Longrange blog 312: Winter hunt, 221 Fireball

[@bookingfoto7670]

Hunting in the arctic environment is one thing. Dealing with cold fingers, winds, sudden bad visibility, proper clothing due to cold temps and overheating body temp, wet underwear, hunting situation....u name it. And then - add camera equipment, tripods, cold batteries, focus, exposure, and packing all the shit together for every dam hunting situation- or at least a couple of them. Thomas, you've earned yourself an Academy award for this! Great work being a søring, living in Bodø. 😂

[@THLR]

Thanks, glad you appreciate the effort. Much of the battery problems disappeared when I started using the Sony A7camera. Compared to the Canon batteries, the "use rate" is Sony 1.2 vs Canon 4 or 5, despite both being in the 1000 mAh capacity range. A lot of the problems you describe is easily solved by adhering to simple routines, dress down climbing, don't stop at the summit but walk yourself dry, keep watching for scenes to film etc. The worst part of the day is just before I reach the summit, on really cold days my loose fit longjohns normally have a tickling "ice diaper" as sweating is unavoidable. Next year I will definitively be wearing new longjohns with a snug fit over the ass. It can be fairly unpleasant to stop and set up the cameras when you're sweaty, and it's always a consideration how discomfort this will be. When I get tired it gets harder to maintain "film discipline" and get the cameras rolling.

[@cratxn1]

@@THLR I do not have the severity of your weather, so I often walk in in the dark in only my longjohns...wipe as much sweat off with a small hand towel as I can and then put on my layers. Much easier than what you have to contend with.

[@THLR]

@@cratxn1 Texas is severe enough, but the other way. I find warm and dry environments intimidating... but it's not going to stop me from trying pronghorns at one stage.

[@liangxiao2909]

Really like this episode. Eye-opening scenery for people from Arizona.

[@THLR]

Thanks! Yeah, I imagine it would be very different. Opposite side of the temperature scale.

[@aceprecision1681]

A truly remarkable video Thomas ! Over the years there has been many many excellent productions ....... but this particular installment will take some beating ! Thanks again for your efforts. Cheers

[@THLR]

Thanks! Hope to beat it on the next winter/ ski episode then. I need goals :D

[@oaklindphoto]

Lovely movie and editing. Great to watch and lot of tips and tricks. Thanks for sharing.

[@THLR]

Thanks Calle. I got a fair amount of material from this trip, so there should be another film inbound.

[@Gerndel]

Incredible production! The terrain and vistas are outstanding... Excellent advice too! Great work brother!

[@THLR]

Thanks for that, glad you liked it. Should have enough material for one more winter film.

[@bigracer3867]

I said it once and I will say it again. Beautiful snow country!!

[@THLR]

Thanks! Will shortly be editing another winter episode. A bit lacking in both snow and birds I'm afraid...

[@bigracer3867]

@@THLR question for you. What bipod are you using? You might have said before. I’m looking for a new one to replace my Versa pod. Thx👍

[@THLR]

@@bigracer3867 on this rifle it's an old Atlas

[@dmitrygorkov1586]

Good content, fantastic nature and very useful for hunters! Thank you!

[@THLR]

Thanks for taking the time, glad you found it useful.

[@johnfrederikson2002]

You have some beautiful country and your are skilled at showing it. Take care. J.

[@THLR]

Thanks for that. Yes, this landscape has its beauty and this is some of the hunting I enjoy the most.

[@charlesadams1721]

Thanks for the content. Beautiful county and photography. Some 30 years ago I had a .221 Fireball, but it wasn't a rifle, it was the odd Remington XP-100 in .221 Fireball. With an appropriate scope, you could cleanly take a target to 200 yards, but I never tried much over say 150 yards. Even though that small bullet is moving at quite a velocity, the 14" barrel of the XP-100 really made the cartridge a 'not quite a .222 Rem or .223. Rem) which were considered valid 'varmint cartridges.' Your shooting on those birds is quite good as your fieldcraft. Thanks once again.

[@THLR]

Funny you should say that, I've been reading a lot (well, reading what I found) on the XP-100 when I researched the 221 Fireball. There doesn't seem to be much info available online, but I found some articles in connection with your pistol and if I understood correctly, the 221 Fireball was created to get optimal performance out of the XP-100 for varminting. Looks like a fun pasttime, if handgun hunting were legal here I'd definitively be doing that. Would be nice to carry a smaller package and hunt targets of opportunity. By some unknown fluke, the 221 Fireball is defined as the largest cartridge allowed for this hunt in the area I visited.

[@charlesadams1721]

@@THLR : interesting that the Fireball is the largest cartridge allowed in the area. When I was using the XP-100, which is and was a great, large long and bulky handgun, I had one of the 14" barre models, the originals had, I believe a 10" barrel with this weird looking space-age plastic rib on the barrel. It was a strange-looking firearm. In whatever guise, It was an awkward handgun, in many, many ways, a short, trim single-shot rifle is a far better tool. In reality, it was a 'stunt' firearm, as far as I could tell, an exercise in seeing if it could be done. In my case, I actually found an application for which I thought it was suited, that of helping farmers and truck gardeners eliminate the woodchuck/groundhogs from their fields, gardens, and pastures. If your not aware, the woodchuck/groundhog is a large, very large ground squirrel-type of animal, closely related to the Marmot. And while reportedly groundhogs seldom exceed 10-15 lbs. (5-7 kg.) I've seen and shot groundhogs living and destroying family 'truck gardens' that exceeded 24 lbs. Also, their burrows are quite destructive, as I've seen horses, and cows have what would become fatal injuries resulting from stepping into a burrow. Often, some friends and myself would be asked to see if we could assist in eliminating these pests, these varmints from pastures and fields. Most of my friends enjoyed using rifles wit the calibers of .220 Swift the 22-250 and some exotic wildcats, with shots in excess of 300 yds. I chose to go another way, to assist people in clearing their gardens, by working close to the homes, barns, and outbuildings where a stealthy and precise shot would be greatly appreciated by the residents. Also, the report of a .221 Fireball even from a 14" barrel was nothing close to that of even a .222 Remington. The long-eye relief scope equipped XP-100 Fireball proved to be an effective tool in this application, as even a .22 magnum or .22 hornet sometimes had problems with a headshot. Again, I very much enjoy your content, the environs, your fieldcraft, and your precision shooting.

[@THLR]

@@charlesadams1721 thanks for that! Your kind of pest control is something I'd love to do. Closest I've been was when I accompanied a pest controller on New Zealand and we shot rabbits at night out of pastures, we drove bikes and shot them by light. I'm in the process of getting a better stock (longer, better fit for me) for the rifle and eventually I will rebarrel, probably a Lothar Walther as that barrel brand is easily available here.

[@pistolpeta]

I enjoy these the most. Thanks again.

[@THLR]

Thanks. There will be at least one more winter/ snow episode if I gauge the available clips correctly.

[@dirkd.s.7831]

Waidmannsheil Thomas 👍🌿, sehr schöner Film!

[@THLR]

Waidmannsdank! Good luck with the upcomking season.

[@predatortt7694]

Wonderfull hunting footage !!

[@THLR]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@joecizin9357]

The CGI and green screen film work is great, it looks like you were really there.

[@THLR]

Cheeky bastard :D (brilliant!)

[@joecizin9357]

@@THLR Ah ! So it was Real. . . . and you used a body double, like the other famous Movie Stares

[@THLR]

@@joecizin9357 when I get rich, I'll hire Tom Cruise for this...

[@ton1911]

Great routine! I follow something similar for my solo winter hunts out in the remote bush here in Quebec, Canada. Friggin' winter will kill you fast if you don't follow your routine! I am just amazed how you hunt and film in the same time. Great work again :).

[@THLR]

What do you hunt in Quebec? I grew up reading trapping and hunting stories from Canada, everything from Yukon goldminers, to canoe paddling trophy hunters in Ontario and norwegians exploring the Northwest Territories.

[@ton1911]

@@THLR I hunt deer for big game, rabbit, ptarmigan, pheasant, and other small game. Haven't gone around hunting for moose or caribou yet but it's in the plan. I actually grew up in California and hunted wild pigs there and was influenced allot by writings of Jack London, Colonel Whelen, and Elmer Keith. Hunting in the old days seemed allot more simple and romantic.

[@THLR]

@@ton1911 if you have Amazon Kindle, there's a lot of the book titles available for little money in Kindle edition. But mind you , a lot of the old titles is poorly written and utter crap. Titles like " The story of mountain man Jack and how he survived 20 years in the wilderness" is normally an indication it's not worth reading.

[@Timantinpoimija]

Great film! Greetings from Finland.

[@THLR]

Thanks for that, enjoy your season!

[@paulabschinski1023]

A stunning land, beautifully filmed again. If you did show how you cook/prepare the bird, l would also be interested in watching this. ...there is not much snow in Australia.

[@THLR]

I prepare it like you would a steak or duck and serve it with vegetables and potatoes. I prefer simple spices like salt and pepper and usually a pepper sauce. Some find that it has a very rich and sweet taste compared other meats, so this is not something I'd eat a lot of in one setting.

[@KSM22LR]

Добрый день с полем 🤝😊 Спасибо за прекрасное видео 👍👍👍

[@THLR]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@nzbediler1062]

Very nice landscape 👍

[@THLR]

Thanks..yes it's beautiful. A bit rough when the weather rolls in though.

[@jamesmoon6042]

Excellent as always sir

[@THLR]

Thanks Jim, glad you liked it!

[@redstag5428]

Would be interested in how you process the birds after shooting ?

[@THLR]

I don't let them freeze the first 24 hrs. Hang them by the neck, skin them and filet the meat. I prefer to fry them like a steak, serve with vegetables like pea puree and potatoes.

[@redstag5428]

@@THLR Your recipes are as good as you shooting thank you

[@cal79]

Fantastic...your very lucky

[@THLR]

Absolutely, this is a very nice experience!

[@JimmyGunXD556]

Man that was a killer video !!!

[@THLR]

Thanks Jimmy, hoping to have at least one more of these winter episodes.

[@OutdoorEDventures]

Those birds must be incredibly hard to glass in the snow. Good video as always that must be exhausting doing those shots and having to go back and get the camera on the snow.

[@THLR]

They can be! When the sun creates contrast and shadows, it really helps. When the light is flat it becomes difficult and when the wind creates a little drift and flutter you need to get lucky. Some hunters prefer just to ski and flush them. I glass.

[@danmacdonald1291]

Are the little birds very tasty Thomas? I see you to great effort to harvest them, Ulf Lindroth appears to enjoy hunting them also... great video mate!

[@THLR]

To be honest, I'll take mallard over ptarmigan. It is a nice meat,can be a bit "sweet and heady" if that makes sense, so I consider it a "dessert meat" and eat it in appropriate portions with vegetables. A pea puree, potatoes and lingonberries with a simple pepper sauce is what I do.

[@user-1168]

Very cool! Thanks Thomas =))

[@THLR]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@davidross1839]

Question: Is it legal to use thermal imaging to locate game (here: ptarmigan) during a hunt in Norway?

[@THLR]

I would have liked to say no, but the legislation isn't updated for the new technology. Thermals are selling like potatoes now.

[@Dazza_au]

Thomas could you please comment on your rule of having an empty chamber while skiing? Thanks, your cinematography and editing is fantastic.

[@THLR]

I don't want Damocles sword hanging over me. The safety on a Remington 700 is just a mechical catch that could very well fail if the rifle is slammed. There's a lot of impact energy released when you fall on skis and I simply do not trust that safety to hold the firing pin during impact. If the firing pin falls on a chambered cartridge, there's a high probability of me being shot in the legs or arse. Even simple, bleeding wounds become complicated under these circumstances, I'm hours and hours away from people with no signal.

[@cratxn1]

Better the Second-time-around, @ 7:02 I found finesse on your part in that your through-the-scope footage on the actual bird, demonstrated "wind hold" better than any verbal discussion ever could. Oh, @ 7:30, how many "takes" did you have to do to train those birds to fly back by your position after the shot?!?

[@THLR]

:D the trick is how you whistle. No, on a more serious note I got lucky. As you can see in the film, I was getting a little stressed towards the end. An eagle was approaching from the opposite side (it was feeding on a nearby reindeer carcass) and the birds were picking up on that, they started going from rested snowballs to long necks. Those birds would most likely have flown regardsless of my shot.

[@86alaskan5]

Great video, reminds me of the alpine in Alaska. What species of ptarmigan are those? definitely not like the willow we hunt in AK.

[@THLR]

This is the Lagopus muta. I believe it's 7 (?) species of grouse in the world and this one is as you say a little different.

[@blacksand9805]

Nice little round. FMJ bullets I guess (to avoid meat damage) ?

[@THLR]

Yes, Sako, Lapua and Norma all make FMJ especially designed for edible game. They are shaped to minimize tumbling upon impact and penetration. Especially the Sako 50gr FMJ has a legendary reputation for being a good bullet for this hunt.

[@antonholck376]

Great video. I'd love to know more about the muzzle device. What is it?

[@THLR]

It is simply a thread protector with 2 baffles to catch snow and prevent it from entering the barrel. Much easier to take off and knock clean as opposed to assembling a cleaning rod and clearing the barrel. I normally use a silencer, but that is not legal here. Call it a muzzle break without holes (well, except front/back) if that makes it easier to understand the construction.

[@antonholck376]

​@@THLR Ah, I see. I've searched around for something similar, since I'm not allowed to bring my Hausken everywhere. Do you know if they're available somewhere in Scandinavia?

[@THLR]

@@antonholck376 A friend made it, so no. You need to commision one in a machine shop.

[@antonholck376]

@@THLR So that's why I've been unable to find something like it. Thank you very much.

[@vadimkulushev4504]

Хорошая стрельба! Тех что в конце полетели можно было из ружья тоже добыть. Если бы был ещё кто то.

[@THLR]

Thanks, but I'm alone. I guess this is a good example why combination guns (shotgun + rifle) is popular in some areas.

[@christopherbergstrom8065]

Otroligt vackert!.

[@THLR]

Takk, landskapet gjør seg godt på film. Har trolig nok materiale til enda en film herfra.

[@Josefselvadek]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing ! How close to the birds do you normally get ? And how far away can you spot them ?

[@THLR]

Depends very much on the conditions. With sun and shadows with movement I can sometimes catch them at 700-8-900. These birds I found just shy of 400. Most birds were shot under 100m, the closest was 10. When they are resting and decide to trust their camoflague, they can be easy to approach. Or they can be tripping all over and fly at the smallest disturbance. I have not hunted these birds enough to fully understand them.

[@ErikS308]

Do you keep bright orange flags with to use for emergencies? So rescuers can find you if needed.

[@THLR]

Orange flags will do you no good. By the time you're considered missing (time 19:00 in the evening) it is dark. My friends will start looking for me around 19:30 but it will be some time before I am REPORTED missing and I expect Mountain Rescue to arrive no sooner than 22:00. A simple thing such as "flat light" or poor navigation can cost me an hour descending and make me miss the prearrangements without there being a need for assistance. So if I'm in trouble, that is a fair few hours I have to fend for myself and relief will arrive in darkness. A reflective vest, 2 LED headlamps with beacon function and extra batteries is what I carry. I prefer lamps with AAA batteries as that's easy to carry and you don't need a lot of light to see in front of you or for the light to be visible down in the valley. Most of the time when someone is not at the pickup point, we'll see a torch moving down a mountain, and as long as it's not flashing/ beacon mode we'll not do anything but wait. We do a weather chat each morning, discuss routes, pickup points and "catchlines" to which we'll navigate and follow if able. It is only if we are immobilized we'll dig in and be underneath the snow to preserve heat. Depending on where we go, I often bring a depot bag with insulaltion, shovel and thermos so I can wait safely in comfort. I always carry a compass and I always pre-determine the heading required to hit my catchline. Sometimes you experience proper whiteouts even though the weather is not that severe and you navigate by compass alone. Ski googles with contrast lenses helps to gauge the terrain in front of you, but when it gets really shit I resort to dropping my skipole just in front of my skis to see how it lands.

[@ErikS308]

THLR.NO wow. Living in the southern USA I do have the issues associated with the cold and snow. Thanks for the education. Your videos are always fantastic. Keep it up.

[@YOSIPSOROKA]

Hello Thomas, thanks for video, it was a great hunting and a pleasure to watch it, want to ask what type of bullet u use in 6,5*284 cal. & 300 norma magnum ( A-Max, eld match, berger hybrid etc).

[@THLR]

I have used 6,5mm 140gr Hornady Amax and .30 225gr ELD M. In 6,5mm worked very well, in .30 terrible carcass damage.

[@sandcontour]

Very cool. How do you prepare and eat the birds?

[@THLR]

Thanks. I hang them by the neck, skin and filet the meat. I prepare the birds like I would a duck fillet: Fry them in a pan, finish them in an oven, serve with vegetables like pea puree and potatoes. The fat content is fairly low compared to a duck, so a good sauce is recommended. I use a simple pepper sauce.

[@legrandhorg]

This is the content we’re here for. Thank you, Thomas. Also, Remmy 221?! Since when?

[@THLR]

I've had it for some time now, just never got around to filming it. I bought this 221 Fireball due legal restrictions in this area. Didn't want to spend a fortune on a rifle, so the grapevine helped me to this fairly rare factory 221 Fireball. It works very welk, so I'm keeping it. Bought a Gunwerks Clyr stock for it, but our currency is crashing now so that atock might cost me A LOT of money of the time it's done. Due exvhange rate, 30% increase last week alone...

[@legrandhorg]

@@THLR We have the same problem with our currency here, east of your border, as well. Good thing I got my Sako A1 stock from Wildcat Composites so I can finish my own, similar project, but in .223 for more all round hunting. If all goes well I will build another one in .221 strictly for ptarmigan.

[@THLR]

@@legrandhorg yeah, I slammed the brakes on everything now. Our economies will look different on the ither side of current events.

[@zachariaszut]

When you eat game brought down with a shotgun you must always be careful with those pesky pellets. A problem this ammo does not present. When was this footage taken? I’ve been following some channels from Southern Norway and there is no snow there. At least at sea level. Do Norwegians eat Torsk? Salted and dried that is. It is one of my favourite foods. Well it is in fact a national dish where I am from... we have a thousand ways of cooking it. Or so it is said, although I have never counted it. With this Corona quarantine in the background, I look at that snowy wilderness and it hurts. In my family we contrived to have Scandinavian looks, so I always fantasized about the North and snow. I like cold. It sounds stupid, but there you go. Good hunting!

[@THLR]

Out west and up north torsk/skrei (cod) is common food and usually well prepared. Not really that many variations though, it is often served with butter, potatoes, peas and perhaps some diced bacon - all depending on what type of homestead the region traditionally held. I'm at 67 North, 21 hours drive up from the south. I can still drive another 10 further north.

[@THLR]

I bought some pheasant sausages from a food market a few years back. It was full of pellets. Very annoying.

[@soerlie]

We tend to eat more tacos than fish nowadays but torsk(Cod) and herring has fed our people for generations. We call dried and salted cod klippfisk, directly translated it means cliff-fish. The winter up here is awesome and stunningly beautiful, and a harsh winter makes you cherish spring even more :)

[@zachariaszut]

@@THLR I think it is safe to call it North. I almost broke a tooth with one of those pellets, eating birds brought down by my father in law. I never caught a pellet in Klippfisk though, and I like eating it very much. You must be somewhat careful with fish bones, but if you are used to eat fish that is not much of a problem. :)

[@zachariaszut]

@@soerlie Klippfisk. That is how I like it. I’ve tried fresh cod, well frozen fresh, it is a good fish, and I recognized the taste, but I am really used to Klippfisk. The dried salted head is also very good to my palate. The more simple way of serving it here is boiled, after desalting it, and served with boiled potatoes, cabbages, boiled egg and minced garlic and olive oil on top. Older people here could eat Klippfisk everyday with delight. Anyway I find it delicious.

[@Mrxguy]

Another great video. Hope you are taking time to relax your jaw, after "carrying" that gopro around all day ;)

[@THLR]

Actually, if we look past the lack of oxygen, the "bite mount" is very well made and reasonably comfortable to use considering what it does. I did chap my lips, every time I bit down, there was a crunch of "ice cornflakes" so next year I need to bring something to cover the lips.

[@teo59]

Maybe one day i'll come to hunt in norway! 😍

[@THLR]

Sure. This is Sweden!

[@willewille9595]

I`ll remember a Blaser barrel you use to have in 221FB but scrapped due to precision issues(?) Does the FB fulfill you`r expectations for the type of hunting you intend to use it for? (I happen to live in Sweden and I also do hunt some "ripa" and are thinking of an upgrade to the 22LR/Mag. The 22 K-Hornet or the 221 FB seems to be good alternatives due to the classification of what calibre that are allowed to use on this type of hunting) What V0 do you get with the 55gr FMJ? And what twist are the barrel?

[@THLR]

My rifle us an original 1:14" with so-so precision (just inside of 1 MOA). My Blaser barrel project was 1:8" and did not stabilize anything. I have two friends building 221 Fb barrels in Blaser now, after some research with BR shooters 1:12" is the best twist for 221 Fb and winter hunting. I always wanted a K-Hornet and have the dies, but after 221 Fb I don't see the point. Cases are easier to get (Hornet is dying) due Lapua and 300 Blackout popularity. I have 720 msec with the Lapua 55gr FMJ. I know you can load it a lot faster than that, but it's nice for what I use it for. Eventually I will rebarrel to a good 1:12" stainless steel barrel, but first I will get longer stock. If you are familiar with ripjakt, you know the common hitrate with rimfires and sensitivity to shots over 100m. If I remember correctly, this year I bagged 17 (?) birds with 21 shots (?) which is very good. All birds except one were shot at normal ranges, except one which I shot at 190 just to see if the rifle would do it. Last year with a 17 HMR I struggled to hit birds at 100-120 meters.

[@willewille9595]

@@THLR I have only hunted ripa with 22lr and Mag. And sure; shots north of 50m gets challenging with the LR with only a hair of wind involved. The 22mag is more forgiving; but I never got it to shoot well enough for me to be happy with it. Very picky on the ammo.Having only read about the 17HMR it seems to be a good alternative though. Thanks for the info! The 221 looks like an interesting alternative to the 222/223, but with the advantage of being legal for this type of hunting :) Loading a 221 to Swedish Klass 2 should not be of any problem I would suppose? (Don`t know if you have the same issue with the clarification of calibres in Norway as we have in Sweden)?

[@THLR]

@@willewille9595 If you have ammunition available, 17 HMR should be excellent. Hunters far more skilled at ptarmigan than me use it with great success. But for me, the rimfires is a bit of a gamble, ammunition availability can be so-so and I have no influence over how precise it will be. Considering how much effort it is for me to get away on these hunts, having a bolt action rifle where I can basically control the standard of available precision makes sense.

[@LastCaress7]

Magnifique.

[@THLR]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@jarretschnell5463]

Great! Video!

[@THLR]

Thanks Jarret, glad you liked it.

[@andythies7133]

I’m wanting to build a .221 fireball because I have thousands of pieces of brass for it. What action are you using and are their any feeding issues?

[@THLR]

This is an original Remington 700 light varmint. Yes, there will be feeding issues which can be adressed by blocking the magazine (Remington does this). I need to be careful about placing the cartridges to the rear or else they might dive into the mag box or not clear the loading ramp and enter the chamber.

[@andythies7133]

Thanks for the response. The feeding issues are the only thing holding me back from building one. A block to shorten the magazine is a simple enough fix though.

[@thomasjansson2019]

Snyggt. 👍

[@THLR]

Tackar, tackar!

[@tormyr7590]

Hei, suveren video som alltid ! Har dog ett sprøsmål å stille deg "hvilket kikkertsikte ville du gått til innkjøp av når jakt er i fokus, men du ønsker å kunne drive med baneskyting opp til en 500 meter også" .

[@THLR]

Enkelt. Blaser eller S&B optikk da disse er to av få kikkerter med topp optikk, første fokusplan og gode tårn. Med dagens dollarkurs utgår alt amerikansk. Er veldig fornøyd med min Leupold mk 5 HD, men den vil jo nå koste like mye som bedre optikk.

[@tormyr7590]

@@THLRSett litt på S&B PMII 3-20x50 etter jeg så på videoene dine, dog lurer jeg på om du hadde kjøpt denne igjen etter alle modifiseringer du gjorde :)

[@tyronekim3506]

Nice shooting. I have 221 Fireball in a Pistole. I'm curious to know why you choose your rifle in .221 Fireball over .223 Rem. Were your ammo hands loads? Also, what distances were your shots?

[@THLR]

Thanks Tyrone. I chose the 221 Fireball strictly because of local legislation, would have preferred the 6,5 Grendel or 6mm-223 for this. Yes all ammo needs to be handloaded, you cannot buy it. I'm using Lapua 55gr FMJ with Vit N130 powder. These birds are typically shot 80-150 meters.

[@roarh1]

Which backpack do you use?

[@THLR]

In this film it is an Eberlestock. I've never grown fond of these backpacks, heavy and doesn't sit well on my back. I now use a Tasmanian Tiger, sits much better but rifle needs to be secured via a Slik Sling and it is a lot slower than the Eberlestock scabbard.

[@wolverinekut]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@THLR]

Thanks!

[@magnuserikssonbd]

Tack för en bra video! Vad använder du för jacka?

[@THLR]

Taiga of Sweden. Den er dessverre veldig dyr mtp hvor enkel den er, men det er en kompetent fjelljakke med riktige detaljer. Den henger i en dresspose i off-season, så håper den skal vare resten av mitt jegerliv.

[@magnuserikssonbd]

@@THLR tack så mycket för svar! Tyckte jag kände igen den. Ja de är dyra men väldigt hög kvalitet och hållbarhet 👍

[@THLR]

Fingers crossd, jeg har ikke råd til å kjøpe en ny! :D

[@juanjoseermakimix1728]

Thomas your rifle is a sako?? Great video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@THLR]

No it's an original Remington 700 light varmint 221 Fireball.

[@hungryyeti2548]

Rem 700

[@konighansen9062]

is it public hunting ground?, and is it open to foreigners if so ?

[@THLR]

Kronans mark, so public. Approximately 40 km from nearest road, so a bit of an effort getting in.

[@Vulvaetix]

THLR.NO Interesting, what vehicle do you use to get to the hunting grounds in these conditions?

[@THLR]

@@Vulvaetix snowmobiles along approved lanes, then it's a matter of skiing in. I typically ditch a shovel an depot back at the point where I'm dropped off/will be picked up. It's rarely more than an hour snowmobiling with an hour or two skiing to get up.

[@Vulvaetix]

THLR.NO Sounds awesome! Thank you for answering.

[@akibi-mf1nr]

Good hunting with clean shots as always! That is the way it should be! What magnification do you normally use for shots between 300-400 m when you hunt and have a good position etc.?

[@THLR]

No fixed rule, I just turn the magnification ring until the picture "feels right". I am very rarely below 8x and rarely up to 20x.

[@Hunt.Shadow]

👍💪

[@THLR]

Thank you. This is the nicest hunting I do in winter.

[@Hunt.Shadow]

@@THLR Я белую куропатку почти не стреляю.Одно время много их стрелял,теперь не очень интересно.За сезон одну.две возьму и всё.

[@THLR]

It's good food!

[@Hunt.Shadow]

@@THLR мне больше нравится тетерев и рябчик

[@THLR]

@@Hunt.Shadow What we would call "orrfugl" and "jerpe". Never eaten either, they do not live where I live.

[@gislisnbjornsson690]

Almost exclusively hunted with shotguns here in Iceland

[@THLR]

I was told the same by another Iceland hunter who sent me some pictures from the years he was market hunting. Looked a little different, but with many similarities.

[@idariversen858]

Fornøyd med Lapuaen? Er vel den jeg har brukt mest, men den har jo ikke verdens beste bc. Har vurdert matchkuler, men man får jo ikke rare farta med 69 gr kuler på en så liten patron.

[@THLR]

Nå har jeg skutt knapt 20 ryper, men ja - veldig fornøyd. Ikke en fugl har kastet seg opp og fått luft under vingene for så å forsvinne. Dette var et problem med 17 HMR for meg ( i tillegg til å treffe fugl på 100m eller mer) Jeg har også fått Sako 50gr FMJ varmt anbefalt av rypejegere med langt mer erfaring enn meg. Har anskaffet en boks og skal prøve den når jeg blir fri for Lapua. Akkurat nå ser jeg ingen grunn til å bytte før jeg går tom.

[@larso1785]

Why tulle with small birds when theres reindeer?

[@THLR]

These reindeer are in private ownership. This winter there was many reindeer dead or dying with the stomach already shut down. Add stress from the local wolverines (I crossed minute fresh tracks several times) and eagles stress them doesn't help. I try to avoid adding stress whenever possible, but I did flush one reindeer on this trip as he was hidden behind a rock when I came skiing past. Didn't feel to clever when he ran off, burning on his hard won reserves. Other reindeer were so wasted they barely had the strength to look at me when we surprised each other. It is tempting to give animals in this condition a mercy shot, but the law here is to let nature rule.

[@larso1785]

@@THLR yeah its been a realy bad Winter. With ice later and alot of snow. Its beite krise all over nordkalloten

[@THLR]

@@larso1785 good luck!

[@larso1785]

@@THLR we Will get by. Just less money for ammo this sommer😂

[@johanbdal]

Ingen astmamedicin? 😘

[@THLR]

Nei, jeg er ikke toppidrettsutøver :D :D :D

[@David-mk5ou]

Hei, hvordan er det du bærer kikkerten?

[@THLR]

Jeg har en tynn kamerareim fra Canon. De tykke, originale dekker for mye av nakken og forårsaker svette. Under forflytning har jeg kikkerten i brystlomma, når jeg er ferdig med jakten legger jeg den i ryggsekken. Optikken er for mye $$$ til å unødig risikere skade. Brystveskene du ser brukes til kamerautstyr. Her er omtrent reima jeg bruker www.amazon.com/CANON-ORIGINAL-THIN-CAMERA-STRAP/dp/B01MYC17FU

[@David-mk5ou]

@@THLR Takk :) Prøver å finne en måte å bære den lett tilgjengelig uten at den slenger eller ligger i veien når jeg legger meg ned. Å gjøre det så enkelt som å ha den i brystlommen var ikke dumt.

[@yvindnygaard7717]

Har du opplevd å ødelegge ryper med 221?

[@THLR]

Hittil nei, men har bare skutt i omegn 20 fugl. Kasserte 1 fugl da den ble forurenset/ skjemt under transport. Dette er første sesongen med 221 Fireball for meg, har ca 720 msek fart på kula, så du kan godt si dette er en moderne variant av 22 Hornet med en litt tyngre kule og så godt som samme effekt. Hadde faktisk mer ødeleggelser i fuglen med 17 HMR og Gamepoint.

[@yvindnygaard7717]

@@THLR kult👍har skutt mye rype med rifle. Min erfaring er jo større jo bedre. Skutt de siste årene en del fugl med 300wm 👍 221 med den lave hastigheten gjør nokk jobben med en liten lett kule 👌

[@cratxn1]

Sometimes I wonder if you are a cameraman that loves to hunt or a hunter that has cinematography as a hobby...if you were less proficient at one or the other, the determination would be simple. You must also be either a prolific reader or youtube watcher to gain the competency. I think of your channel as my trap line...every few days I go check the traps to see if there is anything to enjoy. The days spent hunting are not deducted from life's allocation here on earth.

[@THLR]

Thanks CR. Literature about filmmaking seems to be sorely lacking. If the subject is photography, there's no end to the publications, but working with digital film seems to be very different. I do learn technical skills from other KZbin tutorials, DSLR shooter, Daniel Schiffer, Color Grading Central to name a few. I keep my editing simple and focus instead on getting the cameras in position to frame the shot as I don't have the time required to get really proficient at filmmaking.

[@cratxn1]

@@THLR Consumate Composition

[@THLR]

@@cratxn1 Thanks, very generous of you!

[@dhphotography644]

Give the fireball some love. Another top vid Thomas, I myself use a 17Fb for certain jobs and soon another barrel chamber in 20 Vartarg. Regards, long time viewer SKIP

[@THLR]

Thanks Duane. I'm actually upgrading this rifle now. I have a new stock inbound (Gunwerks Clymr) and I'm probably going to rebarrel it to a match barrel. Precision is so-so with the factory barrel, it's sufficient but I'd like to see better. It will either be a Lothar Walther or Krieger.

[@bododdjo]

@@THLR Hei, kommer du til å selge HITECH stokken da?

[@THLR]

@@bododdjo ja. Har du et bud?

[@bododdjo]

Regner med denne er ifra Rafdal? Synes du 4K er en grei pris for en brukt stokk? Tar gjerne imot et pris på hva du tenker. Bor i Nordland, så du skal slippe å sende sånnsett. Hva veier den foresten ?

[@THLR]

@@bododdjo 848 gram. Det er en HiTech Specialities (nå LAW) stokk fra Rafdal hvor jeg har lagt til en picatinny for bipod og lakket hvit (stokken kom til meg brun). 4000 er for mye (selv om en blank koster 5700 hos Brownells), 2200 + frakt er mer passende. Email til th krøllalfa thlr punktum no om du er interessert.

[@billjames3148]

WHY DO YOU RE PACK YOUR RIFLE AFTER THE SHOT ? OFF WITH THE PACK PULL RIFLE SHOOT THEN REPACK. DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS METHOD

[@THLR]

Skiing require a fair amount of balance and control. I can't have loose part swinging around. There is a real risk of falling and you don't want a rifle full of snow.

[@billjames3148]

@@THLR OK this I understand. great video.

[@billjames3148]

@@THLR with all of the skiing and hunting you still got your dinner.

[@THLR]

Thanks. Very little hunting this year though , only been out twice and not nearly enough snow for proper skiing.

[@عباسباکریعباس]

سلام ok

[@THLR]

Thank you!

[@falba1492]

So moral of the story: Don’t eat yellow snow ❄️, and global warming is a bunch of crap 🤣

[@THLR]

Unless you're a big fan of Bear Grylls... :D

[@paoemantega8793]

content is great, intro and extro are not to my taste.

[@THLR]

Thanks. It'll have to do for now.