Hunting rights and hunting cards

Hunting rights in Norway are a matter of private law — they follow ownership of the land. The main rule in section 27 of the Wildlife Act (viltloven) is that the landowner holds the exclusive right to hunting and trapping on their own property. This creates a fundamental distinction between hunting and the rest of friluftsliv: while you have the right to walk, pick berries and camp freely in utmark, you cannot shoot an elk without an agreement with the landowner or one of the established arrangements that distribute hunting access.

For anyone who wants to hunt, there is one question to settle first: where do you hold a hunting right? There are four main ways to gain access, and they vary dramatically in price, availability and what you actually get.

The four forms of hunting right

State commons (statsallmenninger) — managed by local mountain boards (fjellstyrer) under the Mountain Act (fjelloven) of 1975. Statskog SF owns the land, but local mountain boards run the management. Everyone resident in Norway has an equal right to small-game hunting without a dog. The mountain boards may set quotas and reserve up to 60 per cent for local residents (innenbygdsboende). Big-game hunting and small-game hunting with a dog: local residents have priority.

Statskog’s other land — outside the commons, Statskog SF manages around 32 million decares (of its total of 58 million decares). Statskog sells hunting cards through inatur.no — the most accessible form for new hunters who have no local connection.

Parish commons (bygdeallmenninger) — the hunting right attaches to agricultural property holding a common right. The commons boards govern access. Less common as a route for outsiders, but significant in particular regions.

Private leasing — most common in Western Norway and Southern Norway. The price varies enormously — from a few hundred kroner for a small-game day card to 30,000–80,000 kr for an elk culling right. It often requires a local acquaintance or an intermediary.

For anyone who is new, Statskog/Inatur is by far the simplest way in. You can buy a small-game card across the whole country for typically 200–800 kr, and you have access to large public areas without needing a local connection.

Statskog and Inatur

Statskog SF is Norway’s largest landowner — managing around 58 million decares (over 18 per cent of the land area). Its main task is commercial forestry, but managing hunting and fishing is a substantial side activity.

Inatur is Statskog’s (and others’) website for selling hunting cards. It is the dominant sales channel for publicly available hunting in Norway.

On Inatur you can buy:

Small-game cards — season cards or day cards. Prices from 200 kr (a day card in less popular areas) to 2,000 kr (a season card in popular areas).

Big-game cards — a culling permit for elk, deer, roe deer and so on. The price ranges from a few thousand to 30,000+ kr depending on the species and the area.

Cervid hunting periods — in particular areas with a good population there are open hunting periods where you can buy access directly.

For Statskog land the rules are built on everyone resident in Norway having the same rights — no local priority. That is one of the differences from the mountain boards’ state commons.

The mountain boards and state commons

The state commons are a distinctively Norwegian form of ownership — historically outlying areas that belong to the state but to which the local population has usage rights. Management is regulated by the Mountain Act (fjelloven) of 1975 and run by local mountain boards (fjellstyrer).

The main principle for hunting on common land:

Small-game hunting without a dog — everyone resident in Norway has an equal right. The mountain board may set quotas and reserve up to 60 per cent of hunting day-periods (døgn) for local residents (innenbygdsboende), but as a non-local you still have access.

Small-game hunting with a dog — local residents have priority. As a non-local you can still gain access, but often limited to particular areas or days.

Big-game hunting — local residents have a strong priority right. As a non-local it is harder to gain access, but not impossible — surplus quotas may be available.

For anyone who wants to hunt on common land: contact the local mountain board directly. The mountain boards (fjellstyrene) have contact details for every mountain board in the country.

Private leasing

A private hunting right can be leased out, but not sold separately from the property. The practice varies considerably between regions:

Western Norway and Southern Norway have the most private leasing. Many landowners lease out hunting weekends or whole seasons to established hunting teams (jaktlag). The price varies:

Small-game day card — 200–800 kr typically
Small-game season card — 1,000–3,000 kr typically
Deer culling permit — 10,000–40,000 kr per animal depending on category
Elk culling permit — 20,000–80,000 kr per animal

Inland Norway and Trøndelag have more established hunting-team structures. Private leasing does happen, but it is often tied to existing teams. New hunters typically come in through membership of an established team.

To find private leasing:

Inatur.no also has listings from private landowners
Local hunting associations usually have an overview
Local Facebook groups for hunting in the area
Direct contact with the landowner after getting a tip

For anyone who wants to build a permanent hunting right: buying property with a hunting right is a substantial investment, but it is the only way to secure a guaranteed, long-lasting hunting right. Many families keen on hunting own cabins or smaller properties in good hunting areas for exactly this purpose.

The rights of local residents

‘Innenbygdsboende’ is a legal term with a specific meaning — you must be resident and registered in the national population register in a particular municipality for a particular length of time before you count as a local resident. The rules vary between areas:

State commons — typically 1 year of continuous residence in the municipality is required.

Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo) — separate rules for local residents on FeFo land.

Parish commons — the hunting right attaches to agricultural property, not to a person. The owner or user of the property holds rights; it is not open to newcomers.

Private leasing — the landowner may have personal preferences for local residents, but this is not regulated by law.

For anyone considering moving to areas with strong hunting interest to gain better hunting access: be aware that it takes several years to build an actual local resident’s right, and that local culture often plays a larger role than the formal rules. You do not become a ‘local resident’ in the social sense simply by living there for one year.

Finnmarkseiendommen

Finnmark has its own arrangement through the Finnmark Act (Finnmarksloven, 2005) and Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo). FeFo manages large parts of Finnmark county (from 2024 merged with Troms into Troms og Finnmark).

Main principles:

Local residents (innenbygdsboende) have a priority right to small-game hunting
People resident in Norway have an equal right to small-game hunting on FeFo land, subject to conditions
Separate arrangements for Sámi reindeer husbandry and customary law — reindeer herders have the right to hunt, fish and trap on the same terms as permanent residents

For anyone who wants to hunt in Finnmark: contact FeFo directly. The rules differ from the rest of the country, and local knowledge matters more than elsewhere.

A practical approach

For anyone who is new to hunting and wants to find a first hunting right:

Consider what you want to hunt — small game or big game, where in the country, which season
Check Inatur.no for available cards in your chosen area
Contact a local NJFF association for advice on good areas and price levels
Buy a small-game card as a first step — lower price, more available
Then build towards big game — through hunting-team membership or specific cards

For anyone who wants a long-lasting hunting right:

Build membership of a hunting team over several seasons
Consider buying property with a hunting right — a substantial investment but one that gives lasting access
Build local relationships with landowners — private leasing often depends on trust

Season and reporting

After you have bought a hunting card, a few requirements follow:

Carrying the hunting card — always with you while hunting. Required by the control authorities (the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate, the municipal wildlife commissioner).

Reporting game taken — you must report the number of animals taken of each species to the authorities. The ‘sett-elg’ system for elk is established, and similar systems exist for deer and roe deer.

Stop rules — if the quota is filled, the hunt must be stopped. These are strict rules with consequences for breaches.

For up-to-date information on quotas and reporting: Hjorteviltportalen and your local municipality’s page.

Next steps

If you have passed jegerprøven (the hunting proficiency test) and are considering a first hunting card: go to Inatur and see what is available in your chosen area. A small-game day card is the simplest way in.

If you have hunted small game and want to expand to big game: consider membership of a hunting team (through NJFF) or buying a big-game card on Inatur.

For anyone who wants to build towards a permanent hunting right: invest in NJFF membership, build local relationships, and consider whether buying property is realistic in the longer term.

For related topics: jegerprøven and training is the precondition for everything. Small-game hunting and big-game hunting go through what you actually do with the card.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).