As elsewhere in Europe, shooting targets were very popular in Slovenia in the 18th and 19th centuries.
They were usually round or square in shape and are an invaluable source of information on shooting events, customs, and habits of the various shooting clubs. However, by observing them carefully, we can also see the differences in the characters of the individual hunters, which are usually portrayed in a playful and humorous way.
They illustrate hunters’ peculiarities and weaknesses, good and bad habits and, above all, the tendency to exaggerate, which has been preserved to this day in the phrase: “That’s a hunter’s one”, which we often use.
The oldest surviving shooting target dates back to the Snipers’ Association in 1719, and the last target was painted by the Ljubljana painter Edo Deržaj on the occasion of the 375th anniversary of the Slovenian Snipers’ Association.
The original targets are of various shapes and sizes and are kept by the Ljubljana City Museum.