Shooting in Hungary

Hunting in Hungary is quite an experience. For foreign hunters, it is, typically, an upmarket destination where there is an emphasis on luxury lodges and fine cooking and good (local) wine as well as high volume shooting. Boar are a major quarry species. They are usually driven to the guns in a classic European battue (though they may be stalked as well). Red and roe deer, mouflon, fallow, ‘Hungarian’ partridges (perdix perdix), pigeon and wildfowl are all other sporting options.

Foreign and domestic hunters shoot something approaching three-quarters of a million birds a year, perhaps more. Hungary is an increasingly popular destination too with a reputation for doing things well but at a cost rather in the same vein as the top Spanish lodges (where partridges may exceed 60 euros a piece in some cases). There are some very keen local shooters in Hungary too, and one of them, an excellent FITASC sporting and wing shot, András Szollár, is a good friend of mine with a son who is an equally keen shooting sportsman. It's not just about rich foreigners.

 As a tourist destination generally Hungary – a country with a population of only 10 million (but a full member of the EU and NATO) – is right up there in the top 30 world destinations. It is, of course, land-locked, having eastern borders with Ukraine and Romania, a northern border with Solvakia, and to the south, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia. It is an intrinsically interesting country with a fascinating capital city (and anyone who goes shooting there would be well advised to spend a night or two in Budapest exploring its old world charm).

My own shooting experience of the country is limited. I have many friends who have shot boar there, it is considered one of the world’s best destinations for pigs (and the Russian boar in Hungary have a reputation for being fierce). Meantime, my main experience of Hungary came via Browning during a special event at the Bodony Estate about an hour and twenty minutes from the capital. It was a shoot set up to test and launch a new Browning 725 gun. See video above

This film has generated considerable interest and seems to have been popular (with 8,000 plus views as I write this). But, I must confess to having some stick for the sheer volume of birds shot and for a couple of the shots I took myself. I can only say: 1) Everyone of those birds – something over 1,600 pheasants over two days driven – will be eaten, and, 2) I would have taken every shot again had the opportunity arisen. Every sportsman makes the choice on every shot. I put in every bird that was shot on camera moreover - nothing cut out. Happily is was a red letter day for me and not many were missed! (If you watch the film and wonder why you can hear me counting, by the way,  it was for the camera and subsequent edit – not something I would normally do.) 

Green eyed monsters apart, I am not a rich man. I do love to shoot abroad when the occasion arises – to experience other cultures and ways of going about our excellent sport. I have made my job to create such opportunities so I can film them and write articles like this. There seems, disturbingly, to be a growing trend towards knocking some types of shooting within our own community, though. Well, we (I talk to the audience of this magazine) make our living from those who want to shoot (and in many cases they are much better off than us). I don’t mind if sportsmen are rich or poor, I don’t mind what sort of shooting they do (provided it is done well and ethically). I will always defend shooting collectively – in all its many forms. We stand or fall together.

I have had my rant, back to Hungary! The thing that impressed me at Bodony was the wonderful organisation, no Guards RSM or Colonel commanding could have done a better job. It was a huge event with 18 guns (split in two teams), a similar number of loaders, and many more beaters (not to mention the first class dogmen and, women). Everything was done to the highest standard under the expert and enthusiastic supervision of Peter Nyitrai. The birds were good generally, some drives were excellent (the weather and terrain playing a part as it usually does). The effort that had been put into landscaping some drives and tall trees all did their bit.

I was lucky to shoot with an excellent team of guns, too – made up, primarily of the editors of all Europe’s hunting magazines. With Jules Whicker being the only other Brit and a wonderful companion (not least if you are interested in Cervantes and the 17th century literature of Spain (his day job as a University lecturer when not moonlighting writing shooting articles). We shot though, with a simple lunch briefly taken outside in a gazebo near a pond. On the drives, the birds came as they should at regular intervals with only a lean drive or peg on occasion. Presentationwise I was impressed, not least because I know how hard it is to cater for large numbers and make it all happen on time and well.

I was also, as ever, impressed with the respect shown for game in Hungary. Although we shot massive numbers – a treat I do not enjoy frequently as noted – every bird shot entered the food chain. There was also the magnificent spectacle of the ‘honour ceremony’ where all the birds were laid out and the horn blown as we removed our hats in respect. I like these ceremonies and they remind you of your good fortune in taking part in such and event, they help, moreover to keep the memory alive, and they are a sign of respect for the game as well. I will never forget the sight of the circles of pheasants around the bronze boar in the estate courtyard. You can judge for yourself in the picture.

 Too many birds some may say. I have criticised quantity over quality in the past. But this shoot offered both. Too often the green eyed monster leads some to decry such shoots because, let’s be frank, they can’t afford them. I certainly couldn't afford to go to a day like this as a paying customer, happily I was a guest and I take my hat off to Browning International for making it happen. I would also like to thank my loader David Komló who was drafted into becoming cameraman, estate owner and most genial host, János Erõs , and the unsung heroine of this event, administrator, Andrea Petõ.

As for the experience of big bag shooting, it was frankly wonderful, you can see the smile on my face if you watch the film. It was a particular challenge loading for myself, but I think it may have been as interesting as double-gunning. I hope to return to Hungary for the boar, stags and mouflon, next season, and, I would love to shoot grey partridges – 'Huns' as the Americans call them – over there over pointing dogs. This would be a different style of sport but a great one too, and it also offered, in a different area by János Erõs and his team as well as other hunting operations.