Sitting yet another Saturday morning out on a driven hunt – high just beneath the snowy mountain peaks. It is cold and the sun is rising slowly. Valley is far down in the fog – still sleeping. Sound of a lonely hound is distant but coming closer.
I can hear them now - many steps breaking the snow – they are coming. Shot cracks on my right and steps turn behind the ridge, rising up the slope – away from me.
But - behold – they are turning left – now I can see them high underneath the rocks – 20 or more of them passing the gully – guys above begin to deliver, echo of shots rise and fall on the mountain slopes – suddenly it is all over...not quite - lonely steps coming down - there he is broken hind leg makes his run staggering. I am following him over open sights on my Merkel – now he is parallel - bright red covers his chests and at the bang he stops – still up – fast another one – he is still up – fast reload – aim at the base of the neck – hesitating he lays down in the cold snowy bed.

Wish You NE guys and all Yours a Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming year.