This moment became etched in the pink sandstone of the Vosges. The end of July rang in the excellent start of a new season for the novice hunters, invited to trouble the bucks and boars in the fresh, summery pine forests.
The first stage of this season’s Leica Hunting Experience was graced with a number of firsts. For the first time ever the ratio of hunters and huntresses was perfectly even with 4 young men and 4 young women defending the feminine side of hunting! Another novelty was that before leaving for the hunt, the group of young nimrods met at the Hunter’s Federation’s underground shooting range. The president, Gérard Lang, took this occasion to wish them a good hunting career with “respect for the wild game thanks to frequent shooting practice.”
No sooner said than done, it was Heidwige who opened fire and had the chance to take her first ever buck without even having reached the blind! Some of the novice hunters also had visual contact and almost even physical contact with game, but the animals were more cunning than them. It was Heidwige who opened fire and had the chance to take her first ever buck.
The boys couldn’t stand to be beaten by the womenfolk, but despite all their efforts the masculine rifles remained silent. Robin, a young hunter coming straight from the Belgian Ardennes, assisted by Ferdinand Mogwitz (the area’s sales manager for Leica), tried everything possible, morning and evening, to get an old buck, in vain. Despite that, once returned to the holiday cottage, each participant shared their experiences and emotions with the others. Friday was used to take a closer look at the excellence of the materials made available to the participants.
The coup de grâce was given by Anne, who had the chance to execute a stalk and perfect shot on the last morning outing, accompanied by Matthieu Morel, the gentleman in charge of Leica sales in France. After 15 minutes stuck waiting in position on the shooting sticks, the buck finally presented a broadside shot. It was an emotional moment for the young Parisian, her guide and even the cameraman who accompanied her.
Girls 2 – Boys 0, yet a tied match for the 8 novices who gave their all in this game of sharing and joy amongst hunters. The next meeting is set for mid-November, for a collective hunt where more than 40 novices are awaited on the Vosges slopes.
What the participants said
Heidwige:
Stalking, hunting from a blind, these were two types of hunting that I hadn’t known. It was my first experience as a huntress and what a discovery. Philippe Jaeger, my appointed guide for the weekend, shared his passion for these hunting methods with me. On our very first outing in the blind, luck smiled down on us. Arriving at our spot for the evening, we saw a nice buck feeding in a small clearing below us. There was no time to think, I just set myself up on the shooting sticks. Excitement made me miss my first shot, but the second shot hit him well. First then did I realize that I had shot my first buck, it was an indescribable moment.
This weekend will be forever etched in my memory. Beginning my hunting career in an area so beautiful, having discovered hunting from a blind, stalking, and the use of calls. Thanks to my super guide I learnt that even a small twig can make us miss a shot opportunity. I learnt to observe the forest, the wind direction, and scrapes left by the bucks to mark their territory.
Anne:
My experience in the Leica hunting area was a wonderful adventure. The different stalks and blinds occupied in the outings were more than interesting thanks to the complexity of the area and the dense forests.
In addition, I had the chance to complete a magnificent stalk on a very nice buck. Not having much stalking experience, my guide Matthieu knew how to explain things and put me in the best situations and positions, which allowed me to harvest this little prince of the forest. A big thank you to the organizers and various guides for their hospitality and passion.
Robin:
If you would like to witness an unforgettable experience in a magnificent surrounding, an amicable and convivial ambience, take part in this Vosges trip, which proved to be an unmissable choice.
I will never know how to thank the organizers of this hunt enough. Thanks to them my passion for hunting grows more and more with each day.
Matthieu:
The different outings consisted of evening sits in a blind and morning stalks. I had the chance to spot two does in two stalks, but there was no buck in close proximity. In the course of the various outings that we carried out, we benefited from the guides’ experience and exchanged conversation regarding our hunting habits. I particularly appreciated the conviviality of the trip and discovering a magnificent territory, including its changing hues with the sunrise and sunsets.
With a memory full of snapshots and new friendships that we found on this trip, I would like to thank the collective of participants and more specifically Philippe Jaeger for his top notch organization. I would also like to thank the representatives from Leica, Ruag Ammotec, Lilian: the creator of the 4 stablestick shooting sticks, Philippe Viboud and Julien: the founder of the “J’aime la chasse” Facebook page.
Kevin:
The Leica Hunting Experience was an exceptional opportunity directed at novice hunters. For 3 days we developed our stalking skills and practiced hunting from a blind in a magnificent biotope, in the heart of the Vosges. High quality guides and contributing partners led us and taught us the necessary techniques. Stalking in the morning, hunting in a blind in the evening, the course on ballistics and the optics day; all in all it was an excellent ambiance. This partnership was an exceptional opportunity and will be an unforgettable memory worth sharing. A big thanks to Philippe Jaeger, Leica, RWS, Merkel, 4Stable Stick, the magazine Revue nationale de la chasse and all the remaining partners.
Translation
Savanna Koebisch
Info
The next Leica Hunting Experience will take place from the 16th to 18th November 2017.
Collective hunt for big game.
If your hunting license is less than 5 years old and you wish to participate, please contact:
simon.barr@leica-camera.com
viktoria.franklin@leica-camera.com
