Poland’s Sarna - Larry Weishuhn

“Planes, trains and automobiles!” said Mark Little with a broad smile as we boarded the train in

Malmo, Sweden in route to the Copenhagen airport to continue to the second leg of our

Scandinavian Prohunters’ three-nation roe deer hunt. Both Carol Little and I had taken really

nice roe bucks in Sweden, she a gold medal buck and me a uniquely long-beamed buck. Mark

had not hunted in Sweden but would be doing so in Poland.

Stefan Bengtsson, Carol, Mark and I boarded our plane to Warsaw, Poland. Sofia, who we

teased Stefan as being the “better half” of their Scandinavian Prohunters company

(www.scandinavianprohunters.com) remained in Sweden to guide hunters arriving the day

after our departure. Our flight was an easy one as was clearing customs.

We loaded into a vehicle and drove three hours to our next “camp”, the Hotel Sevilla in Rawa

Mazonwiecka. Gear stored we spent what remained of the afternoon relaxing and doing a bit of

sight-seeing and of course, talking about our upcoming hunt set to start in the morning.

Mark and Carol had purchased the 3-Nations Roe Deer Hunt, at the 2026 DSC Foundation Gala

and Fundraiser, which had been graciously donated by Stefan and Sofia Bengtsson with

Scandinavian Prohunters. I was along to help host the adventure.

DSC Foundation (www.DSCF.org) is the granting arm of Dallas Safari Club (www.biggame.org).

During 2025 alone, the DSC Foundation granted over $1,000,000 to extremely vetted wild

conservation and education projects. Mark, a former DSC President, sits on the DSC Foundation

Board of Directors. I previously had been on the DSCF board and now serve as an advisor to the

Board. Neither is a paid position.

We left camp at 4 the following morning to meet with local guides. Mark and Carol hunted with

someone who spoke English. Stefan accompanied me to hunt with a gentleman who spoke no

English or German.

We hunted a huge area primarily an orchard which produces apples, blueberries, raspberries,

strawberries, as well as variety of forage crops for livestock and wildlife. The property is

traversed by brushy creek bottoms and stands of hardwoods creating a haven for roe deer,

pheasants, foxes, the occasional wolf and a variety of other wild species!

Our primary way of hunting “sarna” as roe deer are called in Poland was to drive roads looking

at the spaces between the fruit trees and berry bushes, not unlike walking across corn rows,

but wider. We spotted numerous roe deer, both “koziols” (bucks) and “kozas” (does). Driving

toward an area with grassy fields along the edges of creek bottoms we spotted a big “koziol”,

with massive beams and long tines. When our guide stopped the vehicle he handed me a R8

Blaser and a handful of Hornady .243 Winchester shells. I loaded three into the Blaser and

tucked the other five rounds into my coat pocket.

We had walked less than twenty steps when we were spotted by the deer, well over 300-yards

away. Immediately they turned and ran. We headed back to the vehicle, then drove to another

area where we spotted two really nice bucks that were sparring, and, a third way off in the

distance. “Koziols!” said our guide, using his hand to indicate the bucks had large antlers.

We drove past them, stopped and began our stalk on foot. We spotted several does, which

spooked. They in running away spooked the three bucks. We spent the next hour walking,

stopping to glass. In so doing we saw several more roe deer, does and young bucks.

At eight o’clock the property’s workers started arriving. We called the hunt for the morning. We

would return at six that afternoon when workers would be leaving.

Back at the Hotel Sevilla I learned Mark had seen several bucks. After a delicious breakfast, we

visited one of Poland’s larger gun shop. I was amazed by the number and quality of their guns,

as well as their substantial supply of Hornady ammo.

Shortly after six, Stefan and I crawled into our guide Darek’s vehicle. He handed me a Blaser R8

chambered in .243 Winchester and eight rounds of Hornady ammo. In broken English he

explained the rifle was sighted in dead-on at 100-meters.

We spent early afternoon driving orchard roads, going back into some of the areas we had that

morning seen bucks, as well as “exploring” new areas. We stopped occasionally and “stalked”

the edges of grassy fields and woody bottoms. There we saw numerous “sarna koziols” as well

as “sarna kozas”, and even stalked a couple of promising bucks, but passed on them because of

being too young, or, they spooked before we got to within reasonable rifle range.

As light started fading we returned to where we had seen a large buck that morning. No sooner

had we stopped than Darek and Stefan spotted two bucks and four does feeding along the edge

of a brush line. I took a quick look at the buck through my 10x40 Stealth Vision binos before we

started our stalk. He had tall antlers with long tines, big-bodied and looked to be mature.

I followed Darek and Stefan. It was still legal shooting light but getting dark quickly. We

stopped, Stefan set up the Stable Sticks, then stepped away so I could rest my rifle and take the

shot. Black crosshairs steadied on a dark animal. I pushed the Blaser’s safety to fire, then gently

tugged the trigger. The buck went down but was immediately up again, trotting away. I sent a

second round his way, but lead him a bit too much and missed. He was into brush before I

could take another shot. We followed, but soon lost sight of him.

Darek indicated he thought my shot had been good, but possibly a bit low in his front quarters.

Stefan agreed. We talked about waiting till the morrow to find him. Cold night air would keep

the meat good.

When we got back to our vehicle Mark, Carol and their guide, who was the manager of the

property were waiting on us. Mark had taken a really massive buck his guide felt assured would

go gold medal. Carol too, had taken a great buck. Their guide asked about my shot. Darek

explained we intended to wait until the morrow to find him. The manager disagreed, saying he

had a “thermal drone” and felt assured he could quickly find my buck, even in the dark.

Five minutes later he had the drone in the air and was headed to where my buck was either

bedded or laying dead. Before leaving he explained he would finish my buck or simply shoot

into the ground to let us know they had found him.

An anxious twenty minutes later we heard a shot. A short time later the two guides walked to

where we waited with my 3x4, long-tined, long main-beamed buck. I was thrilled they had

found my buck and at the size of his antlers.

We posed our three extremely find Polish roe deer for photos before heading to camp. Our

guides would properly care for our deer. Even though we got to “camp” a bit late that night, we

raised high a dram or two of “safe-water” in honor of the animals taken.

Next morning, we were again out early hunting. We spotted several bucks, including some that

were truly big tempting. I was amazed by the number of deer, and particularly bucks we saw in

Poland. I hoped to take a second “sarna koziol” if we found one with larger antlers than my

first. Mark to decided to take a second buck if found one he really liked. He did!

Back at camp, after breakfast we did some “touring” and were continually amazed by how

clean the Polish towns were and the great amount of industry throughout the area. Democracy

and capitalism were working well for Poland and its citizens.

As the evening hunt approached we headed to the property. This time I was hunting with

Stefan and the manager of the property. He spoke English and I learned a few things about the

property we hunting including it produced a tremendous tonnage of apples which were

exported throughout the world. I also learned our guide truly loved to hunt.

When I had stepped into his Raptor my guide handed me a R8 Blaser chambered in 8x57 JS and

a handful of Hornady ammo (180-grain ECX from Hornady International). For the past several

days Stefan had been extolling the 8x57 JS as the “perfect round” for European big game

species, as well as elsewhere. Our guide said his rifle was properly sighted in, dead-on at 100-

meters.

As the afternoon wore on we saw several bucks, but all too young or too small. With about an

hour our or so of sunlight remaining our guide took us to an area where he had previously seen

a really nice buck. We abandoned our vehicle and began a “stalk” after spotting two bucks

which upon closer inspection proved to be young. Then, we spotted a distant buck that brought

smiles to both my guide and Stefan. I assumed they had spotted a good buck.

Taking advantage of bushes, trees, tall grass and a rill we soon cut the distance to within 150-

yards of the unsuspecting buck. I did not look at his antlers until after I had rested my rifle on

the Stable Sticks. Definitely a “shooter”! I waited for the buck to turn slightly. When he did I

squeezed the trigger, then watched the buck drop. I quickly bolted in a fresh Hornady round

and again got the crosshairs on my now downed buck. Moments later at his side, I was in total

awe of my buck. I watched as my guide prepared three sets of yellow flowers. One he placed

where the bullet had entered the body, another he placed in the buck’s mouth, and the third he

presented to me. I truly appreciated the European way they honor the hunt, the game taken

and the hunter. I accepted the flowers and his “Waidmannsheil” with a resounding

“Waidmannsdank” then placed the flowers in my hat band where I would wear them to honor

the deer.

My buck’s antlers had excellent mass, long main beams, long first and second points, plus a

non-typical fourth point on his right beam. Later I learned he like my first Polish buck were

silver medal class.

After many photos, numerous congratulations not only from Stefan and my guide, but also

Mark and Carol who had watched my hunt unfold from afar, we headed to camp. That night

there was a small celebration honoring our hunt in Poland, the people we hunted with and the

great bucks Mark and I had taken.

Next morning, we loaded our gear and headed to the Warsaw airport for our flight to our third

roe deer destination, Scotland.