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July 2017
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Driven hunt: main principles
This type of hunting, which is widespread in Europe and much appreciated for the excitement it arouses, generally requires a large number of participants. Obviously, this is a good thing as it allows more than one landless hunter to fully experience and share their passion. Beyond the popular and unifying dimensions, in this most individualistic of times, the driven hunt is a standardised exercise in hunting which requires discipline, self-control and strict attention to safety regulations.
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The wild boar, a tank on legs
It’s happened to all of us at least once. In the middle of a hunt, an enormous wild boar weighing about a hundred kilos takes off in front of you. Having checked he is in your angle of fire, you shoulder your weapon and pull the trigger. The shot fires, but the animal carries on! You are starting to doubt your marksmanship, even though it is well-established along the line of guns. So you fire a second bullet. The black beast continues his flight. “Missed again!” you curse to yourself, thoroughly disheartened.
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Falconry, or hunting with a bird of prey!
It is likely that the art of falconry first appeared on the high plateaux of Central Asia 4,000 years ago. Falconry (or hunting on the wing) is the hunting of natural game in its environment using a specially-trained bird of prey.
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Top 10 excuses for poor marksmanship
In Belgium, we’re used to making fun of our French neighbours, and especially their ability to find excuses whenever their national football team loses a match. “It was too windy,” “the pitch was as bad as the ref,” “the ball was flat,” etc. Fair game, I hear you say, since our French friends are past masters in the art of making fun of Belgians.
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High-seat hunting: patience and discretion
As with walk-up hunting, stalking large game demands patience, acute observation and absolute silence. Originating in Germany, this practice is inspired – like the majority of hunting methods let us not forget – by the ruses used by some animals of prey in their natural surroundings to find food (from polar bear to pike, including big cats and snakes).