Reserve plot Březka lies in the distance of ca 20 km east-westward from Prague in the elevation of 400 – 460 m a. s. l. spreading on the boundary line between the regions Prague-east and Prague-west, in the vicinity of Kostelec u Křížků village.
History of the reserve Březka is generally mentioned in the register of Mary Theresa from the year 1713. Then recalculated area of forest land was 112 ha. The first record of fallow deer breeding at Březka is from August 1822 when prince Rohan ordered some heads of fallow deer for the Hluboká castle. Historical sources mention that there was a reserve with game stock of 150 heads of fallow deer in very suitable location near the village Březka already in 1826. In 1852 the area of forest land at Březka forest district was 153 ha, of which 33 ha were left for agricultural purposes.
In the 17th century (until 1695) the Březka area belonged to the farms (to Lojovice, later to Štiřín) owned by several owners (e. g. typist of the Bohemian kingdom, noblewoman Victory Piccolomini, née Kolowrat et al.). Since 1750 the Štiřín farm was owned by prince Rohan from the family Salmov and since 1831 by earl Nostic who stone-walled the entire forest district in 1840. In this established reserve there were 150 heads of fallow deer of which 40 heads were shot annually.
In 1870 industrialist Ringhoffer bought the reserve Březka owning it until 1948, since that year the reserve had been in possession of the Czechoslovakian state. At that time the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, its new owner, managed also a research institute that in 1959, after many changes, was transformed into the Forestry and Game Management Research Institute.
The Ringhoffer´s visitor book documents stay of famous people in the reserve, for example of crown prince Rudolph with his retinue, Prague celebrities and others. The first notation on breeding of mouflons in number of 8 heads is from 1932.
This area of ca 185 ha is covered by forest tree species, involving 50% of deciduous species, above all sessile oak and horse chestnut prevail, and 50% are conifers, mainly Norway spruce, European larch and grand fir, agricultural land takes 15 ha, water area 1 ha, other plots 6 ha; totally this area is spread over 207 ha.
Fallow deer
Standard state: 207 heads
Notable hunted trophies
1980 – 200.30 CIC
1985 – 200.25 CIC
1998 – 201.23 CIC
Every year golden medals in the 3rd age class of fallow deer are given for both groups of fallow deer reared in the reserve. The first group involves fallow deer with strong and long beams, fallow deer of the second group has shorter beams but very wide palms. As well, very abundantly occurring are abnormalities, it means deviations from the typical form of fallow deer antlers. The game in this location is characteristic by typical form of antlers, so-called Březecký hook.
All the hinterland of the Březka reserve enables worthwhile and above all dignified bagging both of trophy and hinds and calves. Hunters can be accommodated directly in the centre of the reserve in the gamekeeper´s lodge from the times of Ringhoffer family.
We will strive to attract this reserve by enrichment with another species of ungulate game and by completing our offer by possibility to shoot game birds.
Contact.