To the hare with the hound: tales of hunting
Hare hunting is one of those that I have rediscovered over the years. I remember that as a boy I preferred types of hunting that required less effort and above all a lesser degree of patience. The hare, on the other hand, forces the hunter to meditate, to reflect, and only the most experienced and capable are rewarded with a booty that is never too abundant, yet always satisfying. It is a challenge, in all respects, of man against the particularly cunning wild. Impossible to dedicate yourself to it without a hound. With friends we often discuss the type of breed ideal for hunting hare, yet I always remain of the same opinion.
In the case of the hare it is not the breed of our four-legged friend that counts, but rather his endurance, his strength, his constancy and especially his love for the owner. These are all qualities that I have found in my mutt, who never lets a prey escape.
The hare by nature is strong, constant and stubborn, endowed not only with intelligence and cunning but also with endurance and particularly dense hair. Even the bones are very hard, which is why even if hit it is capable of dragging itself over very considerable distances, in an isolated place. Charlie is as stubborn as the hares, perhaps for this reason he always manages to bring them back, with a satisfaction in his eyes that seems to be able to talk.
Another element that I consider fundamental for hunting hare, besides an excellent hound, it is the excellent knowledge of the hunting territory by the hunter, just as the knowledge of the habits of the wild must be excellent. It takes cunning to beat a hare in the field, and being found in the right place at the right time can give the hunter some advantage.
This winter, to test myself, I left with a group of friends for the Tuscan-Emilian hills. I assure you that finding a hunting farm is easier than it seems, given that the territory is literally dotted with small family-run businesses that retain an ancient and succulent, familiar and hospitable flavor. They drag you back in time and give you a mental rest and a total immersion in your passions! An experience that I really recommend to everyone.
Upon our arrival, a lot of greenery and a lot of courtesy await us together with an elegant structure, surrounded by hectares of uncontaminated hunting territory. Any self-respecting hunter would feel a natural call to the ancestral hunting passion, yet we had to wait for the dawn of the following day. The abundant and tasty dinner made it clear to us immediately, if it was not yet clear enough, that we were in a fabulous and generous area, and the beautiful rooms, the shops inside the structure but above all the attractions of the surrounding area made me regret not taking my family with me.
The next day the day started really early, around six thirty we were already on the bike and immediately we dedicated ourselves to a fruitful hunt led by Alessandro, an expert in the area, who showed us the best spots for hare hunting, difficult to identify in six hundred hectares of uncontaminated territory.
Territories and wild are really well managed in such a way that such an important resource never runs out, and by mid-morning, surprisingly we discovered that in addition to hunting the hare we could also have dedicated ourselves to hunting some birds and in the right periods (from 1 August to 15 March) even hunting for ungulates. The hunting areas proved to be particularly clean of shells and so on and the adventure continued until late morning and then resumed in the early afternoon. At the end of the day my game bag was full of a few items captured with satisfaction and cunning. The best prize.
As in many other hunting companies in the area, during the stop season it is possible to attend the endless hectares of land for the training of your animal, an opportunity that this year I will certainly not let go.
In short, a truly gratifying experience, which not only allowed me to fuse more trust relationships with my dog and friendship with my hunting companions, but which immersed me totally in the dazzling and tamed green of the fabulous Tuscany.