen with handguns. Nothing crazy about handgun. I sure as fuck would own one if i lived in such an unsafe place as US.

[–] Strazdas (2472) 4 years ago

Youd be surprised, but in a lot of countries in Europe it is actually easier to legally obtain a weapon than in some US states. This however does not lead to mass ownership of weapons and its primarely used for things like hunting clubs (in the movie) or farmers protecting their stock from wild animals. The difference isnt disarmed populace but lack of gun fetishist culture.