The weather is getting a bit colder, the days are shorter, the nights longer, and the rutting season for roe and red deer is over. Now begins a time that almost all hunters have been looking forward to for a year and have been eagerly anticipating - the driven hunt season. 

The driven hunt season represents the peak of hunting activity for many hunters throughout the year. This may be partly because driven hunts are a form of social hunting, and many social aspects of this hunting style, such as the communal drive with fellow hunters, attract hunters. On the other hand, many hunters expect to achieve a significant harvest in a short time from the right driven hunts. Invitations to driven hunts are highly sought after, and hunters often pay a so-called stand fee to participate in the exciting experience - usually, this does not even include the game taken and the venison.

In order to realize this promising harvest and possibly receive another invitation to a driven hunt, one must convince the hunt master that one has mastered their craft - especially by contributing positively to the harvest with clean shots, hunting in a humane and ethical manner, and not unnecessarily burdening the tracking guides and their dogs with extra work.

To ensure that the respective shooter is not completely out of practice, many hunt masters now require a shooting certificate for driven hunts. However, this usually only proves that the hunter participated in a practice shoot not too long ago, but not necessarily how well they performed.

What should be considered when taking a shot during a driven hunt?

The right shooting technique during a driven hunt consists of many different components, and not all of them can be controlled 100% by the hunter. However, an attentive and thoughtful shooter can gain as much control over the overall situation as possible and thus set the stage for a successful shot during the driven hunt.

One must know their tools!

Before heading out to a driven hunt with a weapon-optics combination, it is important to ensure that the weapon and optics are zeroed in and that one is thoroughly familiar with both - regardless of whether one is using a bolt-action rifle or a semi-automatic rifle and a hunting scope or a red dot sight. 

Practice makes perfect!

One should definitely have practiced hunting situations on the shooting range with their tools beforehand. The “running boar” is particularly suitable for preparing for a driven hunt. Every hunter has encountered this at some point in hunting school. However, a free-standing shot at a buck target or similar should also be practiced beforehand. Especially novice hunters are encouraged to practice regularly and sufficiently.

Safety first!

The most important element for a successful shot during a driven hunt is always to adhere to all safety regulations and prioritize the safety of all (drivers, dogs, other shooters, forest visitors, etc.) over the harvest and to place it absolutely first. It is essential to follow the instructions of the hunt leader and/or their assistants, to observe no-shooting sectors, and especially when taking up a stand, to gain an overview of whether one can identify and remember any blind areas or sources of danger. Shots should only be taken when a safe backstop is present and the shot cannot endanger drivers, dogs, or anyone else.

The right lead and an eye for the situation!

Since the game often comes into a suitable shooting distance while moving, it is important that the movement of the game is taken into account during the shooting process - this is referred to as the “lead.” Because there is also a time lapse from the decision to take the shot to pulling the trigger. Usually, it is only fractions of a second, but even these can be crucial for the point of impact when shooting at moving game. Therefore, one should always aim with the crosshairs or the red dot slightly ahead of the desired point of impact on the game body when the shot is taken.

For the lead, assessing the overall situation is also extremely important. Therefore, when taking up a stand, one should already look for prominent points in the surroundings that can help better estimate and determine the distances around them. One should also limit their own shooting field based on safety and an honest assessment of their own abilities using such points. By estimating distances in the shooting field beforehand, it will be easier to decide how much to lead later on. 

But the speed at which the chosen game is moving, as well as the immediate surroundings of the game and the area into which it is moving, should always be observed. Is the game slowing down? Is it moving into an area that is more suitable for taking a shot? Is there a possibility that it will come closer? Does it seem like it might stop again soon? 

All of these are questions whose answers can favor a successful shot during a driven hunt in fractions of a second. But don’t worry, this assessment of the overall situation becomes instinctive after a while and with experience. Hunting is a craft, and no master has fallen from the sky in this field either.

The driven hunt season 2021 is once again overshadowed by the heavy burdens of two pandemics affecting hunters - the so-called Corona pandemic and the spread of African swine fever. Gunfinder informs you about everything that is important for the driven hunt season 2021.