Traditional Scandinavian forest hunting

[THLR]

Just something different for you guys, "treskjellerjakt" which directly translates to "tree barking hunting".
For these birds the dog will find the bird, follow it to a tree, bark (to call the hunter) and mark which tree the bird is sitting in.
The hunter sneaks in and hopefully are able to spot the bird before being spotted.

Finding this hunt quite difficult to film, but you get an idea what it's all about...

 

[FLAK]

Ah, yes. My Northern European heritage is still alive.
Love that spicy little dog.
What cartridge he shooting?

 

[THLR]

These dogs have been bred for this since the early 1800s, official breeding records from 1890 and I think it was 1979 it was named the national dog of Finland.

I shot a 6 XC here, but basically any slow FMJ from a 22, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm or .30 is used. "THE" legendary cartridge for this is 7x33 Sako which was a surplus product from the WWII effort. That cartridge is still available, but most people use modern cartridges. I've previously used 22 Hornet and 6,5 Grendel.

I'd say 6,5x55 with a slow roundnose FMJ 100gr (Lapua) or 120gr (Norma) is popular choices.

 

[FLAK]

I'd figure a .22 Mag or Hornet would be about right.
Very interesting hunt.

 

[THLR]

It's great! My only regret is that I came into it so late. I'm past 40 and my friend started with the dogs at 15.

There are those that use 22 Mag, but the big birds have heavy wings and you will lose birds from that. The 22 Hornet is a significant step up in effect. Surprisingly many of these hunters use 221 Fireball as they also hunt ptarmigan in winter and have legal restrictions on what to use. I have a 221 Fireball myself and nobody uses that on my side of the mountain divide, so I was a little surprised to see that it's almost common just a few hours drive away.

I'm editing the next film now. After the bird shot here, I just left the rifle and followed with my camera. Just wasn't able to shoot + hunt this, had to choose.

 

[VernAK]

What;s the dog breed and grouse specie?

 

[THLR]

The latin name for the bird is Tetrao urogallus Linnaeus. I don't know how that compares to your grouse.
The dog is finnish spets. It's been bred since the early 1800s and are now the national dog of Finland. Known for it's keen hearing and ability to follow a flying bird through the forest (by ear) and finding the bird where is decides to sit'n hide.

 

[VernAK]

Thank you.......very interesting

 

[Mt Al]

Thanks for sharing, very different kind of bird hunt! I love how black that kettle is, can't imagine how many fires it's seen. Is your hunting partner's gun a drilling or combo? It shows just for a bit early in the film.

 

[THLR]

It's a drilling. One rifle barrel 6,5x55 and two shotgun barrels 20/76. Surprisingly light at 3,6 kgs. He switches rifle/ shotgun according to which dog he's using to hunt the birds with. I'm editing the next segment now and will make a point of showing more of the gun and the rifle stalk. I have no film of the shotgun hunting, it all happens too fast for me.

 

[9.3koolaid]

It's great! My only regret is that I came into it so late. I'm past 40 and my friend started with the dogs at 15.

There are those that use 22 Mag, but the big birds have heavy wings and you will lose birds from that. The 22 Hornet is a significant step up in effect. Surprisingly many of these hunters use 221 Fireball as they also hunt ptarmigan in winter and have legal restrictions on what to use. I have a 221 Fireball myself and nobody uses that on my side of the mountain divide, so I was a little surprised to see that it's almost common just a few hours drive away.

I'm editing the next film now. After the bird shot here, I just left the rifle and followed with my camera. Just wasn't able to shoot + hunt this, had to choose.

Are the 221 rifles all custom built?

 

[THLR]

Most I've seen seems to be rebarreled Sako Vixen 222 rifles. That's a mini action and for years they have sold for very little money here as 17 HMR, 223 and 6,5s seems to have replaced the 222s. Makes for a nice handy rifle.

Mine is an original Remington 700 Light Varmint with an aftermarket syntethic stock. I bought that secondhand with the intention of keeping my 221 Fireball project on a budget. I failed in keeping that project on a budget. According to most sources I find, the 221 is capable of phenomenal precision. Mine was not. So next week it'll be back from the gunsmith with a new match barrel (Lothar Walther SS 1:12") and new stock (Gunwertks Clymr, carbon) and voilá it's an expensive rifle.

If it's one thing I should have learnt over these years is that there's much truth in the "buy once, cry once" philosophy. Here's a film with my 221 with the Remington barrel. I doubt the end result will be any different with the new match barrel, but the paper groups will look nicer. I anticipate the birds will taste the same...

 

[THLR]

...and here's the second part of that forest hunt

 

[9.3koolaid]

Most I've seen seems to be rebarreled Sako Vixen 222 rifles. That's a mini action and for years they have sold for very little money here as 17 HMR, 223 and 6,5s seems to have replaced the 222s. Makes for a nice handy rifle.

Mine is an original Remington 700 Light Varmint with an aftermarket syntethic stock. I bought that secondhand with the intention of keeping my 221 Fireball project on a budget. I failed in keeping that project on a budget. According to most sources I find, the 221 is capable of phenomenal precision. Mine was not. So next week it'll be back from the gunsmith with a new match barrel (Lothar Walther SS 1:12") and new stock (Gunwertks Clymr, carbon) and voilá it's an expensive rifle.

If it's one thing I should have learnt over these years is that there's much truth in the "buy once, cry once" philosophy. Here's a film with my 221 with the Remington barrel. I doubt the end result will be any different with the new match barrel, but the paper groups will look nicer. I anticipate the birds will taste the same...

Awesome! Looking forward to the video. I've been subscribed for a while. Convinced me to try for some Ptarmigan on skis this winter.