For hunters who devote themselves to ungulates September has always been the time of deer. Between the end of that month and the beginning of October, in fact, the largest wild ungulate living in Italy faces the so-called mating season. In less than a month, the forests of half Europe are tinged with red because of the coming of autumn and the first leaves that fall are animated by mad deeds of love. The males, characterized by branched antlers and patches of fur on the throat, compete with each other for females and this happens through hollow sounds – the deer’s bell.
Deer hunting in the Alps - an unforgettable experience
Deer hunting during the bellowing season is a unique experience and, perhaps, the most beautiful and exciting of all. Wherever you are, from the Apennines to Central Europe, the environment is always fascinating and stags majestic.
You walk through mature forests, in the shade of ancient trees, interspersed with more or less large clearings following the sounds and signs of these animals, but always trying to stay out of sight. Some, also according to local traditions, prefer stand hunts or high seats, others instead, as in our case, actively look for the game inside what has always been its living space. In the first case it is a good rule to use a bolt-action rifle with variable magnification optics and bright enough for shots that most often occur in low light conditions. In the second case, on the contrary, it is better to use a short and handy shotgun with a low magnification optic that allows, if necessary, close range shots and rapid fire strings. The lowest common denominator is the caliber: it must be suitable for an animal that can reach 200 kg in weight and with a surprising ability to take a hit without any reaction.
Please watch our emotional video:
Our equipment: Fausti DEA British SL rifle + Swarovski Z8i + RWS 8x57JRS
For this noble hunt and such an elegant animal we decided to use a Fausti side-by-side express rifle in caliber 8x57JRS.
Fausti company from Marcheno (Italy) manufactures with extreme care and passion hunting and shooting guns since 1948, the year it was founded. These guns stand out for their aesthetic beauty and technological innovation. Ours is an express, that is, a side-by-side double barreled rifle named Dea British SL in the very classic 8x57JRS caliber.
Barrels are 60 cm long and the integrated optics mount has been equipped with a Contessa quick-release mount and a Swarovski Z8i 0.75-6x20 riflescope. The side plates of our rifle are color case hardened, while the fore-end is of the half beavertall type. For practical reasons we chose the single-trigger model, while aesthetics and taste led us to prefer a pistol grip stock with English cheekpiece. A rifle that proved to be perfect with different commercial loads, both on the shooting range and when hunting.
For more information on the DEA British SL express please visit Fausti Stefano Arms website.
Here you'll find all details about the Swarovski Z8i model family.
