For many hunters, autumn is the season for hunting. Autumn hasn’t quite arrived yet, but the buck hunting already started on Saturday. In Åsnes, they are getting ready for a new season. For some, it is the very first encounter with deer hunting. – New hunters, who do not want to hunt on their own, receive training and an introduction, and can, if they wish, bring experienced hunters with them on post. This is what Tove Lisbeth Finstad, who is the leader of Åsnes JFF, tells us. Åsnes JFF organizes two introductory courses in buck hunting: one on Monday and one on Wednesday. The age of the participants ranges from 18 years to 60 years and well. Most of them are women, according to Finstad. The courses are full, largely because they attract new hunters from all over Norway. – We have had participants all the way from Stavern in the south, all the way up in Østerdalen, and all the way from Haugesund have come on buck hunting and deer hunting. – Too bad knowledge Today there are 45,000 deer hunters in Norway, according to Jo Inge Breisjøberget. He is head of hunting and fishing in Statskog. – Hunting is very popular. Up to half of the deer hunters hunt bucks, says Breisjøberget. Jo Inge Breisjøberget is responsible for hunting and fishing in Statskog. Agder, Vestland, Rogaland and Nordland are the only counties that can report an increase in the number of fallow deer bucks, according to figures from Statistics Norway. The figures for the rest of the county show either a steady or falling trend. Breisjøberget in Statskog still believes that knowledge of the deer population is too poor. – We don’t know how many deer we have. – Unfortunately, we have a little too poor statistics and knowledge about the deer population. We have to start from experience before we can form an opinion on how many deer we can kill next autumn, explains Breisjøberget. Statskog believes that knowledge of the deer population is too poor. Photo: Kjartan Trana The reason is that the deer fell between two chairs. In Norway, it is defined as big game and each felling license must have an area requirement. In Europe, it is small game and therefore has no quota. – Very little research and population estimation is done on deer. In some areas where deer hunting is very popular, you can run the risk of killing too many males, says Breisjøberget. Pål Tegnander Hunting times 2024 Here is an overview of some of what can be hunted and when. NB: Remember to read up on the regulations of the Norwegian Environment Agency for local decisions. Red fox The season for hunting red fox started on 15 July. It can be hunted throughout the country until 15 April. Kjartan Trana Roe Deer The hunt for the roe bucks started on 10 August. It must only be hunted with a rifle until 25 September. From then on, all deer can be hunted, including with a shotgun and loose dog, until Christmas Eve. Sverre Ustad Reindeer From 20 August to 30 September it is open to hunt reindeer in the reindeer area. Brit Jorunn Svane’s Deer The deer hunt begins on 1 September and lasts until Christmas Eve. Laurent Renault Hare The hare hunt starts on 10 September and lasts until 28 February. Certain areas in Troms and Nordland can hunt hare until 15 March. Fowls The fowls have a common hunting start on 10 September. Jerk, grouse and big game can be hunted until Christmas Eve. Gray grouse and mountain grouse can be hunted until 28 February, with the exception of certain areas in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. Hallgeir Braastad / news Moose The moose hunt is the event of the year for many hunters. With the exception of Kautokeino and Karasjok, the moose hunt starts on 25 September and lasts until Christmas Eve. Climate change affects the population Despite what the Norwegian Forest Service says, the specialist responsible for hunting and fishing in Statskog believes that we have killed more deer in the last five years, because the population has increased. In the last year, however, there has been a decline, according to Breisjøberget. He says he will continue. – It comes from the fact that we have had a slightly harsher winter. We have also got an increased lynx population. If you have a hard winter and a slightly higher lynx population, there will be fewer deer. Apart from a rougher winter, the deer population is affected by climate change, points out the head of the department. – It turns out that with climate change and a shorter winter, deer will profit from it. We have seen the last five to six years, so there has been an increase in the deer population. But in the hunting area of Åsnes JFF, they notice a decline in the population. – We receive feedback on felled deer from those who have then hunted in the municipal forest every single year, and we see that fewer and fewer are felled. Last year there was a sharp decline, says the leader of Åsnes JFF. – But it is possible to lie a little. Because there are many people who do not dare to release a dog during the ordinary deer hunt. Because we have the terrain within the wolf zone. Calling the police Finstad says that the best thing about deer hunting is the excitement and peace. – You may sit there for hours throughout the afternoon and evening or early morning, then it is completely quiet in the forest. And suddenly there is a goat standing in front of you. That is what is very exciting to see, she says. But hunting is not just quiet and peaceful for those who live in areas with buck hunting. The roe deer is, in fact, “wild in the edge zone” according to the department manager at Statskog, who will say close to people and residential areas. According to Jo Inge Breisjøberget, the police have been called before, because people hear gunshots close to the residential area. – Someone will react to the sudden bang quite close to the residence early one morning. But we should not say that there is a problem. At the same time, he says that hikers in the forest should not need to take extra care of hunters. – We share nature. Hikers should not think that hunting is possible. That is the responsibility of the hunter. Published 12.08.2024, at 13.45
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The buck hunt has started, but no one actually knows how many deer there are in Norway – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
