Hunting wild boar at night: habitat and hunting methods. Night hunting How to hunt a wild boar at night
Since time immemorial, wild boar, like black grouse, has always been a desired and revered trophy among Russian hunters, and therefore, God himself ordered us to discuss technology and boar hunting methods.
Boar hunting from a tower
Among animal hunts, I have always given and still give preference to wild boar hunting. No, not that point-blank shooting from the tower at the feeders ( boar hunting from a tower), which nowadays is not only advertised, but also vigorously enforced (I don’t even want to think about it, much less write about it).
The new Hunting Rules (for humane reasons) prohibit bear hunting in a den. Even remembering that this classic, perhaps the most ancient of currently practiced hunting, is much older than firearms in age, healthy grains of humanity in this ban can be found if desired. But what prompted the “humanists” who wrote these rules not to ban sports and amateur boar hunting from a tower at the feeders? This is nothing more than meat procurement or simply slaughter! And what can be described in this shooting method? Here it is enough to remember the proverb “Hunger is not a woman - she will not throw a pie.” This same hunger will lead the animal, as if on a rope, to the feeding area straight to the tower. From the shooter sitting on it, only one thing is required here - not to tremble with excitement when he sees the beast, anticipating his victory over it. If your nerves are strong and you know how to control your fantasies, this is quite enough; you don’t have to worry about anything else. But is this really hunting?
Hunting for wild boar from Zasidkina in fodder fields
For lovers of high peaks, as well as high art, my next story, this time about a classic wild boar hunt.
This hunt is not easy, but even more interesting. Isn’t it a pleasure, having calculated the nuances down to the smallest detail, to get a very careful, cunning and dangerous animal, and also very tasty? Here any haste is eliminated and endurance, observation and patience are trained.
There are two ways to hunt wild boar from ambush - in food fields (the most commonly practiced) and at boar crossings.
When hunting wild boar on oats and in winter on food fields, you calmly wait until the animal comes to the required distance, turns sideways to you, slowly, takes aim and presses the trigger. But to have just such an ending, you need to know a lot and be able to calculate even the smallest nuances.
First of all, you need to find the very food fields where wild boars go. To do this, it is absolutely not necessary to travel all over the area. It will be enough to know what and at what time of year wild boars prefer to feed. It is believed that they have a cyclical diet, and this may be true. In August, wild boars can fatten in both oat and potato fields. In general, the wild boar is omnivorous and even carnivorous. In October - November, when the crops have been harvested from the fields and the snow cover is still very small, wild boars often feed in abandoned apple orchards. I can’t say for the whole of Russia, but in my native Non-Black Earth Region, in the Smolensk region, there are now a lot of abandoned villages, of which only gardens remain, but you don’t often see fields sown with anything there.
Be that as it may, a field sown with oats is the best place for hunting wild boar in the summer, and if the field was not cleared for some reason, then in the fall and throughout the winter. You need to find such a field and carefully examine its edges. Boars do not like open places for transitions and exits, so start inspecting from the side where the field is as close as possible to the woodland or forest. If in the area where you hunt, agriculture has not yet collapsed and there are a lot of oat fields, then in order not to waste time and not beat your legs in vain, you need to know where wild boars prefer to spend the day in the summer. In my practice, it happened several times that when I was picking mushrooms in August, in order to move from one forest to another, I had to cross a field. And in broad daylight he raised a herd of wild boars that had settled down right on the oats. Of course, this is a rarity, but it should not be discounted.
Preparing for boar hunting on oats
Try to find damp lowlands with wetlands or even swamps, which are sure to be overgrown with dense bushes or scrub. There, in the wetlands, they dig holes for themselves in the mud, in which they most often spend the day, escaping the heat. I can’t give you a 100% guarantee, but if there is an oat field near such a place, there is a 99% guarantee that this is where you need to set up an ambush.
Of course, you need to inspect the field itself, and it’s best to do this in the morning. The reason for this is simple - wild boars have a very highly developed sense of smell, and if you visit the field in the evening, before the hunt, you will certainly leave your scent there. You can be sure that the wild boars will smell it and will definitely not come out onto the field. So in the morning, walk along the boundary between the field and that damp place with dense bushes, where you are most likely to expect wild boars. The absence or presence of wild boars on oats is not difficult to detect. In most cases, the turf at the edge of the field is always dug up, so look at how fresh the digging is.
If the diggings are of different freshness, it means that wild boars visit this field regularly. This is just the perfect place for boar hunting! The regularity of visits can also be determined by the freshness of the boar tracks. In the field itself you will find chewed oats and paths trampled by wild boars, although digging in the field itself is rare. And another important argument in favor of visiting the field in the morning is all the same boar digging, which can be done without much difficulty great experience one can draw a fairly accurate conclusion about the regularity of wild boars visiting this field.
Boars feed in the evening and in the predawn, while on the ground and on the turf, as I said above, leaving traces and diggings. During the night, the dug and trampled earth will not dry out, and this is what will help you distinguish completely fresh excavations from others, even if you have little experience. If you have found all of the above, then all you have to do is calculate a place to hang out. This is the most difficult thing.
It is not a big problem to calculate from which side the wild boars will enter the field. The main thing is that in no case should you allow them to sense your presence, or rather, your smell. The biggest trouble is always the wind. In summer, and even at the beginning of autumn, with sunset, it almost always subsides, and only sometimes reminds of itself with small blows. It is these small, barely noticeable and almost always unpredictable blows that cause the most trouble and trouble. From extensive hunting and observation practice, I concluded that the wild boar has weak eyesight and hearing, but a very highly developed sense of smell.
There is an opinion that during daylight hours wild boars come out to feed only in winter, when there is a lot of snow and little food. This is not always and not always true. It happened to me more than once: while walking to a hiding place, I discovered a herd of wild boars already grazing on the oats, and the sun had not yet gone below the horizon. When the wind blew in my direction, I boldly walked straight to the herd, approaching about 80 meters, crouched down and waited until the animal I needed came under the shot, and shot at it from my knees. The boars, while eating, did not see or hear me, and only the sound of a shot put the herd to flight.
It should also be noted that wild boars are very noisy animals., and in most cases I heard them approaching the field long before they appeared on the field itself. As I already said, wild boars do not like to move in open areas, but prefer to move to food fields through bushes or woods, and therefore their movement is always accompanied by the crackling of dry branches. When a boar herd approaches, you can often hear the squealing of gilts. Moving along the path, they are not particularly careful, but before the boundary separating the field and the bushes, they always stop and sniff the air very loudly with their nostrils. I have repeatedly heard this prolonged sniffing of their nostrils. And if, in complete calm, there suddenly happened to be a slight blow of wind in their direction, the wild boars, uttering two or three short alarming roars, galloped away from the field, breaking everything in their path.
The best place to hang out on a wild boar hunt is in the oat field itself.. True, the wind blowing from the field towards the expected exit of the wild boars can become a hindrance. With the wind blowing towards the field and even in complete calm, sitting on oats perfect option. The saying “everything ingenious is always simple” is more true here than ever. Firstly, you don’t need to do anything for the laying itself, just come to the field and sit or lie down on the oats. Secondly, if the hiding place does not coincide (which sometimes happens) with the expected exit point of the wild boars, then, hearing their noisy progress through the bushes and calculating the line of this noise, you are guaranteed to have time to run across the oats to the place from where they will enter the field .
Wind to help with wild boar hunting
Now, so as not to torment you for a long time, I will tell you how to outwit the wind: do not enter the field at all. Walking to the intended place and seeing that the wind does not subside in the evening, you need to approach the field itself so as not to go downwind under any circumstances. Sometimes you have to make a decent detour to do this, but what can you do, you’ll also have to go out hunting early.
In general, try to calculate your exit so that you will be there by sunset. Please note that wild boars in most cases go out to feed at sunset from the summer and throughout the winter, but leave the fields by the first signs of dawn, so morning hunts for them are unrealistic. Approach the field only when there is a headwind or crosswind. When the wind blows from the field towards the expected exit of the wild boars, take a place in the corner of the field and the forest. If the field is flat, then you will see wild boars coming out; their black silhouettes on light oats are clearly visible even in the thick twilight. As soon as the animals enter the field, boldly move along the boundary, because the wind is now your ally. At the boundary, as a rule, the ground is soft, and you can move along it quite silently.
Approaching wild boars at 70-80 meters is not a big problem, but for a guaranteed shot from a carbine you can’t even dream of a better distance. Moreover, the further the wild boars move away from the edge of the bushes, the better. If the field is uneven and only a small part of it is visually controlled, then in such a situation I always proceed as follows: after standing in the corner until dusk sets in, I begin to move along the boundary between the field and the bushes. I do this because by this time the wild boars, as a rule, already go out to the oats and begin to feed. Walking along the loose boundary under the cover of the shade from the trees, I periodically scan the field with binoculars. Binoculars with brightened optics (I have army, naval 7x50) are necessary for this hunt.
Having discovered wild boars, I act according to the usual scenario. If there are no wild boars in the field, I go home. After all, the wind is blowing from the field, and I just walked along the boundary and left my scent, which the animal will certainly smell when approaching the field. Therefore, waiting for wild boars to come out to this field in the evening is a waste of time.
How to outwit a wild boar on the hunt
The practice of my observations shows that predicting the behavior of a wild boar herd in a feeding field is not always easy. It happens that, having come out, they begin to feed at the very edge of the field, but they can also move quite far into the depths of the crops, although the first option was much more common. They can feed while moving slowly, or they can feed in one place. And the behavior of large solitary cleavers, which almost never feed near the edge of the field, behaves completely differently. Having entered the field, they move at medium speed (very noisily) into the depths of the crops and there they begin their meal.
And it would be very opportune to say a few words about the caution of large (larger than 10 pounds) wild boars. They are really very careful and, sensing the human scent, they quickly run away from this place, but (!) unless they see the person himself. In general, for long years Observing the behavior of animals and birds, I came to the conclusion that theories about the predominance of animal instincts over intelligence, to put it mildly, are scientific fabrications. During my life, I have encountered many cases of not only meaningful behavior, but also with clear signs of analysis of a specific situation, which was confirmed by the final actions of the animals.
Examples from our own wild boar hunts
It was late autumn. I planned a hunt in one of the unharvested oat fields that was located close to the house. My path to it ran through a mowing field and a very narrow forest separating these fields. The red sunset foreshadowed night frosts. A very strong, gusty wind, blowing in my face, cleared the sky, and the first star was already shining on it. At this time I approached a forest overgrown with grass and not yet dead weeds, behind which there were oats. Gusts of wind, rustling the sparse foliage, strongly swayed the trees.
Having gazed at the first star, I slowly crossed this forest, approaching its edge. Suddenly everything around me seemed to explode, crackle, and run around! By chance, I walked into a herd of wild boars that were whileing away the day at the edge of this forest, almost right next to the oat field. I found myself in the very center of a very large herd. My thoughts, which I will describe below, flashed through my head in a split second, and I acted in this emergency situation rather on a subconscious level.
The boars were of all sizes: gilts, medium and three pigs, each of which weighed over 200 kilos. I instantly rip the carbine off my shoulder, take the safety off and jerk the bolt. I clearly remember the thought that flashed like lightning, which guided my actions: there is no need for younglings, don’t beat a large (100 kg or more) boar - messing around with it alone for a long time means beating a medium-sized one!
Now about what was happening around me. Three healthy pigs stood rooted to the spot, the little ones rushed from side to side, but did not run away, while the middle ones were in a weak movement, which, perhaps, would have been circular if there had been enough time. Everything described lasted no more than 3-4 seconds. During this time, I consciously chose a wild boar weighing 50-60 kilograms and shot offhand. It was no more than 7 meters away. The beast fell. The bullet (SP) opened, but went right through.
After the shot, the young animals were blown away by the wind, they ran out into the oat field, ran about 60 meters and froze, the medium and larger ones ran out after them and stopped there. But the three largest pigs did not move. The beaten animal in agony, lying on its side and trying to push with its hind legs, screamed heart-rendingly. In order to stop the torment of the beast, I already aimed at his head. The boar fell silent forever, but even after the second shot, these three pigs did not run away. They stood almost together, and the nearest one was no more than 12 meters away. I was almost exactly between them and the field. After my second shot, the nearest pig grunted, jerked its head, and took three steps in my direction.
I immediately raised my carbine and aimed at her head. I clearly remember the thoughts that flashed through my head in a split second: there are two or three aspen trees next to me, slightly thicker than an arm, and they won’t save me if the pig comes at me. You have to hit, otherwise it’s the end. But I don’t need that much meat, and there’s no guarantee that a bullet will kill this carcass in its place, and therefore, in its agony it can reach me. Besides, I don't know how the other two pigs will behave. The pigs must be driven away at all costs, scared away!
Pressing the carbine to my shoulder with my left hand and holding the pig at gunpoint, I start pounding on the bolt carrier and magazine with my right hand, screaming at the top of my lungs for them to get out. And most importantly, there was no fear! Despite the light twilight, I could clearly see the eyes of this pig. She looked at me again, snorted and, jerking her head, slowly walked around me, headed towards the wild boars standing in the field. The other two pigs followed her. Approaching the herd in the field, they stopped. The whole herd was looking in my direction. Through the scope I counted 27 wild boars.
I won’t hide the fact that I focused my crosshairs on that pig for a while, and at that time a selfish thought flashed through my head: if you weren’t just lying here, there was a wild boar, I would have petted you! The herd of wild boars very slowly disappeared behind the hillock, and I dragged my prey to the edge of the field and, before it got dark, began cutting it up.
I will say about myself that I did not experience fear either at the moment of closest contact with the wild boars, or when they disappeared from view and I began cutting up the carcass. Even in the morning, when I woke up and remembered everything in the smallest detail, there was no sign of him! How can I explain all this? The fact that I remained safe and sound is the mercy of God and the providence of the Guardian Angel, for I know well what an angry adult boar can do to a person. But since we are talking not about human, but about animal intelligence, it follows from this case that animals are not only able to calmly assess the situation, calculate the degree of danger for themselves, but also emerge from it with dignity. critical situation, something many of us humans quite often fail to do.
Boar hunting safety
It would also be appropriate to talk about safety when hunting wild boar. If, standing at a number or sitting in ambush at a crossing, your hands tremble at the sight of an animal, if you are not confident in the accuracy of your shot and the reliability of a weapon or cartridge, do not shoot a large animal walking next to you, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a cleaver or a pig . Release him at least 30 meters and hit him. At such a distance, even a very large cleaver, if wounded, no longer turns towards the hunter, but, having poked, continues to run away. But if you decide to hit a big one from 5 - 7 meters and only wound him, look for a big tree and remember all the Saints. Ten to one that a wounded animal will come at you! So, gentlemen, beginners, drive away your bravado and make the decision to shoot as soberly and calmly as possible.
How to shoot wild boars while hunting
Now about how to shoot wild boars. I don’t use night optics or a flashlight and I don’t sit in hiding all night until dawn. If you have thoroughly analyzed everything stated here, then your conclusion should be the following: if all the calculations are accurate (dwelling site, transitions, feeding field, hiding place), the wild boars will be at your sight even at dusk. Of course, this result does not always happen; for example, the same wind can become a hindrance. In addition, if wild boar hunts in a given area are carried out frequently and the deterrent factor is very high, then the animals come out to feed very late. But hunting is hunting!
In the thick twilight, the reticle against the background of a black boar is very poorly visible, and more often not visible at all, but this does not mean that an effective shot is impossible here. I calculated one technique a long time ago and have been using it for many years when hunting wild boar. This method is effective only as long as you can at least see something through the sight. You will only need to remember as accurately as possible the place where in the sight circle there is (depending on the reticle pattern) the top of the stump, the check mark or the crosshair point. If the sky is not stormy and the darkness is not pitch-black, then for a very long time after sunset the silhouette of the animal is at least slightly visible in the sight, and that is already enough. As soon as the animal enters the field, aim at the light oats to see a clear circle; this is possible against the background of light oats or snow. Then you quickly move the sight to the boar; against its dark background, the aiming reticle is no longer visible, but you remember the crosshair point well. All that remains is to combine the crosshair stored in memory with the silhouette of a wild boar (its shoulder blade) - and you can shoot. But before this you need to practice shooting at a target for several evenings. Draw a silhouette of a wild boar on plywood with black paint, place it on the field and practice in different periods of twilight, analyzing the results and making the necessary adjustments. If before these exercises you are already accustomed to your carbine and optics, then after a maximum of 5 evenings you can forget about the drawn wild boar and safely shoot at a live target. Many of my friends (whom I taught) have been doing this for a long time, and quite well. What's worse about you?
And one more tip for boar hunting: To see better and longer at dusk, try not to look towards the sunset. This part of the sky is always the lightest, and when looking from it to dark side The eyes need considerable time for maximum adaptation, which may not be enough if the animal suddenly emerges. Personally, when sitting in the blind, if possible, I always try to look at the darkest part of the field and rely more on my ears.
Boar hunting on a full moon
Now about the behavior of wild boars during the full moon. No, I did not meet sleepwalkers among them, and I do not know about any psychological influence of this heavenly body on them. If the sky is overcast or overcast, then you can safely ignore absolutely all phases of the moon - this will not affect the hunt. But with a clear sky and a full (bright) moon, there is no point in planning a wild boar hunt in the fields. Wild boars never go out into illuminated spaces; most likely, they are alarmed or even frightened by the very bright light of the full moon, although other reasons are possible. On the two previous and two subsequent days of the full moon, this rule works identically. Even as a child, I repeatedly observed how wild boars feeding on oats immediately left the fields when the full moon appeared on the horizon. In some cases, when the field is closely adjacent to the forest, and the moon rises from the side of the forest, wild boars can still linger for a short time in the strip of shadow cast by the trees. But this rarely happens; as a rule, the animals immediately go into the forest or bushes and continue to feed there, tearing up the turf.
Hunting on a boar trail or at boar crossings
If you wish, you can hunt at wild boar crossings; this is the second method that I told you about at the beginning of my story. Wild boars use crossings not only in winter, but also in summer and in certain places with amazing accuracy and frequency. These transitions are easy to find.
The most reliable place to search can be considered the exit of the wild boar from the resting place to the fodder fields. There may be several such exits, but you need to concentrate on the path that animals use most often. This main path is always marked by almost completely cleared grass. Similar paths can be found not only at the exit from the wild boars’ roosting areas, but also in those woodlands along which the animals go to the food fields. Where you wait for the wild boars is up to you, but I must warn you that in the summer there are always a lot of mosquitoes near the swamp, and using chemicals is unacceptable because of their strong and pungent smell.
The time of this boar hunt (if you do not use a flashlight or NVG) is very short, since it always gets dark very quickly in the bushes, but on a full moon the light usually breaks through the trees and is enough to see the fly. When there was a full moon during crossings, I always hunted not with a carbine, but with a gun. You have to shoot from a very short distance. In such conditions, a heavy turbine bullet will put even a large boar in its place with a very large guarantee. The main condition that provides the main guarantee of success is that the wind must blow parallel to the path towards you.
Wild boars walk along the trails very quickly and without special precautions. You almost always have to shoot short, leaving very little time to assess the situation. I already foresee how some, who have calculated how to outwit the wind, have realized here that on such a path, so as not to feed mosquitoes and not strain their eyes in the dark, it is easier and simpler to place a crossbow or nooses. Of course, I will not be able to prevent this criminal recklessness, but I must warn you: even a gun hanging on the wall sometimes shoots, and a weapon left guarded in the forest can lead to tragedy. Measure seven times, is it worth taking such a sin on your soul because of a ghostly piece of meat? Although need sometimes doesn’t push a person to do that. And yet... Happy hunting everyone!
Night hunt in many ways more productive than the daytime one. The wild boar is more active at night, and at this time it is easier for dogs to find it using fresh tracks. At night, the wild boar is less afraid of dogs and, under the light of a lantern, can allow a shot even when approaching in the wind. And even if you have to shoot at 10-20 meters, and at the greenery and closer - all these are emotions.
Night hunting is a guarantee of meeting the beast, a stronger perception of the hunting process and saving time for the modern hunter. When planning a night hunting route, you need to know in advance where to look for wild boar. Fruit-bearing oak and cedar are preserved mostly in the upper areas, where, apart from the north, the undergrowth is relatively rare and where, especially if frightened, the wild boar decides to go out only under the cover of darkness and, in case of danger, immediately goes to the bottom of the springs.And if the main food is on the tops of the springs and their capes, in search of a herd it is more practical to walk on top of them, and not, for greater convenience, to walk along their tops. This is also due to the fact that a wild boar attacked by dogs from the top will have a greater chance of having time to escape into the overgrown bottoms. Seeing this opportunity, the boar makes a decision faster and can take off even before the dogs come running. And there is a pattern to this. The more real this possibility is, the faster he makes a decision and prefers to flee.During this time, he can immediately go down 1 - 2 km, which is why the entire hunt will last for another 1 - 2 hours. It is almost impossible for dogs to stop him at a gallop. Especially at night, and even through thickets. Moreover, having fallen, he initially does not react to painful grips. It’s another matter when, having gotten tired and realizing the futility of his attempts to get away from the dogs, the wild boar is forced to periodically stop and, in defense, prefers to chase them in one place.
But if the dogs attack the boar from the bottom and even during the search, as long as they have time to block its retreat to the bottom, it, like a slow-witted one, spins around in one place longer. Don't be confused, this is not during the day. Not every dog will dare to crush even a pig at night. And even as a couple, they rarely take on last year’s year. The main thing for them is to find the boar and stop it with their annoying presence. And only after the shot they go for “dabbing” indiscriminately.Of course, anything can happen, but in all my night hunts under wild boar, not a single dog died!Having twisted the boar, the dogs immediately change the tactics of their behavior and show aggression only when he tries to get away from them, not just to the bottom, but to find somewhere to stick his butt into the turnout, etc.
Not daring to leave right away and having calmed down somewhat, the boar more noticeably perceives not only the rare dog bites, but even their presence. And a situation is created when it is more profitable for him to stand or circle in place than to try to go down. The dogs also understand this, and therefore do not become impudent, and, surrounding him, bark at him at a distance. Once the dogs spin the boar and he calms down, they will be able to keep him in place until the morning.
How quickly they find it will depend on the breadth of their search, but if they hover a kilometer away from you, they can get it in 20 - 30 minutes. That's why you have to choose where to wander in search of him. Along the tops, where it is more convenient, or along the slopes of the keys, where it is more reliable.
The lower limit of the growth of oak and cedar tracts extends along the thickets of floodplain undergrowth, which even in southern forests can reach the lower third of their slopes. This must be taken into account, and when moving along the slope, do not descend below the upper edge of these wilds. If the key, although long, is not wide, and the dogs have time to examine it on both sides, it will be more practical to walk through its floodplain. And if so, along the old portage from former logging operations. If the slopes are wide, it is more practical to loop your route and examine first one side of the key “there”, then the other “back”.
You can also use taiga roads to search for wild boar. At the tops of the springs, they are often laid along the junction of the edge of floodplain thickets and the beginning of capes that go to the top of the slopes. And if they are not short, this will not only be the most convenient route, but also practical, waiting for the dogs to pull the boar right under their feet... Having heard that the dogs at the top have found a boar, the first thing you need to do is stand under its possible move to the bottom and only then rise to bark. If there are two people together, you need to go around both sides at once. And the closer to the barking, the closer to converge.
If the dogs find a wild boar at the top of the cape, it can descend along any of its slopes, most likely along the most overgrown one. But don't rush. By barking, first determine exactly which one. But even if the dogs find a wild boar and not on a flat slope, you should not run away from each other on the climb further than 200-300 meters. Without having time to immediately go to the bottom, the wild boar, if it breaks down during unsuccessful approaches, will be no further than a hundred meters and, squeezed out from the bottom, goes to the top in zigzags. Therefore, even when hiding, the distance between suitable ones should not exceed 150 meters. But with the indispensable condition that the boar be between them. Then, even if it breaks away from one, the boar will only go in the direction of the other and, having found its bearings by barking, there will always be a chance to once again manage to get under its move.Taking into account the fact that the boar will strive to go to the bottom at any opportunity, it is more practical to almost reach his intended move than to go over.
If you startle a wild boar, do not rush to follow it. Perhaps the partner did not have time to intercept his move, and, having taken off again, the boar can pass above him.
Having stopped and choosing a new place for better settling, the boar can take another step along the way. Knowing this, even having managed to intercept its move, you would sometimes stand without turning on the flashlight and wait for the boar to come up for a point-blank shot. You can hear it standing there for half a minute, scaring the dogs and getting closer and closer. All we have to do is wait. And then you look, his partner’s flashlight flashed after him. And he’s still on the move - he’s chattering, he’s in a hurry to catch up. Any wild boar will wait, it will break into a trot again, or even a gallop, and even if it passes 5 - 7 meters, you will not always have time to shoot accurately. And what remains but for the mother of the unlucky partner to again, running around, intercept the boar’s move...
In such cases, when a wild boar rushes towards its partner, you should not follow its trail. Even if his partner spooks him and turns him around, the boar will not return on his own trail, but will go higher at an angle. Knowing this, it would be more practical to first walk a little forward, and only then turn to barking. If the boar manages to approach the overgrown bottoms for the last push, the dogs will not be able to hold it for long. And he will leave in the most direct line. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is to have time to intercept his move, taking into account this possibility, at a distance of no more than 30-50 meters from each other. Only after this can you try to approach him for a shot or squeeze him into clearer areas.
It’s another matter when the dogs spin the boar right at the top. If it is far from the overgrown bottoms, knowing the terrain, the wild boar can decide to make a dash even a hundred meters, and will break through in clear places into the overgrown tops of the next spring. Especially on moonlit nights, when, seeing better, the dogs begin to become impudent for no reason and thereby provoke him into deciding to break into a move. Having broken loose, the boar gallops away in as straight a line as possible. The flatter the top, the more likely he will choose a straight line. Anticipating such a possibility, one needs to intercept his move over the top in advance. It is also taken into account that along the steep top of the slope the wild boar will begin to climb towards the floodplain, and not to the top of the spring into which it will break through. But, again, if he doesn’t notice that he was passed over by the lower classes. If your partner from below spooks the boar again, you will have to shoot it on the move. Therefore, you should not wait for such an opportunity, but, having intercepted the boar’s move over the top, you need to be the first to approach it.The one remaining below must wait and give his partner the opportunity to intercept the boar’s move on top and only after that move closer. But again, the first step is to block the boar’s possible retreat to the bottom.On such a hunt, everything must be agreed upon in advance. The one who is closer to it, or, if the boar is already frightened, the one who is more comfortable entering from the leeward side, goes to intercept the boar’s move from above.
On clear tops, the boar is more timid, but if the dogs do not come close, it more often breaks loose when it detects an approach from below. When the wild boar crosses clean areas, and even on bright nights, the “bug guards” who aggressively work on it quickly put it in its place. A few grabs are enough and, having stopped, the boar begins to spin in place in defense. And even the presence of a hunter discovered by him at this time is secondary in his perception. At night, the wild boar is less timid; the main thing for him is to protect himself from dogs. So there will be time to approach the shot. But it happens that your nerves give in and, fearing for the dogs, you try to quickly get closer to the wild boar and “dash” through any thicket. Until he figures it out, in poor visibility, sometimes he has to shoot at 3-5 meters. That's why in such conditions best weapon there will be a short-barreled and practical large-caliber and therefore “killer” double-barreled shotgun in the thickets.Boar is one thing. But, in order not to be left without eyes, you cover them with the forearm of your left hand extended forward. So that it does not interfere with the view and is slightly below eye level. Then, if any small branches touch your face, it will be in passing. And if you come back with meat, then there will be no more questions...
But branches are okay. With such a “jerk”, you need to be especially careful and avoid the visible silhouettes of large fir trees in advance, on the trunks of which dry and thin knots sometimes remain until the very butt. At night, the boar is slow-witted. Even when he senses the presence of a hunter nearby, he does not immediately have time to make an appropriate decision. This, in principle, is the basis for the success of the “jerk”.But everything has its limit. A wild boar can also stand in such thickets that one can literally become entangled in them, get stuck, or get caught in a gun, and this is an unjustified risk.Of course, this is a matter of chance. But to be on the safe side, plan your approach under the cover of large trees if possible. And even when approaching “as it happens,” keep nearby trees in mind. Anything can happen, you can miss even when shooting point-blank, it’s a matter of chance. Especially if you come from below. Spurred by a shot, blinded, a boar can, even without malicious intent, rush into the light of a lantern if it faces it with its snout. And to be on the safe side, after shooting, you need to not only have time to turn it off immediately, but also jump behind the nearest barrel and only then reload.
It is possible to have time for a shot with a jerk if even the “berlozhniki” spin the boar, and more than once, if there is enough “gunpowder”. The boar, even under them, if not frightened, sometimes moves no further than 20-30 meters. And if they spin it on a small overgrown “patch”, they will drive it from one corner to another for half the night. One way or another, such running around is a consequence of unbridled desires or lack of experience, and as an exception it is justified if the dogs, even excellent “detectives”, are not sticky in their work in any style and, having “braked” several times, abandon the boar. But if there are no problems with this, it’s not worth the risk, even if the dogs are aggressive in their work. It happens that he steps on something, knocks him down along the way, or even crushes him after a shot - all this is a matter of an unintentional accident. But the death of even “bugbears” at night is a relative rarity.At night, their selectivity of behavior in relation to a stopped boar is heightened. Having stopped him, often even with their aggressive importunity, they prefer to stay at a safe distance, helping the hunter’s silent approach with their incessant barking. And if the dogs are sticky at work, there will be plenty of time for this.It even happens that one “berlozhnika” will find a wild boar somewhere behind the station and not be heard. And if he doesn’t return for a long time, you already know that somewhere he’s chasing someone. But where? You climb out onto the nearby top and there she is, barking in place for several hours now...
There was such a thing. It’s already getting light, I’m approaching the dacha, there’s about a kilometer left. The puppies ran ahead, and the wind grabbed Baikal - across the floodplain and into the hills. I waited a little - silence. Well, I think who, besides the goats, might scare them and come back, not for the first time... I didn’t take Nika that time. I come, and she doesn’t even look at me, she’s offended. Well, okay, tied the puppies up and went to bed. In the evening I went out, but Baikal was still not there. I looked at Nika, and she kept whining towards the hills. I listened: just then it struck - Baikal is barking!.. I let the dogs down there too. And how he drove the boar into a swamp and spent the whole day around - ah, oh. And it’s not intrusive, it seems, but I don’t want to expose my butt. The boar even went to rest! So don't rush to run to the barking. Let the dogs calm the boar. And as soon as they spin in one place, orient yourself relative to the terrain and only then approach.
If a wild boar decides to rush through the top of a spring and does not linger even at the overgrown top of the next one, it means that it intends to break through to the opposite slopes of the water-dividing station. And if he has time, he will go to the very bottom. However, this rarely happens. Wild boar is more often found on the slopes of capes than at the very tops of springs, especially water-dividing ones. And if he is driven there by a dozen or more failed approaches, then who is to blame?Anticipating such a breakthrough, at the last stops from the top, the first thing you need to do is intercept the movement of the boar from the top and, already at the distance of an aimed shot from each other, while descending, approach it while barking.Being fixated on his own, a boar can make a “breakthrough” even between hunters. But taking into account the terrain - along the most straight line. And this take-off distance between them will be the most optimal in order to have time to aim and shoot even in both directions.If you don’t manage to get the boar this time, and, turning around, it goes to the bottom, then it won’t go far. Before this, he was determined to make a breakthrough through the top and he will need time to orient himself in the current situation, and, after thinking, he can either go to the bottom or make another attempt to break through to the top. In this situation, you need to trim its course on both sides.But again, if before this the boar was squeezed from the bottom and he was unable to break through the top, he will begin to rush around and may risk breaking into the nearest thickets along the slope. At night, even last-year dogs rarely dare to press. And if they twist someone, it means at least not a pig. Therefore, the attitude when approaching should be serious in advance. Primarily due to poor visibility in dense undergrowth. Therefore, there should not be thoughts such as catching a piglet to train the puppies, killing a wounded animal, etc., that is, those thoughts that, with experience, can be justified during daytime hunts.
When first approaching a wild boar, it usually does not react to the light of a flashlight. But over time, after mistakes or injuries, it begins to compare the hunter’s approach with the flashlight beam and, breaking down, goes beyond the limits of his visibility. In such cases, you need to immediately turn off the flashlight or direct its beam downwards, and the faster, the sooner the boar will stop. You need to approach such a boar in the dark, and in the absence of the moon or stars, shine the light not on the sides or in its wake, but at your feet, and even cover the beam with your hand.
If you hear the barking, you won’t get lost, and if you walk around, you can correct the interception or trample the place for the shot in the dark or by illuminating yourself with a covered beam of a flashlight directed from the wild boar.
Deciding at what point to light the boar is another matter. On the one hand, there is a fear of being under it. Especially if he is wounded or let him pass without a shot. On the other hand, there is a fear of covering it earlier and giving it the opportunity to get away with it. What should I do? Find your bearings by barking. In the thickets, the boar's movement is slowed down, and the dogs lag behind it no further than 5-10 meters. Consequently, the boar will be closer to their barking at the same distance. And even if the dog is alone, it can get confused somewhere, etc. and shut up for a while. But the dogs only chase him from behind. Therefore, nearby noise can only be from a wild boar. With the incessant barking of several dogs, the approach of a wild boar may not be heard. But the dogs chase him together, that is, from one side, and when they spin, they attack only from different sides. It remains to calculate their average.
Even at a shooting distance, it may be difficult to distinguish a wild boar from dogs. And, as a result, missed opportunities. If you are not colorblind, this will not be a problem. Under the beam of a flashlight, a dog's eyes reflect blue, like a goat's, and a wild boar's - red, like a bear's... A separate topic, but at night he also lets you get close and, in principle, it doesn’t matter who you shoot.
In the taiga, and even on such hunts, you can’t count on more than 1-2 aimed shots. The dogs immediately go for the “give”. And okay, if you miss, they will run away as soon as they rush in. But they will go to the wounded animal without hesitation. So imagine what could happen to them if you get hurt by a cleaver. Yes, even from some “small bullet” caliber 7.62 mm, etc. But even a non-lethal hit to the body with a 12-gauge bullet causes a short-term painful shock, during which time you can always manage to finish off the wounded animal.
For fear of hitting the dog with a shot, they only shoot with a bullet. Because of these same precautions, it happens that you have to push them apart with your trunks and finish off the wounded animal at point-blank range.
When shooting at night, skillful self-illumination plays an important role. This is not the case when shooting “from a branch”, when, having adjusted, you can shoot at the aimed beam of a flashlight fixed on the barrel. And even a rigid fastening under it is inappropriate with the parfors approach. You can, if you don’t pull out the flashlight if it gets caught somewhere, then deregulate the parallelism of the beam with the barrels and shoot “in that direction.” In thickets, it is more practical to shoot with one hand and use the other to highlight the aiming bar of the gun and wild boar. A miner's type flashlight is practical in this regard; charging it is enough for 2-3 hunts. Its battery is carried in the outer pocket of the backpack, and the reflector on a clothespin is attached to the front of clothing so that it shines under your feet, does not interfere, and is always at hand.
The frightened boar does not stand still for long, just a few seconds, and, having adapted to the light, breaks away. But this time can be lengthened if you periodically turn on the flashlight to blind it. But in the best case, you shouldn’t count on more than 1-2 minutes. An illuminated cleaver's head is always lowered down, and its fangs stick out as if from the ground. This is his starting position so that, while defending himself “blindly” from dogs, he has time to turn around and swing his head. And if he comes straight into the beam, and only his eyes are visible, you need to shoot between them or a little higher.
The boar can stand sideways and will “shine” with only one eye. But, knowing the direction of his move, it will not be difficult to calculate which side his body will be on and, based on the level of the illuminated eye, calculate the horizontal aiming point. A pig has nothing to chop dogs with. Defending herself, she catches them with her mouth. And the location of her eyes, in any case, will be at the level of the upper third of her chest.However, such problems with aiming only happen as a result of negligent hunting preparations: they forgot to recharge the flashlight battery, adjust the focus of a new reflector, etc. It happened that the wiring started sparking somewhere or something else happened...
There was still business at school. I entered the taiga in the light and it was just getting dark, I prepared a flashlight and turned it on - but the light bulb in it was burnt out. At least come back... Okay, I grabbed a flashlight with a square battery, but that one also turned out to be dead. While he was rising to the top, there was still light, but as soon as he reached the plateau, he sat down at once. What was left was to go back. And here it’s not just that the dogs found it, the herd found it itself. The dogs are young and it’s hard to understand who is chasing whom. You can’t see beyond 5 meters, and then only for 3-4 seconds, then the flashlight starts to go out noticeably again, you have to turn it off and wait until it recharges. I chose an oak tree to make it easier to climb. No matter where I shine the light, only my eyes can be seen. In short, I suffered enough... In order not to shoot each other on the approach, you need to constantly monitor the location of your partner using the beam of his flashlight. If he decides to intercept the boar’s progress “in the dark,” in order not to get shot, he must control its trajectory by the light of his partner’s always-on flashlight and the barking of dogs.In such a situation, the partner should slow down his approach and give him the opportunity to look around the place. It would not be shameful to walk in and stand behind a tree trunk. Anything can happen. The boar has already moved, and you are in the trajectory of the shot. Then prove who is more to blame. But this is hunting! You stand and count the shots and only then turn on the flashlight and jump out from behind the tree.
If you decide to take such a risk, that’s one thing. But a partner who has lost sight of you must follow not only the beam of his flashlight, but also look around. Otherwise, it may “get lost” in the orientation of what is happening and even get wedged between you and the boar. Seeing this, all that remains is to silently swear at him and, by blinking his flashlight, hope to attract his attention and correct the direction of his approach.
Yuri Vasilenko
Batya and I are used to hunting geese in our native Altai fields, where everything is dear and familiar since childhood. But this year our Altai leadership was nervous about the opening of the hunt. After much unrest and torment, the hunt was opened, but only for 3 days, from April 12 to 13. Well, at least that way...
The vouchers went on sale two days before the opening and there were queues for them. After several hours of waiting, the documents were received. All our hunting scrub was collected a long time ago, all that remains is to load it into Nyvka and move into the fields.
We left the day before the hunt opened in order to decide on a place. The drive to the treasured places is not far, about 200 km. The path to the hunting grounds did not inspire optimism, the fields were covered in snow, the goose was not visible. Having arrived in the hunting area, it became clear that we were not at all alone) Everywhere you look, there are cars, people walking and everyone is waiting. After wandering around the area, we found a place free of snow and decided to stop. We, of course, thoroughly set about preparing the secrets, but that was not the case. In past years, hunting opened at the end of April, by this time the ground had warmed up and you could calmly dig a trench and camouflage it, where you consider the most accessible place. That same year, the ground was frozen and all attempts to dig in were useless. This made adjustments to our placement; we had to move to the edge of the field and dig in in the snow. The evening went well, with tea and barbecue.
Morning has come. We took our seats before sunrise and began to wait. We waited diligently for the goose. At night, the sound of cackling overhead was heard almost continuously. And in the morning there is no one.
An hour after dawn the world began to stir. Shots began to be heard. Silhouettes of geese sometimes appeared on the horizon, but it was clear in our direction. Already when disappointment filled all thoughts, a barely noticeable chain stretched from the forest planting, which increased over time. Oh yeah. It's them. 8 pcs. They walked a little to the side, but gradually moved towards my hiding place. I was completely huddled in the snow and couldn’t breathe. Having passed over his head, he began to shoot. Knocked out 2 geese. Happiness knew no bounds. All. The hunt was a success. The quota for two has been met. Which I hastened to tell Bata. He was pleased, because... has been going hunting for a long time to communicate with her. With age, I began to feel sorry for the birds and animals.
But you can’t leave after 3 hours of hunting. I took the seagulls into hiding and just watched. There were several more raids, but the geese only got the clicks of the camera. After lunch we started getting ready to go home, because... there was a lot to do. And although the hunt turned out to be short, it brought a lot of positive emotions.
- 1 answer
Are there any goosenecks on the forum? Having tried this hunt once, I became “sick” of it forever, it’s not even a duck, when a couple of hundred geese are rushing at you;
Woodcock hunting
Woodcock hunting is the most interesting and exciting sport and recreational hunting with a gun.
A distinctive feature of this process is its accessibility to every person who wants to hunt. Woodcock is distributed almost throughout the country; it is for this reason that the woodcock has become a very popular bird for hunting. The competitive element of hunting this bird attracts a variety of hunters: both urban and rural. Young novice hunters also take great pleasure in looking for woodcock habitats, and experienced hunters will never miss an evening without going and shooting at wood sandpiper in their leisure time.
Woodcock lives and nests in forested areas, so it is in the forest that the main hunting processes take place: the bird is hunted in spring, autumn, on bird flights, with dogs through mud and water - and all this against the backdrop of a stunning forest landscape.
The hunting hobby allows the hunter to get closer to the Russian forest, the inhabitants of the thickets, and unique natural landscapes. Here, not only a love for hunting and all its moments is fostered, but also a love for the magnificent, unique Russian nature with its splendor, bright colors and originality.
This book tells about the ways and methods of hunting woodcock. The publication was created thanks to thirty years of experience in hunting wood sandpipers in various parts of the vast country. The author’s task was to show novice hunters the uniqueness of this bird, talk about its habits, nesting and migration conditions, how to prepare and equip for such a difficult but exciting activity as woodcock hunting. The author shares hunting techniques, methods of high-quality shooting, features necessary equipment and dog breeds that will become the best helpers in this activity.
The book will help both the novice hunter and the experienced professional: it will reveal the secrets of wood sandpiper hunting and the most intimate secrets of this unusual hobby.
Hunting for swamp and meadow game is truly sport hunting. It requires strength, endurance and accurate, fast shooting. Walking through a muddy swamp, when the ground shakes under your feet and with every wrong step the hunter falls deep into the shaky soil, is not an easy task and is only accessible to a well-trained athlete. Shooting many representatives of swamp and meadow game is extremely difficult. The swift-winged snipe is especially distinguished in this regard, a shot at which is rightly considered the most difficult shot at a game bird. It is not for nothing that hunters consider a good shooter to be the one who successfully shoots snipe.
A hunter who has mastered the technique of shooting swamp and meadow game, who has thoroughly studied its habits and methods of hunting, can easily switch to other types of feather hunting. And, conversely, a hunter who does not know swamp hunting and does not know how to shoot swamp game cannot consider himself a full-fledged, mature hunter.
This book is intended to help the novice hunter study the life and habits of swamp and meadow game, and master all the methods and techniques of hunting it. The book tells about all the main representatives of swamp and meadow game that live in our country. These include: snipe, great snipe, woodcock, corncrake, all types of marsh hen, moorhen, rail, gray partridge *, quail, lapwing and numerous representatives of the waders family. Brief biological information is provided for each of these birds and the methods of hunting it are described. In addition, the book gives a number of tips to young hunters on the equipment and equipment of a hunter for swamp and meadow game, provides the necessary information about guns and shooting, about dogs used in swamp and meadow hunts, and also covers other issues that everyone should know novice hunter.
You can get your trophy not only during daylight hours, but also at night, when many animals lead an active lifestyle, for example, in this case, the wild boar. Certainly, this method is characterized by its complexity, and the first problem is that a person cannot see at night without assistive devices. In today’s article we will talk about how to hunt in the dark and not be left without a trophy, we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages.
What methods do they hunt at night?
When dusk comes wild boars They begin to show activity, also at night and at dawn. In the summer, wild boars can be seen before sunset, when they go out to feed; in the winter, most often in the second half of winter, herds of wild boar can be seen during the day.
This is due to the difficult situation and difficult conditions associated with food and its search, which is why they look for food in the daytime. Hunters often prefer night hunting In the daytime, a hungry animal will look for food for itself; this is due to its nature.
There are two main methods of hunting at night: this from the approach and with sit-ins. For example, approach hunting can be carried out on oats. We have already discussed these methods in detail on our portal, we advise you to familiarize yourself with them:
Read how a real hunt is conducted with an approach.
This article is a must read for everyone, but especially for those who want to hunt at night, because it talks about hunting using a thermal imaging device.
In each article you will learn a lot of new and useful material and you will no longer have any questions.
Now let's briefly talk about some methods of hunting wild boars. It can be carried out as we have already said from the approach. It is best to spend it on those nights when the moon is shining brightly and the sky is not overcast, but if it is also winter, then there is no better time.
Moonlight will illuminate the path in front of the hunter quite well, making it possible to use an under-barrel flashlight, thermal imager or night vision scope much less often. You will still have to take some of what was listed with you; the cost of the gadgets is another matter.
If, for example, a flashlight mounted on barrels will cost relatively little, then a thermal imager or night vision sight will be significantly more expensive, the price here often reaches the cost of a foreign-made car, not to mention the fact that for this money you can buy several native cars auto industry
But, this is everyone’s business, we will not touch on the issue of cost, all this really makes the process of hunting wild boar easier, which is what the hunter needs.
Hunting wild boar at night from the approach: what you need to remember and keep in mind
If you are involved in approach hunting, then at a minimum you should have a reliable and powerful flashlight.
Everything is as usual, you should dress in fabric that does not rustle, there should be no odors coming from the hunter, neither he nor his equipment should create extraneous noise. Boars hear very well and have a good sense of smell.
But their eyesight has let them down, so you shouldn’t think that wild boars will notice you 20-30 meters away. You can easily get within shooting distance of them if you don’t make any sounds and don’t scare the animal off with your smell.
The solutions here are simple: don’t make any noise and try to approach them from the leeward side, not giving the herd of wild boars a chance to smell you.
Before shooting, you need to be sure that the fire is not directed at a pig with piglets. After you have come within shooting distance, and the wild boars are peacefully eating, turn on your under-barrel flashlight and fire at the selected target.
The experience of hunters shows that this method is best for hunting alone. This is the very case when it is difficult to conduct a quiet hunt for a couple.
From a stand or tower in the dark: nuances and subtleties
This method covers several different methods at once, it can be hunting from a stand in the forest or from a tower in the field. In their preparations they will not differ in almost anything. Again, we remember what was written in the previous chapter and do everything exactly the same.
The only thing I would like to mention is the use of a thermal imager or night sight. These gadgets will help you a lot, with them the process will be much more pleasant and faster, not to mention the fact that its effectiveness will be much higher.
Of course, determine boar floor It’s quite difficult at night, and after turning on the flashlight there is less and less time to shoot.
There is a possibility of not getting hit at all, or getting caught, or even worse, injuring boar. Therefore, the use of the above devices, if not absolutely necessary, is very desirable. It remains to add a few words from experience.
If you sit on a bench, then make it as comfortable and durable as possible. Don't forget to make a stand for your feet and trunk. The fence, as well as the tower, should not creak or make extraneous sounds.
During the cold season, be sure to dress as warmly as possible, as the wait can last 3-4 hours or more.
With the first gun I had just bought - a smooth-bore semi-automatic MP-153, loaded alternately with bullets and buckshot (don’t ask why this was so, then it seemed right to me), I took a position before dark in the branches of a spreading ancient oak tree in the middle of a narrow and long strip of field , sandwiched on both sides by forest. Once upon a time there was a farm here: around you can still find the remains of half-overgrown cellar pits and the rubble of huts that once stood. A local resident is still alive who claims to have been born in one of those houses.
The forest animal loves this narrow and long forest clearing. There are acorns, fruit trees from former gardens, and a watering pond at the edge of the clearing. A good place, in a word, for both wild boar and roe deer. Irregular feeding of corn near the oak tree and traces of fresh digging gave some hope for success. And so I climbed onto the oak tree, loaded the Em-Erku, doused myself with mosquito repellent and began to wait. Around eight or nine in the evening, late August or September. Light, warm, comfortable. But... nothing can be heard because of the terribly loud and endless quack, or, more correctly, the cod of a meadow bird unknown to me, a novice hunter. This small and invisible crap hides in the grass and tries so hard to create a sound background that after a while bad thoughts begin to come to my mind about how to eliminate it. You see, I’m here trying to listen to the sounds of the forest and the cracking of branches under the hoof of an approaching wild boar, and this, if I may say so, bird, not knowing fatigue, quacks as loud as it can, creating an impenetrable noise barrier. The twitcher, also known as the corncrake, throughout the evening evoked in my mind images of avian genocide using explosives and napalm.
This is why we love hunting. A wave of adrenaline pumped into the blood at the sight of an animal. The boar appeared at a distance of about fifty meters. There was a noise in my temples. First hunt with my own gun... No experience... More precisely, as they will say now, there is, but theoretical. The boar is clearly wary of something and is in no hurry to approach the bald patch with corn under the oak tree. Oh Gods! How slow and careful were my movements to lift the gun from my knees and remove it from the safety! The boar, meanwhile, having looked around and not recognizing danger in the camouflage spot in the oak tree crown, began to slowly approach - come on, dear! Although my adrenaline is going through the roof, I am collected and waiting...
When the sound of the shot died down, an unusual silence reigned around the ears. This corncrake finally shut up, the bastard. And the boar lies. But the adrenaline doesn’t let me in, and my pulse is under 200... I sat, breathed and started calling the rangers: “Take them off, they say.” And in response: “It’s too early. You just got locked up. Sit still." I had to explain what was what... That’s how my hunting specialization was determined.
Old school hog hunters are typically avid dog owners. Hounds, huskies of all breeds, yagdas... Everyone praises the breed of their dog. On collective, that is, driven hunts, dog walkers are held in high esteem. Success and results depend on the work of their wards. They go with their dogs to the pen and often use the right of the “first night”, shooting the animal right in the pen from under the dogs. As a resident of Moscow, I was never blessed with my own hunting dog. And instead of a dog, I began to look for other ways to increase the yield of individual wild boar hunting. An incident that happened to me a month later finally convinced me of the need to take up equipment and completed my transformation into a night hunter.
Early October. First night frosts. The slimy clay primer is set by frost and crunches into an icy crust underfoot. My father-in-law and I walk slowly along the edge of the cornfield, stepping carefully so that we can hear the wild boars crunching the ripe cobs. They had already tried to mow the corn field, but because of the muddy conditions, they only mowed it with a “comb”, leaving equally wide strips of corn and swaths between them. Approaching the edge of the field to a place where we could clearly hear the cracking of breaking stems and the grunting of the herd, we stopped. A small shiver ran through her, either from the cold or from tension. We decided that my father-in-law would stay here, and I would go through the swath and “push” the wild boars towards him. We only shoot when someone is stolen or in case of danger. I come from the corner of the field along the swath. Between me and the edge of the field there is a strip of corn about ten meters wide. I don’t remember how I walked. The only thing I remember is the moment when a boar snoring was heard right next to me, a meter away. It seemed to me then that it was the voice of some Godzilla, it was so hoarse and impressive. Turning the barrel of the gun towards the sound, I turn on the under-barrel flashlight. There is fur sticking out and moving between the corn stalks. Shot.
The weight of that yearling boar was at most fifteen kilograms... After this incident, I finally understood what I was missing. I need night vision. Such that there are no errors in determining the size and sex of the boar. To make it safe to approach, seeing and controlling the animal in the process. And I began to study the issue...
Now, more than 10 years later, when my hobby has already been transformed into a profession (the first salon of thermal imagers for hunting), I understand how many mistakes could have been avoided if I had the knowledge about night hunting that I have today...
The period before April 2014 in Russia was the heyday of night approach hunting. Then Order No. 581 of the Ministry of Natural Resources “On Amendments to Hunting Rules” came into force, effectively killing legal night hunting. But paradoxically, the new “Rules...” limited not night hunting as such, but the use of optics that allow hunters to see at night. Thus, all hunters who invested several hundred thousand rubles in night vision devices or thermal imagers immediately began to have their right to hunt at night infringed upon. According to the amendments, they were only allowed to shoot from towers. But the relatively blind “Uncle Vasya” can hunt at night from the approach without any optics or with a poor daytime sight. As a result of this ban, hunting resources were also put at risk. After all, with the help of the “gadgets” so hated by the Department, it is possible to selectively shoot those animals whose removal does not lead to damage to the population. And the ban leads precisely to mistakes, shooting at females, etc. I’m not even talking about whether the Department thought about the safety of hunters when hunting at night. It is not clear, in general, what goals were pursued.
Be that as it may, the “Rules” are what they are. And they must be respected.
However, of course, neither new rules, nor even a worldwide conspiracy can stand between a hunting enthusiast and his hobby. Thank God for hunting, in the Republic of Belarus there are no such restrictions on the use of night vision devices and thermal imagers. And hunters from the European part of the country go there regularly. And the vast majority of hunters, who live east of Moscow with a low population density and government authorities, are generally of little interest in what is written in the order of the Ministry of Natural Resources. We swam, we know...
Night hunting occurs in pairs, less often individually, or, extremely rarely, collectively. Regardless of whether you hunt at night on your own or with someone else, there are special, strict safety rules that are written in blood. And the blood is human. Reports are literally updated every month with cases of fatal injuries caused during night hunts. This is often followed by the suicide of an inconsolable hunter. Therefore, compliance with safety regulations is a vital necessity. I will list only the main points.
- Do not shoot if the target cannot be clearly identified both by sight and location. That is, we don’t shoot at noise, rustle, roar, crunch, shadow.
- To avoid accidents when moving on foot across the land, we use reflective clothing and a dim flashlight in order to identify ourselves and not be mistaken for game.
- When hunting with a partner, strictly adhere to agreements on each other’s location during movements and approaches.
- It is highly advisable to use walkie-talkies with an earpiece to communicate with your partner(s).
- Retrieval of a shot animal should be carried out exclusively carefully, using the light of lanterns. When collecting an animal in a group, move in a line, without running ahead or falling behind. When picking up a weapon, the weapon must be loaded, but have the safety on.
- If possible, use dogs when searching for and collecting animals at night.
- When picking up an animal at night with your dog(s), use a bell attached to the collar.
- Be sure to include a pocket-sized compass or navigator, as well as a fully charged phone and safety glasses. The latter, believe me, are very useful when walking through the forest at night.
Night hunting allows you to get as close to the animal as possible. This makes such hunting accessible even to owners of smooth-bore weapons, for whom the distance to reliably hit a target is limited to 50 meters. The wild boar is predominantly nocturnal. Starting in July, at dusk, the wild boar goes out to feed in the grain fields. Before this, it stays in ravines with small streams, where you can dig soft peaty soil for the sake of succulent rhizomes.
When hunting wild boar at night, there are a number of nuances that must be taken into account. Possessing not the sharpest eyesight, the wild boar has acute hearing, but the main thing is its sense of smell. When preparing for a wild boar hunt, smells should be taken into account special attention. The hunting suit and all clothing must be freshly washed. Before hunting, you should not use deodorants, colognes, etc. I personally even use mosquito repellents only after shooting. Repellents have a pungent odor and are extremely volatile. The same goes for smoking. Even when approaching a grazing boar from the leeward side, you will not notice how the breeze in the lowland or near the edge of the forest slightly changes direction and your “triple chypre” will hit the sensitive penny of the boar. The hunt will be ruined.
A couple of points regarding weapons, equipment and equipment. For hunting wild boar from the approach, any smooth caliber can be used, perhaps except for the 410, loaded with a bullet cartridge, and any rifled caliber of at least 6.5 mm. If you are hunting with a ranger, do not hesitate to hand him a tripod. Using a rest doubles the guaranteed hit distance compared to hand-held shooting.
Be sure to check the zeroing of your weapon the day before you go hunting. I would say this is one of the most important rules. Transportation, cleaning, removal and installation of the sight - everything affects the accuracy of the sight's zeroing. If you don’t get your sights on before hunting, you’ll end up following a wounded animal all night or throwing up your hands in surprise after a miss.
After accurate shot the main work begins: the trophy needs to be pulled out to where a car can drive up, loaded, transported to the base, sanded and gutted, and cut up. Liver and skin should be disposed of. Recycling, by the way, does not mean throwing it away anywhere, but burying it or burning it. These are the rules. This means that on the eve of the hunt you need to worry about where you will bury the waste, because after a night of hunting and butchering you will not have the strength to dig a hole. The presence of freezing equipment at the base where you are lucky enough to go hunting is also a prerequisite.
Russian hunting magazine, July 2016
1657
