Knowledge of the territory, patience, expertise in the choice of the location and rituality in the construction of the shed that will host the hunter during the hunting days. These are just a few elements that characterize hunting in the hut.
Ancient and fascinating, the hunting technique called the shed is one of those that today could be said to be out of use, although there are still those who still practice it. A kind of hunting of our grandparents more than anything else that in itself possesses not only the charm of the hunting art well known to hunters, but rather the intriguing ritual of preparing the hunting area, the shed in fact.
The hunter is required to find the ideal point in which to erect the shed, identify the best shape and size taking into consideration elements such as weather and climate.
Technically, this kind of hunting takes place following five fundamental stages:
1) choice of the place where the shed will be built;
2) type of shed you want to build;
3) choice of clothing;
4) choice of recall;
5) choice of rifle and ammunition to use Choosing the place in which to build the shed is perhaps one of the most difficult and complicated phases. The hunter must carry out numerous inspections, carefully observe different areas, guess the points in which the migratory species will more easily settle, knowing perfectly the game to which he intends to hunt. In fact, its habits must be taken into consideration, the knowledge of which will make the hunter's job easier. Normally it is preferable to choose an inviting ground, rich in pastures, fruit trees, berries or even plants, which will have the purpose of attracting passing birds. Another difficulty will be represented by the need to choose the right distance between the shed and the shooting area. In this case the hunter will have to respect the imposed rules and take into consideration the caliber of the rifle he wishes to use. The calculations will become much easier with time and experience.
As for the types of huts, the choice of the hunter will be really limited since the hut can be fixed or removable.
In the case of the fixed shed this must be built using wood and masonry. In this way it can be used by the hunter in the various hunting seasons to come. Different is the speech to be made for the removable one, which the hunter will use exclusively for the current season, and which will then be destroyed or removed at the end of the hunting adventure.
Keep in mind that a large number of huts belong to the second category, built with the use of wood camouflaged through the use of reeds, and branches that blend the shed with the surrounding environment.
The branches must be affixed with care, so that the hunter is not visible, but has an excellent view; Easier said that done!
Based on the number of hunters who wish to live in the hut (normally they are designed for a maximum of three hunters) the size of the hut will obviously have to change.
The "nature" huts are being replaced with some frequency by those built with camouflage sheets, equipped with a metal structure, a sort of tents that can be disassembled and transported with extreme ease.
The main problem is represented by the ownership of the land in which it is placed. If the land is not your own, it is good practice to request written authorization from the legitimate owner.
Another element not to be underestimated is that of clothing. First of all it must be comfortable and heavy, since the hunter will remain inside the shed for many hours, without being able to move easily. The advice is to use comfortable and sturdy boots, warmer when compared with the boots you normally have. The same goes for clothing: choose the one you prefer as long as it is warm, it does not limit your movements and helps you blend in naturally.
Also with regard to the references, the speech to be made must be particularly precise. In fact, you can choose between live, caged calls of the same species as the bird you intend to hunt, which can be captured or purchased, or opt for mechanical calls. They mainly consist of instruments that reproduce the sound of the bird with the aim of attracting it.
The hunter who practices this hunting technique usually chooses traditional weapons: side-by-side or over-and-under with a 12 or 20 gauge.
These weapons, while requiring slightly wider slits than the single barrel used in the past, prove to be much more manageable and this is not insignificant.
The target of the shed operator is normally the blackbird, the song thrush, the redwing or the cesena. If, on the other hand, you opt for this kind of hunting near lakes, your interest will be especially directed to palmipedes and waders. However, the huntable species are numerous; we remember the shoveler, the gadwall, the pintail, the garganeys, the coot, the mallard or the moorhen.
In recent years, hunting from the hut has been subject to severe limitations that have caused it to be disused. The limitations vary from region to region and usually concern the distance of the hut from buildings, buildings or buildings in general, the number of game that can be hunted in a day and above all the hunting days to be used following this type of technique. The limits imposed on the cutting of plants for the creation and arrangement of the shed and for the use of decoy birds must also be taken into consideration.