Photo: Svein Magne Fredriksen
Hunting rights belong to the landowner
Hunting is not included in the right of free access, and the hunting rights belong to the landowner. This means that hunting is not allowed without permission from the landowner, and a hunting licence or similar permit must be obtained before hunting. The only exception is hunting in salt-water areas where hunting can take place from outside the shoreline by foot or from a boat.
All hunters must pay a yearly hunting fee prior to hunting. All those hunting for the first time must pass a hunting proficiency test. The minimum age for hunting small and big game are 16 and 18 years, respectively. Hunting may be carried out on government property, state common land and private property. Hunting seasons for game species are laid down by the Directorate for Nature Management.
About 191.500 persons paid the Norwegian national hunting fee in 2006/2007. 137.600 of these reported afterwards that they had been hunting. A total of 86.100 had partaken in small game hunting, while 85.700 had been hunting for large game, according to official numbers. The number of female hunters is rising, and 6,3 percent of the hunters who paid the yearly hunting fee were women in 2006/2007.
All game species, including their eggs, nests and lairs, are protected unless otherwise stated by law or decisions pursuant to the legislation. A distinction is drawn between large and small game species. Small game are species like ptarmigans, capercaillie, black grouse, geese, hares, red fox, etc., and the most important species of large game are moose, roe deer, wild reindeer and red deer.
For large game, hunting is organized in areas ("vald") that must be above a stipulated minimum size, and the local authorities issue quotas for the relevant species in these areas. For both large and small game, the landowner may limit the length of the hunting season and the number of animals a hunter may shoot per day. In areas where lynx hunting is permitted, the regional carnivore management boards set the quotas.
New hunters must pass a proficiency test
Hunters must be skilled in handling firearms, traps, etc., and have an adequate knowledge of game species hunted and relevant rules and regulations. All those planning to hunt for the first time in Norway must therefore take a hunting proficiency test. This involves an obligatory 30-hour course and a theory test. The courses are arranged by adult education associations, but the county governors are responsible for holding the theory tests. The county governor may delegate the responsibility for holding the tests to the municipalities. In this case, the municipalities hold the tests and decide the deadlines for registration and when and where tests will be held. The costs are met by the county governor's office.