Small game hunting in Northern Finland in 2008

In 2008, the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute carried out a survey on small game hunting in Northern Finland, in cooperation with the game management districts of Lapland, Oulu and Kainuu and with Metsähallitus, the Finnish forestry administration. Research involved the area in which, according to Section 8 of the Hunting Act, the inhabitants of local municipalities have a right to hunt on State-owned land.

Survey questions concerned the number of small game hunters and hunting days, as well as the game bag. The abundance of grouse in 2008 was significantly lower than in 2003, when a similar survey was conducted in the area. The amount of hunting and catches were compared for these two distinct years.

The new survey revealed that the number of hunters had increased compared to 2003, yet the number of hunting days per hunter had decreased. The grouse bag remained much smaller than in 2003, considerably so with regard to willow grouse, while the waterfowl bag was also reduced. Conversely, the small carnivore bag tally, excepting American mink, showed an increase. The mountain hare bag had remained at the same level as in 2003.