The Drive Hunt
My name is Laurenz. I grew up between the hills of the Eifel and the vast opencast mines of the Rhineland lignite mining area – pits stretching as far as the eye can see. Opencast mines are shifting. Metre by metre. Where there was a pit today, farmland or even woodland will soon take its place – recultivation. Where the forest returns, game awaits. Reclaimed landscapes are incredibly young and bring with them a sense of responsibility, but also the joys of the hunt for the hunter.
This is my story:
The path to my hide is muddy. Wet ground, slippery leaves. I walk briskly, but without haste. A driven hunt isn’t about rushing; it’s about being prepared before it even begins.
The orange clothing stands out starkly against the dreary winter woodland. That’s exactly how it should be. Because safety is the top priority during driven hunts. My driven-hunt hide stands firm. A quick check of the wood, a shake or two, before I climb up.
I leave my German Wirehaired Pointer, Paula, down by the hide. There she waits patiently for her turn.
Driven hunt – no success without dogs
Once at the top, I have a perfect view: a clearing to the left, dense woodland to the right, and bramble hedges in between. An area where game could come into view at any moment. This means staying alert every second of the drive, with all my senses on high alert.
A driven hunt does not rely on the shooters, but on those who set the game in motion in the first place. Dogs do essential work for us: finding game and flushing it out with a loud bark. In short, without dogs, there is no successful hunt.
Ammunition for Driven Hunting: GECO Softpoint .308 Win.
The drive is about to begin; I settle into my stand and load my rifle.
My choice of ammunition falls on the GECO Softpoint in the popular .308 Win calibre.
This semi-jacketed bullet has all the qualities I value when hunting local hoofed game: good instantaneous effect, strong penetration, high probability of a clean kill, and plenty of tracking signs. Moderate meat loss is also important to me, as I always process the game I’ve bagged myself.
There’s no room for false pride on a driven hunt
I harness Paula. She heads straight for the thicket and chases a roe deer – first in plain sight, then making a loud trail into the drive. Pure passion in every ‘jiff’. A rifle shot in the distance; the sound falls silent. One of my fellow hunters had bagged this roe deer.
More barking can be heard. Distant at first, then drawing nearer. The voices and shouts of the beaters pierce through the forest.
I let my gaze wander over and over again along the same lines: the clearing, the edge, gaps in the woodland. A shadow to the right. A sow crosses the clearing. Too short, too sloppy, no clear sighting. No shot.
On a driven hunt, there’s no room for misplaced vanity. If the shot isn’t right, keep your finger off the trigger, no matter how much the thrill of the hunt fuels the desire for prey.
Part of Something Bigger
The sound of the hounds draws nearer, then passes by. So much movement in the forest is an absolutely exceptional occurrence. You’re part of a vast movement of game, dogs and people.
You’re right in the thick of it and yet, at your stand, left to your own devices. And eventually, it all subsides. The voices grow fainter; the sound of the dogs’ barking fades into the distance. Calm returns to the forest. A glance at my watch tells me the drive is over. All is quiet.
Halali and the game collection
I unload my gun and take it down. Paula has returned in the meantime, and we wait for our game handler.
An exciting hunt is over – Halali. Paula and I are now looking forward to the convivial get-together whilst collecting the game.
A hot soup, a crackling fire and the stories from our fellow hunters round off the day’s hunt. It will remain a pleasant memory.
Text: Marlon Santoro
Photos: Martina Rohn
