Capercaillie? Any ideas

[wildfowler.250]

Folks has anyone done a capercaillie hunt in Europe before? Got an outfitter you’d recommend?

My understanding is that Austria stalks them early AM in the spring. Sounds interesting but I also believe tags are quite thin on the ground. It looks like it’s only 1 bird,(assuming successful) for the trip

Finland / Sweden seems to have reasonable bird numbers. I’d want to shoot something in full plumage so it’s probably a ski hunt. I can’t really ski,(done 3 days). Bonus points for being more of an adventure but con is it would be blooming freezing - which is fine but may be harder to rope the family in with me.

Any recommendations would be fab? It’s a bit daunting booking abroad without reliable feedback. Probably looking for 2026 so lots of time.


Cheers!

 

[Dunwaters]

I’ve had opportunities of taking a caper in Sweden , but not managed to convert yet.
Ideally I’d love to try topjakt with a rifle in the snow, but I’m not good at cross country skiing and I’ve never been on snow shoes, so it looks like a skidoo is the best option.
If you can manage it, a swop hunt would be less expensive than an outfitter, but be upfront about what you expect.
You can hunt them by driving towards a line of shotguns, using pointing dogs, (shotgun again), stalking on foot/skies ( no dogs) or by using a spitz type dog to locate and distract them while you sneak within rifle range.
All very different methods.
You’ll also probably encounter willow grouse and black grouse.
A lot of hunting opportunities in the UK just aren’t available elsewhere, swop hunts can be a viable option.

 

[willie_gunn]

I have a colleague in Sweden who hunts them regularly. He exchanged two capercaillie skulls for a bottle of single malt.

It’s tough hunting, but his success rate tells me Sweden would be a handy place to start if you were after one.

 

[lochty]

@wildfowler.250 pm me your address. Somewhere I have a Norwegian dvd of a caper hunt which you're welcome to have. Atb Dave

 

[Klenchblaize]

BSRC Christmas "Creosote Bird" Match (Shoot) 2024:

K

 

[tusker]

I managed to bag a Caper. in Finish Lapland. It was a wonderful experience walked 24 K in 2 days for one shot . It was the best 2 days shooting I have had. We must have seen a dozen birds but they are tricky and have exellent eyesight.
Unfortunately I cant recommend a guide as it was an invite from my friend but I can recommend Finland.
Tusker

 

[MacPherson]

I can recommend Nordic footprints in Sweden.
My brother and I went just prior to Covid.
A 4 day cross country Ski hunt.
We couldn’t ski either but you soon get the hang of it.
It was amazing and it was the best hunt I’ve been on and I’ve been to Africa and USA and I didn’t even fire a shot.
We had agreed my brother would shoot first caper and I would shoot first black grouse.

We unfortunately didn’t get a chance at a black grouse and we only got 1 chance at a caper which my brother took.

The other gent who was sharing the Kabin at same time as us had 3 chances at caper, he only shot 1 but missed the other 2 (one he missed 4 times )

It’s absolutely Magical.
We are looking to go again.

 

[Corvid8x57]

One that I saw in Scotland some years ago - a very impressive looking bird

 

[Jagare]

I can recommend Nordic footprints in Sweden.
My brother and I went just prior to Covid.
A 4 day cross country Ski hunt.
We couldn’t ski either but you soon get the hang of it.
It was amazing and it was the best hunt I’ve been on and I’ve been to Africa and USA and I didn’t even fire a shot.
We had agreed my brother would shoot first caper and I would shoot first black grouse.

We unfortunately didn’t get a chance at a black grouse and we only got 1 chance at a caper which my brother took.

The other gent who was sharing the Kabin at same time as us had 3 chances at caper, he only shot 1 but missed the other 2 (one he missed 4 times )

It’s absolutely Magical.
We are looking to go again.

7 or 8 years ago I met and talked to the young man who runs Nordic foot print at Jagd und Hund. He seemed like a very pleasant chap.

 

[Jagare]

When I had my forest property my spaniel caught a full grown cock caper while hunting through a small plantation. It was a bit of a WTF moment when he appeared with it.
We tried hunting black cock with the spaniels but they always took off out of rangeof the shotgun.

 

[tusker]

I can recommend Nordic footprints in Sweden.
My brother and I went just prior to Covid.
A 4 day cross country Ski hunt.
We couldn’t ski either but you soon get the hang of it.
It was amazing and it was the best hunt I’ve been on and I’ve been to Africa and USA and I didn’t even fire a shot.
We had agreed my brother would shoot first caper and I would shoot first black grouse.

We unfortunately didn’t get a chance at a black grouse and we only got 1 chance at a caper which my brother took.

The other gent who was sharing the Kabin at same time as us had 3 chances at caper, he only shot 1 but missed the other 2 (one he missed 4 times )

It’s absolutely Magical.
We are looking to go again.

Did you use rifle or shotgun?
Tusker

 

[Polar Lynx]

I do (or did) Caper hunting every year (Sweden). Luckily, have connections a half day up north.
Anyway, there are two thrilling methods. One is skiing in dec-jan. Caper cocks are shot while feeding on high pine trees. Ideallly there is fresh snow in the trees and will be a sort of 'snow rain' when they feed and easier to locate. Days are very short up north this period and in fact only a few hours are useful. This kind of hunt can be very tough if not used to skiing. Also, there may be long periods when, due to snow storms, one can not go out at all. Most people use 6,5 cm SE rifle which is covered in white camo. Nr 1 bullet is Lapua Scenar. Most shots are taken + - 200 m. Almost impossible to get closer.

The other way to hunt Capers is late august/early sept with a barking dog. The nr 1 dog here is the Finnspetz, a sort of first dog type used by humans. Stone carvings show these dogs from way back.
You start one hour after sun rise and walk gravel roads. Birds need gravel for their digestion and begin their day with this. The dog finds fresh trails and starts to chase. After a distance birds take to the trees and the dog stays there and barks. You move in and when near start to crawl and only move when dog barks. Now comes the tricky bit i.e. how to find the birds in the trees. A thermal spotter can be useful. Most people use a gun (Combi) with a slow rifle bullet and/or shotgun. All birds can be shot on these hunts and birds are mainly young. Very seldom an old Caper. This sort of hunt is also etremely demanding as you have to move fast and follow in forests filled with blocks. A bit easier nowdays with radio collar on dog.

 

[Freeforester]

Fifty years ago the woodland grouse were shot in driven days on Deeside, and the local forest trappers here were instructed to trample any nests found, even though by then they had started to replace pine with other non-native species. The black game would lek within one mile of the town here, and as a teenager I was once given a grey hen to pluck (keeping the feathers for the fly tying) and dress ready for returning to the school home economics department, after it had flown into a closed window of the department, at the edge of town. Given their preferred habitat, they could return, assuming predator management..


Later I organised caper shooting over pointers in the Flekkefjord area in Southern Norway. The Caledonian pine forest is alive and well, and living there….

I recall yet a small ‘covey’ of caper once bursting out of a juniper bush a bit like partridges, just much bigger, in the forested area of Kongsvinger, near the Southern Norway/Sweden border East of Oslo. We were hunting moose at that time though.

 

[roaring_stag]

@GDhunting

 

[Overlay]

Fifty years ago the woodland grouse were shot in driven days on Deeside, and the local forest trappers here were instructed to trample any nests found, even though by then they had started to replace pine with other non-native species. The black game would lek within one mile of the town here, and as a teenager I was once given a grey hen to pluck (keeping the feathers for the fly tying) and dress ready for returning to the school home economics department, after it had flown into a closed window of the department, at the edge of town. Given their preferred habitat, they could return, assuming predator management..
View attachment 393682

Later I organised caper shooting over pointers in the Flekkefjord area in Southern Norway. The Caledonian pine forest is alive and well, and living there….

I recall yet a small ‘covey’ of caper once bursting out of a juniper bush a bit like partridges, just much bigger, in the forested area of Kongsvinger, near the Southern Norway/Sweden border East of Oslo. We were hunting moose at that time though.

45 years ago I was fortunate to be able to spend just over a week on hunts for ptarmigan on the hilltops, grouse on the hill sides and capers in the new plant, that was when I was 24 years of age fit as a flea now at 70 I reckon I could only manage a hobble out to see a lek, that week started my journey on to deer stalking Roe and Reds and my first use of a deer valied CF rifle, I think it was a Robertson in .243 haven’t stopped since that first day, best place in the country to get the Bug of deer stalking, I bagged a brace of ptarmigan, a black cock and two hens and the smallest mature Roe i’ve ever shot,

Dented my brand new Winchester fowling gun and had to take it to inverness gunshop to have the dent knocked out it was up hill up via the 100 steps until they dumped marks and sparks on top of it.

Fantastic place all round, Fantastic sportsman I ever rubbed shoulders with such an abundance of wildlife I would have never anticipated how it is today, I’m saddened in one way, and also I feel so privileged and fortunate to have had the opportunity to be part of for 45 years as I went back very regularly

 

[Freeforester]

45 years ago I was fortunate to be able to spend just over a week on hunts for ptarmigan on the hilltops, grouse on the hill sides and capers in the new plant, that was when I was 24 years of age fit as a flea now at 70 I reckon I could only manage a hobble out to see a lek, that week started my journey on to deer stalking Roe and Reds and my first use of a deer valied CF rifle, I think it was a Robertson in .243 haven’t stopped since that first day, best place in the country to get the Bug of deer stalking, I bagged a brace of ptarmigan, a black cock and two hens and the smallest mature Roe i’ve ever shot,

Dented my brand new Winchester fowling gun and had to take it to inverness gunshop to have the dent knocked out it was up hill up via the 100 steps until they dumped marks and sparks on top of it.

Fantastic place all round, Fantastic sportsman I ever rubbed shoulders with such an abundance of wildlife I would have never anticipated how it is today, I’m saddened in one way, and also I feel so privileged and fortunate to have had the opportunity to be part of for 45 years as I went back very regularly

Ormiston’s Gunshop was up the Market Brae steps, bought my BRNO.22 there in the early eighties. John is a member here too.

Aye, to think that every county in the U.K. had black game before the Great War.

Used to slip under some camp painted sacking to watch and video the lekking birds from about 8 metres at a great lek; the then NCC designated the area of hill an SSSI for its certain flora, but were totally clueless about the fauna and left out the lek area and so now it is sitka, and the SSSI is now a mess of quad bike tracks and injury…

 

[Overlay]

Ormiston’s Gunshop was up the Market Brae steps, bought my BRNO.22 there in the early eighties. John is a member here too.

Aye, to think that every county in the U.K. had black game before the Great War.

Used to slip under some camp painted sacking to watch and video the lekking birds from about 8 metres at a great lek; the then NCC designated the area of hill an SSSI for its certain flora, but were totally clueless about the fauna and left out the lek area and so now it is sitka, and the SSSI is now a mess of quad bike tracks and injury…

Yep the gunshop, very nice man, took the chokes out of the gun, slightly trimmed the thread bit, pushed out the dent and away I went, i had dinged the barrels on a small rock in the heather after opening the gun after I had got a left and right on woodcock, your right it is different now sadly

Cheers
Phil

 

[jthyttin]

I'm under the impression that Sweden is easier than Finland. Many Finnish enthusiasts go to northern Sweden for black grouse and capercaillie, in early autumn and also January (or thereabouts).

Skidoo is not an option in Finland, and I believe not in Sweden either. Here it's disallowed to use any motorized vehicle (bar some newer personal electric vehicles like assisted bike) for hunting or transporting firearms outside of the road network. There are some exception to e.g. travelling to base camp if there's no road connectivity.

In Finland I wouldn't suggest walking the gravel roads either, since it's forbidden to shoot any game animal on or over public roads, and grouse/caper/etc. on or over private roads either. Specifically because they seek the gravel and are easier targets. Yes I understand Polar Lynx was referring to finding the birds using roads and not shooting on the roads. But it would be very very awkward discussion if fellow hunter or hunting inspector intercepts you.

Hunting seasons for grouse/caper/etc. including the January season are decided on year by year basis in Finland, according to certain surveys made that year. They're also heavily dependent on the region.

Open Seasons - Suomen riistakeskus

riista.fi

 

[homer]

Folks has anyone done a capercaillie hunt in Europe before? Got an outfitter you’d recommend?

My understanding is that Austria stalks them early AM in the spring. Sounds interesting but I also believe tags are quite thin on the ground. It looks like it’s only 1 bird,(assuming successful) for the trip

Finland / Sweden seems to have reasonable bird numbers. I’d want to shoot something in full plumage so it’s probably a ski hunt. I can’t really ski,(done 3 days). Bonus points for being more of an adventure but con is it would be blooming freezing - which is fine but may be harder to rope the family in with me.

Any recommendations would be fab? It’s a bit daunting booking abroad without reliable feedback. Probably looking for 2026 so lots of time.


Cheers!

Have you tried contacting the RSPB about shooting 1 in the cairngorms NP, they seem quite happy to reduce the population up there!!

 

[sauer]

RSPB ......yeah they will love the caper to be in bad shape....means they can wring more money .....they do not want success!! It means no more need for them