Small game and roe deer hunting, 2010/2011

Willow grouse and ptarmigan are the most important small game species in Norway. Over the past ten years fewer grouse have been harvested. Ten years ago more than half a million grouse were harvested annually. In the five following hunting years the annual bag size varied between 415 000 and 480 000 grouse. In the hunting year 2005/2006, about 350 000 were harvested, but the decline continued. The bag size has never been lower than in the hunting year 2009/2010, when only around 160 000 grouse were harvested.

Grouse bag increased by 50 per cent in Nord-Trøndelag

In the county of Nord-Trøndelag the bag size increased by 51 per cent. In total, around 30 000 grouse were shot here, and Nord-Trøndelag was the county where most grouse were harvested in 2010/2011. In several municipalities in this county the bag increased considerably compared with the previous year. In the municipalities of Lierne, Røyrvik and Namsskogan the bag increased by around 80 per cent. Most grouse were harvested in Lierne, where 7 000 were shot.

In the counties of Hedmark and Oppland the bag size increased by 37 and 31 per cent respectively. A total of 16 300 grouse were shot in Oppland in the hunting year 2010/2011. This means that almost the same number was harvested in Oppland as in Finnmark.

Decline in Finnmark

The decrease in the number of harvested grouse continues in the county of Finnmark. Last hunting year 17 000 grouse were shot in that county, 25 per cent less than the previous hunting year. Previous years, Finnmark was on top, and five years ago more than 100 000 grouse were shot in that county. The decline last hunting year is a result of reduced yield in all the major grouse municipalities in Finnmark. In the municipalities of Kautokeino and Tana the yield dropped approximately 30 per cent.

More woodland birds shot

A total of 14 000 capercaillies and 31 400 black grouse were shot in 2010/2011, an increase of 20 per cent for both species. Most woodland birds were shot in the county of Hedmark, where the municipality of Trysil was on top with a bag size of 1 800 capercaillies and 2 400 black grouse.

Moderate decrease in roe deer felling

A total of 28 900 roe deer were felled during the hunting year 2010/2011, 2 000 less than the hunting year before. As in the two previous hunting years, most roe deer were felled on the island Hitra in the county of Sør-Trøndelag. In total, 570 animals were felled there.

Other small game

A total of 20 000 mountain hares, 24 000 red foxes and 15 000 mallards and 15 000 greylag geese were shot in 2010/2011.

Tables:

• Table 1 Small game hunting. Number of grouses felled. County. 2001/2002-2010/2011