A HIKHUNTER's Story - Night Hunting for Wild Boar in Sweden

Jul 13, 2023

About Mette Karin Petersen

It was the love for dogs that got Mette into hunting back in the days. After participating a few hunts, she decided to become a hunter herself in 2017.

"I realized that hunting was much more than just pulling the trigger. It was about the unique wildlife experience you get from spending several of hours in nature. It's about friends, wild food, dogs, gear and much more. Hunting is a lifelong education, that I wanted to be part of."

Mette has a University Degree in Marketing, with a specialization in Hunting. Today she's running a Digital Marketing Agency, only with hunting related clients.

Hunting habits

As soon as the season kicks in, I can be found in the forest. I prioritize to spend as much time as possible with hunting. I don't have to pull the trigger to have a successful hunt – then I wouldn't be a hunter. A hunter must enjoy everything that's around pulling the trigger. It's about the actual experience of being outdoors. Getting to observe the wildlife early morning and late evenings. Fully focused on being in the moment. Taking in the surroundings. The smells, the sounds of nature. Pulling the trigger is a bonus, like the cherry on top.

I'm part of a hunting club in Denmark, which means I share my hunting ground with other hunters. I love it, because it gives me the opportunity to share my hunting experiences with good friends, if I want.

I love to do stalking, because it really requires fully focus, patience and dedication. The more challenged the hunt can be, the better.

Hunting all(most) year around

I hunt common game like deer, duck, and goose during the main season (October-January) here in Denmark as well as I'm taking part in the roe buck season in summertime (May-July). Frequently I'm visiting Sweden for wild boar hunting, which is a species we don't have here in Denmark. That's something totally different, since its usually hunted by night. It's also due to this type of hunt, that I was introduced to HIKMICRO products. Products that have been a game changer.

Night Hunting for Wild Boar in Sweden

A chill summer night, that quickly turned into night. All alone in the Swedish wilderness. I don't see a difference from when my eyes are open or closed. Everything is dark.

Night hunting has never been a favorite of mine. Mostly because it's during nighttime and for a long time I felt that I missed the point of hunting – observing game. What is hunting if you can't see anything? The vision is our most important sense. Our vision "takes photos", which increase our knowledge off our surroundings. Our vision gives us the opportunity to lean and understand. If you take away your vision, your hearing will be stronger – and that's what happens at nighttime. Night gear or not.

Eyes in the darkness

Here I am. At night. In the forest. With my caliber .308 in one hand and a shooting stick in the other. Everything is dark, but not quiet. The forest is singing as I've never heard before. It's difficult to identify the sound because I can't see. At least not with my own eyes.

It's possible – not preferable - to sit in a high seat not using night gear if there's light at the feeding station. But it's impossible to stalk during nighttime without night gear. So, I was well equipped with a thermal scope STELLAR SQ50 and a monocular GRYPHON GH35L. Gear that gives you eyes in the darkness. Gear that you should use with caution because the thermal gear gives light from the eye piece, it can't be avoid. So, my trick is to use the standby function that the gear might have, so you keep the product in standby mode, attached it to your eye and then turn it on. Then you have minimal light bighting up in the dark forest. Cool, right? Still, I recommend using the products with caution, don't view in it constantly, because that might result in reduced night vision, as well as movement makes noise, which doesn't increase you chance on stalking into that cleaver wild boars.

Now I've been hunting wild boars at night several times, so I know the sound. The sound of wild boars that are fighting over those good feeding spots. I wait for those sounds that I know means they are close enough for a good shooting opportunity. I'm extremely aware of the distance at night and it can be impossible to know the exact distance, if you don't have a laser range finder in your scope or monocular. If you are sitting in a high stand at a feeding station this feature is not as much needed, as if you are stalking. If you are stalking on an open field, you have absolutely no chance of knowing the distance, which is crucial knowledge to make a good shot.

After only 45 min stalking along the fields, I hear the noise of wild boars eating and moving around. There's no reason to rush, since they usually will stay for a bit, if nothing scares them away. Only my movements and the smell of me, would scare them away at this point. I slowly mount the rifle to my shoulder and lay my chin on the stock. I follow observe the boars through my scope, to find the right one. Here he was. Not the biggest, not the smallest in the group. A male boar. I took a deep breath and when I exhaled, I calmly pulled the trigger. The wild boar fell instantly, and everything got quiet again.

Now the tough work is ahead. Pulling a 60 kg. wild boar to the car. Gralloching, skinning and butchering. This is also the moment, where I feel very privileged to be a hunter. To be able to harvest wild, sustainable, and free range meat from nature. To be able to share it with my nearest. I appreciate and admire wild meat and it always bring back memories.

*Before purchasing any thermal or digital day & night vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local ledislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events.