The Search
Sascha is an experienced search leader with a great passion for his work. If a game animal has not been fatally wounded, the real work begins for him and his Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound, Rocky: the search.
With patience, experience and great respect for the game ...
… the pair track down the wounded animals to put them out of their misery. For Sascha, this is not the most spectacular part of the hunt – but the most important. Animal welfare, ethical hunting and responsibility are not just empty phrases for him, but the guiding principles lived out by every tracking team.
“When all others despair, we step in, always following the trail – that’s the way to do it. Lead me, my dog! There, the first scent – now we’ll show you true hunting passion.”
I came across this saying ages ago during a hunting trip in Hungary. A woodcut depicted a hunter with a lead dog, the direct ancestor of our bloodhounds as we know them today.
Thanks are due to the faithful bloodhounds ...
… and their handlers for their service to the game, but also to the hunter who has missed his mark. If the shot game flees after the shot, the hunter examines the point of impact. If he finds signs of the game’s movements that suggest a successful search for the kill, he can follow the trail himself or deploy his working dog to search.
If he cannot find the game or if a more difficult search is expected, he calls in a specialist.
The bloodhound is specially bred and trained for work after the shot
Together with its handler, it forms a team for this difficult task. Together, they face a wide variety of challenges. Rough terrain, roads or areas affected by natural disasters, and fallen, dry trees entwined with thorns are merely mentioned in passing as potential hazards. Defensive wild boar are frequently the subject of such searches.
As well as special skills and a wealth of experience, the team requires specialised equipment. Weapons and ammunition must also be completely reliable at all times. In a follow-up search situation, the cartridge must have an uncompromising stopping power and maintain its trajectory. It should show virtually no fragmentation so as not to endanger the tracking dog. For follow-up searches, I use the GECO Plus in 9.3x62 calibre.
It is Sunday morning ...
… when the telephone rings. A search for a stray wild boar is reported. I put on my search gear, still damp from yesterday’s outing.
Once on site, I examine the point of impact and find blood trails suggesting a difficult search lies ahead. Accompanied by the hunter, I follow the bloodhound along the red trail.
After a while, we reach a warm blood patch. I unharness the dog and, after a few moments, hear the sound of the dog chasing.
Shortly afterwards, the dog has cornered the sow.
I approach downwind. The dog pins the wounded sow firmly, preventing her from escaping any further. I wait for a favourable opportunity to deliver the finishing shot to the over-aged boar.
The moment the dog retreats after the sow attacks him, I fire the killing shot. In situations like this, keeping a cool head is crucial. It’s good to be able to rely on your equipment, weapons and ammunition – thank goodness!
Centrefire rifle cartridges
GECO PLUS
GECO PLUS is synonymous with deep penetration and game preservation (even in the case of larger game).
Calibers:
GECO PLUS
