Swap Hunt with Michael and Christian in Germany

I first made contact with Michael a couple of years ago now when he offered to send me some meindl boots from Germany , a kind offer that turned out to be typical of a very nice bloke . We kept in touch comparing hunting stories and michael invited me out to germany to experience a driven hunt . I have to say i was initially very hesitant to take michael up on his extremely generous offer as i felt i didn't have adequate ground to return the favour but he insisted i went and so i accepted . since then i have managed to take on a good amount more ground ,funny how these things work isn't it !

The date was set for the 7th of november with a 3 am start to get to gatwick and landing in germany for 8:40 ( that night at just gone midnight i had a pen of calves escape into a field of oil seed rape and didn't get in until about half 1 ! Typical ! )

I Landed in germany and met up with michael and christian , easy to find at the airport as michael said - his was the dirtiest car out there ! So after quick introductions it was into the truck and off on our way to the shooting cinema and my first experience of the autobahn ! :eek:

We arrived at the shooting cinema and got the guns out , i have to say right now , for the entire trip i was using michaels blaser r93 .in .308 , I'm not a blaser fan , but this rifle handled and worked great for the weekend i used it . a quality piece of kit , but not yet on my shopping list ;)

The best way i can sum up the shooting cinema is absolutely awesome fun ! far and away better than i thought it would be and a great laugh with a couple of friends to just waste some bullets ( Michael god knows how many rounds i used - i owe you thats for sure !) It was also really useful to improve my shooting , to start with i was shooting everything in the back legs but with some tuition from michael i started to have more and more on target shots and left feeling pretty confident i was up to the job .

We left and started the long drive east , to a farm boy like me it was so interesting to have a tour through germanys beautiful countryside and I'm sorry to michael and christian in hindsight i imagine i probably asked a few too many questions ! we arrived at our bedsit for the night quite early took the dogs for a quick walk and had a few beers and a bite to eat . Then one of the stranger experiences I've had- sharing a bed with a built in radio , red lights and mirrored walls with an odd german man ! :lol: something tells me this room was not designed for weary hunters !

the next morning we went off to the hot , my first driven hunt so lots to take in , i was genuinely taken aback by how kind everyone was . i felt very welcome and it was nice to see so many people united by a love of hunting . after an hour or so of talking and introductions i was delivered to my stand with boar and fallow deer on the to-shoot list . it all looked good and i was very excited , pretty soon after the hunt started there were shots ringing round the forest and before long i hear michael shoot ! Suddenly a group of fallow appeared on my area looking back i think if i was quicker i could have got a shot in , but it was so early in the trip and being new i wanted to keep everything totally safe and within my capabilities and so they lived for another day ! surprisingly that was the last animal i saw for the day , and as we packed up it was evident that there was a real lack of boar . probably caused by wolves i was told . I was still buzzing , id had a great time , learnt a lot and enjoyed getting to know michael and christian more . so we packed up, headed north ( i think ?) and met up with some more of michaels lovely friends prior to saturdays hunt .

Michaels friends were beyond welcoming , that evening i had a great time having dinner with the inner circle of hunters and the Host after that we went back to the hotel , had a couple of beers and got our heads down for the night .
Morning came and upon arrival to the hunting ground i was really amazed by the scale of this place . theres was 86 hunters loads and loads of beaters and the forest we were in was about 38,000 hectares ! ( i think !) again we were delivered to our hunting stands and the hunt began !

Those who have been on driven hunts before will know what i mean when i talk about how exciting it is when you hear the game coming close to you. this happened to me several times on saturday but i was becoming increasingly aware that the end of the hunt was looming and i had yet to shoot anything myself ! all of a sudden i could hear one of the dogs baying and a mature sow and yearling came crashing past , i raised the blaser took the shot and bagged my first boar ! i couldn't believe it ! i was so excited i almost forgot rule number 1 of driven shooting ! DONT LEAVE YOUR STAND ! i managed to gather my senses and sat tight for the remaining half an hour or so of the hunt ! as soon as the hunt was finished i let out of the stand to examine my first boar ! a Yearling female . i was so made up i think michael will vouch for me that i was just beaming from ear to ear ! i really enjoyed the rest of the day , the ceremony was great and a real one off for me and i also really enjoyed accompanying michael on a long track for a wounded deer . Really unforgettable experiences .

We headed home to michaels village where i was spending the night at christians , we got there dumped our kit and tucked into the most delicious dinner that Christians Mum had made us ( I've since tried to cook it twice but both attempts have been totally shameful in comparison !:doh:)Over dinner christian kindly offered to take me out night stalking for boar - too good an offer to turn down and so after dinner and a quick shower we headed back out with the rifles . Of course by now after a whole lot of driving michaels age had caught up with him and he went off to rest his weary head !:D

The night stalk was great fun , good to spend some time with christian chatting and good to try a completely new type of hunting ! Sadly nothing was seen except for tons of roe , a particularly ballsy badger and a wary fox ! after a couple of hours we called it a night and when back to christians beautiful home to crash !

That morning after a quick introduction and farewell to christians parents we headed off to Michaels house for a long breakfast , Michaels lovely ( and very understanding!!! ) wife Meike and his two kids were again so welcoming and they had made a delicious breakfast . We dined on cured wild boar , cured stag and various other delicious bits . My trip was over far too quickly and it was time to head home . If I'm honest i was pretty gutted to leave Germany and head back to work ! I feel like I've made some great new friends and had some unforgettable experiences . Everyone i met was so kind and we all shared a true passion for hunting . Michael is the perfect host and i feel lucky to know such a kind and generous guy . Id also like to thank Christian for Great company and wonderful hospitality . I learnt a lot from both of you and enjoyed every minute of my trip . I Really do hope both of you can come over to the uk and join me for Roe bucks next spring and summer . Your always welcome and i look forward to repaying the kindness and hospitality i was shown .
Thanks guys , i had a ball !
 
Ive got some great pictures from my trip , but the site won't let me upload them :( I'm hoping michael can add a few over the next couple of days . sorry guys !
 
Well done mate.
I forgot about the bed with the radio and mirrors everywhere. :eek:

You couldn't meet two nicer blokes to go hunting with. I too didn't want to leave


as for the autobahn :eek::eek:


hopefully meet meet up in the new year mate.

ATB

jon
 
Thats the reason I live over there in Germany because the hunters are such an open group of folk and the hunting drives can be awesome.
So glad you enjoyed it.
I have got two very good German hunter friends coming over to me in San Fransisco on Sunday next and I will return the favours they have done for me by driving them back east to Chicago via the Yellowstone park. I am happy to be able pay back all their hospitality.
Weidmannsheil
Martin
 
Great read Andy thanks for sharing and congrats on your first boar! :cool:

I can vouch for Michael and Christian being true gents having had the pleasure to meet and hunt with them myself!
 
Nice write up Andy, congratulations on your first boar. Well done Michael and Christian great hosts as usual. :tiphat:
 
Ive got some great pictures from my trip , but the site won't let me upload them :( I'm hoping michael can add a few over the next couple of days . sorry guys !
Email your photos over and I`ll see if I can upload them for you.
 
Hi Andy!
It was a great pleasure to host you, good fun and I am more than happy, you took your chance to bag your first boar on your first driven hunts here in Germany!

Here are some pics, which may add a bit more to your great write up...

Day one:
IMG_4217[1].jpgIMG_4219[1].jpgIMG_4222[1].jpgIMG_4223[1].jpgIMG_4225[1].jpgIMG_4227[1].JPGIMG_4228[1].jpg


IMG_4229[1].jpgIMG_4230[1].jpg


Day two:
IMG_4231[1].jpgIMG_4233[1].jpgIMG_4236[1].jpgIMG_4238[1].jpgIMG_4243[1].jpg
Thanks for your kind words, please be back whenever you like to, and be prepared, we will be at your place one time....:norty:

Atb

Michael
 
Good photos, but are you a german Forster as well ?? Because you have the hat that accompanies the position ! :D ( last photo with the "Bruch"). Or did you lent it from Micheal? ;)
 
Thanks everyone for the kind words ! Ha ha a german forester I am not , the hat was Indeed kindly kent to me by Michael ! Thanks for posting the photos up Michael . Very good memories
 
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