European Wild Boar Identification

[Muskox]

A lot of the wild boar fever hunts are behind fences with stocked wild boar, or premium areas which will cost many many thousands.

Many people go on ‘typical’ driven hunts for 3 days and may not get a shot. Average maybe an animal per person per day but you will have many blank days and then get lucky. That will be a mix of boar and deer.

I have been fortunate to be invited to a few driven hunts. If you accept it more for the experience, culture, team work, then you will enjoy yourself. However, I would not go expecting to have burning hot barrels like you see in wild boar fever or any guarantees of even shooting a boar.

This is 100% accurate.

 

[skydiver386]

This is 100% accurate.

This may be true, but any group hunt is as much about being with family and making new friends.

I've been on Pheasant hunts where I never fired a shot so that my son and my nephew could get their first birds. I still have fond memories of those hunts.

I've been on boats where I caught not one single fish, but an old black gentleman who was blind from birth caught more than everyone else on that boat put together. I made some great memories on that charter boat, and met some really nice folks. I'd do it all again just to see that mans face when that rod bent over with the weight of a Walleye at the other end.

If another in my group has a smile from ear to ear because he was able to land a good shot on his first running Boar, and I see nothing but Rabbits and Squirrels, it's still been a good day of hunting.

 

[Muskox]

This may be true, but any group hunt is as much about being with family and making new friends.

I've been on Pheasant hunts where I never fired a shot so that my son and my nephew could get their first birds. I still have fond memories of those hunts.

I've been on boats where I caught not one single fish, but an old black gentleman who was blind from birth caught more than everyone else on that boat put together. I made some great memories on that charter boat, and met some really nice folks. I'd do it all again just to see that mans face when that rod bent over with the weight of a Walleye at the other end.

If another in my group has a smile from ear to ear because he was able to land a good shot on his first running Boar, and I see nothing but Rabbits and Squirrels, it's still been a good day of hunting.

Yeah that was pretty poetic, but you aren't paying $500 for hotels and gas and $1000 for the hunt multiple times over to not shoot anything.

Driven hunts are cool. When they go well, they are amazing. The vast majority of them are boring and uneventful with very small animals being shot. Rarely does a trophy come out.

In November in Hohenfels I had a stag with a broken main beam come out. I didn't have a shot until he got to the crest of a hill. Then I didn't have a back stop. Heartbreaking but what could you do.

I think if you got 1 animal every 3 drives that would be great. I paid a lot of taxes to have two red letter days in Hohenfels. Stag, hind, boar, roe.

You also don't speak German, and aren't going to build lifelong friendships on these types of hunts.

Hunting is also kind of a hidden society in Europe. You will see the high seats, a couple of times a year in the winter while driving places, you will see big driven hunts going on. But people don't talk about it, except at the hunting shows.

We have squirrels, rabbits got killed off by Tularemia years ago, we have hares though.

It is a great experience. The hunting horn before the drive. The streckeladen (display of game), and sometimes you get lucky and do get to share a meal with people on your hunt. If you are all staying in the same place. I had that last year up north. 2 Belgian guys and the Booking agent. The hotel was full of hunters. An absolutely stunning lady hunter who I am positive stepped out of a supermodel runway to get on the druckjagd.

Your family is also probably not really welcome to join you. You sit in the stand alone, mostly out of liability to keep someone who is not a hunter from getting shot.

Your family can join you on stalking hunts or high seat hunts, but on driven hunts it's more rare.

 

[375Fox]

Yeah that was pretty poetic, but you aren't paying $500 for hotels and gas and $1000 for the hunt multiple times over to not shoot anything.

Driven hunts are cool. When they go well, they are amazing. The vast majority of them are boring and uneventful with very small animals being shot. Rarely does a trophy come out.

In November in Hohenfels I had a stag with a broken main beam come out. I didn't have a shot until he got to the crest of a hill. Then I didn't have a back stop. Heartbreaking but what could you do.

I think if you got 1 animal every 3 drives that would be great. I paid a lot of taxes to have two red letter days in Hohenfels. Stag, hind, boar, roe. View attachment 744961

You also don't speak German, and aren't going to build lifelong friendships on these types of hunts.

Hunting is also kind of a hidden society in Europe. You will see the high seats, a couple of times a year in the winter while driving places, you will see big driven hunts going on. But people don't talk about it, except at the hunting shows.

We have squirrels, rabbits got killed off by Tularemia years ago, we have hares though.

It is a great experience. The hunting horn before the drive. The streckeladen (display of game), and sometimes you get lucky and do get to share a meal with people on your hunt. If you are all staying in the same place. I had that last year up north. 2 Belgian guys and the Booking agent. The hotel was full of hunters. An absolutely stunning lady hunter who I am positive stepped out of a supermodel runway to get on the druckjagd.

Your family is also probably not really welcome to join you. You sit in the stand alone, mostly out of liability to keep someone who is not a hunter from getting shot.

Your family can join you on stalking hunts or high seat hunts, but on driven hunts it's more rare.

You made a comment about Spanish Monterias being expensive, but every hunter gets shooting and most get their quota. I’ve done one. A lower cost one with lesser trophies, but for $3600 I took 4 stags, 4 hinds, and 2 boars. 24 other hunters also got their quota of stags and hinds also over the 2 days. Boars were unlimited if seen but there were not many on property. The higher end Monterias produce really nice stags. The monteria I participated in was primarily French hunters but it had many experienced hunters that have hunted all over the world and many made an effort to speak English with me. Each day started with a breakfast and drawing stands and ended with a lunch, drinks, and photos as they brought in the animals.

 

[SaintPanzer]

So my questions are "when do you want to hunt?" and "where do you want to go?"

I know of a shooting cinema in Steinenbronn, and I've shot a LOT at the JVBB range in Sindelfingen. I qualified for all of my BW Landeskeilernädel there.

If you are at all near Ulm, you can try all kinds of things at MSZU. I have a couple of Bavarian qualifications there, including the pistol qualification and the Gamsnädel. They also have an indoor trap range. If you are anywhere near Ulm, it's worth the stop... and yes, you can rent their weapons.

As far as boar identification, they are usually more "triangular" shaped, higher over the shoulders, lower at the hips. Bache are more "rectangular". Of course, if you're close enough you'll see the teeth on the boar.

The reason you don't shoot the lead Bache is the lead is the one who teaches all the others in the Rotte how to get through life. Loose her, and the Rotte is in danger.

An Überläufer is simply a youngster. Frischlings are easy to identify because of their stripes. I've been on hunts where Frischlings are off the menu, but I've never been on one where an Überläufer was verboten.

One way to tell the age difference (past the stripes phase) is an older pig will more likely (while eating) uproot the soil in deep, regular stretches, while the youngsters will be more irregular. Frischlings will be haphazard.

The reason I asked about "when and where" is because driven hunts are usually at the end of the season, as a method to round up the "final" numbers in the yearly quota. On a driven hunt, you'll not only be looking for boar, but for stag, roe, et al.

If you do not need a driven hunt, then stalking or a stand hunt is more likely, and you won't have to worry as much about a running range qualification. Stand is more likely, for numerous reasons, not the least of which is by shooting "down" from a stand you're more likely to have an adequate backstop. It will also likely be at night. You're also less likely to be gored by an angry boar with an attitude problem like you might be when stalking. The "when" on those hunts are not as seasonal dependent.

As far as "where", Germany is expensive. But you can fly into Munich (or Berlin... or other places) and drive into Poland. Call my friend Stefan at Hunt Adventure. He'll set you up. Combine it with a stag hunt, or something similar.

Oh, first pig:

 

[Muskox]

You made a comment about Spanish Monterias being expensive, but every hunter gets shooting and most get their quota. I’ve done one. A lower cost one with lesser trophies, but for $3600 I took 4 stags, 4 hinds, and 2 boars. 24 other hunters also got their quota of stags and hinds also over the 2 days. Boars were unlimited if seen but there were not many on property. The higher end Monterias produce really nice stags. The monteria I participated in was primarily French hunters but it had many experienced hunters that have hunted all over the world and many made an effort to speak English with me. Each day started with a breakfast and drawing stands and ended with a lunch, drinks, and photos as they brought in the animals.

Correct, I have not ever done one. When I lived in Spain I was a broke 20 year old enlisted kid. I hunted a couple of times on a big ranch near Sevilla, and I missed the one opportunity I had at a stag.

They are probably about the same price today as they were 30 years ago.

$3000-6000. But a bigger price should bring more quality.

Eastern European drive hunts aren't actually that much more expensive. Unless you shoot something big out of the drive.

 

[Red Leg]

One can easily book a driven boar hunt in Hungary and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. I just did so last week with Martin Neuper of FN Hunting for late November this year. We will have three days of shooting on both sides of the Austro-Hungarian border. These are free range hunts with six guns, drivers and dogs. Two days will be for wild boar and female red deer. The last day will be small game, primarily hare and pheasant. Last year's shoots were very successful, averaging forty animals each day. Thankfully, all boar classes will be open not forcing split second decisions between a mature Keiler (boar) and Baka (sow).

The base price is very reasonable, though a trophy fee is assessed on large boars.

I participated in many drive hunts in Germany back in the late seventies, but none were classic boar hunts. Yes, the occasional sounder would blow out of a thicket, but we were primarily taking hares, pheasants, and huns.

We will stay in a castle on the Hungarian side of the border - should be fun.

Last year

 

[skydiver386]

I'd be good with all of the above, as long as I don't have to drink any Palinca!

 

[skydiver386]

One can easily book a driven boar hunt in Hungary and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. I just did so last week with Martin Neuper of FN Hunting for late November this year. We will have three days of shooting on both sides of the Austro-Hungarian border. These are free range hunts with six guns, drivers and dogs. Two days will be for wild boar and female red deer. The last day will be small game, primarily hare and pheasant. Last year's shoots were very successful, averaging forty animals each day. Thankfully, all boar classes will be open not forcing split second decisions between a mature Keiler (boar) and Baka (sow).

The base price is very reasonable, though a trophy fee is assessed on large boars.

I participated in many drive hunts in Germany back in the late seventies, but none were classic boar hunts. Yes, the occasional sounder would blow out of a thicket, but we were primarily taking hares, pheasants, and huns.

We will stay in a castle on the Hungarian side of the border - should be fun.

Last year
View attachment 745176
View attachment 745177

Six guns is a small number compared to driven hunts in Spain that I'm looking at currently. Some are as many as 60 guns.

One of the primary reasons Tina feels she may not be as successful on a driven hunt is proper target identification. If anything uberlaufer and larger is allowed, she would be much more comfortable with that.

@Red Leg, do you take any of your combination guns where a mixed bag may be possible, or stick to your R8 for driven shoots?

 

[Muskox]

I would not want a combination gun on a driven hunt. Maybe if you had one of those Schering 4 barreled vierlings. Personally I'd rather have bolt gun that holds at least 5. I don't have that, I shoot my Blaser which holds 3+1 in 10,3x68. I will probably do my non-red stag possible driven hunts for the year with a 8x57 barrel. Get to 5 that way. 4+1.

 

[Nyati]

Six guns is a small number compared to driven hunts in Spain that I'm looking at currently. Some are as many as 60 guns.

Those are the more popular ones, the good ones (and more expensive) will be around 15 hunters.

 

[Red Leg]

Six guns is a small number compared to driven hunts in Spain that I'm looking at currently. Some are as many as 60 guns.

One of the primary reasons Tina feels she may not be as successful on a driven hunt is proper target identification. If anything uberlaufer and larger is allowed, she would be much more comfortable with that.

@Red Leg, do you take any of your combination guns where a mixed bag may be possible, or stick to your R8 for driven shoots?

Were we hunting just Austria, I would either take an R8 or a 9.3x74R double. Hunting both Austria and Hungary looks like more bureaucratic trouble than I care to take on. Martin's loaner is a Mauser 03 in .300 WM with which I am very familiar. However, either of the other two would be ideal.

I can not imagine a driven hunt with that many guns! If bringing a spouse, the nice thing about Austria would be spending time in Vienna and especially Innsbruck just before Christmas. I was also greatly relieved when I learned that sows were not verboten on these hunts. I should add that this will be my fifth hunt with FN and can not recommend them more highly.

 

[analog_peninsula]

My takeaway from this thread is that there’s a certain cost threshold below which you get what you get, which is usually something lackluster. Is that a reasonable conclusion? Ignoring opportunities based on personal connections, of course.

 

[Red Leg]

I'd be good with all of the above, as long as I don't have to drink any Palinca!

Have a half bottle and an untouched one on the shelf. Come by anytime.

 

[skydiver386]

Have a half bottle and an untouched one on the shelf. Come by anytime.

When one of the hunters got his Stag they gave Tina a shot of it. I thought we were going to have to take her to the Emergency room. "I can't breathe" was all I could get out of her.

 

[Red Leg]

When one of the hunters got his Stag they gave Tina a shot of it. I thought we were going to have to take her to the Emergency room. "I can't breathe" was all I could get out of her.

The stuff is a bit like mescal (not in flavor but in effect). Once past the first sip, it is an interesting drink.

 

[Muskox]

My takeaway from this thread is that there’s a certain cost threshold below which you get what you get, which is usually something lackluster. Is that a reasonable conclusion? Ignoring opportunities based on personal connections, of course.

I would say the old foreign service answer of "it depends".

I can only speak those hunts I have been on. While I have done quite a number of hunts outside of Germany in Europe, 100% of my drive hunts have been in Germany. That is where I live, so that is how it shakes out for me.

I have never been on a revier drive hunt as a member of a revier. I have never been on an invite drive hunt. Nor have I ever been on a royal hunt at a Castle.

I have only been on federal and state Forest Service, and Private Revier drive hunts, all of which I have paid between 300-1200 Euros per day.

Most Americans are going to be on a multi-day driven hunt in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia or Spain. Price will pay a huge part in determining how that hunt works. Generally more money more animals. Probably, maybe, it should be anyway.

German forest service hunts have good organization. But the smaller forest are going to be annoying, as the amount of wildlife could be a challenge.

Lackluster is a good quantifier.

I would still expect the hunting horns, and maybe the streckeladen (display of game) at the end of the hunt. Streckeladen is highly dependent on weather, if it is cold and dry. Probably. If it is not cold and dry, probably not.

I have never been on drives and seen zero game animals. I have been on lots of drives where I had one chance, and that chance never worked because of an unsafe shooting situation.

Usually it is kind of like Franz says. 3 periods of a driven hunt.

--You see animals before the dogs quietly, this is the best time.
--Then you see crazy wild animals after the dogs.
--Then about an hour after the dogs you see animals sneaking through again.

I have only been on one drive, where I saw exactly one animal. Was right after getting in the stand. That sucked. But I also did not have my thermal camera with me. No safe shot on that big boar either.

I think the thermal is invaluable. As you can see what is coming.

The best stand is one that has a protected zone behind you where animals can't sneak in. I had two stands like that in Hohenfels. Amazing.

If not you have to be constantly turning around to see all 360 degrees.

I am actually more excited about the drive hunt season next winter than I am all the stalking hunts for chamois and roe deer I have planned. All it took was Hohenfels to unlock the magic, I had been missing.

I have also watched all of Franz new videos on his YouTube channel. There is quite a bit to be learned from it.