"Jagd vorbei" in sterreich
After 56 years of continously holding an Austrian hunting
license I have ceased to continue.
It does not make sense/has no merit to hold one for a bird
hunter.
As a sympton, the Jagdleiter of an area I hunted in the
1960's - he was then my birdboy - told me that since more
than 20 years no partridge hunting anymore there due to the
number of coveys below critical mass to justify hunting.
Even the state TV told recently that partridge population
in Austria is down 84%.
Who takes responsibility for this downturn ?
No one.
Who have been the grave driggers ?
Its not the structure change in the agro sector, there has been
more than one grave-digger responsible for this
development.
I will not point with the finger, as it would deviate
into the polit-/apparatschik-realm which is not for
this forum.
....
But LIFE GOES ON and what is at hand for a birdhunter now.
Its simple, GO EAST MAN GO EAST.
Its the former commie-countries of Eastern Europe,
Czechia and Hungary.
In the polit-/diplo-speak of leftie Europe the right-
populist countries of the East.
...
I have been to Hungary once more recently, holding now
a Hungarian hunting license ONLY.
Its a combination of walkup and driven, this time also
partridges beside pheasants.
No lunatic and cackling antis there invading a shoot to
disturb it, organized ok, but without military-alike
tight setup, no pseudo-feudal event with white linen
covered table with Herend porcelain, no champagne on ice,
nor a grand cru bottle of red Egri Bikaver, nor a bottle
of sweet Tokaj.
Western Hautevolee would coin it as a "Bauernjagd".
What has been the highlight of this hunt ?
Rather surprisingly a brace of Magyar Viszly pointing dogs.
This is THE race of Hungarian hunting dogs, there are
so many of them.
I needed some time to realize that I have been witness
of a worldclass brace of these dogs .
The young Hungarian holder spoke some English. It turned
out he is a professional dog trainer.
It has been a pleasure to see one these dogs to go on point,
then "freezing" on the spot, the second to back it up.
Only on command to move forward and flush the bird(s).
...
Underestimated, despite a sunny day, it can be very cold
in the open puszta plains, accentuated by a strong wind.
Bespoke jackets allowing to move freely are fine,
thermo clothes are the choice of the day there.
My favourite quarry is the pheasant-hen, smaller and
faster than the cock, coming with the wind 30m high
the ultimate challenge for a no-miss drive.
For some not-yet identified reasons I started in this
and the preceeding outing with a double-miss.
But I recovered fast from this awful beginning.
In the 3rd drive with no-miss.
In both outings followed then a typical Hungarian
curiosity by the Jagdleiter, approaching me and asking
what I am shooting with and if he can look at/handle
my gun, a 12-bore with 2,83 kg.
In both cases the face of the viewer becoming bright
like that of a child before the christmas tree.
The first one offering me a 3-year free hunt in his
"Revier" in exchange for the gun, the second one asking
how long I have the gun and where to buy/get such one.
....
"dv a vadasznak" in Magyarorszag
...
FN

Last edited by felix; 12/11/19 04:02 PM.