UK Driven Boar

[SimpleSimon]

The chap you were talking to was probably the same fellow who always headshoots foxes at 700 yds....
If the truth be known, he was only in the shop to buy airgun pellets.

That particular type of ̶b̶o̶a̶r̶ bore can be found in most gun shops...

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Hmmmm.....Maximum of using only 2 dogs under current law would be a big problem in anything but small stands of woodland.

 

[EMcC]

Sometime back there was an infamous character who claimed that he had organised the first driven Wild Boar event since medieval times If I remember rightly it was on an estate called Carminnows?
Fenced all the same, and no doubt whatever you were told, I would hazard a guess its a long dogs tail in my opinion.

That was the driven boar hunt I mentioned. If you can remember I paid for one of his trips but when I found out it was in Scotland withdrew within three days but he wouldn't give me my deposit back.
You felt sorry for me and very kindly offered to take me out on a free Deer stalk as compensation.
I chased PC and eventually got a two day trip to Germany as compensation, the two day trip actually turned out to be a day and a half as we had two drives on Saturday and one on Sunday and stopped at midday.
I also found out it was an annual hunt that some Baron advertises in a German hunting magazine for anybody with a German hunting license to turn up and pay 100 euros and join in.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Peter Carr seems to have gone to ground after leaving the shooting show or was he pushed?

 

[tiny tim]

Peter Carr seems to have gone to ground after leaving the shooting show or was he pushed?

I've never known anyone say a good word about him to be honest.

 

[Bowland blades]

Not boar, but I’m surprised that driving muntjac hasn’t taken off as a legitimate control technique.
I was thinking shotguns rather than rifles, similar to fox drives.

used to be done for sure

 

[bullet chucker]

I went on one of his German boar shoots and never had reason to fire a shot? Good company although he did not turn up.

BC.

 

[jthyttin]

If the boar are naturally living in the area you don't need so much guns or dogs. The bedding areas and routes get somewhat established so the hunt will be predictable to some degree. And I assume you can change the dogs as long as only two are used at a time? Not easy to get proficient boar dogs though, starting from scratch.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Not boar, but I’m surprised that driving muntjac hasn’t taken off as a legitimate control technique.
I was thinking shotguns rather than rifles, similar to fox drives.

Forestry outfit local to Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire that manages woodland used to drive muntjac to standing guns, shotgun only.
I went once, probably 15 years ago, and went home after the second drive I had buckshot humming overhead on the first drive and was buzzed by a rifled slug on the second. That really worried me, hearing it cut undergrowth as it passed me waist high, then whapping into a large tree behind me.
As they say in the newspaper, I made my excuses and left
Don't think they still do it, the keeper on that particular estate trimmed them out with rifle so no need for repeat performance.

 

[Dunwaters]

Forestry outfit local to Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire that manages woodland used to drive muntjac to standing guns, shotgun only.
I went once, probably 15 years ago, and went home after the second drive I had buckshot humming overhead on the first drive and was buzzed by a rifled slug on the second. That really worried me, hearing it cut undergrowth as it passed me waist high, then whapping into a large tree behind me.
As they say in the newspaper, I made my excuses and left
Don't think they still do it, the keeper on that particular estate trimmed them out with rifle so no need for repeat performance.

I suspect that driving may be necessary as a control measure in the near future, it used to be an accepted method of deer control and still is on on the continent.
It seems to me that shotguns would be ideal for driven roe or muntjac in woodland.
It’d give all those teckles something useful to do.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

I suspect that driving may be necessary as a control measure in the near future, it used to be an accepted method of deer control and still is on on the continent.
It seems to me that shotguns would be ideal for driven roe or muntjac in woodland.
It’d give all those teckles something useful to do.

On the one hand we have Governments wanting to find effective ways to control deer and on the other, the same Governments want to severely restrict the use of dogs for driving mammals

 

[Dunwaters]

On the one hand we have Governments wanting to find effective ways to control deer and on the other, the same Governments want to severely restrict the use of dogs for driving mammals

You don’t need many dogs to drive deer, one or two is all the Swedes use for roe.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

You don’t need many dogs to drive deer, one or two is all the Swedes use for roe.

Ahh, that's when one dog is driving one deer (or hare, or fox). If you want to drive multiple deer (as in muntjac in number) out of reasonably large woods, one dog will struggle, 2 will do a little better but 4 or 5 will do a great job.

 

[Heym SR20]

Have shot driven boar on the continent it really is very different to UK’s view of driven game.

In the UK we think driven as in a line of beaters pushing birds over a line of guns.

With deer and boar this doesn’t work as they tend to move and run in circles.

Instead on a typical driven hunt in Germany they put 20 hunters out covering a few hundred ha of woodland / farmland. Arcs of fire are carefully identified for each hunter and you are always downwards and / or into a solid backdrop. Take a shot out of your prescribed arc of fire and that’s your hunting license pulled.

The beaters then move in figure of 8 type sweeps with a view just generally stirring things up. So at points during the drive you can easily have beaters and dogs anywhere around you.

You need competent hunters who will take shots that are close and within the prescribed arcs around their particular stand. And in my experience they are not massive slaughters where you shoot 20 beasts with lots of rapid fire.

Mostly it’s a few boar and the ofd deer coming past and you pick your shot. If you are lucky you get one animal on the day, often you get blanks.

Admittedly the hunts I have been on are not the big commercial type hunts, but more farmer type shoots.

These occur throughout the winter time with neighbouring hunting areas joining together.

During the summer time hunters sit up in high seats in the fields encouraging the pigs and deer to remain in the woods. Highseat shooting accounts for about half the annual cull.

And then in the winter each area will host a driven hunt in the woods which will take care of the rest of the cull.

There will be very specific cull targets and instructions on what can and cannot be shot. Often there will be significant (as in thousands of Euros) penalties if you shoot the wrong thing. This is especially on state lands.

On flat land hunters are usually on raised platforms, in hillier ground its a mix of being on the ground and on stands.

I have been on hunts in suburban Hagn in forest woodland adjoining the city with guns sitting with their backs to houses. And locals walking and sitting on the forest tracks watching the sport, with cheering when you shoot something and boos when you miss - nothing like pressure. On that occasion my shooting was down into a bowl with my back to the track. I got boos.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Have shot driven boar on the continent it really is very different to UK’s view of driven game.

In the UK we think driven as in a line of beaters pushing birds over a line of guns.

With deer and boar this doesn’t work as they tend to move and run in circles.

Instead on a typical driven hunt in Germany they put 20 hunters out covering a few hundred ha of woodland / farmland. Arcs of fire are carefully identified for each hunter and you are always downwards and / or into a solid backdrop. Take a shot out of your prescribed arc of fire and that’s your hunting license pulled.

The beaters then move in figure of 8 type sweeps with a view just generally stirring things up. So at points during the drive you can easily have beaters and dogs anywhere around you.

You need competent hunters who will take shots that are close and within the prescribed arcs around their particular stand. And in my experience they are not massive slaughters where you shoot 20 beasts with lots of rapid fire.

Mostly it’s a few boar and the ofd deer coming past and you pick your shot. If you are lucky you get one animal on the day, often you get blanks.

Admittedly the hunts I have been on are not the big commercial type hunts, but more farmer type shoots.

These occur throughout the winter time with neighbouring hunting areas joining together.

During the summer time hunters sit up in high seats in the fields encouraging the pigs and deer to remain in the woods. Highseat shooting accounts for about half the annual cull.

And then in the winter each area will host a driven hunt in the woods which will take care of the rest of the cull.

There will be very specific cull targets and instructions on what can and cannot be shot. Often there will be significant (as in thousands of Euros) penalties if you shoot the wrong thing. This is especially on state lands.

On flat land hunters are usually on raised platforms, in hillier ground its a mix of being on the ground and on stands.

I have been on hunts in suburban Hagn in forest woodland adjoining the city with guns sitting with their backs to houses. And locals walking and sitting on the forest tracks watching the sport, with cheering when you shoot something and boos when you miss - nothing like pressure. On that occasion my shooting was down into a bowl with my back to the track. I got boos.

Never shot driven boar but have a lot of friends around the globe who use their dogs for driving on a very regular basis. I think the style can vary a little from country to country depending on topography and size of woodland blocks driven.

It is not unusual to be out of eye contact with your dog for an hour or so. Close range teckels are those that naturally hunt within 200 metres of the handler whereas those independent, tenacious types are happy to be 1km from the handler for long periods at a time and of course, there are a whole heap that work somewhere in the middle of that. I am referring here to multiple dogs working together as opposed to the Scandinavian method where a single dog drives a single hare/deer/fox. I can absolutely see a place for the solo dog method in the UK but our laws will not allow effective use of packs.

 

[Heym SR20]

Never shot driven boar but have a lot of friends around the globe who use their dogs for driving on a very regular basis. I think the style can vary a little from country to country depending on topography and size of woodland blocks driven.

It is not unusual to be out of eye contact with your dog for an hour or so. Close range teckels are those that naturally hunt within 200 metres of the handler whereas those independent, tenacious types are happy to be 1km from the handler for long periods at a time and of course, there are a whole heap that work somewhere in the middle of that. I am referring here to multiple dogs working together as opposed to the Scandinavian method where a single dog drives a single hare/deer/fox. I can absolutely see a place for the solo dog method in the UK but our laws will not allow effective use of packs.

A lot of the “driving” is really much more just being in the woods and letting a little noise and sent move the animals. In Germany the dogs are mostly used for following up wounded animals.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

A lot of the “driving” is really much more just being in the woods and letting a little noise and sent move the animals. In Germany the dogs are mostly used for following up wounded animals.

Hmmm, not the case for the guys I know. The teckels are most valued for finding, flushing (the hard bit) and continuing to drive. The fact that they are small and thus slow, means that the boar/deer do not make a mad exit but rather run ahead, stop/listen - run ahead etc. Thus, for the people I know - finding/flushing/driving - all with voice - is very much a primary role. Of course, any wounded are followed up naturally.

 

[rarms]

Several years ago Peter Carr did organise driven Boar in a part of SW Scotland but was soon stopped due to the way it was run.
Apparently pigs were kept in a certain area and fed for a while and then released to be pushed towards standing guns.
It was covered in depth by an article in the times, titled 'Big Guns Return to Scotland'
Some pigs actually ran/walked towards some of the guns expecting to be fed.

Pete Carr did indeed. Must have been at least 12, perhaps 15 years ago. Carminnows.

 

[SimonDodsworth]

Have shot driven boar on the continent it really is very different to UK’s view of driven game.

In the UK we think driven as in a line of beaters pushing birds over a line of guns.

With deer and boar this doesn’t work as they tend to move and run in circles.

Instead on a typical driven hunt in Germany they put 20 hunters out covering a few hundred ha of woodland / farmland. Arcs of fire are carefully identified for each hunter and you are always downwards and / or into a solid backdrop. Take a shot out of your prescribed arc of fire and that’s your hunting license pulled.

The beaters then move in figure of 8 type sweeps with a view just generally stirring things up. So at points during the drive you can easily have beaters and dogs anywhere around you.

You need competent hunters who will take shots that are close and within the prescribed arcs around their particular stand. And in my experience they are not massive slaughters where you shoot 20 beasts with lots of rapid fire.

Mostly it’s a few boar and the ofd deer coming past and you pick your shot. If you are lucky you get one animal on the day, often you get blanks.

Admittedly the hunts I have been on are not the big commercial type hunts, but more farmer type shoots.

These occur throughout the winter time with neighbouring hunting areas joining together.

During the summer time hunters sit up in high seats in the fields encouraging the pigs and deer to remain in the woods. Highseat shooting accounts for about half the annual cull.

And then in the winter each area will host a driven hunt in the woods which will take care of the rest of the cull.

There will be very specific cull targets and instructions on what can and cannot be shot. Often there will be significant (as in thousands of Euros) penalties if you shoot the wrong thing. This is especially on state lands.

On flat land hunters are usually on raised platforms, in hillier ground its a mix of being on the ground and on stands.

I have been on hunts in suburban Hagn in forest woodland adjoining the city with guns sitting with their backs to houses. And locals walking and sitting on the forest tracks watching the sport, with cheering when you shoot something and boos when you miss - nothing like pressure. On that occasion my shooting was down into a bowl with my back to the track. I got boos.

Sounds perfect

 

[Puds]

It seems one may have been spotted near Clun, thats about it.

Be nice, that’s somebody’s beloved sister-wife.