The Broken Fang of a Water Written by Magnus Pelz | Translated by Frank Ochsmann

REAT BRITAIN is world famous for its great hunting—be it the excitement of stalking the majestic red stag in Scotland, the challenge of imitating the call of the roe buck during the roe deer mating season in the Midlands, maybe hunting the secluded Sika deer in the region Garound Dorset or the enticement of shooting high flying pheasants or fast flying pigeons with a shotgun. Yes indeed, when it comes to hunting, the island has a lot to offer and as such, I for one, could not resist its charm.

It is however not the red stag, the roe upon parking the vehicle we discuss the buck nor the Sika deer I want to hunt, it strategy for the day. The landscape is de- is the Chinese , one of the most fined by large fields that are repeatedly in- exotic deer species in existence, that has terspersed with small creeks and hedges. become native to England. Not much The land is very flat here so that we have is known nor can be found in literature to be extremely careful where we aim and about this type of that don’t grow shoot, especially because the M1 Motor- antlers, but instead have fangs like a smi- way, the main north — south transit artery lodon and ever since I observed these wa- of Great Britain, winds right through our ter deer in the Beijing Zoo, my desire to hunting terrain. The weather promises us hunt these unusual deer has steadily in- a beautiful day, only the wind causes us creased. concern, because other than usual, today A hunting buddy of mine recommended it is blowing from the east, forcing us to a hunting agent in England whose repu- hunt in the direction of the Motorway. We tation is well known in Europe. I contact must be ever mindful to exercise extreme them per eMail and receive a prompt an- caution should the opportunity to shoot swer, after a brief exchange of informa- arise. To start off we decide to work our tion I book their services. Since I have a way, crouching as it were, across an open

few extra days of vacation, I decide to take COMMONS / CREATIVE PHOTO: WILLIAM WARBY field towards a power mast in order to get my car, in Calais I drive onboard the Hov- a better view from there. Even though ercraft and after a short yet choppy and knows the present Duke of Bedford. So as water deer are very abundant here, the very loud ride disembark in Dover. From it turns out, today I am allowed to hunt restrictive wild game management of Wo- there I head northeast past Canterbury on the grounds of the Duke, of course not burn specifies that only gold medal bucks and London until I reach Woburn, where I in the park of the “Woburn Abbey Man- may be hunted. Unique to the water deer am to meet Alex Hinkins, my outfitter and or” itself, but on the adjoining estates. In is that they do not have antlers — the only guide, on the following morning. other words, in the cradle of the English trophy are the fangs and in order to get I arrive at the designated meeting water deer population, there, where it all a good look at them, so as to determine point at 6:30 am on the dot, where Alex started and from where these small Asian a matured buck that may be hunted, you is already waiting for me. Alex is one of deer spread across the south of England in have to get up real close to the game. the best and most experienced hunting record time. As the sun slowly rises we are lying guides on the island; his success rate of While it is still dark we are driving comfortably in a prone position under 100 % in 2013 speaks for itself. In addi- down paths through the fields into the the power mast, where against the green tion he is one of the very few Blaser and heart of our hunting terrain, of course in background we can distinguish dark Zeiss professional stalkers and personally a Landrover which was to be expected, points here and there. Alex scans the field

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with binoculars, but can only confirm some does and fawns. Then suddenly a single water deer is moving directly to- wards us. I already have my weapon ready at hand, but then Alex shakes his head slightly, after taking a closer look at this fellow with the binoculars. It is a one year old buck coming towards us and of course we do not want to shoot him. The wind is favorable and so he comes closer and closer without a care in the world, casual- ly wanders around the power mast under UUnnbbeelliieevvaabbllyy AAmmaazziinngg HHuunntt –– which we lie and then takes off in flight when he finally gets wind of us. Fantastic, the hunt had in effect just started some 10 minutes ago and I was already within sev- CCoonnggoo,, BBrraazzzzaavviillllee eral meters of a Chinese water deer. We stay put as we were a little longer, but no other water deer show up in this field, so we decide to break it off and try our luck Congo Hunting Safaris is owned by Tielman Neethling and elsewhere. Preparing to fire the silencedBlaser R8. There are about 20 water deer in the Edgar Opani. This hunting concession in the North Congo and adjacent field, not making any noise then it raises its head and looks around to get any closer without blowing our we carefully slide into a trench running and Alex thinks that on one of those occa- cover because the hedge ends here. Well, part of the Congo Basin Forest, close to the Sangha river and alongside the field (which fortunately sions he saw a fang, even at this distance. it seems our buck has all the time in the didn’t have any water in it) heading to- So, it is a buck, a good one notes Alex. world and whenever he turns his head Ouesso will give you the most amazing, extremely rewarding wards the adjoining hedge of the field. We Although a shot at this distance would looking about, we can only see his right push ourselves through the hedge to a po- be possible, we have to get a lot closer to fang from our position. What a fang it is, physically and mentally hunting trip ever! sition from where we can easily identify properly identify the gender and age. To even my inexperienced eye can clearly each with the binoculars, but here our fortune and advantage, we can stalk spot an impressive fang protruding sig- again there is no sight of a mature buck in the buck along a hedge so that our silhou- nificantly over the lower jaw — looks like to be hunted: this group. Meanwhile it must be around ette is well hidden in the shadows. a trophy to me. Bongo 11 o’clock and the water deer, though very Slowly, taking care not to make any Yet, patience is asked for; we must wait, active in the morning hours, have slowed noise and steadily keeping the buck in waiting until he turns his head far enough Forest Buffalo their movement and settled down across sight, we approach ever closer. Time and to the left so that we can also get a clear Sitatunga the field. We continue to hunt along the again we have to freeze in our tracks, re- view of his left fang. Alex watches every Yellow Backed hedges, then, out of the corner of my eye maining motionless whenever the buck move of the buck for over ten minutes I see a slight movement, there, about 150 raises his head and scans his surround- in full concentration. Then he lowers his Black Fronted Duiker feet away from us we spot a secluded wa- ings. At a distance of about 30 meters Alex binoculars and in a low whisper tells me Peter's Duiker ter deer facing away from us as it lay in the again tries to zoom in on the buck for a that the left fang is about a quarter to half Blue Duiker meadow casually ruminating. Now and close up and telling view, there’s no way an inch shorter than the right one, a small piece must have broken off. “Do you still Bay Duiker want to shoot?” he asks. What a question, Red River Hog t was Herbrand Russell, the 11th Duke of course I want to shoot. It’s been a great of Bedford (1858–1940), who can be hunt right up to this point, so why would I want to break it off just because one fang accredited with the proliferation and had a story to tell? No way! I give Alex a dispersion of the Chinese water deer nod, he slowly and careful sets up the tri- asI well as the in England. The Duke pod for me, so that my shot has the utmost “collected” deer species from the various continents accuracy. As luck would have it, the water on the family estate in Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. deer is lying in front of the only ever so Aside from muntjac, water deer, fallow deer, sika deer small hill in the surrounding landscape, and red deer, he was especially fond of the Père David’s so that our safety concern of a possibly CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION: deer. He spared neither cost nor effort to foster and wild flying bullet can be rendered mute. Reservations: Carin Neethling care for this deer species in the parks of his estate and Since I didn’t transport my own rifle to Email: [email protected] Facebook: one can assume that without the Duke of Bedford, the Père David’s deer would the island, Alex had graciously offered me Tel: +264 81 128 4134 or +264 81 149 3838. www.facebook.com/CongoHunting today be extinct. Unfortunately, during a bombing attack in World War II, the the use of his Blaser R8, caliber .243Win, Website: www.congohuntingsafari.com gates to the park were destroyed or maybe just left open (today it is hard to say equipped with a silencer which is legal in Coordinates for Camp Bonyo: N 01’57.009 E 016’29.361 with certainty), so that many deer were able to get away. Although it was possible England. In slow motion I place the weap- Our other hunting website: www.agagia.com to capture the larger species of deer, the smaller muntjac and water deer were on on the tripod and prepare to shoot. The Email: [email protected] able to hide easily and remained in the wild. They formed the first generation of buck is still lying down with his back to us, the deer population of England living in the wild today, which got so big that not not allowing me the opportunity to place only can they be hunted, they have to be hunted. a shot. “Ready?” asks Alex, I nod and cock the rifle. Alex makes a short woof-sound

12 UNIVERSAL HUNTER March / April 2014 March / April 2014 UNIVERSAL HUNTER 13 UNNSUURPPASSED QUALITTY.Y UNCOOMPM ROR MISIS NGN STAANDARARDSS. UNU MATCCHED PEP RFR ORMAM NCCE. THHISS IS WHW O WE ARE™.

The author with his Chinese water deer.

that brings the deer to its hoofs in flight, Together with Alex I proceed to the kill, off. Hard to believe that these animals only whereby it takes a jump to the left. I follow sit down next to my deer and stroke the eat plants, but as I look at the ears of this through my sights; bring the cross-hairs on fur with my hand as a gesture of respect old warrior, whom Alex figures to be about target and with the muffled sound of the for the game I have slain. I note the sim- 5 years old, I notice that they have multi- shot the buck drops in place. No flight, just ilarity of the fur with that of the hollow, ple scars, tears and fissures — the result of a short stagger as it goes down in deadly si- tubular-type hairs in the coat of the North many territorial and rut challenges, which lence. Caught in the moment, I pull back American . As I check these bucks fight exclusively with their the cartridge slide and as the out the teeth, I see fangs. My eyes wander back to the fangs VX-6 AT 2x VX-6 AT 12x U.S.A. ★ DESIS GNED ★ MACHINED ★ ASSEEMBLED empty shell ejects I am re- that a small piece and I realize that of the many hunts I have loaded, all the while staying of the left fang had been on, this must be the most unusual on target through my scope. indeed been broken hunting trophy I have yet encountered. All of a sudden, as if out of nowhere, a bunch of wa- The new VX®-6 is undeniably as good as it gets. Our exclusive Quantum Optical System™ delivers ter deer come hopping over The Chinese water deer, originally native to the Jangtsekiang- the crest of the hill in haste Delta in east-central China, reaches a shoulder height of up stunning optical clarity (up to 98% light transmission), powerful 6:1 zoom ratio, and ballistically towards us. Talk about un- to 55 cm and a maximum weight of 14 kilos and is not quite ® matched CDS dials. Available in illuminated and non-illuminated models. To learn more about expected company. Seems as big as the European roe deer. The overall stature also the VX-6, visit www.leupold.com. To assure rock-solid performance make sure you choose a they were lying on the ten- seems somewhat more compact in comparison. The most genuine Leupold® mounting system. der slope of the field right distinguishing characteristic of these bucks, however, is their on the other side of our little set of teeth. The upper canines of the bucks are elongated hill, when the muffled shot fangs that can get up to 8 cm long and are clearly visible as they caused them to take flight, yet disorientate protrude from the upper jaw. Antlers, however, are missing completely, both on the their sense of direction from where the buck and the doe. The venison of the Chinese water deer is a real culinary specialty shot came. Now they are mulling about, in the traditional Chinese kitchen and one of the varieties of meat that make up not knowing what to make of the slain the “Platter of Eight Delicacies”. In its ancestral homeland China, the water deer buck in front of them, until they start wan- is now under strict protection, so that hunting them is only possible in England dering off at a steady pace in the direction (especially here in Bedford, Norfolk and Suffolk). The closer you get to Woburn of the nearby woods to the right without in the countship of Bedfordshire, the higher the population of water deer and any particular hurry. In wonder, I watch therefore, of course, also the population of gold medal bucks. DAN T. them trod off in the distance and not until Turning Center Leadperson For additional information go to www.wings-hunting.co.uk (18-year Leupold employee) 1-800-LEUPOLLD » www.www leuple old.com » ©2012 Leupoldd& & Stevevens,ns Inc. the last deer has disappeared in the woods do I feel the tension in me subside.

14 UNIVERSAL HUNTER March / April 2014 March / April 2014 UNIVERSAL HUNTER 15

L246-027957 (VX-6 Print Ad REV) Color: 4/color Pub: Universal Hunter Magazine Size: T - 8.27 x 10.38 B - 8.58 x 11.14 L - 7.09 x 9.57

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