Fieldsports Britain - Seven wild boar in a row

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Welcome to Fieldsports Britain
coming to you this week from the IWA gun trade show in Nuremberg.
Coming up:
A boar bonanza, the blade trade, a rifle so expensive it's being guarded by gladiators,
Chinese water deer, rifle scopes, foxes and so much more.
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First, Europe's addiction with wild boar.
This footage was playing on big screens and it was the talk of the show. A German princeling,
practically a professional boar hunter, stopped seven animals in their tracks. It may not
sit well with some people, but his marksmanship cannot be questioned.
The film has gone viral on YouTube and sales of Aimpoint scopes and Sauer rifles have soared
as a result. The drive takes place in Hungary where the producers can guarantee the volume
of boar.
How long did it take you to film this?
This was filmed in different locations but in general I would say seven-to-eight days
in total.
And what sort of size wild boar days were they? It looks like you were shooting a lot
of animals.
Yes, we were shooting quite a big bag there, but it is quite normal in Hungary because
you have huge areas with a large population of only wild boar and other areas for red
deer and other areas for fallow deer and so on. So we were focusing on the wild boar here
in this movie.
So what would be a typical day if you were a gun in Hungary? How many might you see how
many might you shoot?
Per person or by the group?
Per person.
Per person, if you were lucky you would minimum shoot one, then you have a good day, but then
you could shoot up to 10 wild boar in a day, depends on how skilled you are and how well
trained you are, because they will come in a group you can manage to shoot maybe two
or three out of a group if you are very skilled and then there are the exceptional shooters
like Franz Albrecht who is in the movie who can shoot up to 10 in a group, that is top
end. Normal hunters should be able to shoot one-to-three in an average day.
What was your best day while you were filming?
I shot during that day 17 wild boar on four different beats so that was a good day.
Every European gun manufacturer worth its salt makes rifles for boar, but they also
makes shotguns for pheasants. I asked the question: pheasant or boar?
Now you make both rifles and shotguns, you like both sports, but if you had to choose
one, bird shooting or wild boar, which would it be?
Don't ask me that.
[laughter]
I would go for the wild boar shooting.
There is a gun for every occasion at IWA, this one has got an 8x57 barrel on one side
and a 20-bore on the other so you don't have to go home between your grouse and your red
stag. It costs GBP30,000. There's a rather more expensive gun on this stand that requires
a gladiator to guard it.
So, OK, this is a fairly expensive rifle. Am I right?
Yes, that's right, that's the most expensive rifle that Sauer has made so far.
Have you sold it?
Yes we did.
How much?
GBP200,000
Wow
[laughs]
Who bought it? Are you allowed to say?
It went to Italy of course, because this rifle shows a Roman scene and it's called the Gladiator.
That explains this guy over here.
Of course, and he has to look after the rifle.
Can you just talk me through some of the features, some of the bits on it?
OK. This scene shows some fight of gladiators.
Just there.
Yes, it's all engraved and as you can see here the aquaduct is the open side of the
rifle.
All along there.
And as you can see here it ends up at the front of the site. That is the open side of
it and if you want to use the scope you just take that lid off...
Oh my goodness.
And this shows where the mount will come in.
Now I want to have a look at a bit on the grip here, not something we are used to in
the UK.
OK, this is a helmet of a gladiator and of course there are some special features in
here as well. As you can see there is another guy looking at you.
Hidden inside, an original Roman.
Yes, that's the face of that gladiator.
We have a programme in the UK called the Antiques Roadshow so this is a bit like that. It's
already an antique although it is a brand new rifle.
Would you use this in Africa or would you use it in Europe before?
Well it's a calibre .375 Holland and Holland. You could use it for hunting purposes in Africa
as well as in Germany or any other place in Europe for wild boar hunting.
So these are the new range of hunting rifles from Anschuetz, the target specialists. Now,
if you have wild boar and you want to keep them close we found something which is a cross
between Fatal Attraction and Just Juice.
Well what we have done in the States is, we have pigs as well, we have created in the
States attractants, apple attractant, corn attractant, they love corn, we feed them corn,
also grape which is our Swine Wine, the grape, and it actually smells really pungent of grape
as the Apple Smash smells like a bushel of apples times 10. And what it does is it attracts
the pigs. A pig's nose is very sensitive and they smell very much. So whenever they are
foraging they smell the apple or the corn or the swine wine, the grape and they will
come to it.
How are you judging the success of the attractant?
In Florida, for example, a lot of game farms there have corn feeders for their deer, their
turkey and of course the pigs are there. They have problems with the 400lb pigs coming in
and knocking the corn feeders down so they really like the grape down there believe it
or not. So they dig a hole outside the corn feeder and put the grape on it and the big
pigs will start smelling that and beat all the little ones off so they'll start killing
all the big ones which are knocking the corn feeders over. We have got story after story
like that. So judging it is the fact that just using it and seeing that it works. Whenever
you pour this stuff on the ground in the dirt you come back a month later and there is a
hole in the dirt that big and there are pigs everywhere that means it works.
[laughs]
From gladiators getting stuffed in the Coliseum to another stuffed shirt. It's David on the
Fieldsports Channel News Stump.
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This is Fieldsports Britain News.
The Scottish Gamekeepers Association has launched a fight back against politicians in the Scottish
Government who they claim they want to wipe out the country's deer. Some Scottish politicians
believe that a massive deer cull will lead to a collapse in the value of estates. The
SGA warns that ill-conceived conservation projects will cause permanent devastation.
In related news, Scottish Natural Heritage has launched a survey to find out what people
about the work they have done so far. The SGA is encouraging Scottish gamekeepers, farmers,
stalkers and recreational shooters to take part visit www.whyresearch.org.uk/SNHwildlife
A charity shooting event celebrating the life of Jack Jeyes Blackburn has raised GBP3,500.
The long-range shooting day was hosted by Chris and Pippa Blackburn from UK Gunworks
at a grouse moor in the north of England. It was all in aid of the North Hampton General
Hospital charitable fund. Jack was just days short of his first birthday when he fell ill.
The prize giving included some top-end Zeiss optics, meals, kit and were supported by friends,
family and customers, many of whom knew Jack. If you would like to make a donation please
email donate@jackjeyesblackburn.co.uk for more information.
There's another big fox. This time it's from Wales. Thomas McCarthy shot a 36lb dog fox
near Newport in Gwent. The new British record established earlier in 2012 is 38lb shot by
Aberdeenshire farmer Alan Hepworth.
A Somerset dairy farmer who spoke out in support of the badger cull has condemned animal rights
campaigners whom he accuses of poisoning his milk and burning down his barns. Stuart Thomas's
herd tested positive to bovine TB for the first time in February prompting him to speak
out to his local newspaper in support of the pilot badger culls. Within days, he believes
animal activists started targeting his farm. While police say there does not appear to
be a link at this stage they call the offences extremely serious.
And finally you know when you have made it when you get your own mug. Adam Stead and
Jim Alan wrote in to say how much they have grown to love Roy Lupton since Fieldsports
Channel broke on to our web waves. And as Jimmy Savile has now sadly passed away they
want us to fix it for them to meet the great man. They also add they do have girlfriends.
As if that makes any difference.
You are now up to date with Fieldsports Britain News. Stalking the stories fishing for facts.
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Thank you David. Now the most exciting thing about IWA is the new kit that's heading to
shops near you in 2012. We're on the Zeiss sport optics stand, a massive double decker,
and we are talking to the top man about making it visible.
Ralph, we are at IWA and this is the first chance the world has had to look in Europe
at your new range. Can you tell me what we have got here?
Now, here it is our brand new Victory HT. This is the brightest rifle scope we have
ever built and you know Zeiss is already bright. This comes up to 95 per cent light transmission
and not only bright it also has the finest illuminated dot in the world which is super
bright. So this is an outstanding rifle scope, this comes together with our brand new Victory
HT, this is the brightest binocular in the world.
So you had the chance to try out the package.
I had the chance, I was stalking in the UK on Chinese water deer and muntjac and it was
a great opportunity.
It has already been a successful morning. Ralph Nebe and Stefan Buehring from Zeiss
Sports Optics have both bagged a muntjac buck in Bedfordshire. This little deer is a particular
favourite with German hunters, but this visit filmed in November is extra special. A new
range of Zeiss optics are getting their first ever outing before the official launch at
the gun trade show IWA. Ralph has the first scope and binoculars off the production line
from the Zeiss HT Victory range. He is confident that this high transmission glass technology
will keep the competition in the dark.
Brand new, just came out of production, it is really the first sample you see here. It
cost a hell of a lot of money, but we wanted to have it here to test it, also to get a
feeling how it's handling. This is our new successor of the FL binocular. It's the Victory
HT - HT similar idea. High transmission glass inside from Schott. That is the brightest
binocular on the market. Nobody will be brighter, point, statement. You see it if you look through.
We might be able to reach over, but at least up to 95 per cent light transmission.
We have already shown Stefan using the new Conquest HD binoculars. They were launched
at the 2012 Shot Show in Las Vegas. It's not often that a manufacturer offers such a lot
of new products in such a short time. It means exciting times for Zeiss's UK distributor
Mark Karn.
That's what you wait for because people love new products. Yes I work for Zeiss but this
new HT Victory HT line just surpasses everything for brightness and we've also got a mid price
binocular, so we have got three new products. I haven't known three new products at the
same time in the same year for many a year, so it's all go now, I am really looking forward
to it.
After everyone has had a chance to play with a shiny new optics on the range near Zeiss
pro stalker Paul Childerley's stalking ground, we head off with Ralph and Paul to see whether
we can get a Chinese buck before dark.
We stalk through a number of areas, working through woodland and open fields. On several
occasions Paul tells Ralph to get ready on the sticks. This Chinese water deer is in
thick cover and successfully avoids the cross hairs. In the denser woodlands we make out
shadows, but we want to hold off for a good buck. Paul brings out the Buttolo call to
see what it will deliver. It worked like a dream this morning. An inquisitive doe shows
herself and stands her ground just 20 yards from us. It really is a wonderful moment when
you can stop, keep still and stare.
This is all very well, but where is our Chinese water deer buck. Paul suggests settling in
a high seat for half an hour, this delivers nothing so with light fading fast it's back
to the open fields which is where Ralph spots a buck. The camera has no chance, but Ralph
takes an excellent shot. Paul is happy with the result.
Well done Ralph. This is a gold medal Chinese similar to the one you shot before. Good shot
taken just on the edge of darkness which is ideal really just to catch him just before
he went out of reach. Good shot, well done.
Thanks for guiding me.
Thank you. Well done. We worked hard for this today.
With no lights you saw nothing but through binoculars and rifle scope it was bright.
It was a very nice hunt and you see our two prototypes did a fantastic job. The brightest
binocular, the brightest rifle scope. That is the proof.
So you knew it was a gold medal did you?
Yes.
It couldn't have gone better for Ralph, and Paul and the new Zeiss Victory HT range.
A vital piece of kit that occupies thousands of square feet here is the humble knife. Sporting
Rifle editor Peter Carr spots a new range that really cuts the mustard.
Hi Bill. So, what's behind the innovation for this range?
That's a great question Pete. A couple years ago we went out and followed a bunch of hunters,
young athletic hunters and asked them what is the perfect knife, what would be the perfect
product in the field so we went with three different guide surfaces and watched them
what they did, and then designed something that we thought was very creative and innovative
in the market place, something really different and new. So we went with the mid line. First
we go with the Myth Fixed Blade Pro, gut hook, gripping handle, full tang, so it's a balanced
product in your hand. Feel this. One thing we saw in the field was that they were always
sharpening their knives, separate sharpener and the knife, so we introduced a new sharpening
method so that every sheath had a sharpener, carbide, 30 degrees - fantastic, wonderful
very quick, job to get done.
It's clear that there's been some hunting kind of input to this, so you've obviously
developed them very well.
We've followed them a lot, we went back to them many times about size, shape, balance.
Three or four times we went out and dialled it in to get the best knife for the hunter.
It certainly caught my eye when Kevin showed me round originally.
That's what was surprising, because a lot of the guys use small knives. They don't want
to carry large knives out there, so we made like a peeling knife in the kitchen, full
tang, flexible very flexible blade so it doesn't break.
Even enough flex in there for filleting.
Absolutely.
What I liked for a general field knife for paunching rabbits, breasting pigeons and when
it is buddied up with a gut hook knife on a field combo it's absolutely perfect for
taking out the backside of a deer and the length for even gralloching the deer is absolutely
perfect. So it was clear to me that there was some thinking from a hunting perspective
behind this.
So, Peter, we took the small blade with the gut hook blade and combined it with a piggy
back sheath and said hey look you can carry this one product, your sharpener, your two
knives, you can do anything from caping to gutting to field dressing. You can do anything
you want with one unit and it stays sharp. Absolutely fantastic.
And the field dress piggy back number here. The retail price for this in the UK?
I understand it is GBP99 in the UK.
It's absolutely fantastic.
Across the hall is Leatherman. They are hopping up and down about a new version of their highly
popular multi tool. One of them is so simple you can use it one hand behind your back,
the other's been on a diet.
So this is the new Rebar that's going to come out in about two months and we'll start shipping
from the States worldwide and it's kind of the extension of our classic super tool look
and feel, but it's a little bit slimmer so you can see it will fit nicely into a pocket,
but you are still going to have all the basic tools that you need to really do a good day's
work, a nice blade, some screw drivers, file, another blade on this side it's the first
time we have put the replaceable wire cutters into a 4-inch tool and by that we mean the
platform of the tool itself. So that will be coming out as I said in about months, looking
at about GBP70.
The Leatherman OHT which stands for one hand tool and this tool can be as it states opened
with one hand and you just give it a flick there and it's got a sprung plier so that's
very new for a one handed opening plier on the market. We took it a step further and
everything on the tool can be opened from the outside so that's something new for this
one handed plier concept. So I can do this and just open up my strap cutter like so.
Everything locks and this will begin shipping in about the end of August beginning of September
so on the shelves in the UK about month after that. Looking about GBP95 or so.
The gun trade is doing pretty well this year. The point about this show is to show new kit.
Here is one gun maker that is victim of its own success.
Shaun, lovely looking gun the K-80 Parcours from Krieghoff. Slightly embarrassing that
it has sold out already for the whole of this year, isn't it?
Yes, there was a production run which came to the UK of around 60 guns and worldwide
around 120 and yes they are all sold. So if you want get them now or wait another year
or so.
Now Krieghoff make clay guns.
They make clay guns.
This is not entirely a clay gun.
This gun is probably one of the first sporter design guns it also feels at home in the field
as well which is obviously an advantage for a lot of shooters. They like a single gun
and certainly in England we do a lot of game shooting and people like something they can
go and do on a Sunday, shoot a few clays and on Saturday shoot a few pheasants as well,
and this gun is in the weight sector which is in direct comparison with a lot of the
other competitors and they will feel at home with it.
Sheep are getting bigger and so are foxes. It's Team Wild TV.
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Right here we go. There are three of us shooting tonight, well potentially shooting. So for
the first shot to be taken, we draw the cards. One's got driver on it, one's got shooter
on it and one's got lamper on it. So it's all down to fate. Go on then you can go first,
sir.
Liddle-for-diddle. The Shooter is God
The main aim of this evening is to try and find a fox which is making a right nuisance
of itself at a local golf course, plus there's the added bonus of spotting some rabbits along
the way. Once again I am using the NiteSite, this time on the top of my Ruger 77/17. It's
fundamentally changed the way I approach shooting at night with or without a lamp.
So we'll just have a scout around a bit and as soon as we see something, then I will load
the rifle and take the shot then. Gives you an idea of just how clear the picture is through
this night sight.
This is what Team Wild really enjoys doing. Each of us knows what is expected of the other
and it is a great way to spend an evening with your mates. We even get the chance to
have a take-away. When we do lock on to the rabbits they are incredibly skittish, but
eventually some sit just right for me.
And he's down. Get in.
But there is doubt in the ranks about the distances I am shooting.
This is a pretty good shot. Now the guys won't say that, probably 110, 115 yards would you
agree on that? 25 yards? 25 yards is about as low as it gets. The great thing is while
we have been driving around with the NiteSite, as you can see the boys have had the red lamp
out there trying to pick out their eyes, I've had the night sight on the rifle completely
unloaded, bolt open, and I've been able to pick up a lot more movement. Now there are
actually quite a few rabbits out there, but they seem to be shot pretty hard so as soon
as they hear the engine or feel the vehicle coming along the ground, they are heading
for the hills. Yhey are gone so, luckily, I could see their eyes, I could see where
they were running to. Just a quickly tap on the roof and took a shot so a few more to
go. So far, the NiteSite is proving invaluable.
Time to focus on foxes. We fire up the fox caller and Steve gets into position. No opportunity
here but squeaking on an edge of a woodland on another patch of land does provoke a response.
A muntjac buck appears in the beam which of course we admire, but let walk on. Then we
catch some eyes to the left of it, Keith is the man with the rifle. He hits the dog fox
hard with the Ruger M77 and it drops on the spot. It's been a very long night, but eventually
we got what we came for the golf club will be happy their fairways and greens are fox
free.
So it's been a great night. We've worked pretty hard we've been to quite a few of our favourite
spots, but we haven't seen as much as we would have liked, but we've got three cracking rabbits
and a fantastic fox which Keith took there, our last knockings. I would say it's slightly
unlucky, as we spotted a muntjac buck there in the wood with the lamp and as Steve started
squeaking the fox appeared behind it and it was very unlucky because Keith's got the rifle
and that's not normally the result when Keith's shooting, but it's been a great night as I
said. Five hours in the saddle, a lot of hard work, but looking forward to coming out again
tomorrow night.
For more information on the Ruger rifles visit www.vikingarms.com and to find out more about
the night sight visit www.nitesite.co.uk
Teamwild TV will be back next Wednesday. Visit www.teamwild.tv
Well we are back next week and, if you're watching this on YouTube, don't hesitate to
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This has been Fieldsports Britain and I am going shopping.
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