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Driven hunt in Germany


Holland&Holland
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Last Friday i participated in a driven hunt at the Forstamt Vöhl (forestry commission Vöhl) in the region Hessen. It's most thick woodland in a mountainess area. In total we got 5 wild Boar, 5 foxes and 14 roe. I myself shot a roe doe and roe calf. Normally we get a bit more game (especially wild boar), but still it was a great day !

 

I was at a pretty good spot on a high seat near some tracks, facing several slopes. At this driven hunt the game is driven slowly by some beaters who walk in circles, and dogs for three hours. Most of the time the game comes trotting by, so not running. In case of the roe deer you give them a whistle and then they stand still to have a look and you can shoot them safely. This doesn't work with red deer, wild boar or foxes, so good markmanship is required with these. It is always a lot of fun, not just the hunting but also the chatting, drinking and eating afterwards. :good:

 

In total i saw 9 roe, 3 of them bucks who where out of season. Unfortunately no red deer, wild boar or foxes. In case of the roe deer i shot; a roe doe and calf and young roe doe from last year (we call it smalree, do not know the english term), came out of the bushes following a track. I whistled and shot the calf. The other two rushed off, but the roe doe came back several minutes later looking for it's calf. I shot her then as well. Sounds a bit cruel but these driven hunts are good roe management, especially for the female one's (everybody likes to shoot roebucks, most of them are not that interested in shooting a roe without a trophy). For me the experience counts ! Going there next week again. So maybe more then. Will keep you posted.

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In case of the roe deer i shot; a roe doe and calf and young roe doe from last year (we call it smalree, do not know the english term), came out of the bushes following a track. I whistled and shot the calf. The other two rushed off, but the roe doe came back several minutes later looking for it's calf. I shot her then as well. Sounds a bit cruel but these driven hunts are good roe management, especially for the female one's (everybody likes to shoot roebucks, most of them are not that interested in shooting a roe without a trophy). For me the experience counts !

 

Forgive me for sounding stupid but I thought good deer management was about shooting the weaker animals and leaving the young and healthy to breed, surely Calves and their mothers should be given a chance! :good:

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surely Calves and their mothers should be given a chance!

 

They're in season over here right now, why should it be different there.

 

Sounds like a good time, and great pictures. It looks like some of the roe are tagged in the ear, or is this just folliage?

 

Gibby

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surely Calves and their mothers should be given a chance!

 

They're in season over here right now, why should it be different there.

 

Sounds like a good time, and great pictures. It looks like some of the roe are tagged in the ear, or is this just folliage?

 

Gibby

 

I'm talking about deer management, would I be correct in saying to manage deer you have to cull the sick, injured older animals, and leave the healthier animals for breeding and once the sick have been taken out of the equation your left with a healthier herd to breed for the next season.

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I think it's probably also to control the numbers, to reduce the breeding population size you must shoot the does , and probably as many as possible on a driven day like this, where it would appear this is one of the few opportunities to really get to grips with them.

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@ Teal

 

You are right.

And of course it is better management to shoot the sick and injured first. But numbers are important too at these days. Although bucks where out of season somebody shot a roebuck because it was limping. Now he has to pay a fine because it was not allowed, nevertheless every huntsman agreed with him shooting it and make an end to its suffering. So that's odd, bit policy.

 

@ Gibby,

Yes every animal that's shot gets a tag. Everything is recorded, who shot what animal, at which spot, how much does it weigh, does it has any sickness etc....

Also every shot that was missed has to be recorded so you can rule out injured animals. If you shoot and you can not find the animal laying dead you have to fill in a form with drawings of the animal and point out the spot you aimed at and tell how the animal reacted to your shot. Look for blood or other traces. If there are signs somebody will go and look with a special dog for the animal. Makes a lot of sense !

If you shoot animals badly they will tell you off.

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@ Teal

 

You are right.

And of course it is better management to shoot the sick and injured first. But numbers are important too at these days. Although bucks where out of season somebody shot a roebuck because it was limping. Now he has to pay a fine because it was not allowed, nevertheless every huntsman agreed with him shooting it and make an end to its suffering. So that's odd, bit policy.

 

@ Gibby,

Yes every animal that's shot gets a tag. Everything is recorded, who shot what animal, at which spot, how much does it weigh, does it has any sickness etc....

Also every shot that was missed has to be recorded so you can rule out injured animals. If you shoot and you can not find the animal laying dead you have to fill in a form with drawings of the animal and point out the spot you aimed at and tell how the animal reacted to your shot. Look for blood or other traces. If there are signs somebody will go and look with a special dog for the animal. Makes a lot of sense !

If you shoot animals badly they will tell you off.

 

 

H&H nice report bud :good:

interesting system you got their, i guess its so they can monitor the situation in minute detail. Do you have to take all these records for scientific purposes or is it just to regulate whats going on :lol:

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@poacher

It has to do with law and policy. So sickness can easily be spotted for instance and measures taken. In Germany thay are afraid for something that's called "pig's plaque". So from every boar shot the blood is taken to go to a labatory. Also germans are pretty good in filling out forms so everything has to be documentated. :good: But it is a good way of managing your wildlife because you can tell by the numbers what is around, shot, if you have a healthy population etc... At every driven hunt i have been it goes like this.

In the Netherlands it is also commen practice to record everything with big game like roe, red deer, moeflon, wild boar etc... So you can manage the population better and take proper measures every year. We also predict the amount of food (from oak trees for instance) in the woods, and use a table how many (for instance) piglets will be born the coming year so we can set our culling licenses at these numbers. If there is a bad year in food predicted, their will be less culling licenses given out. Also we count the animals several times every year for the same purpose. Hell of a job, but its policy....(and in the end makes sense) :lol:

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