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Disclaimer
This could have gone under 'Birdshooting', or 'Fur & Feather', or one of the small game topics, but it is always a BIG DAY and it is European, so for want of a better section I have posted here and put in a link or two elsewhere.

Background
This is an annual invitation hunt the Saturday before Christmas in a 650 h concession in North Rhein Westfalia. In fact there are two annual December events, the 'Feldjagd' (Field Hunt) and the 'Waldjagd' (Woodland or Forest Hunt).
They are a mixture of driven and walked up with the game being pheasant, woodcock, pigeon, hare, rabbit and any legal predator - fox etc. They are always friendly affairs with guns, dogs, beaters and family members all turning out for a fun days shoot with a break for a bite and a drink in the morning and then a more formal seated dinner in the evening in the village restaurant.

Let me share the pictures and some short texts with you.

At 09h00 the guns, beaters and dog handlers begin to assemble -





German shorthair pointer




A superbly trained pair of labs (mother and daughter)




And a Weimeraner made up the dogs.

The guns ranged from German side by sides





To various O/Us




I would be shooting my Watson Bros .410, which received a comment or two. (There is a story about this gun in the next issue of African Hunting Gazette, for those that are interested)
A great little gun.







In traditional style, the hunt / shoot began with the horns











And then it was all aboard and the shoot began







It was a mix of walked up and driven















With some wonderful woodland scenery















I shot a hare on the second drive







We stopped for refreshments midday at the village childrens playground - which I think shows just how accepted and tolerated hunting is in Germany by German society in general!






A few more drives followed







And then the 'bag' was laid down - 20 hare and 3 rabbit. A couple of woodcock were seen and missed but funnily no pheasant showed. The horns sounded 'Jagdvorbei', the beaters and dog handlers were thanked and the guns congratulated on the successful day and safe shooting!






A most enjoyable days shooting amongst friends the week before Christmas!







Thanks for looking in and Happy 2015 !

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Alright thanks for that.
Were there any hounds (beside pointers and retrievers) there?

Waidmannsheil!

Very cool!

Very nice! Thanks for posting

Charlie, still consisting of about 3/4 Prussian blood and being a German firearms enthusiast I greatly enjoyed your post. That is one of those events I would love to experience but never will.

Waidmannsdank!!!

What a great tradition.

quote:

a BIG DAY and it is European .....

Charlie,

Yes, and they are just simply wonderful days; you hit the nail on the head.

Waidmannsheil!

Thanks for posting and the great photos, too.

Your .410 SxS musta received alot of raised Teutonic eyebrows - lovely.

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Mouse93 - including the LH Weimeraner just four dogs, but it was enough.

9.3 - never say never! Maybe one day!


Gerry - yes the .410 raised a few eyebrows and got an amused smile until I cleanly took the first hare with it. I got congratulations on the second hare I shot too ! A great fun small shotgun!


Cheers

Charlie,

Yes, .410 is just a hoot.

Had mine; a relatively new to my stable & inexpensive Diva SxS single trigger extractor model; certainly no where near the lineage your Watson Bros., at the clay range over the weekend and shot a round of Sporting. The other 12 ga. shooters were standing about slack-jawed .....



Only had it in the field for some Wood Pigeons so far but with 18 gramms of Federal #5's it brings them down convincingly.

Nice report and the Watson is great.

Nice pics indeed.

I was shooting a Trulock Andy Harris hammer 410 on Thursday. It kills pheasants partridges Andy ducks perfectly well if you do your bit.

12g of 5's was my load.

K

Fine way to pass a winter's day. Nice tradition.