Table of contents
General information about moose hunting
Moose hunting is a very traditional hobby and a way of obtaining food in Finland. Hunting plays an important role in many different ways, as stock management hunting aims to keep the moose population both of reasonable size and vivid. Restricting moose stock is also of great importance, for example, for both forest industry and traffic safety.
If you are interested in moose hunting in Finland, you should first find out the obligations and rules related to hunting before starting the hunting itself. To shoot a moose, the hunter must first obtain a hunting license and an approved moose shooting test.
Permission for moose hunting
A separate hunting permit is required for moose hunting. The permit must be applied for from Suomen Riistakeskus (Game Center), which will issue the permit if the related criteria are met. The applicant for a hunting permit must find, among other things, a hunting area suitable for hunting, and in connection with the application, a hunting director must also be appointed. Moose hunting is only allowed within the hunting season, at other times moose is protected from hunting. In addition, each killed moose must be reported separately to Suomen Riistakeskus.
Quite precise requirements have also been set for the practice of moose hunting, for example with regard to the hunter’s clothing and the permitted hunting equipment, such as guns and ammunition.
Moose hunting for those outside the local hunting clubs
Although moose hunting is mainly hunting in local hunting clubs or groups, it is also possible to bring so-called hunting guests to moose hunting areas. In practice, it is therefore possible for a hunting club that has received an area permit to bring in outside as shooters, who are not listed in the area’s list of hunters for the area permit search, which includes all hunters in the group.
In such a case, visiting hunters must obtain a personal daily permit, ie a so-called guest permit. Individual seasonal moose hunting permits, on the other hand, are no longer issued.
In Northern Finland, a local resident living in the area referred to in Section 8 of the Hunting Act can still join a moose hunting group in the autumn, which hunts on state lands in the territory of its home municipality. However, a moose hunting group that has received an area permit must make a separate notification to Metsähallitus of such persons related to the hunting group.
Hunting times in Finland in 2021
Moose hunting started in Lapland at an exceptionally early date, when the first piece of action was taken as early as the morning of September 1st. In previous years, problems in early times have been caused especially by warm weather, but this fall there seems to be no fear of this. Elsewhere in Finland, the season starts at the beginning of October and at its longest, deer hunting continues in Finland until mid-January.
How to move safely in the nature also during hunting season?
Despite the start of the hunting season, anyone interested in the subject still has an equal right to spend time in nature. However, when moving around in nature, you should not take conscious risks, but instead pay special attention to securing your own back during the autumn. Although the hunter must know with 100% certainty what the weapon is aimed at when the trigger is pressed, it is also good for other nature walkers to make themselves as easily identifiable as possible.
One easy way to avoid hazards is to use attention colors when moving around in nature. In the autumn, hunters get used to both orange vests and headgear, and the same is recommended for other people in the forest. The color doesn’t necessarily have to be very orange, but still something that stands out well from the surrounding nature.
If, on the other hand, you are picking berries or mushrooms, for example, in an area where you also know that hunters are moving, it is a good idea to talk about it in advance with a hunting manager, for example. In these discussions, it is good to highlight where you are going to move and when. At the same time, it can be concluded whether the area in question is the best choice for a particular time.
Look out for mooses and hunting dogs on the roads
Starting the hunting season also means that it is now a good idea to be extra careful in traffic. Hunters moving into the forest mean that there are now more game animals than normal and dogs that are helping in the hunting, neither of which, unfortunately, can always avoid traffic hazards.
In traffic, attention should be paid to obedient compliance with speed limits, monitoring of road rolls and situations where hunters can be seen on the side of the road. It is a good idea to take very special care, especially at dusk, when there is less time available to react to situations than usual.
If you see a hunting party on the side of the road, it is a good idea to slow down the speed considerably, as hunters are often accompanied by detached hunting dogs at that time. The loss of an important family member and hunting partner is heavy not only for the entire hunting team but also for the overtaking motorist, who may be left with long-term traumas from the situation.
About two thousand moose crashes happen in Finland every year, and most of the accidents occur precisely at the beginning of the hunting season. Although fatalities in a human-moose crash are fortunately rare, a long-legged and heavy game animal is dangerous to encounter in traffic. Because of its long legs, the moose usually falls through the windshield of the car and can thus cause significant damage both to the vehicle and people inside it.
If you happen to go on a collision course with a moose crossing the road, you should make an evasive movement opposite to the direction of the moose, ie you should try to dodge the animal against its direction of travel. In the event of a possible crash, the authorities must always be notified.
Welcome to hunt and stay in the nature in Ranua
So here’s a small-scale recap of moose hunting. We here at Ranua welcome both hunters and others people interested in nature with a warm and equal welcome to visit Lapland. At Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos you can book both yourself and your hunting dog a Pet-friendly accommodation in either AuroraHut glass igloos or a total of 17 rooms in our inn.
We would also like to wish all of you a nice and nature-action filled autumn.
