Estimated read time: 5 min.
Vast, green Austrian fields. Large, steep mountains in the Alps that are covered in snow. Peace, serenity and local fauna surrounding it all. It’s a beautiful and sincere picture – arguably one of the most charming sceneries our planet Earth can offer. In there, you might be able to spot Christoph Studeny – a Pulsar ambassador and an experienced hunter from Austria. We’ve decided to ask Christoph a few questions to find out what it’s like to hunt in the gorgeous Austrian scenery. Read ahead if you’re interested to learn about all of it yourself.
Thing about hunting
My favorite thing about hunting is to go outdoors, forget about everyday life and problems, and get connected with planet Earth. It’s about living in the moment – be thankful for every encounter with nature’s inhabitants and enjoy the peace you get from Mother Earth. Besides that, I am privileged as a hunter to take care of this beautiful world and its inhabitants, and because of that, I get to eat the best quality meat.
Type of hunt: I enjoy the early mornings in the forest the most. I only take my rifle, a shooting stick and a thermal handheld device with me. Not just for comfort but also for efficiency.
Location: I come from the east part of Lower Austria, where I have the opportunity to hunt at two locations. On the one hand, I enjoy hunting the typical small game of the southern regions of our country (roedeer, hare, pheasant, duck); on the other, I have a small area out in the forest where I hunt for red deer and wild boar as well.
Time of the year: My favorite time of the year is definitely spring, when everything is turning green. When new life begins in the great outdoors and the weather becomes warmer. Autumn is also very beautiful for me, with its different colors and the opening season for driven hunts.
Animal to hunt: I don’t really have a favorite species to hunt. I love hunting ducks with my dog, as well as hunting wild boars at night. I am so happy that Austria has a wide variety of game to offer; two of my most exciting trips were hunting deer, the kings of the forest, and chamois in the Austrian mountains. Both are different, but both are exciting and breathtaking encounters with wilderness.
Game to eat: My favorite game to eat would be the filet of a young roe deer. I enjoy the filet immediately without putting it in the fridge, only with salt, pepper and a piece of bread. After this little ritual, I like to reflect on my hunt and enjoy every bite of it! Additionally, I’d like to mention that I have developed my own recipe for roedeer teriyaki. A modern combination of food, spices, and the best quality meat inspires me to try out new things.
Gear to use: Quality is always the most important thing for me. In my opinion, we can’t afford to hunt with low-quality gear because we, as hunters, decide between life and death. Therefore, we have to be precise! My favorite setup for hunting is my CL2 SX from Steyr Arms in .30-06 Springfield with its swivel mount on top, where I can switch between a Leupold VX5HD in 3-15×56 and my thermal scopes from Pulsar. At the moment, I’m testing out the Thermion DUO DXP50 and the Thermion 2 XP50 LRF Pro.
Pulsar device: If we’re talking about thermal devices, my favorite product from Pulsar is the Axion series. I like the handling and the size of these amazing products! It fits nearly in every pocket, it’s very lightweight and gives the best thermal video quality. The LRF is very helpful, too; it’s even better to know the exact distance between you and the game, during day and night.
Thing about being a Pulsar ambassador
I am new in the ProStaff Team of Pulsar, but I enjoy the active communication in the team. Every one of us comes from different places in Europe, and we all have different stories to tell, but at the end of the day, we are all united here due to our interests.
Way to practice: I like to spend a day at the range. I try to do this at least once a month so I can get a good routine during shooting, as well as to get more and more accurate and to be more professional with the handling of my weapons. As a hunter, I am authorized to use a weapon, but this also means I have a lot of responsibility too.
Challenge when hunting: My favorite challenge when I am out hunting is to try to get as close as possible to wild animals. I enjoy this very much, and it’s quite a magical thing when, for example, you stay about 30 meters in front of a group of red deer. In a situation like that, I get a huge rush, and it’s so breathtaking to get as close as possible to these majestic animals every time.
Media to get news about shooting/hunting: For me, it’s a little bit of everything. I read newsletters, keep up with news on social media and try to talk to other hunters or distributors as much as possible when I get the chance. My favorite media is, of course, live communication.
Way to describe what hunting means to you: Hunting connects me with my family. I am a part of the 4th generation in mine. It’s kind of a tradition that I am very proud to continue. As far back as I can remember, I used to go out with my dad or my grandpa to the fields. For me, it’s very important, and it was very beautiful to grow up so close to nature. Maybe that’s the reason why I am so interested in hunting. On the other hand, I love to get connected with the planet every time when I am out. Time seems to be standing still for me; it’s just me and Mother Earth with its inhabitants. I really enjoy this aspect! What’s also a big thing for me, and one of the reasons why I choose to hunt, is to be self-sufficient! To know how much work went into the piece of meat on your table, and to be able to get it from field to plate yourself. I love to eat meat, so I go out and earn it!
Hunting connects me with my family. It’s kind of a tradition that I am very proud to continue.
Christoph Studeny
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