French Game Fair Uses a Deer-Head Motorbike to Recreate a Hound Hunt

A motorbike fitted with the mounted head of a red deer became one of the most talked-about sights at the Game Fair in France, where organisers used the unusual creation to recreate a deer hunt for visitors.

The Game Fair was held last weekend in the Sologne region, one of France’s best-known rural and hunting areas. The event brings together hunting enthusiasts from across Europe and offers almost 400 hectares of outdoor space for demonstrations and activities.

This year’s programme included exhibitions, practical workshops, gastronomy, hunting dogs, hunting and fishing techniques, and other displays linked to the wider outdoor and game-management world. The event was celebrating its 44th edition.

A motorised deer for the hounds

Among the demonstrations that attracted the most attention was a deer-hunting display with specialised tracking dogs. Since bringing a live deer into the demonstration was not possible, those in charge devised a realistic alternative.

The solution was an adapted motorcycle, covered across the centre and rear with a blanket and fitted at the front with the mounted head of a red deer. In motion, it acted as a substitute animal, allowing the dogs to follow, bark at and press the “quarry” as part of the display.

The result gave fairgoers a close look at the work of tracking dogs behind what quickly became known as a motorised deer.