Custom Scandinavian Hunting Experiences
We design unforgettable hunting journeys across Sweden and Europe, tailored entirely around your hunting goals.
- 30+
- Years guiding
- 600+
- Hunters hosted
- 16
- Countries
- 1:1
- Private guiding
Why hunt in Scandinavia?
There are places where hunting is a transaction. Scandinavia is not one of them. Here, the forest sets the terms — and a hunting trip in Sweden becomes something closer to a pilgrimage than a purchase.
Sweden alone holds close to seventy per cent forest cover: an unbroken mosaic of spruce, Scots pine, birch and glacial lakes stretching from the oak-rich estates of Skåne to the boreal wilderness of Norrland. Wildlife density here is among the highest in Europe, and it is managed rather than exploited. Red deer, roe deer, fallow deer, wild boar, moose and mouflon share landscapes that have been hunted continuously — and carefully — for a thousand years.
What makes Scandinavian hunting distinct is the discipline behind it. Local hunters pass mandatory marksmanship tests. Harvest quotas are set from documented population counts. Estates keep records across generations, and a gamekeeper will refuse a shot on a young stag without hesitation, no matter who is holding the rifle. That restraint is precisely why the trophies here remain exceptional and why an ethical European hunting experience still means something.
Then there is the light. In September the rut begins, and at four in the morning the valleys fill with fog while stags roar across the ridgelines. In November, driven hunts move through frost-silver birch with the dogs working ahead. In January the snow arrives and the forest turns monochrome, tracks written across it like text. Few landscapes on earth reward patience so visibly.
Safety and infrastructure complete the picture. Scandinavia is politically stable, famously low in crime, English-speaking to a near-universal standard, and equipped with world-class hospitals, roads and airports. You can hunt at dawn in a remote forest concession and be at a Michelin-recommended table in Stockholm the same evening. For hunters travelling from the United States and Canada, that combination of wilderness and civility is genuinely rare.
And finally, tradition. The hunt does not end at the shot. It ends with the game laid out in the last light, horns sounded for the animal, the fire lit and the meal shared. Guests tell us afterwards that this is the part they remember longest — not the measurement of the antlers, but the ceremony around them.
- Primary species
- Red deer, roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer, moose, mouflon
- Best months
- September–October rut · October–January driven hunts
- Group size
- 1–12 hunters, private guiding as standard
- Travel from
- Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Oslo
- Languages
- English, German, Scandinavian
Every journey is tailored
We do not sell packages. We begin with a conversation — sometimes an hour long — about what you actually want from the week. The species matters, of course. But so does whether you want to walk twelve kilometres a day or sit comfortably over a managed feeding ground; whether you are travelling alone, with a hunting partner of thirty years, or with a family who would rather be in a spa.
From that conversation we build a written itinerary from the ground up: estate, guide, accommodation, meals, transport, licences, rest days and the experiences around the hunt. Nothing is copied from a brochure. If you want three days of red deer stalking in Sweden followed by a driven boar hunt in Central Europe and two days in Copenhagen, that is a single Venator itinerary — not three bookings.
Red Deer
The defining Scandinavian trophy. Rut hunts in September and October, stalked at dawn or taken from high seats over forest meadows. Mature stags of exceptional body weight.
Roe Deer
Elegant, demanding and best hunted in the still light of early morning. Spring bucks and the July–August rut over open field edges and mixed woodland.
Wild Boar
Driven hunts with disciplined dog teams, or night hunting over feeding grounds with thermal support. Fast, physical and unmatched for adrenaline.
Fallow Deer
Managed park and estate herds with heavy palmated antlers. Ideal as a second species alongside red deer on the same programme.
Moose, mouflon, capercaillie, mixed-species weeks, mother-tongue guides, wheelchair accessible high seats, father-and-son first hunts — almost everything can be customised. Ask, and we will tell you honestly whether it can be done well.
Luxury accommodation
Where you sleep is not a detail. It is half the memory.
Our Scandinavian properties range from eighteenth-century manor houses with private lakes and family portraits still on the walls, to architect-designed forest lodges with floor-to-ceiling glass, wood-fired saunas and a fire lit before you return from the field. Several estates we work with are booked exclusively for your group: no other guests, no fixed dinner times, no strangers in the drawing room.
Rooms are individually furnished. Beds are Scandinavian and properly good. Boots dry overnight in a dedicated room, rifles are stored in certified safes, and there is always somewhere quiet with a leather chair, a lamp and a glass of something to review the day. Wi-fi works if you need it — and can be politely ignored if you do not.
For groups travelling with non-hunting partners we favour properties with spa facilities, walking trails and a kitchen serious enough to make dinner the highlight of the day. For hardened hunters chasing remote ground, we will happily put you in a simple red timber cabin at the end of a forest road — because sometimes that is the luxury.
Manor houses
Historic estates with private grounds, cellars and staff.
Forest lodges
Contemporary Nordic design, sauna, lake access, total silence.
Estate wings
Exclusive use for your group with a dedicated host and chef.
Boutique hotels
For city nights before and after the hunt.
Your personal hunting concierge
One named contact from first enquiry to the moment your trophy arrives home. No call centres, no handovers, no forms. If something changes at midnight in a Swedish forest, you have a phone number that answers.
Airport pickup
Private transfer from Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen or Oslo.
Accommodation
Manor houses, boutique lodges and private estate wings.
Meals
Full board with Nordic game cuisine and packed field lunches.
Local guides
One-to-one guiding with hunters who know every ridge.
Transport
4x4 field vehicles and chauffeured travel between regions.
Licences
Permits, conservation fees and insurance handled for you.
Firearms guidance
Import paperwork, loaner rifles and range time on arrival.
Taxidermy
Trusted European studios and full trophy preparation.
Trophy export
Veterinary papers and shipping to the US, Canada and the EU.
Private chef
A dedicated chef cooking your own game at the lodge.
Wine tasting
Curated cellars and sommelier-led evenings.
Whisky experiences
Rare Nordic and Scottish tastings by the fire.
Spa
Wood-fired sauna, cold plunge and treatments after the field.
Fishing
Salmon, sea trout and pike on private water.
Family activities
Excursions, wildlife safaris and city days for non-hunters.
Restaurants
Reservations at the tables that are otherwise fully booked.
Scandinavian cuisine
New Nordic cooking changed world gastronomy, and its foundation is exactly what a hunter values: proximity, season and respect for the raw material. On our programmes the game you take can be hung, aged and served at your own table days later by a chef who has cooked venison his entire career.
Expect slow-braised wild boar shoulder with juniper and root vegetables; loin of red deer with lingonberry, chanterelle and browned butter; cured moose, smoked char, rye, dill, fermented berries and cheeses from farms twenty minutes away. Bread is baked in the house. Cloudberries appear in autumn and are treated with the reverence they deserve.
Cellars are curated rather than large. We arrange sommelier-led tastings, aquavit flights, rare whisky evenings by the fire and — for guests who ask — a private chef who cooks in front of you and explains every element. Dietary requirements are handled quietly and completely.
Build your dream hunt
Tell us what matters to you. Within two working days you receive a written, itemised proposal from a named consultant — dates, estate, guide, accommodation, licences and total cost. No obligation, no deposit, no automated reply.
Why hunters choose Venator Tours
Founded in Norway and operating across sixteen countries, Venator Tours has spent three decades building the relationships that make an exclusive European hunting experience possible — and the discipline that makes it repeatable.
Exclusive access
Private estates, family forests and concessions that are never listed publicly. Where others sell seats, we open doors.
Local expertise
Three decades of relationships with Scandinavian landowners, gamekeepers and guides — and testhunters who verify every destination before you do.
Premium accommodation
Manor houses, historic lodges and design retreats chosen for character, comfort and quiet.
Private guiding
One guide per hunter as standard, matched to your physical pace, language and hunting style.
Custom itineraries
No fixed packages. Species, days, food, luxury level and family programme are designed around you.
Safe and legal
Fully licensed, insured and a member of the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund. Every permit documented in writing.
Frequently asked questions
01Do I need a hunting licence to hunt in Sweden as a foreign visitor?
Visiting hunters generally need a valid hunting licence from their home country and, depending on the hunt, a Swedish hunting permit and paid game conservation fee. We verify the exact requirements for your nationality and the specific estate, prepare the paperwork in advance and confirm everything in writing before you travel. You never have to navigate Scandinavian bureaucracy on your own.
02Can I bring my own rifle to Scandinavia?
Yes. Hunters travelling from the United States, Canada and most European countries can import hunting rifles temporarily with the correct import permit and airline paperwork. We guide you through the application, the European Firearms Pass where relevant, and the customs procedure at arrival. If you prefer to travel light, we arrange a high-quality loaner rifle with time on the range before the hunt.
03What is the best time of year for red deer hunting in Sweden?
The classic red deer season runs from late summer into winter, with the rut in September and October offering the most dramatic experience — roaring stags in misty forest at first light. Driven hunts for wild boar and fallow deer are strongest from October through January. We build the calendar around the experience you want, not the other way around.
04How many hunting days should I plan for?
Most international guests travel for five to eight days: two travel days, three to five hunting days and one or two days for food, culture, fishing or family activities. Shorter and longer programmes are equally possible — a two-week multi-country European hunting itinerary is something we build regularly.
05Can my family or non-hunting partner join?
Absolutely, and many of our guests travel this way. While you are in the field, we arrange spa days, guided nature walks, food and wine experiences, city excursions, boat trips and child-friendly activities. Everyone meets again for dinner at the lodge.
06How does trophy export and taxidermy work?
We coordinate field preparation, a trusted taxidermist and the veterinary and customs documentation required for export to the United States, Canada and the EU. You receive tracking information and a named contact who follows the shipment until it reaches your door.
07What does a luxury hunting vacation in Scandinavia cost?
Because every journey is tailored, price depends on species, hunting days, group size, accommodation level and added experiences. Programmes typically start in the mid four figures per hunter and rise for exclusive estates, private guiding and manor houses booked for your group alone. You receive a fully itemised written proposal with no hidden costs before anything is confirmed.
08Is hunting in Scandinavia ethical and legally regulated?
Scandinavian hunting is built on strict game management, mandatory marksmanship testing for local hunters, seasonal quotas and a deep cultural respect for the animal. Every estate we work with operates under national wildlife legislation and documented harvest plans. Nothing we arrange sits in a legal grey zone.
09Do the guides speak English?
Yes. All guides on international programmes speak fluent English, and we can provide German or French speaking guides on request. Your itinerary, safety briefing and hunting rules are delivered in English in writing before arrival.
10How far in advance should I book?
For prime rut dates and the most exclusive estates, nine to twelve months ahead is sensible. We can occasionally place a small group at shorter notice through our estate network, so it is always worth asking.
Your Scandinavian hunting adventure starts here.
Speak directly with the people who will design your journey. No sales script — just hunters who know the forests, the estates and the difference a well-planned week makes.
Venator Tours AS · Skogholtet 15, 1715 Yven, Norway · +47 906 83 337 · Member of the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund