There are challenges with some wild animals that are worth leaving open in order to come back and write new chapters, new days shared with the same company. It was with this spirit that we returned to the hills of Sigillo, in the Italian Umbria Region, where we had already spent some wonderful hours hare hunting with Carlo Generotti and his Italian hounds. On previous occasions we had been able to appreciate and enjoy the work of the hounds, who had managed to involve us in the various stages of the work, from the approach and tracking down, up to long and exciting pursuits. What had eluded the camera's eye was the moment of the culling and the crowning finale of the hunting actions that we could share with you enthusiasts. But we did not give up. As autumn came, with the right breeze to help the dogs, we decided to attempt a hare hunt again with Carlo and a small company of friends. It is early November and the hares are already familiar with the voice of the hounds, but this makes the challenge even more exciting. The territory in which we are moving is well known to Carlo and the other friends, so we rely on their indications to choose our position between a large meadow and the woods where escaping hares are usually found.
The pack of six Italian bloodhounds is released downwind in the valley below us where there are likely to be night-time feeding grounds where the dogs can find and track the emanations of the wild animals. We hear them in the distance calling to each other with their first yelps as they make their way up the hillside above us. The rhythm of the voices becomes louder and louder as we approach a dense thicket of gorse where the hare finally decides to leave the den, giving way to the more intense hound chase. The path followed by the hare and then by the dogs behind winds its way over the hills through woods and ditches. From a distance we can barely catch a glimpse of the wild animal as it makes a wide circle, this time higher up than us as we await its return towards the valley. The pack of hounds doesn't give up and I decide to move from my position in the direction of the hound that seems to be approaching inside the woods above me. The echoes of the hounds come and go in the depressions as I silently listen for any useful noise coming from the woods.
Well in advance of the hounds a young hare finally comes suddenly out of the thicket. The hare is surprised to see me there waiting and makes a sudden dash uphill trying to reach the thicker woods to hide again, but the chorus of the hounds had alerted us, making me ready for a quick shot with which the hare ended its escape. The boomed sound of the shot was immediately followed by the yelps of the hounds, who came like a hurricane to find peace between my hands holding the hare. It is their triumph, the hounds can finally smell the wild animal up close. The challenge is over, this time in the best way for us; the perseverance of the dogs and hunters has been rewarded. We meet again amid hugs and greetings that need no words with our other friends. The forest, enlivened by the voices of the dogs until a few moments before, has returned silent in its sweet and decadent autumn colours, while we slowly enjoy its scent as we head back towards the hills.
MG2 Mythos cartridges: Baschieri & Pellagri's sure winners
At the end of successful hunting days, it is only right to make assessments of the positive factors that contributed to the success. In our case, a non-negligible component was certainly the Baschieri & Pellagri MG2 Mythos cartridge in the final hare shot. We are not talking about a novelty, of course, but a great confirmation for a range of cartridges manufactures by Baschieri in both 12 and 20 gauges. Cartridges designed for prized sedentary game and valley hunting, one of the main features of which is certainly their high velocity, thanks to the use of MG2 powder.
Special hardened lead shot pellets protected by a nickel-plating provides compact shot patterns with high residual energy. In the models with a plastic wad, the shot concentration is also ensured by an antifreeze wad featuring a pre-cut six-fin, high-containment container.
Both the 12-gauge and 20-gauge versions feature a felt wad. The cartridge fired by us in hare hunting is the MG2 Mythos HV with 40 grams of nickel-plated lead number 4 shot.
The same cartridge is also available with shot numbers 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 0. The hull used in these cartridges is Baschieri's Gordon System, which is capable of reducing felt recoil on the shooter's shoulder.
The nickel-plating of lead pellets guarantees greater hardness and sphericity, which translates into greater velocity and less deformation in flight. The penetration power is thus optimised and the kill is safe, as in our case, avoiding unnecessary injuries or unpleasant non-recovery of wild animals.
