With a total population just short of 5.4 million and a total land area over twice that of Germany, Norway has plenty of wilderness that holds a healthy population of animals that are popular among hunters.
Both foreigners and locals can hunt in Norway given that they register in the Norwegian register of hunters and pay the annual hunting license fee. The most hunted animals include moose, deer, pigeon, goose, grouse, and ptarmigan.
In addition to the license, hunters must follow national and local rules and regulations. In this article, we will take a look at what you need to do to legally hunt in Norway as well as what and where, and when you can hunt.
Hunting in Norway
Norway has long hunting traditions that span generations. Combined with vast areas of wilderness that are inhabited by a mix of both large and small game, Norway is a prime location for hunters.
The Norwegian wilderness includes both the deep forests and mountains of central Norway as well as the long coastline that stretched above the arctic circle.
Do you need a hunting license to Hunt in Norway?
Everyone wanting to hunt in Norway has to be registered in the Norwegian register of hunters. You also have to pay the annual hunting license fee.
In order to be eligible to register in the hunter’s registry, you need the following;
- Have finished the hunting license test in Norway, or fulfill the equivalent conditions in your native country
- be 16 years old or more, or 18 years old or more if you are going to participate in big game hunting
- undergo the shooting test if you are doing big game hunting with a rifle, or document the equivalent hunting in your native country. You need to bring this along during the hunt.
In order to be registered as a non-resident, you need to send a copy of your hunting license from your homeland, your birth date, and postal address via e-mail to the Norwegian register of hunters at jegerregisteret@brreg.no
If you reside in Norway, you need to send a copy of your hunting license (Norwegian or foreign equivalent), your national identity number (or D number), and your postal address by mail to the registry with the address below;
Jegerregisteret
P.O Box 905
NO-8910 Brønnøysund
Norway
Once your application is received and you have been registered, you will receive a hunting license number.
How much does a Norwegian hunting license cost?
The hunting license fee depends on what type of game you want to hunt. The options and costs are provided in the table below:
| All game | 460 NOK (About 52 USD or 46 EUR) |
| All game except moose, red deer, and wild reindeer | 360 NOK (About 41 USD or 36 EUR) |
| Additional fee for moose, red deer, and wild reindeer | 100 NOK (About 11 USD or 10 EUR) |
The license is valid for one year and covers the hunting season from 1. April until 31. March the following year.
To show proof of payment, you can log into your hunting profile (once you are registered and have paid the fee). Alternatively, you can take a screenshot from your digital hunting license and store it on your phone, or print it out and bring it along for your hunt.
All registered hunters who paid the fee for one season will receive information about payment for the upcoming season before 1. April
What animals can you hunt in Norway (And when)
During the season, you can hunt various small and large game in Norway, provided you have the necessary license.
Keep in mind that hunting is not allowed on certain days, even though it’s in the hunting season. Most notably this includes the week between Christmas eve and new years eve (24.12-31.12).
In addition, hunters need to pay attention to local regulations as counties and landowners can make restrictions within the set hunting periods.
Big game
Moose
Moose is one of the most popular big game in Norway. The season spans from the 25. September to 23. December.
Deer (Red Deer)
Red deer can be found in most counties south of Bodø in Northern Norway. The season spans from 1. September to 23. December
There is a small population of European fallow deer in Norway after the species was introduced in earlier years. The season spans from the 25. September to 23. December.
Roe Deer
Norway has a healthy population of Roe deer which can be found throughout the country. They are most plentiful in southern Norway and the hunting season spans from the 25th of September to the 23rd of December.
Wild Reindeer
Norway has a large population of domesticated reindeer, however, there is also a sizeable population of wild reindeer throughout the Norwegian mountains.
The hunting season spans from the 20th of August to the 30th of September.
Small game
Goose/Duck
You can hunt various types of geese and ducks in Norway. One of the most common is the greylag goose which can be hunted from the 10th of August to the 23rd of December. Others include:
- Eurasian Wigeon (21st August – 23rd December)
- Canada goose (10th August – 23rd December)
- Muscovy duck (21st August – 23rd December)
- Pink-footed goose (10th August – 23rd December)
- Eurasian teal (21st August – 23rd December)
- Common goldeneye (10th September – 23rd December)
- Common merganser (10th September – 23rd December)
- Red-breasted merganser (10th September – 23rd December)
- Mallard (21st August – 23rd December)
- Bar-headed goose (10th August – 23rd December)
- Tufted duck (10th September – 23rd December)
- Common eider (10th September – 23rd December)
Keep in mind that some species can be protected in certain areas. Also, the hunting season for some species will vary in certain regions and counties.
Pidgeon
Hunters are allowed to hunt for common wood Pidgeon throughout Norway from the 21st of August to the 23rd of December. The only exception is Troms and Finnmark county where the species is protected.
Mountain Hare
Mountain hares can be hunted throughout Norway from the 10th of September through February.
Grouse
The Norwegian forests house several species of grouse. These include Hazel Grouse, Black grouse, and wood grouse. The season is from the 10th of September to the 23rd of December.
Rock and Willow ptarmigan
The Norwegian mountains provide some of the most spectacular ptarmigan hunting in the world. There are both Rock and Willow ptarmigan which can be hunted from the 10th of September throughout February.
Where in Norway can you hunt?
Hunting is permitted throughout Norway, however, certain areas are protected. Also, hunting for certain species is not permitted in certain regions and counties.
About one-third of the landmass in Norway is owned by the state. These land areas are managed by statskog, Norway’s state land management agency, or local bodies.
To be allowed to hunt in these areas you have to reside in Norway for the last 12 months. You also have to pay a hunting fee and make sure to follow local regulations and maximum quotas for the area you want to hunt in.
You can also hunt on privately owned land given that you have the permission of the landowner. Such permission can be obtained by contacting the landowner, landowners association, or hunters and fishermen’s associations directly.
You can get permission and pay the hunting fee for several regions and land areas online at inatur.no
It is important that every hunter familiarize themselves with rules on how hunting should be practiced so that it is carried out in a legal and generally accepted manner.
Also, every hunter is obliged to allow themselves to be checked by the police, the Norwegian Environmental Protection Agency, or by local hunting inspectors.
What guns can you use when hunting in Norway?
Only rifles and shotguns loaded with gunpowder can be used when hunting in Norway. The following weapons are not permitted to use for hunting:
- Pistols and revolvers
- Semi-automatic rifles of military-grade
- Fully automatic weapons
Big game
When hunting big game (Moose, Deer, Roe deer, Reindeer), it is only allowed to use rifles. The rifle cannot be semi-automatic or hold more than three shots in the magazine and one shot in the chamber. Also, you are required to use expanding bullets.
In addition, the following requirements must be met:
- Minimum permissible caliber is 6.5 (.264 ″ / 6.71 mm).
- The minimum permissible bullet weight is 9 grams (138.9 grain) for bullets with full metal jacket and a lead core, and 7.8 grams (120 grain) for lead-free bullets.
- The minimum allowable impact energy from 100 meters (E100) is 2200 joules.
Small game
For small game hunting, it is only permitted to use a shotgun with up to two shots and rifles.
Saloon rifles with a caliber of 22 LR can only be used when hunting game species up to the size of a hare, but not for hares.
When using a shotgun, the type of ammunition and size the hunters should choose is determined by which species to hunt. In general, the shotgun must not only be in proportion to the type of game in question, but also the bore diameter of the individual weapon.
The shotgun must also be tested to see what coverage it has for the various cartridge manufacturers provide. Hunters must also assess whether the impact energy is suitable for hunting the game in question.
In general, using ammunition with lead shots is prohibited.
Can you use a dog when hunting in Norway?
Generally, All dogs and dog breeds are allowed when hunting in Norway. However, it is important that the dog does not stress the game unnecessarily, or harm wild animals or their nests/dens.
A hunting dog that runs loose, while driving the game in front of it and barks, is called loose. Such a dog can only be used when hunting deer, roe deer, red fox, and hare.
For foreign hunters bringing their dogs for hunting in Norway, they must be cleared by the Norwegian food safety authority (Mattilsynet). The following requirements must be met:
- The dog has to be ID-marked
- The animal must have a valid anti-rabies vaccination.
- The animal must have received an anti-echinococcus treatment (dogs only).
- The animal must have a pet passport.
To read more about importing animals to Norway, you can read more on mattilsynets website.
Do you need to report your hunting harvest in Norway?
Every hunter who has paid the hunting fee for a hunting season is required to report to the Norwegian hunting registry.
This applies even if you have not been hunting in the last hunting year, or if you have been hunting without having caught anything.
The deadline for handing in your report is the 1. May. Hunters who do not report to Statistics Norway by the deadline must pay an additional fee.
You can report electronically through altinn, or inatur. It can also be done in paper form that is sent to the municipality where you hunted.
