The Château Mátra Estate is situated just 80-minutes northeast of the Hungarian capital city of Budapest, in Bodony. It’s famous for some of the best Pheasant shooting in Hungary and even Europe. With over 3,000 hectares of exceptional topography, the Bodony hunting territory is beautiful in its makeup, with swathes of lush green land encapsulated by the natural beauty of the Mátra hills.
Thanks to the great variety of game that inhabits the territory, many different hunting methods can be used, from driven and walked up shoots to high seat hunting and stalking. However, the destination is famed for its quality wing-shooting for Pheasants, attracting travelling guns from all around the continent.
Balint Sarkadi and his team work hard to ensure that healthy, strong and challenging birds are equally spread throughout the vast estate to enable the best shooting possible. They also stick religiously to the values of a centuries-old, traditional Hungarian hunt, managing the wildlife and characteristics of the land.
The genuine hospitality of the lodge and guides and the bespoke hunting programme on offer assures you the very warmest of welcomes and many unforgettable memories of your Pheasant shooting in Hungary.
Hungary is a small country but one of the most beautiful in central Europe. It contains various habitats from forested mountains, sweeping plains, large rivers, and many lakes, offering some exciting shooting spots for all manner of different species. Thanks to careful management, perfect genetics and excellent habitat, the game population is booming. Born and raised by Mother Nature, the species are wild and free to roam their natural surroundings.
All these things combined, along with a significant emphasis on fair chase hunting, see shooting holidays in the country as some of the most desirable globally. In addition, Hungary has an outstanding role in European hunting tourism, as indicated by the number of foreign hunters visiting the country each year.
Bodony, located in the north of the Mátra Mountains, is a popular spot, providing phenomenal Pheasant shooting. The beaters push vast amounts of birds over the valleys towards the guns, and big bags are typical.
To read more about exactly how good the Pheasant shooting in Hungary is, read our blog: Best Shooting Holidays In Europe.
Although many different game species inhabit the Hungarian countryside, the Pheasant is the most popular and widely spread, with abundant populations in both the mountain ranges and the lowlands. Even though the British invented the sport of driven Pheasant shooting, the Hungarians are now beginning to set new standards in this dynamic form of shooting and Pheasant shooting in Hungary is probably some of the best in the world.
Male pheasants can grow to between 60cm to 89cm in length and feature a long brown striped tail which accounts for almost 50 cm of its total length. They are a magnificent looking bird with bright gold barred plumage with fiery copper-red and chestnut brown plumage. The iridescent shine of the greens and purples on their feathers, along with the bottle green, blue and distinctive red wattle on their head, really captures a wing shooters attention. The female (hens) are much less vibrant in colour with a mottled brown plumage and grow to only 50cm to 63cm, including a tail of around 20cm.
Common Pheasants nest and live mainly under hedgerows or dense cover solely on the ground in scrapes lined with grass and leaves; they’re one of the world’s most hunted birds and has been introduced to many areas purely for that reason.
To find out more about Château Mátra and the fantastic Pheasant shooting in Hungary, visit our YouTube channel.
During a typical stay at Chateau Mátra, the day starts with a hearty breakfast of freshly prepared food around 8.00am. Hunters then gather their belongings and get ready for the daily briefing, including safety details and a general plan for the day. It’s also a chance to meet your loader.
By 9.15am you’ll be taken to your peg by the lodges 4x4s, ready for the shooting, which usually commences at around 10.00am. Typically two drives are shot in the morning, before a break, for some drinks and snacks to help keep energy levels up. After a break, it’s back to the hunting grounds where two other drives get shot before the light begins to fade, and you head back to the Lodge. Once back at the Chateau Mátra, you’ll be served a hearty lunch and have the rest of the afternoon to relax and unwind before dinner gets served around 8.00pm.
The Pheasant shooting in Hungary is amongst some of the best in Europe, if not the world and a typical days shooting can consist of between 300 to 600 birds. The majority of the shooting is a traditionally driven shoot as the guns stay in the valleys with the loaders, whilst the many beaters push vast numbers of birds out of the undergrowth towards the waiting guns.
As well, Pheasant, Duck shooting is also available on some of the various ponds and lakes found through the estate at certain times of the year.
Set on the edge of the village of Bodony and located on the northern slopes of the Mátra Hills, an 80-minute drive northeast of the Hungarian Capital city of Budapest, the impressive Chateau Mátra is only 90 minutes transfer from Budapest airport, allowing for a quick journey time to your destination. It’s the perfect base for the best Pheasant shooting in Hungary.
The lodge is south-facing and situated on the edge of the settlement in quiet and peaceful surroundings.
The impressive trophy room, which serves as the lounge and dining room, offers guests spectacular views of the volcanic Mátra hills stretching to the south, where you’ll find the highest point in Hungary. Walking through the breathtaking hunting lodge, you will be in awe of the magnificent decor and its fascinating history.
The Chateau Mátra offers comfortable and stylish accommodation for up to twenty guests, with six twin rooms and seven double rooms, all with en suites. Each room is decorated in the Chateaus grand theme and comes with a television, a small fridge and free WiFi and overlooks the beautiful estate on which it sits.
The creamy yellow exterior of the building gives a grand yet welcoming impression. The courtyard is beautifully situated at the bottom of a sweeping staircase to the property entrance, and it’s here where the final day’s parade of the game gets laid out.
The lodge welcomes you back from a bountiful day’s hunting with delicious Hungarian specialities and game dishes, accompanied by the very best Hungarian wines, served in the banquet hall. Evenings offer the opportunity to share shooting stories over drinks in the trophy hall, club lounge or even sauna.
The food at Chateau Mátra is renowned for its typical Hungarian influences. The chefs use lots of game meat from what’s shot in the field and locally cultivated ingredients to provide you with the most delicious meals. A typical lunch would be asparagus cream soup, fois gras, poached egg followed by a venison trio (Loin, ribs and sausages), wild garlic gnocchi, beetroot, mushroom, goats cheese and date sauce. To finish for desserts would dark chocolate mousse, hazelnuts and strawberries. There will be something for everyone to enjoy, and you will get the chance to try some beautiful dishes during your time at the lodge.
There are plenty of additional activities for travelling non-hunting guests or guns who want a day off from shooting. Guided tours to the nearby towns of Gyöngyös and Eger, which are both excellent wine regions, can easily be arranged, along with visits to the nearest village of Parád, which is famous for its mineral water and thermal baths. The hunting lodge itself offers music, a sauna, steam room and massage facilities should you wish to stay closer to home.
For your convenience, the Lodge also offers free high-speed wireless access. So you can check e-mails or send bragging photos of your Pheasant shooting in Hungary to your friends, family and fellow hunters back home.
The below itinerary is flexible should you require additional shooting days or additional free days to explore; we can tailor this itinerary to suit you personally. Feel free to talk to our travel consultants who can explain all options available.
Depart Any international Airport (See Details)
Arrive Budapest
A representative from Chateau Mátra will greet you upon arrival to help assist you with gun clearance should you wish to bring your own. You will then be transferred to Chateau Mátra estate (1 hour 30 minutes). When you arrive at the estate the staff will allocate you to your room where you will have time to relax, take in the views and unwind and join in for drinks and dinner around 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Overnight Accommodation: Chateau Mátra (Single room) F/B
You will enjoy a fresh breakfast in the dining room at 7:30 am – 8:30 am before gathering your personal effects and shooting equipment. You will need to meet for a briefing at 9:00 am where you will be given information on the daily programme, safety rules and given the chance to be introduced to your loader. From there you will be heading out at approximately 9:15 am to shoot 4 drives in the day (two in the morning and two after a break) which will consist of hand-picked drives from around the grounds, giving you over 3000+ acres of shooting. The first drive will be no more than 10 minutes away, if you choose to do so you may shoot Duck as a separate drive providing they’re in season. Follow on to the next drive where Bálint and his team will have skilfully planned for you another exciting drive, by this time you will have really got your eye into the incredible quarry.
Once you have been refreshed it’s time to move on to the last two drives before lunch where again you will have the chance to test your skills on the spectacular birds in the undulating topography of the beautiful grounds. At the end of the day once the excitement is over you will retreat back to the Chateau to unwind and reflect on the days shooting before a more calm affair of dinner and drinks which will be served at 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm.
Overnight Accommodation: Chateau Mátra (Single room) F/B
Prepare yourself for a wonderful day ahead with another delicious breakfast in the Hunting Lodges dining room in between 7:30 am – 8:30 am before collecting your personal effects and meeting for your briefing of the day with the host. The day will be very similar to that of the previous with regards to the number of drives and breaks, however, they will plan different drives for you to shoot to keep your trip and shooting as varied and exciting as possible. Lunch will be served back at the Chateau at around 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm where you will be able to catch up with other Guns and reflect on your morning’s shooting.
The last drives of the day will be carefully planned so that you will achieve the desired bag and thoroughly enjoy the remainder of the day with some challenging birds. Once you have returned to the hunting lodge from your last days shooting, the team will lay the bag in a beautiful arrangement for you to pay your respects to. A restful afternoon and evening will be deserved and will give you a chance to catch up on the day’s activities before dinner and drinks are served from 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm.
Overnight Accommodation: Chateau Mátra. (Single room) F/B
At a prearranged time you will be transferred back to the airport ready for your return flight.
Depart Budapest
Arrive Home
The season runs from September to February.
Season: September-February
Peak: December
Overages are applied should you go over the agreed bag number of 250 birds per day.
Pheasants (October, November) 24 EUR/Bird
Pheasants (December) 25 EUR/Bird
Pheasants (January, February) 26 EUR/Bird
Wild Duck (September-November) 15 EUR/Bird
Remember that Sportquest Holidays' services are completely FREE! When you book a trip with Sportquest Holidays, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge and flights independently.
| From | To | Duration | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/09/2024 | 30/09/2024 | 4 | £3,990 | Enquire Now |
| 01/10/2024 | 31/10/2024 | 4 | £3,990 | Enquire Now |
| 01/11/2024 | 30/11/2024 | 4 | £3,990 | Enquire Now |
| 01/12/2024 | 31/12/2024 | 4 | £3,990 | Enquire Now |
| 01/01/2025 | 31/01/2025 | 4 | £4,142 | Enquire Now |
| 01/02/2025 | 28/02/2025 | 4 | £4,142 | Enquire Now |
| 01/09/2025 | 30/09/2025 | 4 | £4,142 | Enquire Now |
| 01/10/2025 | 31/10/2025 | 4 | £4,142 | Enquire Now |
| 01/11/2025 | 30/11/2025 | 4 | £4,142 | Enquire Now |
| 01/12/2025 | 31/12/2025 | 4 | £4,142 | Enquire Now |
Prices are based on 8 guns sharing transfers and shooting based on two 250 bird-days (unless otherwise stated) and are correct at the time of going to press. Subject to time of year or date and currency fluctuations, these prices may fluctuate slightly due to flight price increases or fuel surcharge.
I've been shooting all across Europe, but this was my first time visiting Hungary. It was a truly fantastic week staying at one of the best lodges I've ever stayed in, it was absolutely stunning. Each day was busy and all the guns shot plenty of shells. Would I return? Absolutely so. A big thanks to everyone who made my trip possible.
I'd heard some good things about the shooting and hunting opportunities on offer in Hungary and all I'd heard was absolutely correct. It was a very special week and one which will live long in the memory. Each day we enjoyed some good bags, shooting over a variety of different terrain. The guides and staff were all incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and the lodge was simply stunning.
I think the best testimonial for this destination is the fact I've already booked to go back next year. My group had a perfect week shooting in and around the Mátra Estate and from the moment we left home to the moment we returned everything went smoothly. The trip was truly everything we'd expected and more. Thank you!
Hi Peter / Ana,
We had a fabulous time in Hungary , both trips to Budapest and to Chateau Matra went without a hitch. All the staff , the food , the people on the shoot as well as in the Chateau could not do enough for us.
The quality of the lodge was excellent and the dining room is just amazing. We would certainly return there in the future.
We can not thank Ana enough for her attention to detail and this made it a very easy trip because of that.
Very best wishes,
Bill and the rest of the group
The splendour of this beautiful estate in France is a sight for sore eyes. The stunning Chateau is home to Coen stork and his wife Catherine where their passion for hunting and hospitality is indescribable. You will enjoy only the most exquisite cuisine, accommodation and service which will accompany the sensational shooting.
Come and experience one of the most magnificent shooting estates in all of Sweden. Owned and run by Mauritz Klingspor and his wife Ida-Sofia the two work closely to ensure that the highest standards are met and the finest quality shooting and accommodation are available for travelling guns to enjoy.
