Renault Express cars (the chasseur's favourite car) were tucked into every open space, and I could see those luminous red hunters peaked caps bobbing about amongst the trees. What on earth were they doing?
These nasty stinging hornets have become a huge problem in France over the past few years, and Jean-Claude had mentioned to a chasseur friend that there was a HUGE nest at the top of one of his trees. So, after their copious lunch, about 25 hunters made a de-tour and had great fun blasting the nest to smithereens.
I returned a little while later and found the ground littered with spent cartridges and dead insects.
I don't know if they shot anything else yesterday, but they sure bagged a good haul of hornets!
How absolutely incredible is that!!!! I have ever heard of shooting hornets!! a French thing I would say lol...I remember years ago just after we were married,these fellows came to fish at the river where our little home was, the asked permission to go through the farm paddock for a fish,all was ok and we later heard shots,Bob went racing down as there were cattle all around, they had shot their guns off into the water,which stunned the fish and they went in a pulled out their dinner!! I had heard the saying "a stunned mullett" but I had never seen it before lol wehave told the story many times at BBQ's what a hoot and what a quick way to get a feed of fish!
ReplyDeleteThe firing went on for a good 15 minutes; there was nothing left of the nest. When I returned later on, those hornets who'd been away during the massacre looked quite confused and angry; I didn't hang about for too long, just enough to take the photos!
ReplyDeleteAn angry hornet is truly terrifying.
ReplyDeleteBeats shooting song birds I suppose (another French shooting quarry) although I can't imagine what a hornet pie would taste like...
I'm for anything that will reduce the population of winged stinging insects...even guns.
ReplyDeleteI hop0e the pesky things don't decide to fly north...I might have to resort to a similar procedure!
ReplyDeleteThose were some darn big hornets! Never heard of them, but we have plenty of the "normal" sized ones. Right now the yellow jackets are aggravating us.
ReplyDeleteThose look more evil than the SOB's that propagate in my woods. When the cottonwood leaves dropped one year there was a nest that could have substituted for a hot air balloon. It was empty and the winter storms took it away. The hornets didn't leave, of course.
ReplyDeleteWell you're lucky you didn't get caught in a swarm of angry hornets. I'm thinking they should have at least warned you, knowing you were a regular walker and all. Amazing picture, though.
ReplyDeleteSIGH
ReplyDeleteALL THESE TESTOSTERONE TYPE ACTIVITIES!
Good Grief - they look nasty! Is it anything to do with global warming? Don't really want those hornets over here.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of when I was a kid. There was an enormous hornets' nest on the side of my grandfather's chicken coop, and my brother thought it'd be a good idea to have a go at it with a BB gun. As soon as he stated his intentions, I thought it'd be a good idea to get outta Dodge. He started shooting about the same time as I started running. Let's just say that he ticked off those hornets quite royally and got quite a few stings as his payment.
ReplyDeleteI am all for that kind of hunting. Kill those nasty hornets, kill them!!
ReplyDeleteSusan, these are probably not the same type of 'hornet'. A couple of stings from our type and it's GOODNIGHT!
ReplyDelete