Hunting in Norway

Norway lies on the western coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula and stretches well into the Arctic Sea, where it borders on Russia. In the east, it has a border with Sweden and a sea border with Denmark. Due to the warm Gulf Stream current, Norway has a milder climate than you can expect at these latitudes, and even the town of Tromsö, located at the Polar Circle, is quite livable. The south of the country is covered with taiga type forests that give way to the tundra, and there are of course the fjords. Be prepared for extreme temperatures, as well as mind-blowing daylight, with the sun never really setting in summer and never showing over the horizon in winter.

A lot of hunting in Norway is done with the help of dogs. That includes not only hunting birds with pointing dogs, but also pursuit of big game with local breeds like the elkhund (moose dog). These dogs can distract the moose’s attention, at the same time giving away its location by barking, allowing the hunter to approach within a comfortable shooting range. They can also tree capercaillies and black grouse, which the hunters then stalk and shoot, usually with a small-bore rifle. Other typical hunting methods such as spot-and-stalk, calling, and driven hunts are also popular.