A Grouse Hunting Trip in Sweden

Contributed by Field Staff Writer K. MÃ¥rtensson

Some friends and I recently took a trip to a secluded lakeside cabin to stay and hunt Grouse. It was a very successful and memorable trip. The scenery was outstanding with mountains all around to cabin. There was fresh drinkable water from the lakes. A great time was had by one and all!

The cabin was in a remote area so we had to travel approximately 620 miles via car and then an additional mile by boat. The trip on the water was very pleasant. There was no wind with a slowly sinking sun that made the evening incredibly beautiful.

The first day we got up early and went by boat through the heavy fog to arrive at the wilderness where we would hunt. We were greeted by a nice sunrise that looked like fire burning through the fog. We did not shoot any birds the first day but we saw 20 Ptarmigan Grouse and a Capercaillie (Wood Grouse). We enjoyed a lot of laughter while in the field and then we all went to bed exhausted.

Day two was very much the same. It was very warm during midday when the sun was at its highest. We took lunch near a lake, in the forest, beneath a mountain. No birds were taken again on this day. We all hoped that on the last day maybe, just maybe, we would manage to shoot something!

On the third day the dogs (English Setters) were doing much better than the first two days. Right after lunch they located 3 Grouse! The youngest of the dogs happened to frighten the birds before we arrived. The birds flew away and we all watched. I managed to see where one of the Grouse landed. So we lined up on the line to shoot. The Grouse flew up, I shot, and made contact. I walked over to retrieve the Grouse and Oskar shouted cheerfully Congratulations Karl-Oskar! Apparently Philip and I had shot the exact same second, so it became a shared grouse, so to speak.

After the excitement of the first Grouse has worn off we all decided to split up. Oskar  and I went one direction while Jim and Philip went in another direction. Suddenly, a Ptarmigan came running past me then leapt into the air. I managed to shoot it with the second shot after a sloppy first shot. We were happier than ever that the hunting was becoming more successful than the previous days. Oskar hugged me once again and gave congratulations!

I think I easily lost 10 lbs because we traveled several miles each day. We were not so happy to sit in a car for 12 hours back home after being so exhausted. Once we got home I quickly fell asleep with a smile on my face. This was an incredible hunting trip and I believe more people should try it!