Hi

On a different note

Does anybody on this forum have hunting experience in

Eastern Finland / Karelia region of Russia ?

Any experience to share ?

Any pitfalls ?

I am visualising

Brown grizzly's cousins,
Elk
Moose
Wolves ......

I have done a search and I have not seen recent posting from Russia ?

Ben, I have no experience hunting in Karelia, but since I had seen your post the other day (forget the forum, Asia perhaps?), I asked a friend of mine who lived there for a while about the hunting.

Since your previous post had been about bear hunting, this was a subject that came up. He told of the two traditional methods to hunt bear in this area: in the den and over oats in summer. (I don't know what that particular growing period of oats is called in English. In German it is called "Milchreife" - something like "being in milk"....).

He also told me he had shot wolves every year he had lived in Karelia - partially on driven hunts with a "barrier" built out of a single rope with bits of cloth hanging from it (German: Lappenjagd").

He also mentioned he had run a trapline.

Sorry, all second hand, but nevertheless... I know we have Finnish and Baltic members here, maybe they'll chime in? I think we might also have the odd Russian member...

- mike

I have not hunted the region you are talking about so I can't be much help.

I hunted in western Finland with a friend and I can at least tell you that obtaining a hunting license and gun permits was very easy.

Where I hunted there were plenty of moose and American whitetail deer had been planted there and people were hunting them.

At that time roe were moving into the area but had not reached huntable numbers. I don't know if that has changed by now or not that was in 96.

I shot only one duck but had a good time and I missed one animal that would have made me very happy to add to my trophy room. I don't know of any name for this animal in English but in German they are called "marderhound" They are a very furry thing that looks like a cross between a racoon and a dog.

quote:

marderhound

csxcs

Thanks for the photo. You guys know what I'm talking about but any other American viewing this woulden't have a clue.

I had some contact with them, the responsible stays in the USA.
Russian hunting company

here the results of a little search
http://www.metsastysretket.fi/en/joutenhovi/
http://russia-travel.ws/regions/Hunting_in_Karelia/
http://www.nordictravel.ru/page/hunt1.html
http://www.hs.fi/english/artic...season/1135239299534

Also this site might be useful:
http://www.villipohjola.com/default.asp?Section=59

I am from Karelia, only from right side of border (Finnish side) , problem in nowadays is this current location = no hunting possible!

First of all thank you for all you input.

I will be visiting the region on the start of the season this August. Just wanted to hear from somebody who has hunted there recently.

Will update

quote:

Originally posted by Akshooter:
csxcs

Thanks for the photo. You guys know what I'm talking about but any other American viewing this woulden't have a clue.

You underestimate you fellow countrymen, especially those that have lived overseas.

Racoon dog is the English name for that little furry friend.

Hi guys just to say thanks for all the information posted in this thread about hunting in Karelia Republic.

I have just returned from an invited hunt and all I can say is WOW

I can understand now why there is not much on the internet or talk about hunting in this region.

It is dominated by ONE club and controlled by ONE person.

The hunting area is 175,000 sq kilometers with 775 licensed members for this whole region.

NO other commercial outfits are permitted to hunt in this region.

I got on very well with all the board members as a result I have now been offered a membership in the coming season.

I have 05 hours of High definition video of the region. I will bring the footage to share with members who are hunting in Croatia and Suffolk.

well, you will be the contact if necessary, is it expensive?

I have a question, are you often in Italy,is it correct? which is the frequency of your travels in Brescia?

Steve if I am very honest the hunt was FREE.

I have a few private pressing issues to catch up at the moment. If I have time I will post more details and photos.

Other than my routine annual factory service visit in November I wont be in Brescia until February 2010. Is there anything I can do for you Steve?

Good stuff Benjamin, looking forward to seeing some footage. What did you hunt exactly?

02 Russian Brown Grizzly
04 Capercallies but only picked up 03
04 wild boars
140+ Ducks
01 wolf
Had my sight (open iron sight) on a bull ELK for 02 seconds but just cannot get a safe shot off.

I brought along my trusty 416 rigby double 20 rounds and had access to my host's R93 profesional with 03 barrels.

243
300 WSM
45 Blaser

I had great fun with the 45 Blaser and shot everything with it bar the bears and flying creatures.

What a hunt, best compliments. do you think that it willpossible to organize something there?

About my request of your travel in Italy it was done because I hate the idea to send by mail my EU gun passport to Kiri for the visa. Well I'll look for a professional documents carrier. Don't worry.

Best to PM me about your hunting request in Karelia. I have only been once so I cannot confess to being an expert but from next year I will be going regularly.



This is the first Brown bear. Picture cropped so it doesn't get used on inappropriate publications.

Shot just under 120 yards running broadside left to right

Entry wound right eye exited left shoulder.

Just under 210 kilograms (wet)

400 grain Barnes 416 Rigby with open sights

About your E.F.P. I have a group of Italian friends coming over for low light training in January.

I presume you are referring to the Feb stalking weekend.

I will ask them to contact you.

They all work at Beretta in Val Trompia.

If you give them the pass they will bring it over by hand prior to your arrival

That is REALLY fine (E.F.P.)
Absolutely contact me in November when you come in Italy, meeting mandatory, also because we meet again in Croatia , I hope you were described as possible .

In the next future I'll send to you a PM , I want to go to shoot at the range now, Hunt season start next Sunday.

By the way, on November if you will have a free w.e. you could come with me. If we are in the Gramizzola Resort, I can give to you one of my rifles and , if lucky, you could also shoot boars. I cannot do the same if in an open hunting area unfortunately

Very rude of me not to reply until now

One of my italian friend Dario is going to call you in the next few weeks about bringing over your EFP.

He is coming over with 03 other people for driven game with us on the 09/01/2009.

Best regards

BTW my coach is in Italy this weekend for 04 days but I think this is no good since you will neediong your EFP for Croatia right?

If not you can contact him on his mobile.

I will now PM you his UK mobile number

He will be in Abuzzio region passing Brescia

Don't worry, about the answer Time, I had a lot to do in the meanwhile
There is no hurry in organizing the shipment to Kiri because I made the request on 13th of August and I've been suggested to look for it at the beginning of October, and as you said I'll need it to go to Croatia at the end of November.

It will be available at the beginnig of December. However I'll wait to meet you in Italy, or if you come in Croatia.
Ciao

quote:

Originally posted by londonhunter:

This is the first Brown bear.

Just under 210 kilograms (wet)

Waidmannsheil!!!

In what region you hunted? Belomorsk? Petrozavodsk?

The map from Noth-Karelia: http://engozero-karelia.ru/map.html

Hunting-Camp
http://engozero-karelia.ru/pos_engozero.html
http://foto.mail.ru/inbox/engozero/ohota

Hello

The hunting forest is private and if you have contact there you will know about Olenest Sports Club. The hunting area extens from 40 kilometers north of Olenest town until the outskits of Petrozavodsk !

Have you been invited as well ?

If so best of luck. I would have thought this season is a bit late. I was there at the start in August and mine was the first and second bear of the whole season. My second bear belonged to my host's quota. I know all 25 bears were gone by the end of September.

You must try the duck hunting if you have the chance. Never been to Argentina but I am informed that the flights there from the Northern Tundra is one of the most impressive in the world.

I will be back next August and my wish is a Wolverine.

Made a lot of good genunine friends this trip

Wish you the best hunting

I am personally familiar with one of the best hunter-guide in Kareliya Alex Bystrov. It will organise hunting in Kareliya on an elk, a bear, a lynx for hunters.


You are right - hunting for a goose and a duck by the White Sea - the best in the world!

I have understood, where you were on hunting:

Very good area.

Thank you for keeping my host's details private. Please PM me if you are there next year. You never know when our paths will cross.
I plan to be there at start of next season in August.

I think I might have meet your guide Alex with a chap call Vasily who came with a vet to examine my bear for Trichonomas before we can skin it.

Have you ever seen or hunted Wolverines in the region ? I am absolutely mesmerised by tales of encounters with local hunters.

One in particular, whereby a chap shot a mature male griz. He walked home to collect his snow sledge. When he returned 03 hours later most of the bear was stripped of its meat with multiple blood trails leading to burried pits.

It turned out to be a single wolverine whom within 03 hours single handedly stripped a 250 kilograms bear and burried the meat in the snow.

Do you know any other creatures that can do that other than large cats ?

I know the chances of seeing one is slim and other than trapping hunting one on foot is remote. Nonetheless I would love to try.

I am in Hong kong at the moment and this morning have been invited to hunt in China. IN particualr Chinese Water Deer and Muntjacs in its nature environment !

I will report back if I have any luck.

Good luck to you hunting in Karelia next year.

LH,

You should see the video of Wolverine that my freinds brought back from their Fishing in the Kola Peninsula this year. One of the guys I sit opposite took some HD Video of two seperate animals and everyone saw Wolverine on their daily fishing excursions.

They are a fierce animal capable of killing the Bear dogs without a sound coing from the cave. They also witnessed a wolverine taking down a bull caribu/reindeer in the river. The animal had been attacked on the haunch until it weakened then when the night came the wolverine made the kill.

From the video I have seen this shouldn't be a difficult hunt in the right place.

Rgds,
FB

Hi Fallow buck

WE will talk when I return to the UK. I might be interested to join your fishing trip to the Kola peninsula next year.

I have been hunting Chinese Water deers in a swamp in western canton. You will not believe it but these deer are great swimmers !

I am ashamed to admit it but my host has provided us with 02 AK-47 !

IT is unlikely that I will have internet access until Friday now as we are going further west into the wild. Will update when I return.

Hi londonhunter!

You are certainly right!

Wolverine - terrible animal. Attacked even elks and deers. Usually on ice or if very deep snow, there where deer and elks fail.

Unfortunately, I did not see wolverine.This is very reserved animal.

Alexey was not at this time in Olonets.
He was with one mister from Switzerland Lawrence. Alexey meets many groups of hunters of Europe. He is very good lynx hunter . Simply, the best hunter

Best Regards!!!

I wish you successful hunting in China!