Hunting
CURRENT
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Hunters require permission from the
landowner or the holder of the
hunting rights to the land
© Aarno Torvinen
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Hunting rights in Finland are closely related to land ownership. Under the Hunting Act hunters require permission from the landowner or the holder of the hunting rights to the land, with few exceptions.
Every permanent resident of Finland is entitled to hunt in waters of the sea that are under common ownership, and on State-owned islands in such waters.
Residents of Lapland Province and certain municipalities in Oulu Province are entitled to hunt in State-owned lands in their own municipality. Permits for hunting in State-owned lands are issued by Metsähallitus. For details, see the website
The autonomous Åland Islands have their own hunting regulations, and hunting rights differ from those in the rest of Finland.
The Nature Conservation Act prohibits the hunting, trapping or disturbance of wild animals in national parks and strict nature reserves. Local residents may hunt in national parks and strict nature reserves in Lapland and parts of Oulu Province, under certain restrictions. Wild animals are occasionally hunted with special permission in national parks where populations of a certain species need to be reduced to prevent ecological or safety problems.
All game hunters in Finland pay an annual statutory game management fee. Hunters must strictly observe the specific hunting seasons for each game species.
Hunters must not harm or endanger other people or their property. It is illegal to deliberately obstruct, hinder or disturb hunters in Finland, and game animals and birds must not be deliberately disturbed, but merely being out in the forest hiking or picking mushrooms or berries does not constitute such disturbance. Anyone spending time in the forest during the hunting season is strongly advised to wear bright or conspicuous clothing.
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