Smellydog
Well-Known Member
You need a bigger boat!
Duck disapointment
- Thread starter Karhumies
- Start date
ha, i dont actually, no sharks here. I tried that, ended up calling in a rescue from a mate. Inflatable kayak (not some toy quality) is ideal. Deflated it just about fits in a 120l backpack, paddle breaks up in 4 segments. Whole thing weights about 15kg. Its essentially impossible to overturn, i can stand in it.
most importantly it overcomes the nemesis of bigger boats, those peat islands. the kayak can glide over 30cm of water and with a bit of speed slip right over the barely submwerged grass.
I wish i was sponsored by them, that inflatable kayak is just the best thing ever for hunting and fishing in these environments.
3m long and holds 160kg oficially, Wich is BS because i myself weigh 155kg and i have transported large deer on it in the past.
Mountain Bug
Well-Known Member
I like your swamp. Not a single person as far as the eye can see. My kind of place and with those type of home prices, how could you go wrong.
Was in town this morning (on a Saturday) chauffering one daughter to tennis camp, and then taking both daughters shopping for school clothes. I can only describe it as my own personal hell.
Any fishing out there to go with the waterfowling and deer hunting?
What you need is a good old cajun airboat or would they not be allowed?
Scott
allowed sure, but no idea where i would find one.
fishing is great. I have 120m of gillnet out there, 6 katiska (traditional fish trap) and angling wise the pike fly around your head, litterally. Wich is true for most of the country actually, pike is like the national fish and features heavily in our historical religion and mythology.
I do have a bigger boat, its on the edge of the swamp. The swamp connects several larger lakes. My nets catch alot of perch and zander there wich is currently my food plan for the winter now that mammals are off limits for me. As for deer hunting, i used to live in the forested area a bit further south east where i had some land and a hunting club. Deer hunting was great. Unfortunately my particular club has some print about having to retain land in their territory. So losing my land meant losing my membership wich equals no more deer hunting at all for me. ZERO
The swamp doesnt house any deer as far as i have seen and even if it did i wouldnt have the right to hunt them now. Its only waterfowling wich is similar to a fishing permit, anyone can just buy one online basically.
As for the swamp itself, the fish taste like farts. The whole swamp is like a fart. Centuries if not millenia of decomposing matter being disturbed by my activities i imagine.
And no people as far as the eye can see? welcome to Finland, population 5.6mil 4.8 million living in the few larger cities.
the remaining 800,000 are spread out over 300.000km2 of forest and swamp
Population is centered mostly in the coastal regions and Tampere area, this is where nesrly everybody wants to live for some masochistic financial security(jobs)
As a result, nobody (politicians) gives a damn sbout 80% of the countries land mass, my daughter goes to a school with 1 teacher and 7 other kids. Before i lived in the shadow of a small city (population 5000) and i had a decent bit of undeveloped forest with a 2 story red log house(swedish style). Now i have 109 people in my village and a 180m2 2 story house in disrepair with 10.000m2 of "yard" but no huntable land unless a deer strolls into my garden.
as for that financial security.... unfortunately that is what cost me my land, no income and rising living costs. I used to live off crafts and services helping farmers, forging tools and decorations, processing carcasses, selling processed pelts etc. Barely a living but it fed us. Unfortunately we got priced out by rising taxes and expenses we cant opt out of.
And selling fish or meat... the papermill that needs to turn before i could do that+ all the hygeine papers, cold chain requirements, inspections etc make that unfeasible for the little guy. This has become the culture in this country, previously free spirited trades like fishing, farming and even selling firewood have become bureaucratic nightmares that favor monopoly minded corporations. Centralisation and collectivisation of production to allow the government to tightly control domestic economy seems to be the intention.
Last edited:
Mountain Bug
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry to hear about you losing your land. That seems to be the way in my area also. Land and housing prices have risen to a point where few can afford them and the resulting increase in taxes on already owned properties have many selling up and leaving. Anyone buying land now will likely be those that have already earned a pile and are semi-retired.
Honestly, your story reads like the foreword to an autobiography recounting the adventures of Finland's greatest and most successful poacher....wink wink.
As to the waterfowling, I am by no stretch a great or even good waterfowler. I do enjoy it very much. Unfortunately, it has become a rich mans game due to its popularity in my region.
There are plenty of wings about but a good sized, cut cornfield will lease for $6000 per year. The other options are a day rate of $200-250 or a club membership for $1500-3000 per year
I am lucky enough to have made a friend that belongs to a waterfowling club and he invited me several times last year as his guest. Since I have little control over much more than my own shooting, I did extensive pattern testing with several shot sizes (all steel) and all choke restrictions. No brand or shot liked anything but a modified choke (1/2 choke by British designation) and shooting 3 1/2 inch in T, BB, BBB and 2 the clear pattern winner was BB at 40 yds. Our lead shot ban here in the states began phasing in as early as 1987 and I can assure you that there have been millions of ducks and geese shot cleanly using just steel. Not a chance that I'm shooting the overly expensive alternatives either unless someone gives them to me.
I can't help you find your ducks but a little tuning (alot actually) has really helped me to knock them down to stay as I don't have a dog either.
Scott
Luckily one tradition holds in Finland. Everymans right, while it doesnt technically apply to hunting it almost does. Anyone with a hunting license(requires a theory exam once in your life) can buy small game permission to what you might call public land (more like no man land here).
I walk to my local gas station or log in online and 35 euro buys me a waterfowl permit to a body of water of my choosing provided its not privately owned, and even those are usually available for 20-40 euro. 120 euro buys me a small game permit for the forest, grouse, hare etc.
Deer of any kind is the privilege of the landowners and clubs and moose is even more controlled. Clubs arent so mutch a rich mans affair but straight up nepotism with the exeption being if you can offer them more land to ad to their territory.
as for poaching, that would be ilegal! and iam absolutely not the kind of man who would ever talk about doing such a thing, what if i run into police in the middle of the wilderness.
I walk to my local gas station or log in online and 35 euro buys me a waterfowl permit to a body of water of my choosing provided its not privately owned, and even those are usually available for 20-40 euro. 120 euro buys me a small game permit for the forest, grouse, hare etc.
Deer of any kind is the privilege of the landowners and clubs and moose is even more controlled. Clubs arent so mutch a rich mans affair but straight up nepotism with the exeption being if you can offer them more land to ad to their territory.
as for poaching, that would be ilegal! and iam absolutely not the kind of man who would ever talk about doing such a thing, what if i run into police in the middle of the wilderness.
johnnytheboy
Well-Known Member
The dive and swim under water, they are incredible!
The will be lying in weed close to the bank, masters of hiding as well!
Probably want to rework you gun/cartridge combo if your crippling ducks more often than killing!
no, its all very unregulated here. A dog can be called in trough a number but out here it would arrive 3 days late. I do want a dog, i have wanted one for years. My wife has a problem with it and currently i dont have the budget anyway. Even if i did, my wife starts sweating the moment i mention a dog.
My position is that i do not hunt for sport. At this moment iam poor, my family is poor. We had to sell our house and land to move into a rotten House in a swamp and i sold all but 4 guns and 1 scope per rifle.
We sold our hybrid car(my wifes car) and most other posessions.
I hunt for meat now, i fish for meat. The only legal recourse i have now is hunting duck and fishing. so the little money coming in can cover bills until my wife is well enough to work or someone hires me. Its not a good time to have a foreign name in Finland right now unfortunately. Even a germanic name. The great social support system Finland brags about died a slow death the last decade.
Similar threads
