When hunting in cold weather, posted during driven hunt, i use only high quality warm clothes and under wear (differents layers). Warm clothes can be expensive but the highest quality models keep you warm and leave you free of movements. Important when shooting game on the run.
With such clothes i hunted (still, posted)minus 20�C without to much problem except to the feet. I used canadian Sorel but now come to Harkyla (danish brand)shoes.
Hand can be a problem too, but gloves made real progress, i can keep the right hand in pocket with hand warmer but don't really like them.
For the ear my electronic Peltor helmet is a good protection against cold. Head is part of your body from most of your internal heat is lost (brain) so you must have the right thing on...
Generally in this type of hunting (Poland, Hungary, Baltic states, Scandinavia) drives are short so you move from one place to another, it help staying warm. We have warm tea or chocolate in thermo bottle, cereal and chocolated snacks, and some proteins (ham, saussage). You must drink warm often, it helps your body stay warm.
If game is at "rendez vous" it's OK. When nothing move can be long and boring.
The worst thing is rain, when temperature is closing to freezing point, not cold enough for snow. To my taste better snowing than raining.
But at the end of the day a bit of sauna, some dinks with friends, a good meal and your ready for next morning in the cold!!
As Grand Veneur told you most of game is shot on the run, velocity depends of number and species of dogs, biotope, hunting pressure and what game is hunted. Shot can be from 0 to more than 150m also depend of the area and country you hunt.
In France we made a study 12 years ago on 27000 shots. The medium range for driven hunt shot is around 50m. Most of time you have not a wide window to place your bullet and in some areas doubling on shot is almost impossible.
Rifles used can be all sorts but mainly semi auto in the south of Europe with double and straight pull coming close second. Battue scopes (mostly german) and red dot sights are the most used sighting aids, some use fixed sights. Shotguns are also often found in souther part of France, in Italy and Portugal. Shotgun users are posted where shots are really close.
In France buckshot is prohibited with some exception like in Corsica or in some western parts of the country for roes and foxes.
Game wounded is dispatched by the dog leaders or beaters when they are equiped to do so. Could be by knive, spear or rifle/shotgun. In Germany revolver or pistol is allowed to terminate wounded game. Not in Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal.
In cas of wounded, not found game, we more and more use special trained dogs which trail wounded game (not only blood, good dog can trail without much blood).
As you told: yes it can be fun and very interesting. Guiding dogs can be very tiring, sometime dangerous, but it's very pleasant way to enjoy hunt.
Bit long but hope it gives you some answers to your question.
Dom
