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16. October.
I am in Pasvik with Foss, -

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- A 13 month old Alaskan Husky.
Pasvik is bear country.

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I'll meet one of the principal
experts on bears in Scandinavia.

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Perhaps we'll also see
some exciting tracks.

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What's this?

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Interesting. Claw marks on trees.

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Looks like a hollow lie.
Nice place to camp.

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Do you hear something, boy?

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No one is better qualified to talk
about these bear tracks -

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- than Steinar Wikan from Pasvik.
Professional about bear tracks.

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Good day.
Saw some effects on the environment?

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Yes, clawing or biting.
Outstanding!

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One of Wikan's projects is
collecting DNA material.

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With that he has proven travel
patterns of 49 bears in Pasvikdalen.

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I located where this bear has been.
In the bear pit.

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You show real joy when you
come to a place with bear tracks?

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Oh yeah, there are frequently quite
ordinary things. Manure, bites, etc.

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But when you get such a collection,
nesting space, bites and filth, -

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- And perhaps other trace materials,
you get a lot of DNA material.

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And you learn a little about bear behavior.

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Why have they bitten the trees in the middle
in the summer? Hardly territory marking.

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Maybe he was just bored? He
must do something while he is here.

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Many thoughts about bear behavior.
And how do bears think?

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- For regular walkers - which
situations can be dangerous?

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The most dangerous is
a wounded bear.

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A shot or wounded bear
it quite dangerous.

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All of the other dangerous situations
are a bit less dangerous.

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One other is females with cubs.
We have many such cases.

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Sometimes the bears
when confronted are scared.

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But we have cases where they
have attacked. Then there are cases -

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- where someone has a dog with them, which
has pursued a bear at its heels.

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We have a few such cases,
where the bear has shown aggression, -

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- but without attacking someone.

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It was great to meet you.

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Continued success on your
journey in our forests.

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Pasvikdalen is 100-120 kilometers long
and 10-20 kilometers wide.

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There's chance of
coming into a bear's presence.

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We will start in the north
and go down south walking.

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Much of the fun is that we should
be out in October-November.

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That keeps most people indoors.

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This is a real tour.
I am not here just to chase kilometers.

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I'm here to relax and enjoy
the outdoors as I like to.

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To go as far as we feel every day.

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Might be staying in the same
place three or four days.

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Maybe I'll take a trip
with the gun, fishing rod ...

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Foss and I are here to enjoy ourselves.

47
00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:12,400
But is it smart to walk at this time
of year? Should I have skis? Snowshoes?

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Will much snow fall?

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00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:23,560
Wise people say there's usually
little snow before Christmas in Pasvik.

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When I choose to trust them.

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The question is whether I will happen
upon a bear. They aren't hibernating yet.

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There are plenty who are out walking.

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Good boy.
You must come when I call you.

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This snowfall is very nice
When it comes to indicating tracks.

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But it's a bit scary that
it covers over rockpiles.

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It makes it a little hairy.
Have to be careful in the broken rocks.

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There are a lot of those in Pasvik.

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Satan in hell!

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That's what I meant by not quite
seeing where you put your feet.

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Good boy.
Such a good boy!

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Is it a good idea to trim his claws?
Oh no.

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When it's this cold and clear,
I lie there. Fall asleep by the fire.

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Now comes the evening.

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20. October.
Last night the ice was not safe.

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In the night, it was
nine degrees below zero.

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Then I ventured out on the ice
for the first time in years.

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(crack)

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Don't think I'm going to go far out.
Content myself with water.

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It's mine.

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Rice porridge is the king in the morning.
Have it Christmas Eve morning.

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Of course, it has cinnamon, butter
and a little sugar. Then we are in heaven.

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So it was you who stole my fish?

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Then there's soup
for supper today also.

74
00:10:53,240 --> 00:11:01,000
This is a perfect way to create
a strong bond with your dog.

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I selected Foss because he shows
good characteristics for a tracking dog.

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I can really get
into his head, -

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- we connect very well.

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Further on I'll make
him dog in my sled team.

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And it's valuable to have a dog
as a guard in the camp.

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When there are things around, he hears it.
If a rabbit jumps by -

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- maybe it ensures dinner.
Reindeer can trample through.

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And he's funny.
He's 13 months, young and playful.

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A softwood block or log is enough
to get him in a good mood.

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Here we come up to water.
It's hard to go on in this terrain.

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Tempting to try the ice keeps.

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It's worth a try. It will certainly
carry Foss with his claws. But me?

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It's incredibly easier to walk on ice
than to flounder in the terrain up and down.

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Even though one proceeds with cautious
steps, it's much faster.

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The stone pile is huge.
Come on. It's much easier on the ice.

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Down on the ice.
Come, then, boy.

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It's important to not help him when
he tries. He must learn for himself.

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Otherwise, he will stop all the time
and expect me to help him.

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Good boy!
Good boy!

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00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:45,760
Here we go.
It is better.

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A wonderful place to be a hiker.
A night in the open.

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Check out the northern lights, hear the fire
crackling. Next night, We spend in there.

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00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:05,800
Western Hut is one of seven open huts
which is located in Pasvikdalen.

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Open to all who want them.
A fantastic offer for hikers.

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Indeed, it's just a plain resort.

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I just had to out and get some air.

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I will be here today. Accomplish
things that are hard to do -

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- living in tents or out in the heather.

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Is there anyone home here?

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Bad set, maybe?

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Great to have such things in nature. Provides
an extra dimension to the wandering life, -

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- having bears around.

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The probability that there is a den
within 10 kilometers from here -

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- with a live bear in it, is great.
Fantastic to have it like that.

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The first thing I do when I have picked
a camp, is to stoke the fire.

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Delicious smells. That's when you get
up to the camp, then you need fire.

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When you're usually a little cold and sweaty.
Then just bring up the flames.

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These are some of the perks
of being in the pine woods.

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In the initial phase, only throw on wood,
so there is a glowing layer the bottom.

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There is open water below the marsh edge,
even if it's minus 14-15.

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We go on a cold enough night for a meeting.

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Make sure the lid is back by the fire,
so I do not lose it in powder.

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When the fire is lit and the water collected,
it's time to put up the tent.

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Then comes the evening.

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It's important to slow down,
let your body be a little sluggish.

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Don't hustle and fuss. It's okay
that things are going in low gear now.

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It important to appreciate the
things you have. A bonfire,  food ...

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Now that it's 40 cold, there aren't a
million mosquitoes, the storm's not blowing.

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No, life is easy.

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(learn to pack dog packs on nrk.no/monsen)

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Although it has been cold,
I keep close to land.

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There can be thin ice anywhere.

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Not bad to arrive at
Ellen Cabin before it got dark.

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Only fox and marten tracks on the path,
so it is deserted enough.

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Of all the open huts in Pasvik
Ellen's Hut is the most visited.

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It's easily accessible, and near
Lake Ellen, which is good for fishing.

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And fine water for
paddling in the summer.

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There, the sun peeped out.
Was sunny today, too.

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Fun you can have with that, too.

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Today I walked on Coal Mountain,
260 meters above sea level, -

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- the national park's highest point.

136
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Indeed, it's the weekend, -

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- but I'm alone, even at the most
trafficked site in the Upper Pasvik.

138
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Because I'm here in November,
I have all this for myself.

139
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Inconceivable, if you ask me.

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Something broke some branches there. We're
at the Finnish border, heading south.

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00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:27,480
It may have been a moose or reindeer.
I doubt that it was something else.

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It continues to crack back there.

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There are no moose.
So it must be a reindeer.

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It can be a bear,
but it seems too cautious.

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It was a huge wolf!
Completely black. Anyway very dark.

146
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It heard us, and then took off
over there about 80 meters.

147
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The dog is very excited.

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Too bad I didn't manage to get it on tape.

149
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Fun to catch a glimpse of the matter.

150
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In the back laboratory.
So I measure out a yard.

151
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We have the foremost laboratory.

152
00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,640
It was a real surprise.

153
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,160
Must be running along the oil line
over the marsh.

154
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That's a lot of signs.

155
00:26:59,960 --> 00:27:06,320
When the clock is 11 in Norway, it's
12 in Finland and 13 in Russia.

156
00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,920
Nowhere else in
the world is like that.

157
00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:17,240
30 days go quickly
when you're feeling fine.

158
00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:24,240
Being here when the snow falls, and
forest is white for the first time -

159
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- feeling the silence, solitude,
days have become increasingly shorter ...

160
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The Dark Age is just around the corner.
We will be touring throughout the winter.

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I felt a lump
of joy in my stomach.

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(next week)

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00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:59,360
The cold is like a lid over the country -
a closet. Been sacked by Santa Claus?

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Rumor is that he has switched
to dogs. Is it not Santa Claus?

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(English subtitles: Lex Ein)

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00:28:40,860 --> 00:28:44,660
(subs.hopto.org)

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00:28:51,261 --> 00:28:51,261
Sat Dec 05 2009 09:01:08  it's