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This is from my trip to Poland may 2001

I hope you will have a nice hunt!

Sunday 20:th may 2001
We started early in the morning heading for the ferry in southern Sweden that would take us to Germany . After 200 kilometres driving we reached the border to Poland . At 5 pm we unpacked in our apartment (my company runs a textile factory in Poland ). We took a cab to a nice restaurant; later on we enjoyed the nice weather that would be with us all the week.

Monday 21:th may 2001
In the morning we made a visit at the factory, installing a new machine. Then we went for our hunting. We arriveed to the camp ”Lesko” at 3 pm and meet the supervisor. Then we had supper. Before hunting we had to test the rifles, that was no problem. My 6,5x55 Swedish with 156 grains bullet Oryx was still at 1½ inch over target on 100 meters, which will be right on target for 200 meters.

My Polish guide arrived at 6,30 pm and I was lucky to speak a little polish, since his German vocabulary was very tiny. We started with driving around watching for the roebucks. After a while we went to a field with a platform, more like a small house 5 meters up. There we sat for an hour until a buck came out, he was speeding across the field, but 40 metres away from us he stopped. I unsafed my rifle and took the shot, he fell on the spot. He was a medium 6 antlers.

The European roebuck normally gets two to six antlers, more is often considered abnormal. We continued our hunt until 10 pm and we saw a huge buck, but the distance was to far. Back in camp we took a beer and went to sleep.

Tuesday 22:th may 2001

The morning started with breakfast at 4 am and we were out hunting half an hour later. We got back empty with just seeing two roebucks, one moving away while driving and the other one escaping from us when we were stalking for him. At 10 am we were back to find out that my friend had shot his first two roebucks.

We went to bed and took a couple of hours sleep before supper, then we drove in to the city of Szczecin (pop 420.000) 30 kilometres away for shopping.

I had ordered 5 roebucks and if possible 2 wild boars, on this four day hunt. Now I was afraid that it would be impossible after 2 outings and just one roebuck, but the coming 12 hours would put me on other thoughts.

6,30 pm my guide and me went away, heading for a platform in the middle off a field. We did not get there as planned. On our way we saw a roebuck heading towards us, so we stood patient waiting for him. He started to eat 100 metres away and we began walk carefully, we stopped at 70 meters and I put the rifle in the tripod (standard equipment for a polish guide for the best shooting support while stalking) and took the shot. The reaction was the same as the first one, stone dead. It was a god 6 antler. Time was now 7 pm . We sat on the platform for an hour before we went back to the car. Driving through the forest, we stopped and slowly walked out to a field. There we found a roebuck standing just 40 metres away. He was small so my guide asked me if I wanted to shoot or not. I decided to take the shot and he ran 10 meters before he died. After the shot another small roebuck ran towards us and stopped 30 metres away, but I let him go. Time was now 8,20 pm. We went to the platform were we had seen the big one the day before and waited when a small 6 antler appeared. I took the first shot at 150 meters and I suppose I held to high because of the high grass. He turned half way around and I took the second shot. He took a few steps before he fell down, dead. Time was now 9,30 pm. On our way back we saw another one but I did not take the shot since there was some houses 500 metres behind him. We had some red wine that evening, and now I felt good, three bucks in less then tree hours. My friend took his third this evening.

Wednsday 23:th may 2001

Got in the car at 4,30 am and away. After just 10 minutes my guide stops and tells me to load my rifle quietly. There is a big wild boar in the field. I put the rifle in the tripod and when I take the shot the pig moves, so the hit is not god. He starts to ran away parallel to the road and we follows. It is now some trees between him, and us but after 700 meters running we catch up with him and I take a quick shot at 30 metres, it’s a god one this time. After that he ran 25 metres and fell down. I feel exhausted; he is really big and about 150 kg heavy, his teeth will measure 142 mm later on. Back at the camp it is hard to relax. It is always something special to shot the first one of new species, and this one was big.

We spend some hours driving around looking for some nice polish crystal during the day. This evening I shoot my fifth roebuck, a young one with two antlers, though its is possible to se four more antlers on it's way. My friend also takes his fifth roebuck this evening.

Thursday 24:th may 2001

Even if we had shot the ordered five roebucks each, we could continue hunting. I went for the big one I have seen in the beginning of the week, both in the morning and the evening, but without results. We saw lots of wild boars this day but never get the chance to shoot. In the last light of the day we entered a tree stand about 12 yards up and saw some boars, we just couldn’t say what sex it was.

Friday 25:th may 2001

We decide to skip hunting the last morning and sleeps very well instead. At 8,30 am the official controller arrives for the measuring of our trophies. It is very strictly made, and you pay by weight of the horns and skull. After this we packed our car and went for the German border. We have four hours driving in Germany , then four hours on a ferry before we are in Sweden and then it’s another three hours driving until we are home late at night.

This was our first hunting trip to another country and we are very satisfied with it.

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Christer Hansson