Nordic Wild Hunter: Kristoffer Clausen

Seeking to conserve his energy as he searches for his next meal, Kristoffer heads into the wilderness in his canoe looking for fresh signs of beaver. Beavers have a high level of body fat compared to most other game and this is a big advantage when trying to survive on the food available in the wilderness. Kristoffer sleeps under the vast open sky. kwglobal

Travelling on foot only with his backpack and rifle Kristoffer looks for a suitable place to build a simple shelter and make a base camp in the north of Sweden. Once camp is made, Kristoffer heads out in search of roebucks, and sustenance. kwhunting

Kristoffer heads into the summer wilderness in the eastern part of Norway. The deer are rutting and can be called in if you know how to master the call. Summer also means wild berries and mushrooms (if you know where to look) and these are delicious and even essential when surviving off the land. Foxes and badgers can also be hunted this time of the season: Kristoffer pursues all protein options.

Kristoffer's only companion as he heads into the Swedish wilderness is an 11-year-old pointing dog named Ollie. After sleeping under the open sky, the long pursuit begins for capercaillie and black grouse. There is no shortcut to finding these birds, it just requires a lot of walking, which again means spending a lot of energy, a delicate balance when surviving off the land.

Fall has arrived and with berries and mushrooms mostly gone, proteins from wild animals will be the available food source. In this episode Kristoffer sets up a campsite under the stars and wakes to hunt the normally game-rich farmlands looking for wild boar, deer, and moose.

Late fall means freezing temperatures and finding a camp with access to good firewood is vital. Making sure you shoot precisely and hit the prey is also critical, especially when hunting small game with a rifle. Kristoffer is heading into the northern pine forests hoping to bag enough game to survive off the land.

Winter is getting closer; the lakes are freezing up and surviving in the wild gets harder. Kristoffer heads into the wilderness of eastern Norway and finds a deer killed by a lynx. The carcass is not fresh. Can he eat this meat? Are there other ways to benefit from the carcass?

Ruffe is a dog of the breed Finnish Spitz and he will be joining Kristoffer on this trip. Snow is covering the ground and temperatures are freezing. Ruffe is a versatile hunting dog and he can bay up anything from moose to birds and pine marten. He will locate the game, bark at it to try to bay it up and hopefully Kristoffer can get close enough for a shot.

When the snow is very cold it makes a lot of noise when walking. This makes stalking close to an animal very challenging. Luckily Kristoffer brought along a couple of predator calls so he can try calling in some foxes. Foxes might not be the best tasting meat, but if you are hungry enough, a fox will do.

Kristoffer is hunting in the central part of Sweden where fallow deer are abundant. Temperatures are going up and down, snow is coming and disappearing, and this could mean great conditions for stalking game on fresh snow.