Fishing and music are some of the nature enthusiast’s other passions. Among the things that the na-tive of Cologne reveals in the GECO Hunting Story is what motivated her to complete a hunting licence and how she experiences hunting in the digital age. She also discusses her particular love of dynamic hunting and which factors matter most when choosing ammunition.
A passion for hunting and nature
Sophia was born into a family of hunters, so it has always been part of her life. Initially, though, she was timid of indulging in this outdoor pursuit – “I was too scared of making mistakes in what is undoubtedly a sensitive issue”, says the full-time music teacher. But curiosity proved too strong, and Sophia signed up for a beginner’s hunting course in 2019. The native of Cologne has been passionate about tracking game ever since and shares her experiences of nature and hunting on Instagram under the alias mrs_artemis. “For me, social media are a good way to reach an audience and to educate people about hunting. Hunters in Germany have hidden away and often remained in a closed group for far too long – I want to do away with the prejudices and introduce our passion to non-hunters as well”, says the popular hunting influencer who has gathered over 60,000 followers. “I am aware of my responsibility as a role model and am keen to present all the various aspects of hunting in a positive light.”
Sophia did not pick her alias mrs_artemis without reason. In Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of the forest, game, hunting and the moon. Being respectful of nature and creatures is as self-evident to Sophia as humane hunting. “For instance, I do not own any night-vision equipment, because wild animals also need to be left in peace and, in my view, should be given a fair chance”, says the passionate hunter. She believes that a good hunter is someone who appreciates Mother Nature, respects and learns from Her and relies on their knowledge and not just their gear. “We have all accepted a commitment to protect and care for our environment, so it is natural that we should look after the game and nature itself. This should actually be the biggest concern of hunting itself”, says Sophia, who mainly tracks sedentary boars or migratory deer in a small game area of the Oberbergische region of North Rhine-Westphalia. Her biggest pleasure is to hunt moving game. “Driven hunts will inevitably be exciting. You know that the game will be on the run – so your heart rate automatically goes up. When stalking, you will often have several opportunities to see and outwit the game. It is not easy to make yourself more or less invisible. And you will need a large number of skills as well. I enjoy challenges. That’s probably why I like hunting abroad so much. It is just completely different every time.”
When it comes to equipment, Sophia’s main concerns are functionality and humane hunting. And she is particularly uncompromising in her selection of bullets. “What matters most to me is that the bullet creates a clean exit wound and does not devalue the meat. It is also good if the prey more or less drops in its tracks.” That is why she chose the lead-free deformation bullet GECO STAR, which promises maximum penetration and high residual weight. It is also outstanding at preserving the game meat. “One of the main reasons for hunting – put simply – is to obtain a valuable and healthy source of food”, adds the keen game cook.
