Anyone hunted Caper or Black Grouse in mainland Europe? Got any outfitters you like?

Not mainland only Sweden!

look in the bird hunting section here the collector just came back from a hunt this year.

Only in Sweden myself. I believe you can hunt one of them in Austria, but not sure. Otherwise: Sweden & Norway may be your best bets

Thanks!

I called Diana.dk, and yes the price of hunting "big game" birds in mainland Europe is ridiculous!

I hunted Capercaille (German: Auerhahn) in an area in Austria I hunted several years. It is an interesting hunt and well worth doing.

Populations are not that fantastic in Continental Western Europe (not counting Scandinavia) and demand has always been high for Capercaille (and its smaller cousin the Black Grouse/Black Cock - or "Birkhahn"). Thus the high prices.

If you are serious about hunting Capercaille (and Black Cock) it is quite easy to find reasonably priced hunts in what used to be the Soviet Union - or other Eastern European countries such as Romania. There is a Euro/Russian hunting agent who posts here under the name of "Profyhunter". Although I have not booked personally with him, he has a lot of good areas. You can reach Igor (Profyhunter) via PM on this site or via mail on info@extrem-tours.de.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...411090841#1411090841

Alternatively, you can decide to head to Scandinavia (Sweden/Norway) for a Capercaille. Up there the birds are not hunted during the mating season (do birds rut?), so the hunt is a bit different, but populations can be very good up there as well.

Finally, you can ask your Austrian friend to see if there is a local "Revier" in Austria, which might be willing to sell you their bird for the year - maybe 1-2000 Euro, I'm guessing here. Not that many hunting areas get a tag for a Capercaille these days, but tags are sold and prices are not as high as hunts offered via agents. Expect to pay a modest fee for guiding (and possibly accommodation) and the lion's share of the total cost only in case you are successful.

Black Cocks (Birkhahn) are much more common in Austria and finding a bird in a local Revier should not be a big issue. Hunt is often harder than for Capercaille as you need to go higher (often well above tree line) for Black Cock in the rut. But all that naturally depends on the local area and the local conditions.

Either bird is worth hunting - get a Hornet (or at most a .222) ideally combined with a shot barrel. In Scandinavia birds are often hunted with FMJ bullets from deer calibers. That is not too advisable in the Alps as the birds may sail off in their death throes and can go an awful long way on spread out wings in steep country. Because they are not on the ground as they get away, they can be almost impossible to find, even with trained bloodhounds.

Good luck

- mike

Yes both capercaille ans blackgrouse has an advanced rut with up to 20 males involved. They are very stupid during that time so its not legal here to hunt them.

Here caper/bg is a part of smallgame hunting normal price is about 30e/day.

Shooting Capercaille and Blackgrouse in the breeding season on their mating grounds can be a special experience, but hunting it is not.

I highly recommend you go to Norway or Sweden to hunt them. Sweden is probably best even if we have some great populations of them in parts of Norway as well.

The price for hunting them is low and maybe someone can "guide" you for free or very little money.

There are 3 main ways of hunting them here in Norway and Sweden.
In the autumn there are either used pointing dogs, just like on Quail, Grouse and other game birds, and using shotguns.
Or there is used a dog that bail them while they sit in a tree and the hunter needs to sneak up to get a shot with a rifle or a shotgun.

In the winter they are usually hunted from skis trying to find them when sitting in trees.
A rifle is usually used then.
For Black Cocks there are sometimes used decoys as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Norwegianwoods:
Shooting Capercaille and Blackgrouse in the breeding season on their mating grounds can be a special experience, but hunting it is not.

Oh, baloney and hogwash!

It is always best if one limits oneself to comment on things one has personal experience with. Hearsay and preconceived opinions are twelve a dozen.

- mike

I have had actually had several bird only taxidermist tell me that the worst part about shooting them in Russia or Mainland Europe during when they are on the Lek is that their feathers are often problematic with the moult.

http://www.birdmanstudios.com/

http://www.birdtaxidermy.com/index2.php

How do they taste?

quote:

Originally posted by MOA TACTICAL:
Anyone hunted Caper or Black Grouse in mainland Europe? Got any outfitters you like?

The commercial prices to hunt what are essentially grouse on steroids (IMHO ) are truly mad! I have a boar hunting friend in southern Sweden who has plenty of Capercaillie on his ground and who would most likely be happy to let you hunt them for very little money, or even for free if you buy a couple of days high-octane on-foot boar hunting from him too - we were talking about caper' hunting last week after spotting one in the forest and he was amazed that anyone would pay €1000+ to shoot a bird... He has some good pointing dogs and a very nice hunting lodge on the family farm.

PM me if you want contact details - he's not an outfitter, just a semi-professional hunter and all round decent honest guy who takes out the odd paying guest to help fund his taste for double rifles. I've hunted boar and moose with him in Sweden and for Muntjac and small game over here, so would happily recommend him to you if you balk at paying outfitter prices all the time. I just got back from hunting with him on Tuesday and would still be there if work hadn't got in the way

Adam.

quote:

Originally posted by mho:

quote:

Originally posted by Norwegianwoods:
Shooting Capercaille and Blackgrouse in the breeding season on their mating grounds can be a special experience, but hunting it is not.

Oh, baloney and hogwash!

It is always best if one limits oneself to comment on things one has personal experience with. Hearsay and preconceived opinions are twelve a dozen.

- mike

Living in Norway with rather many of these birds around where I live I have plenty of experience of them at their mating grounds during breeding season. So thank you very much

Maybe they are so much smarter and careful in the breeding season in mainland Europe than in Norway and Sweden

You can borrow a pair of skies if you come here in Dec/january there are plenty of hunting grounds.

Sounds good!

I am switching careers for teaching so I'll have summers and the Christmas season off.

Here teacher have difficult to take a vacation during autumn.(exept in forresty schools no pupils and no teachers during premier moose week ) It looks like i have a lot of time to during this winter.

I am retiring from the military and just don't want to work 12 months a year in my 2nd career.

Having summers off and 2 weeks for Christmas is quite a draw.

All my friends went to Russia (kirov) or Belarus to hunt during capercaille mating season. It sounds lika a great experience.
I'd say go to belarus hunt a capercaille, a big roe deer and a boar. Belarus is a wonderful country and I'm sure you would enjoy it.

Working in forrestry has some advantage no scedueled time(you can take a day off and work it in later) mostly free to take vacations when you want to(-no payed overtime, low salory).

Capercaillie are on my list of wants as far as hunting goes. I'll have to talk with some of you a little more about it.