Stalking or driven hunt for wild boar?

[Dhindes]

In France we do driven in winter and stalking in summer - for many the driven hunt is a real social occasion, just like driven birds in UK. Usually a lot of banter and a lot of drink AFTER the drives are finished. It is very exciting when boar are moving and you hear the dogs barking and trumpets sounding BUT is really boring if you have nothing moving and have to stand at your post for 3 hours in the freezing cold.
I also stalk boar which I actually prefer. not as social but very exciting when you can hear them in the half dark of early morning but can not yet see them - gets the heart thumping when one pops out and looks straight at you. You then have to decide if it is female with young or not .....
I am off to do this again next week .... will post if I have luck

 

[DanielStefan]

... It is very exciting when boar are moving and you hear the dogs barking and trumpets sounding BUT is really boring if you have nothing moving and have to stand at your post for 3 hours in the freezing cold.

Waiting without having part of any action is definitely more often. This is even worse in the last years due to the African Swine Fever!
I imagine that things are more interesting in countries like Germany or Poland because they are also shooting roe deer and red deer during driven hunts. Here, in Romania, it is not allowed and these species (+mouflon, fallow and chamois) are hunted only with individual permits.

 

[Scipio]

Waiting without having part of any action is definitely more often. This is even worse in the last years due to the African Swine Fever! I imagine that things are more interesting in countries like Germany or Poland because they are also shooting roe deer and red deer during driven hunts. Here, in Romania, it is not allowed and these species (+mouflon, fallow and chamois) are hunted only with individual permits.

Hey Daniel, yeah, that sounds a lot like Italy. How is the safety for the driven boar hunts in Romania?

 

[randello88]

The name of the forum is probably a good indicator of how most members will answer this question. However, I believe this is the kind of question that’s very difficult to answer for people from parts of the world where the culture of driven hunting is deeply rooted.


I live in Romania, where mountains and hills cover two-thirds of the territory. In these areas, the Sunday wild boar driven hunt is the hunt for most people and the most important social event of the week. This is how I started 23 years ago—I was only 14 when my father took me along because they needed an extra beater. For the next 10–12 years, this was the main type of hunting I practiced, aside from roe deer stalking.
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After a while—especially because I consider myself quite unlucky at driven hunts—I became more and more interested in wild boar stalking. The general perception among hunters here is that stalking wild boar is somehow “less of a hunt” than driven hunting, either because it’s less engaging than when animals are chased by dogs, or because it’s seen as... too easy. Some oppose it, arguing that it depletes areas of valuable trophies.

I started wild boar stalking in the autumn, when the animals begin causing serious damage to corn crops. A high seat wasn't always available, sometimes the wind would ruin a two-hour wait—and I quickly realized how engaging this type of hunting can be. I also find it much more interesting, because you get the chance to observe the animal’s natural behavior. It's not just about making a quick decision to shoot or not based on the animal's sex. Like in this picture, taken on a rainy day—I ended up shooting a small one for the pot because the males weren't big enough.
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Eventually, I began targeting old tuskers—and that’s when I truly realized... it’s not that easy! Especially if you rely only on natural light (moonlight counts as natural light, and in winter it's enough for a good x56 scope) and when thermal optics aren’t allowed.

Yes, shooting a random wild boar in winter (when the soil is frozen and food is scarce) over a corn bait isn’t challenging. You need patience and warm clothes. But an old male doesn’t survive that long by making himself an easy target.

I’ve seen them wait 45 minutes to make sure nothing moves near the high seat (and waiting in the cold was brutal).

I’ve seen them circle the area, trying to catch any unusual scent.

I once saw one come in with a younger companion, letting the younger one go out first and feed alone for 15 minutes before stepping into the open himself. "You go first! I'm not that hungry right now."

The most frustrating one was a male that always waited until I left. He would show up on camera 8–10 minutes after I was gone. I guess my positioning wasn’t good—he always knew I was there. For that one, I brought a companion with me. After two hours, I asked him to leave. Ten minutes later, the boar emerged confidently from the woods... and now he rests on my wall.

I’ve ended up with a nice collection of trophies—or memories, as I like to call them—a collection I hope will continue to grow. Until now, my personal best is this beast that weighed only 125 kg gutted but scored 135.5 CIC points.
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I still attend driven hunts—it remains a very important social event here. But my favorite way to hunt wild boar is stalking. Sadly, when I got married, I forgot to include a prenup clause stating that I might spend many consecutive nights chasing wild boar ghosts.

Driven hunts are extremely effective with boars but stalking is another thing, of course it is a much cleaner operation. They are amazing animals, very smart and with incredible senses (a part from eyesight). Waiting for them is more efficient than stalking them but either approaches work

 

[DanielStefan]

@Scipio the safety for driven boar hunts is generally OK. However, I prefer to go with groups of people that I know even if this is not always possible.

We have a small mandatory briefing about safety rules every time. The main ones are:

• do not shoot at an angle smaller than 45 degrees from your neighbor (unless instructed otherwise in mountain areas)
• do not shoot when the beaters are closer than a certain distance
• clearly identify the animal before shooting (a bear is also brown/black in the vegetation, also a dog or even a human)
• keep the weapon loaded only while in stand
• watch out for dogs when shooting
• let the bears pass if you see that they are on a safe direction. Otherwise, they could go to your neighbor or back to the beaters.

In some areas (very rare) they have the rule of using only shotguns because the people think that the danger of a ricochet is smaller
I think that the main danger is represented by other hunters, especially if they don't usually hunt this type of game.

In the stands where the bears are usually appearing, most of the hunting areas have "hochstands" (similar to a high seat but much lower in height). This is not necessarily protecting you from bears but will give more confidence to the hunter and he will be more calm.
If we are also hunting bears during that drive, the beaters will be accompanied by hunters and the persons that want to shoot the bear will have a companion with them in the stands.

The incidents caused by boars are very rare. Most of them are happening in the thick bush when they are wounded and cornered by dogs. Someone must go in to finish the job. It also happened to me to be forced to climb a tree while a was a beater and armed only with a small axe. I was also charged by a saw wounded by me but I was able to shoot her at 3m away from me (a massive animal of about 200+ kg, see it in the picture below)

 

[Border]

@Scipio the safety for driven boar hunts is generally OK. However, I prefer to go with groups of people that I know even if this is not always possible.

We have a small mandatory briefing about safety rules every time. The main ones are:

• do not shoot at an angle smaller than 45 degrees from your neighbor (unless instructed otherwise in mountain areas)
• do not shoot when the beaters are closer than a certain distance
• clearly identify the animal before shooting (a bear is also brown/black in the vegetation, also a dog or even a human)
• keep the weapon loaded only while in stand
• watch out for dogs when shooting
• let the bears pass if you see that they are on a safe direction. Otherwise, they could go to your neighbor or back to the beaters.

In some areas (very rare) they have the rule of using only shotguns because the people think that the danger of a ricochet is smaller
I think that the main danger is represented by other hunters, especially if they don't usually hunt this type of game.

In the stands where the bears are usually appearing, most of the hunting areas have "hochstands" (similar to a high seat but much lower in height). This is not necessarily protecting you from bears but will give more confidence to the hunter and he will be more calm.
If we are also hunting bears during that drive, the beaters will be accompanied by hunters and the persons that want to shoot the bear will have a companion with them in the stands.

The incidents caused by boars are very rare. Most of them are happening in the thick bush when they are wounded and cornered by dogs. Someone must go in to finish the job. It also happened to me to be forced to climb a tree while a was a beater and armed only with a small axe. I was also charged by a saw wounded by me but I was able to shoot her at 3m away from me (a massive animal of about 200+ kg, see it in the picture below)

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He aint’t going to see daylight with the nosebag on

 

[3xspringer]

Really enjoy the buzz ect from driven boar hunts! Never stalked boar would be interesting! But driven has got really expensive now! Used to go several times a year but now can only afford couple of hunts a year, what with the costs of the hunt flights hotels ect.

 

[Polar Lynx]

Don't know much about night deer stalking but would think much the same as with boar night hunting. Maybe a difference would be that boar night stalking is best done with 2 persons. One, sort of PH, know the lands and scan the fields. He also carries sticks for the person with the rifle. I also always have the spaniel dog with me.

There are several issues with night stalking in general. One beeing safe directions, another 'can a big boar be retrieved out here'. The hunter best keeps both thermal scope and cartridges in bag because one is apt to stumble and fall serveral times when dark. There is no rush factor when dark. Animals move slowly and calmly.

A good tip is to turn on a flashing dog collar and place it on the shooting sticks where to animal is shot in the wheat or pea field. Carcass or animal body is not easy to find on returning with the ATV without guidance.

Number one issue with shooting guests is nerves, number two is distance when taking the shot, number three would be hunter not fully experienced with boar sex and age. If a sow with piglets is shot here (Sweden) there would possible be a penalty issued and problems with gun permits. With a single full grown boar standing out in the wheat field one can be rather sure there also would be piglets there but which can't be seen as only a few months old. A male boar is always on the move.

 

[Scipio]

He aint’t going to see daylight with the nosebag on

Thanks for the thorough reply Daniel, it gives insight to your traditions of driven hunting
Very interesting set up and possibilities regarding also hunting bear, on the boar drives, and i was wondering if both the hunters accompanying the beaters and the dog d´handlers and people doing the shot animal recouperation have parctiularly short barrels in relatively heavy caliber rifles, to be able to exacly swing in little space and stop something charging at them quickly.

I also fully agree that inexperience, drinking (in some countries) and the lack of awarness and discipline that can come with that, i have to say also the use of semi autos by people who might not have the skill or discipline (or soberness) to handle them as they should, is what mainly made me hessitate to get involved much in the collective driven hunts in italy.
But tbf i think how safety is approached and what the experience level is can depend quite a lot on the exact hunters group and area where one is, and isnt necessarily an entire region or country thing. But yes, one needs to have trust in the group, i think.

 

[DanielStefan]

For recovering the wounded animal, a hunter will use the weapon he has with him during that day. It will not change it for the task.
I'm using a bolt action in 9.3x62 with Norma Oryx bullets of 18.5g for the great stopping power, the good penetration, the low damage to the meat and for the extra distance I could shoot sometimes. However, when situation is a little bit "hairy" due to a stubborn bear, I always curse myself for not taking my old trusty double barreled shotgun. I would also prefer a shotgun for recovering a bear.

Drinking is completely forbidden here. I'm not very happy about it because the rules are extended even after the hunt is over but you are still having your rifle in your car.
Usually, when we have some new faces in the group, the organizer will place them in such a way that they will not put the rest of us in big danger. This is possible because I hunt mostly in the hills/mountains areas.

 

[Jelen]

driven hunts when say 30 shots could be heard in one beat but end result only 3 boar down. Driven hunts are a great social events

Pretty well describes the driven hunts I was invited to in Germany back in late 80's. I remember one when the game was laid out in the snow with torches and pine boughs and the horns were blown. I will always remember that, as well as the Forstmeister giving a resounding rollicking about the abysmal shooting. I seem to remember it was 23 shots per carcase .

 

[Lateral]

I have found the quality of driven hunters shooting ability varies dramatically from country to country, depending on the respect the hunters have for the animals.

Almost always, where hunters can use semi auto rifles, or shotguns, the average shooting quality is very poor, because they rely on the ability to take multiple shots. Mediterranean countries, and our friends "across the pond" are a prime example !

In my experience, UK, German, French, and Nordic hunters amongst others, tend to have a lot of respect, and pride themselves on doing their best for a humane kill.

Now, driven, or stalking............................ if you like the adrenaline rush, the build up of excitement as excited barking dogs approach, it has to be driven. Successfully stalking boar takes a lot of skill, or luck, but it's never given me the rush I get from driven, PARTICULARLY the Monteria's I've done in Portugal, where on the big "club/association" hunts they can have over 100 hunters, no beaters, but over 400 dogs, made up from packs of 20-25 dogs, these can be even more exciting than the expensive hunts, even though the bags tend to be bigger.

Best day I've ever had, was a Monteria in Portugal, I shot 9 boar, the hunt, generally circa 4=5hrs, cost €125.00 and included breakfast, and lunch !

Fingers crossed, I'll be back there this coming season !

 

[geoshot]

Like many others on this site, or in this country, I cut my shooting teeth on taking rats or rabbits with air-rifle & rimfire, walked-up bird shooting with a good dog and flight/roost shooting birds
Only later in life did I get the chance to try, and thoroughly enjoy, stalking - but the first thing I stalked was feral goat in Northern Ireland
I didn't get to shoot my first deer until I was in my twenties
So, slowly but surely, stalking really became synonymous with hunting for me over the years
Until
I first tried driven boar
Until then I hadn't even tried driven birds, didn't fancy it much
But driven boar was like a drug, I couldn't get enough of it for a while and was prepared to splash the cash to get my next fix - but eventually settled happily back into deer stalking
Of late I have been invited to join some friends in Europe for boar stalking and night shooting from a high seat
I get the feeling that my favourite might be about to change again, my friends in Germany have recounted many tales of exciting hunts for boar on their patch and I'm looking forward to the experience - I'm not expecting to get much, but that won't matter, I've long since got past the need to kill something to enjoy a hunt

Good thread, thanks for kicking it off

 

[DanielStefan]

I'm not expecting to get much, but that won't matter, I've long since got past the need to kill something to enjoy a hunt

I know the feeling. If the company is good, it does not really matter if I get to shot or not.
It started to become awkward to explain to different gamekeepers why I don't pull the trigger some times while stalking. This become more obvious once I started to guide friends or guests for deer or boars - the thrill of the hunt is sometime even bigger like this.