Archive for category: Hunting

I previously wrote about planning for success in hunting. I started off this blog with the title “a successful hunt requires a little luck”; but found myself changing to “what defines a successful hunt”.

We departed around noon from Ljubljana for Delibratska Pescara in the East of Serbia (near the border with Romania) and arrived shortly after 9 pm.  A few wrong directions near our destination:)

Border crossings in Croatia with firearms requires a European gun license and ID card; but for Serbia (not part of Eu) we needed approval papers in advance followed by a border inspection and the payment of about Euro 30 for each gun and declared ammunition. This process added 45 minutes to the trip time.

We were welcomed at the hunting lodge with dinner. The wife of the caretaker of the hunting area cooked all our meals. It sounds corny to say but honestly it was the best food (no seafood) I ever ate. The portions and variety were more fitting a king than us mere mortals.

The rut had started, the roaring of stags sounded like lions roaring. We woke every morning at 4.30 am and headed out into the woods by 5 am. We travelled in Lada 4×4 jeeps, stopping every now and then to locate the roaring.  After deciding which area to pursue we would park about 1 km away and quietly walk to the forest opening. The guide would use a thermal device to spot game when still dark.

It was unusually warm for this time of the year; too hot for ideal hunting conditions. Typically the morning hunt was over by 7.30 am by which time the Red Deer would be headed back into the shade and hiding of the forests. In the openings it was the female species on the lookout because the testosterone levels of the stags made them largely oblivious to danger.

Breakfast was at about 8 am and then we had free time until a meal was served at 4 pm, before our late afternoon hunting. In this free time we travelled into surrounding villages and over indulged in alcohol at restaurants such as this restaurant overlooking the Danube.

On one of the days between morning and evening hunting we joined the caretaker on his rounds to feed the pigs. The management of game is a vital part of their work, something most anti-hunting activists don’t see and don’t understand (or they don’t want to).

Loading corn.

Offloading corn for pigs.

The hunting area is spectacular. The Deliblato Sands is a large sand area covering around 300 sq km of ground situated alongside the Danube river in the province of Vojvodina province of Serbia. It felt strange riding at “speeds” on narrow roads in darkness but when you finally digest that there are no rocks you get comfortable. The area is mostly flat with undulating bumps.

Easy walking

Our sleeping lodge was comfortable although sleeping time was never more than 5 hours a night. This lodge is across the road from the hunters residence (and additional lodge accommodation).

The hunters residence where we had our home cooked meals.

Getting into position in the afternoon meant some time to catch up on much needed rest before the Red Deer roaring started.

Hunting Red Deer during the rut is the only time when walk and stalk is possible (in my opinion the best). During the winter months many hunts would be driven hunts when hunters take up positions in a formation so deer are seen when crossing “lines”. In the picture below is a hide used by single hunters outside of the rut period.

Hunting expeditions in different European countries is a full experience (food / people / places /hunting practices). This is why I question the definition of a successful hunt. The nearby villages have not changed in 50 years and are unlikely to change in another half century. Prices were less than half of prices in Slovenia.

Enjoying a beer outside a village shop.

A Serbian tradition of honouring the deceased by placing notices on trees. Our vehicle in picture.

The close proximity of Romania means some mix of the population. Below are Gypsy’s with horsepower.

The last morning of hunting was spectacular. It was colder from some rain the day before. The cover of fog allowed us to get to the middle of an opening (shooting distances now max 150 m). We took cover in thorn brush. A stag appeared out from the mist 50 meters in front of us.  4-5 years old with the perfect crown, an awesome future prospect. The stag noticed “us”, but not sure he advanced another 10 meters, roaring every few meters. This moment is ingrained in my memory.

I was on point and Spendal on camera. He might be the worlds best gun-maker but his photography preparation was lacking. Not able to switch his flash off he was prevented from capturing “aiming” moments.  

We then moved into different areas because the stags were roaring till well past 8 am. We came onto 2 fighting young stags, the one breaking its horn in the encounter and later we walked onto another stag of about 6 years old. I had decided on an older stag hence I will need to return; but I will return not because of a stag but to relive the incredible experiences of this hunting trip.

Above is our farewell photograph; except for Micky taking the picture. Micky made the hunt expedition happen, he is considered part of the family here. Spending time with Micky it is easy to understand why he is liked and respected at the best hunting locations in central and eastern Europe. Below, outgoing Micky joined a fisherman on the Danube.

Hunting is about sharing great moments with friends and proving out the gear that we are so passionate about.  Our experience started on the road, travelling 400 km from Ljubljana before reaching the Ferry point in Zadar.

I believed that Slovenes taking food with them to skiing venues etc. was “cheap”. How wrong could I be, to the contrary, Slovenes are passionate about good food and I experienced that first hand. A packet of chips sold on the Ferry or the very best cuisine with us? The 90 minute Ferry trip was simply too short for such incredible moments.

Slovenes (Europeans) are passionate about lifestyle, living and not just existing. Miki (below) has been making this trip to Dugi Otok for the past 20 years. I was privileged to be taken into his inner circle of friends. We stayed in an apartment in the same house of the hunter responsible for hunting in the National Park of Telašćica.

After an abundance of good wine the Ferry trip reached Božava on time at 21h40. An interesting 25 minute drive to Sali with Miki insisting that we would not encounter another car on the road and that we could drive English style – on the wrong side of the road.

Hunting Mouflon on Dugi Otok is spectacular but difficult. The last big fire was 20 years ago and now the bush is overgrown. In many places you simply cannot cross. Hunting here is about glassing the open hill tops and planning an approach when you see Mouflon.

There are few more spectacular hunting areas in the world than this Croatian island. And probably you will not find more hospitable people than our hunting guides (2 brothers).  I never go anywhere without a small bottle of my Kocbek pumpkin seed oil – I am addicted.

The hunting area is large requiring travelling between the different hilltops and lookout points. An open vehicle, African safari style, would be awesome if the weather was not so cold.

The first day we were unable to get a shot in although we did see a few large Mouflon. We tried walk and stalking but the bush is thick making long shots the more likely possibility. The rocks are razor sharp making walking difficult and dangerous. The resident hunters are familiar with the conditions and sometimes carried our gear.

We pondered about what the ideal caliber was for these hunting conditions. Ales and I both agreed a 300 WSM would be ideal, definitely not my 9.3 x 62. My rifle was sighted at 100m. Fortunately I followed Ales’s advice and tested the rifle at 200m off the car in our hunting area in Slovenia prior leaving. I had a good feel on hold-over. 

The Mouflon was shot at about 250m off Jakele shooting sticks, proving that practice and the proper gear go a long way to a successful result. I chose the picture above because of the smile of Miki. When others share in a moment like it was there own – that is salt of the earth.

Balistix bullets keep performing exceptionally well in Europe. There are many reasons to switch to Balistix.  Europeans prove product before changing – they have tested Balistix; my bullet of the future and  also for many Europeans. The reason for gloves, not the cold but protection in case of slipping and falling on the razor sharp rocks.

Memorable moments on the island included numerous rest breaks at the local pub in Sali.  In summer this island is crowed with tourists; being winter we had the island to ourselves. Pictured below with Nicola, the younger brother and hunting guide; his sense of humor had us laughing more than hunting.

Island life is unique and best described as slow, relaxed and eating the best seafood fresh from the ocean. My memories are packed with so many great moments and such great food. It was not surprising to see Kocbek pumkin seed oil at the island because here lifestyle comes first.

It was with a heavy heart and wonderful memories that we departed our hunting base in Sali. Until next time!

When we crossed the mountain range of Velebit on the way home we knew that it was back to normal. No more island sun; instead rain, fog and cold.  We chose the right Chevalier clothing for the island but not for the trip home.  The Powder Keg Central European Family Safaris is about LOVE, PASSION AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL. http://powderkeg.co.za/family-safaris

Hunting in Europe is expensive by comparison to South Africa.  Having said that, you have not had a full experience until you have hunted outside of SA. The Powder Keg lifestyle offering is founded on the principle that so many people end up regretting what they did not do vs. what they did do.

Hunting in Europe is about experiencing the culture, the weather conditions, the history of the territory, their management of game, hunting traditions and just having a fun time. The Powder Keg has aligned with a hunting concession in an area of 70,000 hectares in the southern part of Slovenia that borders onto Croatia.

The surrounds of Koćevje is stooped in tradition and history. This southern part of Slovenia is the most remote part of the country. 90% of the hunting area is forests. Prior the 2nd WW their were many villages of German inhabitants. During the war Hitler considered the area non-strategic and relocated all Germans to the west of the River Sava. Villages of more than 600 years old were left to ruin.

The picture above gives an idea of a cold winter in Kočevje.  Hunting is not permitted when the snow level exceeds 40 cm; it is considered unfair to animals. Animals cannot move freely and they lose unnecessary energy needed to protect them in early spring in the event of a late cold spell.

Camaraderie of a hunt. It is customary to meet for hot food and a little wine between driven hunts (collective hunting). Winter days are short and usually only 3 driven sessions are possible. In this hunting area dogs are not used, only beaters, because the animals are less disturbed and run slower.

The impact of the 2nd WW was significant in the area.  After the 2nd WW a security tunnel was built at Gotenica (borders on the concession area) and a large area was closed to the public; a “safe haven” for politicians. Residents of local villages in the area were not permitted to leave until 1985 when the area was again open to the public.

Above, prior the start of driven hunts safety instructions given and hunters told what game they may shoot. The entire open area of 70,000 hectares is divided into a few hunting concessionary areas. The total area annual game quota approximates 2,000 Red Deer, 500 pigs and 12 brown bears.  The meat is Government property, about 50 tons sold to local residents and 100 tons to a specialized processor of game meat.

We looked at a choice of 2 hunting lodges; the former Tito lodge and the lodge pictured above.  Although the Tito lodge has a lot of history the above lodge is in the heart of the hunting concessionary area and its surrounds more inviting. This accommodation will be upgraded by the main concessionary holder as part of the 20 year concession.

The closure of collective hunting days is always in accordance with local cultures and traditions. Every animal shot, hit by a vehicle or other, is categorized and recorded against the game management plan, a plan that over many years has been optimized for the conservation and breeding of game.

Cost structures for hunting in Europe are more complex than in South Africa and the system of “trophy” measurement would not be easily understood by non-Europeans.  I am supporting the process to have a simplified offer that is more fixed than variable.  An urgent work in progress, the concession starts 1 August 2017.

Hunting experiences in central Europe are unique, and conditions can be spectacularly different from hunt to hunt. Yesterday I woke at 3 am to travel to a private hunting concessionary area in Croatia that borders on Bosnia. Experiencing the history of the area, the company and the spectacular scenery was enough; shooting wild boar would not determine the success of this hunt. Typically hunters all gather at a venue prior and after the hunt. This was the hunting cottage where we enjoyed breakfast before hunting and ate dinner before departing on the long road home.

I have often hunted in snow but never in conditions like this. The day before there was a downfall of “wet snow” of about 25 cm which had frozen on the trees overnight. When we arrived at 8 am it was -5 C, cold but bearable because there was no wind which would have driven up the chill factor.

I traveled with Igor Rakusha who comes out of a long tradition of shooting and hunting. See my blog category “sport shooting” on how I met Igor.  Although the trip was long I used the time to soak up as much as I could learn from Igor. He said that it was unlikely that we would shoot much that day because pigs sense the bad weather, feed up and then group overnight and don’t move much.  The dogs do not get a good sense of smell (frozen conditions) and you need luck to be in the same area as the pigs are.

As we approached the hunting area the road narrowed into a single lane with literally thousands of branches hanging across the road.  The weight of the snow caused the tree branches to hang down and sometimes breaking off. Getting to the area of the driven hunt was slow because of these road conditions. Most South Africans would freak if required to drive through branches like we did, but Slovenes love for the hunt overrides all materialistic concerns.

I expected harsh weather and spent a few hours preparing for the hunt. I packed snacks, hot tea and additional dry clothing. I decided to break my bad habit of hunting without binoculars, but this was pathetic. Hunting wild boar in dense vegetation does not call for binoculars.  Despite all my preparation from prior hunting in snow I was not prepared for these conditions.  I chose my best “chair-back-pack” because of its size and the seat which is critical for the few hours waiting on a driven hunt. As I opened my back-pack melting snow from the trees created a mini-avalanche over my kit.

I initially thought I could clear the snow before it melted but I never could sit. Snow from the branches would fall continuously as rising temperatures and sun caused it to melt. It took a few of these snow falls for my heart to stop racing because each time it sounded like a group of pigs emerging from the forest. This brings me to the other main reason why it would be difficult to shoot pigs, the continuous noise of falling snow makes it impossible to hear approaching pigs. You had to be more alert with vision than hearing.

The most critical part of clothing for these hunting conditions, other than warm Gore-Tex type clothing, is a hat that protects your vision from falling snow. I would also opt for a simple stool to sit on which could be put out when sitting rather than my integrated seat made of a material that can and did get soaked.

The other striking contrast in the day was the change of environment in only 4 hours.  By noon most of the snow had melted from the trees, a quietness descended, but by the end of the first driven session the beaters and their dogs were tired. The afternoon driven hunt was always going to be a challenge and it was.  We would have been better off to wait until noon and focus on one intense driven session.

There are many beautiful stone and wood houses in the area – many deserted. I had a feeling of remoteness. The private concession that we were hunting in was within a 20 km zone of the border with Bosnia. This area was mainly populated by Serbs who fled their properties in the war of 1998-2001 between Serbia and Croatia. There were many atrocities committed on both sides and given how recent this war was it is understandable that the Serbs who lived in the area before are reluctant to return even though ownership was returned through the European Union insistence.

There were 18 hunters. Normally they would shoot 12 – 20 boar on a days driven hunt. Given the weather conditions we did not find the main group of wild pigs and only 2 large boar were shot. The older males behave differently, they tend to move quietly on their own, often going back behind the beaters. I was fortunate for a Rhoe deer to come to within 10 yards of me, stand and observe me for close on 10 minutes. At one stage he even took 2 steps closer. This amazing experience proved that deer had poor eyesight and the frozen snow conditions made it impossible for him to smell me. As long as I did not move the deer stayed. The picture below could only be taken after he ran off.

The area has wolves which caused the Red deer to move out. They simply got tired of being hunted by wolves and moved out. Rhoe deer are territorial, proving the life lesson of our need to change and adapt or be consumed. My day was successful because I experienced history, different weather conditions, met great people, enjoyed much learning; and then I arrived home to the trophy my family had created … I am not the best hunter but I am better than I was the hunt before.