Photography:
Henrik Sproedt
“I’ve always been drawn towards the outdoors since I was a small kid,” says Henrik Sproedt, our brand ambassador from Germany, when we ask him how his hunting journey began. Now, having had his license for almost thirty years, Henrik is one of those people you admire for both their skills and their passion. To get to know him better, we asked him to share some of his hunting-related favorites. Do they match yours?
Thing about hunting
Everything, and especially being grounded. The whole experience of dealing with the fundamental essentials: nature, food, and the craft of hunting. Being unplugged from all the virtual mess. The real pleasure is being part of something bigger. Often, I decide not to pull the trigger in order not to disturb the magic.
On the other hand, there is more to hunting than the romantic part. It is also about crop protection, pest control, and the conservation of nature. In fact, these are all different aspects of the same thing. Gunwork is perhaps 10% of hunting, in my experience.
In my hunting school – Jagdschule Grimbart in Northern Germany – we follow this holistic approach, which is also mandatory here. That is why the German hunting license is really difficult to get. People compare it to the A-levels, and that is also good. Research in Europe and Africa shows that biodiversity and resilience of nature are bigger if (well-educated) hunters take care of it. The hostility hunting and hunters sometimes experience, especially in urban environments, is super silly as most hunters are significantly better educated and trained than most other people who claim to protect nature.
Type of hunt: Stalking – nothing requires more awareness. Yes, hunting from the high seat can be relaxing, too, and hunting with decoys is a challenge, but stalking is the best.
Location: The further north, the better. I do not like the hot weather. So, here, in Northern Germany, I am mostly fine. Bugger, we only have very few wild boars here. For those, I need to go a bit more south to the federal state of Hessen.
Time of the year: Spring and autumn – I love it when things change.
Animal to hunt: Wild boar with the rifle and ducks with the shotgun.
In my hunting school, we follow this holistic approach, which is also mandatory here. Research in Europe and Africa shows that biodiversity and resilience of nature are bigger if (well-educated) hunters take care of it.
Game to eat: Fallow deer.
Gear to use: Depends on the task – needs to be precise, simple, rugged, and reliable.
Pulsar device: Helion 2 XP50 PRO for observation and Proton FXQ for shooting.
Thing about being a Pulsar ambassador: The team is a unique bunch of individuals who I love to hang out with – despite the fact that I normally avoid crowds, i.e., more than one other person, including myself.
But apart from that, it is a strong motivation to be heard and taken seriously by the developers and the rest of the staff. It is a rather unique experience to be able to contribute to making a product which you really like better. And I say that based on many experiences as a researcher and consultant for user-driven innovation. Many try, but few succeed.
Challenge when hunting: To unplug. Getting rid of the obligations in everyday life and the expectations others have about you. Most of this is nothing more than the noise that is bolstered by anti-social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram. You cannot avoid them entirely, but we shouldn’t actually listen to all the nonsense there.
Medium to get the news about shooting and hunting: Whenever possible, analog words on paper written by intelligent people and cross-checked by qualified and responsible editorial staff. Often due to time issues, I use the internet and YouTube, but I am careful about the quality of sources.
Way to describe what hunting means to you
Hunting for me is about getting grounded and staying humble and modest. Every life matters, and you are the only responsible person for your decisions. So if things go wrong, there is no one else to blame. You have to live with it and learn from it.
And, obviously, hunting is about getting the best food out there. I’ve always been drawn towards the outdoors since I was a small kid. When I chose to get my hunting license more than 27 years ago, it was a natural step after getting my fishing license. Fishing and hunting keep you down to earth and teach you that there is no life without death and that there are always alternatives.
In turbulent and highly technological times such as ours, many lose their roots and their natural understanding of nature and our place in it. Some even forget that nature – in one form or the other – will still be there when we have long destroyed ourselves. Not everything is about money, rules, ideals, and technology, but without them, there will be no future for us. It is about who we are, what we do and where our limitations are. You experience that every time you go out and hunt if you keep your eyes open and your senses awake.
Being a Pulsar ambassador is a strong motivation to be heard and taken seriously by the developers and the rest of the staff. It is a rather unique experience to be able to contribute to making a product which you really like better.
Before purchasing any night or thermal vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local legislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events. If you wish to learn more about export and sales restriction policy, please visit the following link: Export and Sales Restriction Policy.