The Forest Hunter
Lennart combines his passion for hunting with a keen awareness of the environment, wildlife and the responsible use of natural resources. For him, the focus is not only on the sustainable and ethical sourcing of meat, but also on a deep sense of connection with the countryside: the quiet observation of wildlife, their behaviour and their habitats as well as a return to a slower pace of life, in contrast to everyday urban life. For him, hunting is thus inextricably linked to sound game management, a profound knowledge of nature and respect for wildlife.
Hunting in the forest
The forest and its magic. It stands for constancy and repetition. Everything has its time, here in the forest. Spring, summer, autumn and winter. The year gives the tree its rings. The forest is a habitat with a multitude of functions. It stores and purifies water and provides a home for numerous species of flora and fauna.
It gives us clean air and a place to relax. Forestry: a sustainable form of management rooted in centuries-old tradition. Climate change has taken a heavy toll on our forests in Europe. Prolonged drought, in particular, has devastated the large, contiguous spruce forests. What remains are vast areas ravaged by disaster. Some of these areas are so large that they resemble a dystopian lunar landscape. Several years have now passed since this event, and what once was is no more. Our forest has become younger.
New times, new hunts
Where spruce trees once stood in neat rows, the young saplings of a future mixed forest are now growing. It is a task spanning generations for the hunting and forestry sectors to help nature build a climate-stable and resilient forest.
Hunting in the forest has its own rules. The cycle dictates the hunting strategy. Anyone wishing to track game in the forest hunts in key areas and at specific intervals. These intervals are tailored to the activity patterns of ruminant hoofed game.
Key areas are clear-cut sites where naturally regenerated or planted saplings are growing. Game is hunted directly on these clearings or along nearby game trails.
Situations such as hunting at the forest-meadow edge, where game is taken whilst grazing peacefully, are rare here. If you encounter game moving through the woodland, you must act quickly. Hunting on clearings that are already densely overgrown with pioneer tree species and herbaceous vegetation is particularly challenging. The game is difficult to spot and then take aim at; the animals are often obscured by undergrowth and branches. A small gap, where only the head is visible, must suffice to take a shot.
This type of hunting requires the hunter to have experience and specialised equipment. If the hunter shoots an animal on a large clear-cut area or in dense woodland, even a brief search for the kill can sometimes be extremely difficult.
The right ammunition
The ammunition used is therefore of particular importance. It should have a good instantaneous effect and leave sufficient tracking marks.
A mass-stable bullet hardly fragments and retains a significant residual weight. Thanks to its special properties, it generally maintains a stable trajectory even if it accidentally strikes a small twig.
The forest is always good for a surprise. There is a special magic to taking up your position almost silently whilst it is still dark. The forest seems to be still asleep; hardly a
sound can be heard. With the first rays of sunlight, the first little birds tentatively begin their morning songs. With every additional ray of light, more and more birds join the chorus.
It is early August and I am taking up my position in a deciduous forest comprising trees of various ages, near a large area affected by a natural disaster. This raised hide is particularly well-suited to morning hunting. You can reach it without disturbing the game in the feeding grounds.
The forest is alive!
When the game retreats to its resting places, this is an excellent spot to lie in wait. As the light grows brighter, the excitement builds. Will I spot any game today? Will I get a chance to bag a prey?
I don’t have long to dwell on these thoughts. A rustling and the crackling of branches unmistakably herald the passage of sows. It is two sows with a dozen striped piglets, frolicking as they pass by my hide.
It’s marvellous to watch this commotion. Here and there, one or two piglets venture out on their first little excursion, straying a few metres from the herd, only to be called back by a brief whistle from the sow.
Just as quickly as the sows arrived, they’re gone again. After that, nothing happens for quite a while. Just as I decide to call it a day, I hear heavy game moving through the wood – and there they are.
A herd of five stags passes my hide at a distance of about 25 metres. One of the stags is a fine eight-pointer. When he pauses briefly, I fire. The bullet hits perfectly, yet the stag flees with the others into the neighbouring thicket. After a few minutes, I give up the chase and examine the point of impact. There are plenty of signs of the stag’s movements, suggesting he is dead. I follow the clearly visible blood trail for about 40 metres and find myself standing before the dead stag.
A hunter’s heart filled with joy
An enchanting morning that makes a hunter’s heart beat faster. Good preparation, knowledge of the hunting ground and experience are just as much a part of a successful hunt as choosing the right equipment, rifle or ammunition.
With the GECO STAR as a lead-free alternative in .308 Win. calibre, I am ideally equipped for the challenge of hunting all hoofed game in the woods.
Text: Marlon Santoro
Images: Martina Rohn
Centrefire rifle cartridges
GECO STAR
GECO STAR is a lead-free deformation bullet designed for maximum penetration and a high residual weight.
Calibers:
GECO STAR
