Wild reindeer hunting

Updated: 15 December 2023

Next update: 13 December 2024

Number of reindeer shot in the hunting
Number of reindeer shot in the hunting
2023
3 493
Wild reindeer felled:
Wild reindeer felled:
NumberShareChange, per cent
2022 - 20232019 - 2023
2023
Total3 493100.0-31.4-26.3
Males
Calf53815.4-35.8-11.7
Yearlings1875.4-34.6-24.6
Older1 28736.8-5.8-40.4
Females
Calf52214.9-34.4-3.3
Yearlings1203.4-52.2-25.5
Older83924.0-46.1-17.7
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • Wild reindeer felled, by age, sex and wild reindeer area.
    Wild reindeer felled, by age, sex and wild reindeer area.
    TotalCalfYearlingsOlderHarvest percentage
    MalesFemalesMalesFemalesMalesFemales
    19998 9921 1621 0621 0184492 1763 12541
    20007 6319758907403322 0712 62336
    20016 9761 0338977043051 7102 32750
    20026 6171 0298576382521 7372 10458
    20034 4176406574001771 1871 35651
    20043 8956275133441581 0711 18255
    20054 8176475324432481 5671 38047
    20065 0916486044732191 5361 61146
    20074 6706986153951971 2791 48650
    20085 1557696695032351 2331 74655
    20095 0988106794632251 2881 63353
    20105 4478097275492641 3141 78452
    20115 4238486735642721 3161 75039
    20125 4517857015962991 3481 72233
    20137 1401 0549306554081 8542 23939
    20147 9441 1061 0307304051 8342 83938
    20156 5098767847323681 5682 18131
    20166 1298778305522831 4142 17324
    20175 5157826634582941 6431 67524
    20184 1566125323152231 3501 12439
    20194 7386095402481612 1611 01933
    20204 7265715843472561 5921 37635
    20215 6419088403652421 4951 79123
    20225 0958387962862511 3661 55823
    20233 4935385221871201 28783930
    Wild reindeer area
    Setesdal - Ryfylke251342099908917
    Skaulen - Etnefjella00000000
    Setesdal - Austhei21824311320636721
    Hardangervidda41613223961210
    Blefjell2854248527
    Nordfjella44022136355
    Oksenhalvøya0000000.
    Fjellheimen0000000.
    Brattefjell - Vindeggen40253027340
    Raudafjell200101029
    Lærdal - Årdal1722232643
    Vest - Jotunheimen1011105217
    Reinheimen - Breheimen891142132523024029569
    Førdefjella913200375
    Sunnfjord713002188
    Svartebotnen15533022100
    Snøhetta2273432137786339
    Rondane390726624181238740
    Sølnkletten137222164434125
    Forollhogna4011131063412775969
    Knutshø222445267565756
    Norefjell - Reinsjøfjell150343473304287
    Våmur - Roan912301247
    Tolga østfjell900207026
    Explanation of symbols
  • Wild reindeer hunting. Licences issued, animals felled and per cent felled
    Wild reindeer hunting. Licences issued, animals felled and per cent felled
    Licences issuedAnimals felledPer cent felled
    199916 1838 99256
    200016 2927 63147
    200118 3966 97638
    200217 9876 61737
    200312 7534 41735
    200412 7543 89531
    200515 8624 81730
    200618 0875 09128
    200719 7694 67024
    200820 4115 15525
    200921 9335 09823
    201022 0815 44725
    201121 2875 42325
    201213 8215 45139
    201311 3677 14063
    20148 6017 94492
    20157 1026 50992
    201610 2146 12960
    201710 9865 51550
    20189 3024 15645
    201914 2364 73833
    202013 4374 72635
    202124 6155 64123
    202221 7385 09523
    202311 5493 49330
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics give an overview of Norwegian wild reindeer hunting. The figures show the number of reindeer shot and the number of permissions given, by age, sex and reindeer areas. The statistics also comprise figures on estimated carcass weight.

Hunting ground

One basic territorial unit sanctioned for hunting cervids and allotted felling licences.

Qualifying area

Area forming the basis for hunting licences allotted by the municipalities. For moose and red deer, the area includes mainly woodland and bogs.

Licences issued

The number of animals that the municipality has given each hunting ground permission to shoot.

Selective shooting

Licences issued with an obligation for a certain distribution of animals felled, by calf, 1½-year-old animals, adult males and adult females.

Per cent felled

Shot animals as a percentage of licences issued.

The hunting year

One hunting year lasts as from 1 April as to 31 March the following year.

The hunting period valid until March 31, 2028

The regular hunting period for wild reindeer is August 20 to September 30.

Name: Wild reindeer hunting
Topic: Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing

13 December 2024

Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics

Wild reindeer area.

The statistics are published annually, 10 weeks after the end of hunting.

Not relevant

Collected and revised data are stored securely by Statistics Norway in compliance with applicable legislation on data processing.

Statistics Norway can grant access to the source data (de-identified or anonymised microdata) on which the statistics are based, for researchers and public authorities for the purposes of preparing statistical results and analyses. Access can be granted upon application and subject to conditions. Refer to the details about this at Access to data from Statistics Norway.

The purpose of these statistics is to show the extent of wild reindeer hunting in Norway. Until 1951, the statistics covered all registered felling of wild reindeer, both those that were shot through legal hunting and those that were shot or died in other ways. After 1952, the statistics only cover wild reindeer legally killed through ordinary hunting.

The most important users of these statistics are The Norwegian Environment Agency, the County Departments of Environmental Affairs, professional bodies, the media, research and educational institutions and the local wildlife authorities.

No external users have access to statistics before they are released at 8 a.m. on ssb.no after at least three months’ advance notice in the release calendar. This is one of the most important principles in Statistics Norway for ensuring the equal treatment of users.

Statistics on the number of felled moose and red deer, as well as registered non-harvest morality of cervids are published.

The statistics are developed, produced and disseminated pursuant to Act no. 32 of 21 June 2019 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway (the Statistics Act).

Not relevant

The statistics include all legal hunting of wild reindeer in Norway.

The Wild Reindeer Councils

Total census

Statistics Norway obtains data on felling quotas and the hunting data from the individual Wild Reindeer Councils.

Editing is defined here as checking, examining and amending data. Sum checks and checks of the number of animals felled against the number of licences issued are performed. In the event of a lack of clarity in the submitted data, the Wild Reindeer Council is contacted for additional information.

Number of animals felled and number of hunting licenses issued are summarised and distributed on wild reindeer council.

Not relevant

Employees of Statistics Norway have a duty of confidentiality.

Statistics Norway does not publish figures if there is a risk of the respondent’s contribution being identified. This means that, as a general rule, figures are not published if fewer than three units form the basis of a cell in a table or if the contribution of one or two respondents constitutes a very large part of the cell total.

Statistics Norway can make exceptions to the general rule if deemed necessary to meet the requirements of the EEA agreement, if the respondent is a public authority, if the respondent has consented to this, or when the information disclosed is openly accessible to the public.

More information can be found on Statistics Norway’s website under Methods in official statistics, in the ‘Confidentiality’ section.

The statistics are comparable back to 1952. Until 1951, the statistics covered all registered felling of wild reindeer, both those that were shot through legal hunting and those that were shot or died in other ways. After 1952, the statistics only cover wild reindeer legally killed through ordinary hunting.

The data capture is closely connected to the local wildlife management, and the data quality is regarded as very good. Some hunting grounds cross municipal borders. In some cases this makes it difficult to decide in which municipality some of the animals were felled. The distribution of these animals is determined by the Wild Reindeer Council and does not affect the total number of wild reindeer felled.

The level of non-response is negligible. Reporting to Statistics Norway is compulsory for all Wild Reindeer Councils. Statistics Norway reminds the councils that have not forwarded their reports within three weeks from the end of the hunting season. In that way, all councils are covered.

Not relevant

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