Who Are The Best Running Shots With A Rifle?

[Longwalker]

WAB, from the little I know and have seen on videos, your pig shooting skills must be pretty good if you've done much of that type of shooting. That would be the one type of hunting / shooting that would make me want to use a semi-auto with a large magazine. What fun.

 

[Nyati]

About that "Prince" in Germany.

Since 1919, Weimar Republic, nobility titles are not recognized in the German State, as "all germans are equal.

 

[Nyati]

Fully agree with @mark-hunter about the dangers of driven hunts, if they are not properly organized, and the hunters abide by the rules.

In the last 40 years I have been to only one "montería", when the landowner (a good friend) insisted I attend, and it was my last.

We do have a different type of driven hunt in Spain, which we call "gancho", which means hook, where there are a small number of hunters, 6 to 8 usually, and an equal number of hound dogs, each with their handlers. Here you hunt with a group of friends you can trust, cover a small area, and then go to a different area.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

About that "Prince" in Germany.

Since 1919, Weimar Republic, nobility titles are not recognized in the German State, as "all germans are equal.

Yes, but this did not discontinue common usage of the nobility prefix "von" [occasionally "zu"] denoting nobility in the family lineage at some point in time. Look at a historic atlas of Germany before unification was achieved under Bismark. The area we now know as Germany was as late as the end of the 19th century comprised of dozens of separate countries (e.g. Prussia, Saxony, Palatinate, Saxe-Coberg, Bavaria, Hanover, Westphalia, etc). Each had its share of noble families using the von prefix. And many families lost their official titles due to various reasons but continued to use the nobility prefix. It is estimated that at the time the Weimar Republic abolished nobility, as many as three hundred family names outside the official nobility were using "von." Perhaps this fella actually is from a family that was still officially of the nobility class when nobility was officially banned, and he uses the title "prince" to differentiate himself from the "pretender" families using von in their name then and now.

 

[IvW]

Ghost ring or aimpoint.....

 

[rookhawk]

If you will go back to the first page of this now rather long thread, I believe you are referring to Prince Franz-Albrecht Oettingen-Spielberg. He is truly a savant with a rifle. Though, I am pretty sure he normally uses a Steyr.

Thank you @Red Leg . I rewatched some of the videos on the thread. The videos I think are the same guy, but the videos I was thinking about were German productions and European narrated when the “kid” was a lot younger.

My mind isn’t as crisp as it used to be, but I seemed to remember he had a straight pull rifle, assumed it was a Blaser or a Merkel Helix.

 

[Red Leg]

Royal lines and successions are still closely followed in Germany to this day. Though the royalty lost legal status after WWI, they were never abolished - neither by the Weimar Republic nor the Third Reich. A mitigating reason was the Prussian Junker aristocracy's abiding important role in the German military. After all, Hitler's failed assassin was Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (Duke of Staffenburg). Though these are purely honorary titles these days, members of the various royal houses can be quite wealthy and often represent leading citizens in Germany's many former principalities. A close Bundeswehr and hunting acquaintance of mine when I was stationed in Germany was a Graf. He and I were both Lieutenants, but his title would be used in addition to his rank at formal occasions. His wife was The Graffin. Out hunting with other German hunters, he was always "The Graf."

This is apparently Franz-Albrecht's line of succession. For those who subscribe to things like People magazine, at the time of his marriage, his wife was the fetching Baroness Cleopatra von Adelsheim von Ernest.

Mediatised line of Spielberg​

• Johann Aloys III Anton, 4th Prince 1806–1855 (1788–1855)
  • Otto I Karl, 5th Prince 1855–1882 (1815–1882)
    • Franz Albrecht II, 6th Prince 1882–1916 (1847–1916)
    • Emil, 7th Prince 1916–1919 (1850–1919)
      • Otto II Joseph, 8th Prince 1919–1952 (1879–1952)
        • Aloys Philipp, 9th Prince 1952–1975 (1920–1975)
          • Albrecht Ernst, 10th Prince 1975–present (born 1951)
            • Franz Albrecht, Hereditary Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg (born 1982)
              • Prince Louis-Albrecht of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg (born 2019)

 

[MS 9x56]

I must say I am the best shot on running game. Faced down a 259 kg boar charge from 35 yards with a savage 99 in 308 hitting the boar 4 of 5 shots finally dropping him at gun barrels length all without crapping my knickers. Then celebrating with a fifth of wild turkey 101 proof kentucky bourbon. Also without spilling a drop.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

My skills are pretty substandard (at best). But I do take running shots at game now and then.

We do a lot of driven hunts in our part of the world. Especially for Axis deer, Muntjac deer & wild boar. Shotguns loaded with buckshot are the preferred tools for this job, though. Not rifles.

Luckiest shot I ever made with a rifle, was on a moving Royal Bengal tiger (a man eater) from a speed boat by using my iron sighted 7x57mm Mauser Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe. Even though I had made a very desperate shot, I managed to hit a lung and the man eater succumbed to the gunshot within 3 hours.

In Africa, the one species which I seem to get charged by most frequently over the years… is the hippopotamus when on land. You DO NOT want to be standing between a hippopotamus and the water. All things considered, I think that I got lucky and make a few good shots now & then.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I believe running shoots used to be an Olympic sport at one time?!?

"Shoot on the Move" it's called. We used to perform it on the riflery team at school. I believe it has European origins (as did our Instructor!) As I grew up on a river, I did a lot of shotgunning for waterfowl, but also lotsa rifle shots at fam farms and later competition. Although I've made some nice shots on moving/running game, nothing feels more natural (after the aforementioned shotgunning w/ pumps and autos,) than using my .3006 pump carbine w/ leupold dot on moving targets...it's very much like the shotguns, but yes you're aiming and/or leading a bit depending upon the circumstance. It's fairly easy if practiced, and a lot of motivation to drop that buck doesn't hurt either!!! We've rolled tires w/ targets down hills for both this and prior to Africa (w/ a proper soil embankment as backstop, of course.) It comes naturally w/ some practice. Not all shot opps are going to be TV broadside still! That's for Jim Shockey w/ the big buck eating the bait behind the log! With respect to Africa, I can only recall shooting impala and springbok on the move, and a gemsbok and kudu that were both walking. I would love to bring that beloved pump over to Africa oneday for just such things (it's currently loaded w/ 200 gr Nos PTs for our combo bear/deer season at home, which of course is perfect for PG across the pond!)

 

[MS 9x56]

My skills are pretty substandard (at best). But I do take running shots at game now and then.

We do a lot of driven hunts in our part of the world. Especially for Axis deer, Muntjac deer & wild boar. Shotguns loaded with buckshot are the preferred tools for this job, though. Not rifles.
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Luckiest shot I ever made with a rifle, was on a moving Royal Bengal tiger (a man eater) from a speed boat by using my iron sighted 7x57mm Mauser Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe. Even though I had made a very desperate shot, I managed to hit a lung and the man eater succumbed to the gunshot within 3 hours.
View attachment 556354
In Africa, the one species which I seem to get charged by most frequently over the years… is the hippopotamus when on land. You DO NOT want to be standing between a hippopotamus and the water. All things considered, I think that I got lucky and make a few good shots now & then.View attachment 556356
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Me thinks you too modest sir!

 

[Muledeerchaser]

Shooting Jack Rabbits on the prairie in North Dakota with a 22lr……….
Great fun, teaches you the principles of leading your Target…….

 

[Brian]

Those guys, as you have mentioned who have gotten good at driven boar should be the best. Also, I would think that the European sporting clays shooters and skeet shooters would get it figured out pretty quick too.

There is an Olympic skeet champion (I forget his name.) in Squim Wa. USA that could shoot a perfect round of skeet with a Model12 pump while riding a Unicycle. I saw him do it.

(My two boys have shot a lot of sporting clays and geese, and it looked pretty cool when they once rolled up a Jackal and a blue wildebeest each, running crossways. The PH and trackers had a good laugh.)

 

[Brian]

I just watched the above videos, Those guys are GOOOOD!! Brian

 

[Muledeerchaser]

Those guys, as you have mentioned who have gotten good at driven boar should be the best. Also, I would think that the European sporting clays shooters and skeet shooters would get it figured out pretty quick too.

There is an Olympic skeet champion (I forget his name.) in Squim Wa. USA that could shoot a perfect round of skeet with a Model12 pump while riding a Unicycle. I saw him do it.

(My two boys have shot a lot of sporting clays and geese, and it looked pretty cool when they once rolled up a Jackal and a blue wildebeest each, running crossways. The PH and trackers had a good laugh.)

The shooter you are talking about is Matt Drake of Sunnydale Shooting Sports out of Sequim Washington………. His father was a fantastic shooting coach. “You must train your mind to be perfectly calm……."…

 

[Brian]

Yes! Matt Drake. Cool guy and a great place to shoot. My wife and I took lessons from them around about 1990. That is good quote from Mr Drake. Wonderful memories. I was just starting my own sporting clays establishment then and ran it for 10 years. The Qoquihalla Outpost, south of Kamloops BC.

Is Matt's father still alive? Thanks, Brian

 

[Muledeerchaser]

Yes! Matt Drake. Cool guy and a great place to shoot. My wife and I took lessons from them around about 1990. That is good quote from Mr Drake. Wonderful memories. I was just starting my own sporting clays establishment then and ran it for 10 years. The Qoquihalla Outpost, south of Kamloops BC.

Is Matt's father still alive? Thanks, Brian

His father was quite elderly when I took lessons from him in the late 90s….. so I would imagine he passed on years ago…… I enjoyed his humor and his lessons….. the mind calming technique I found to be especially effective as I later incorporated it into my everyday affairs….. It just does no good to get emotional or upset if possible….. just stay CALM…. TRAIN YOUR MIND….

 

[Brian]

That "Mind Calming" thing is quite interesting. I don't remember him saying that but it wouldn't surprise me. I probably just didn't get it at the time. ( my loss.)
However about a year ago I took up meditation and have found it very helpful. Thanks for the posts brian

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The best on running shots? Easy,
The Beethoven of driven hunts,
The Da Vinci of the off-hand shot,
Terror of all running wild boar:

Prince Franz-Albrecht Oettingen-Spielberg.

@VertigoBE
Is he any relation to Steven Spielberg.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob

 

[wolfhunter]

years ago growing up in south west minnesota winter was fox hunting with many running shots lots of practice it got so any critter under 200 yds was in big trouble the winter of 1980_ 81 my hunting partner and I shot 76 fox and one coyote that was the start of the coyotes moving in to the area and that was the only coyote shot that we herd of that winter in that area.