Hunting in Norway.

My kjæreste (boyfriend) and I took our hund out yesterday pheasant (fasan) hunting.  Because our høst has been so kald with so much regn, most of the corn fields have not been harvested yet, and thus, it is difficult to hunt for fugler (birds) because they are protected by the corn.  We didn’t even see one fasan or any kind of bird that is legal to hunt, so it was quite disappointing.  I don’t have a hunting license and I don’t know that much about it, so for now, I just go along to be a spotter.

Being out yesterday got me thinking about jakt i Norge.  I don’t recall any of my friends in Norway being jegere (hunters), but I know some of my family members are.  I’ve done a little research on jakt i Norge that I’d like to share with you in case any of you are jegere or just curious about the topic and perhaps how reglene (the rules) and reguleringer (regulations) differ from your hjemland (home country). 

For starters, I think the age requirements for jakt i Norge and in the state that I live in, Minnesota, are interesting.  In Minnesota, a child can be certified and begin hunting at the age of 11 (which is before junior high).  In Norway, a child can take the proficiency test at age 14, but cannot begin hunting until age 16.  At age 16 in Norway, it is legal to hunt for small game and to trap (all but gaupe, or lynx, which one must be 18 to hunt).  Large game hunting is permitted at 18 years of age.  The age difference for jakt i Norge and the United States is not unlike the age difference pertaining to consuming alkohol, being able å kjøre (to drive), and participate in a krig (war) in the two countries.  In the U.S., a child is allowed to shoot a gun 10 years prior to being able to consume alkohol, kjøre en bil (drive a car) 5 years before he/she can consume alkohol, and kjempe i en krig (fight in a war) 3 years before he/she can consume alkohol. In Norway, the procession is quite different-one can gå på jakt and drikke alkohol 2 years before one can kjøre en bil or kjempe i en krig.

Enough political thought and more about hunting…

Similar to the United States and I’m sure many other countries, one must pay a fee to obtain a license to hunt.  In Norway, as long as the jeger has permission, he/she can hunt on government property, state common land (a feature of southern Norway, from Nord-Trøndelag to the south and then also in northern Norway), and private property.  As far as what kinds of dyr (animals) people can hunt, it all depends on one’s status as a citizen of Norway.  Foreigners can hunt in Norway, but there are more regler and reguleringer that apply to non-nationals that live in Norway.  The Directorate for State Forests and Land and the Municipal Common Land Boards are responsible for hunting and processing applications.  You can find more information if you consult these sources.

Lastly, I would like to mention dyr that are commonly hunted in Norway:

rype-ptarmigan/grouse                               gjess-goose

elg-moose                                                    hare-hare

hjort-deer                                                    gaupe-lynx

villrein-wild reindeer                                  ulv-wolf

bjørn-bear                                                    vadefugler-wading birds

sjøfugler-sea birds                                      bever-beaver

and the list goes on….

happy jakt!