Active hunters, 2012/2013

In recent years, fewer and fewer grouses have been harvested, and in the last hunting year the yield was a record low. As a result of the decreasing population of grouse, the landowners in many places have limited the number of hunters, and fewer were given the opportunity to hunt grouse. A total of 43 000 hunters went grouse hunting in 2012/2013, which is a decrease of 12 000 from the previous hunting year. As a result of fewer grouse hunters, there was also a decrease in the number of small game hunters. A total of 81 000 hunters took part in small game hunting, corresponding with the decline in the number of grouse hunters.

61 000 moose hunters

A total of 92 000 persons hunted cervids in 2012/2013. Although more red deer than moose are being shot, there are considerably fewer red deer hunters than moose hunters. The number of moose hunters has remained stable, and in the last hunting year 61 000 hunted moose. A total of 44 000 hunters participated in red deer hunting. The third most frequent type of hunting was roe deer hunting, which engaged 39 000 hunters, of whom 13 800 had yield from the hunt. Wild reindeer is the cervid species that fewest persons are allowed to hunt, and only 9 500 people took part in wild reindeer hunting in autumn 2012.

Women’s share unchanged

In the hunting year 1971/1972, less than half a per cent of the hunters were women. In recent decades, the number of female hunters has increased slowly, and in the last hunting year, 5.9 per cent of the hunters were women. A total of 8 000 women went hunting during the last hunting year, which is 6 per cent less than the hunting year before. The decrease is mostly due to fewer grouse hunters.

Most hunters in rural areas

Nationwide, 6 per cent of the male population went hunting during the hunting year 2012/2013. The share of hunters is higher in rural areas than in urban areas and in the cities. In some rural municipalities more than 40 per cent of the male population aged over 16 years goes hunting. Among the male population in Oslo and Bergen, only 3 per cent went hunting.