the mediavel hunting sword was much longer so you can reach the game from the saddle of your horse.

the Hirschfänger was shorter so you can run in the woods, Johann Elias Ridinger show it here how you kill the Deer with the Hirschfänger

the 18. century was endless specialised, there is a similar short saber , called Jagdplaute

that was used to hold the deer on the place when the hounds catch him until the monarch arive to kill the deer with the hirschfänger. for that purpose a hunter go to the deer from behind to cut the achilles tendons of the deer with the Jagdplaute so the deer could not move anymore.

sounds brutal but those were the times. the deer was so ful with adrenaline after the parfoce hunt he probaly don't notice it anymore but focus on the hounds around him.