Staring out into the abyss
This hunting trip for wild boar in Hungary was a first for our guests, a family of five, and took place in the dark from high-seats.
Having got used to the kit (rifle/thermal imager) and ensured he was on the target I accompanied one of our guests and we stealthily set out on foot to get ourselves settled into the high-seat. Geared up in our warmest clothes we climbed up into the seat - which is actually amazing, warm and toasty and we are always sent away with a warm flask and some snacks to keep you going whilst you wait.
Sitting in the high-seat looking out into the pitch black is both exhilarating and eerie. Waiting for the noise of an animal, guessing what it could be, and then using state of the art equipment spying through the scope to see what it actually is! At first it was a secretive roe deer, creeping about just below the high-seat but this wasn't our intended quarry. Later on the more pronounced and unmistakable rustling of a group of animals - wild boar - our guest brought up the rifle to establish which, if any were shootable. Spying for him, I whispered "the big one, on the right, but let it move away from the group first". It seemed like an age as they were feeding and just mulling about, but when the opportunity presented itself our guest took a perfect shot.
It was a great first night with other guests in the group also successful. The next day the family group went duck shooting - and secured over a hundred duck. This was the icing on the cake for the group who all left Hungary in high spirits - but that could also have had something to do with the apres hunting of good food, good company from our host, Lothar, and of course good vodka!
