Martti Kitunen is the most famous Finnish bear-hunter. In Martti Kitunen's days, the brown bear was the worst enemy of domestic animals, and killing one was a feat of valour worthy of reward, whether the bear in question was an adult or a cub. Martti Kitunen was the first Finnish hunter to have a biography written about him. Kitunen became more widely known among hunters in the Nordic countries as early as 1860.
Background
Martti Kitunen was born in the community of Uuranen (then Ruovesi) in the Virrat district. His wilderness farm was situated on a tongue of land between Lakes Vehmaanjärvi and Kitusjärvi and was surrounded by extensive woodlands. His first encounter with a bear came when the 16-year-old was hunting birds. Kitunen was injured three times while fighting with bears. As a weapon, Martti Kitunen initially had an ordinary flintlock made by the village smith; and later, a military musket that he himself repaired. By 1799, Martti Kitunen had shot 103 full-grown bears. Martti Kitunen is remembered as a cheerful and sociable man who loved children and who over the years had learned the ways of the gentry, so that he got along well even with the finer female members of society. He died in 1833 at the age of 86.
Career
He killed the first bear at the age of 16. When hunting, Kitunen usually had dogs with him. He had separate dogs for birds and bears, and his black bear-dogs were famous for their ferocity. Kitunen was injured three times while fighting with bears. As a weapon, Martti Kitunen initially had an ordinary flintlock and later a military musket. By 1799, Martti Kitunen had shot 103 full-grown bears. He shot his last bear in the Laukaa district at the age of 74.
Achievements
Works
article
Björnjägaren Martti Kitunen ('The bear-hunter Martti Kitunen')
Boken om vårt land ('Book about our Country'), and Suomen Kennelklubin Aikakauskirja, the chronicle of the Finnish Kennel Club