Hunting in the world’s most distant and exotic locations

#Hunting #Nature #PulsarBrandAmbassadors

While there is the comfort of hunting on your own grounds where you know each tree, each hill, and almost every animal, there are very few hunters who don’t sometimes dream of going somewhere farther. To a place where you’ve never been before and where your body fills with adrenaline and excitement, where nature is nothing like you’re used to at home, and where there’s always something new behind every corner. These destinations are often called exotic, and today we’re sharing some of them with you. They are still on our bucket list, but in the meantime, we also asked our brand ambassadors – Andrea Lysvold from Norway and Jón Rúnar Guðjónsson, who currently resides in Denmark – to share the most exotic hunting locations they ever went to.

The Nordic islands

The Åland archipelago, located between Finland and Sweden, is close to most Europeans, however, it’s not many that hunt here. And we believe they miss a lot! There are nearly 7000 islands in total, and they are known for their impressive roebuck population. The hunting season begins on August 15 and lasts for a month. And should you want to visit the islands some other time of the year, get ready for a raccoon dog hunt – they’re an invasive species here, and thus their hunting season lasts year-round.

If you’re looking for another place to hunt in Norway, our brand ambassador Andrea might have some advice: “I still think that the most exotic place I’ve ever hunted at must be the area around my home – the ocean surrounding the Lofoten islands. Here, I mostly hunt seals, and it’s my favorite type of hunt. It’s something very special – the views, the ocean sounds, and the excitement and adrenaline that flushes you throughout.”

Andrea Lysvold | Lofoten islands

How do you prepare for that, you might wonder? Well, here’s what Andrea does: “I always wear a floating suit and an extra floating vest as the ocean is very cold and dangerous. I also bring a GPS or map and check that I have extra power banks and gear in case of an emergency.”

Iceland

When thinking of Iceland, few of us think of hunting – it’s certainly a gorgeous place to visit, and maybe to go fishing, but hunting? Well, our brand ambassador Jón Rúnar is here to prove such a notion wrong. A born and bred Icelander, this is where he learned the art and craft of hunting.

Hunting here is surely a unique experience. The rough, majestic landscapes fascinate with their beauty, while the fairly difficult terrain makes traveling to your hunting location an experience of its own. When it comes to animals, though, don’t expect a great variety – native species are protected, so you can only hunt invasive ones. These include geese, ptarmigan, cormorant, guillemot, and a few other seabirds. If you’re more into mammals, then you’ll be pleased to know that reindeers are not native and can therefore be hunted. However, there are only some 1,200 permits for reindeer hunting given each year, which means you’ll not only have to participate in the lottery but get lucky, too.

And if there’s one mammal that locals can truly hunt as much as they want, it’s the mink. Oddly enough, it is considered a pest here as it harms native flora and fauna (as well as kills sheep), so Icelanders don’t even need a permit to hunt them. However, they are off-limits to visitors.

Jón Rúnar Guðjónsson | Lappland

Perhaps because it’s home, or perhaps because Jón Rúnar has traveled so much, he’s got something else in mind when asked about his most distant hunting locations: “I’ve hunted in Namibia, Africa – that would be the farthest from home. But I also went to the Swedish Lappland to hunt for moose. Here, we had to drive about 1700 km one-way with all the equipment. What I learned there is that you need to be in very good condition for moose hunting with dogs. Unfortunately, I wasn’t, but I still managed to hunt.”

“We had very good clothes for this trip, as you need to have multiple layers in the frost. Besides that, you need a good ax so you can make a fire while waiting on a moose – this is an important tradition, and it does not scare the moose away,” – adds Jón Rúnar speaking of special preparation for the trip.

Patagonia

If you’re willing to travel to the other side of the pond, Patagonia might be just the place to go. Only experienced hunters are advised to go there as the hunt can be challenging – the terrain is quite hilly, and the walks may be long. As for the game, Patagonia is home to many of our favorite species, such as red and fallow deer and wild boar, as well as more exotic types of rams, goats, ibex, and even pumas.

Flying Andean Condor | Patagonia

The site contains 4.500 petroglyphs carved in the rocks during the Neolithic period dated 6 to 7 thousand years ago and located in the Republic of Karelia in the Russian Federation. It is one of the largest such sites in Europe with petroglyphs that document Neolithic culture in Fennoscandia. The rock art figures at Lake Onega mostly represents birds, animals, half human and half animal figures as well as geometric shapes that may be symbols of the moon and the sun. The petroglyphs of the White Sea are mostly composed of carvings depicting hunting and sailing scenes including their related equipment as well as animal and human footprints.

New Zealand

An exotic location in itself, New Zealand attracts many travelers. If you’re planning to visit, we suggest you pack your hunting license, too – the country is ideal for mountain animals. There are plenty of deer species here – including red, fallow, sika, and sambar, as well as tahrs, chamois, rams, and pacific goats. Although do keep in mind you might need to fly in a helicopter to get to the desired location – talk about remote destinations!

Hunters on Mount Alpha | New Zealand

Japan

Japan doesn’t usually pop into one’s head as a top hunting location, but it’s certainly a dream we didn’t know we had. While getting a license here is a long and strict process for both locals and foreigners, hunting here is very much welcome these days. With wild boars and sika deers populations out of control and with no natural predators, government officials are introducing various incentives for hunters who could help with controlling the populations and thus minimizing the losses experienced by farmers.

A herd of deer | Hokkaido, Japan

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Hunting in the world’s most distant and exotic locations

The Nordic islands

Iceland

Patagonia

New Zealand

Japan

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