Norway is a vast, mountainous land with an abundance of game. There are five different species of deer: moose, red deer, reindeer, roe deer and dahl. Birds, seals, wild pigs and hares are hunted for food. Wolves and bears are hunted, under strict controls, to manage their numbers and locations. Foxes, beavers, mink, lynx and wolverines are shot and trapped for their pelts and limit their impact on other game.
For an Australian, hunting in Norway seems both completely alien and strangely familiar. While the fauna, flora and weather are wildly different, issues such as access to hunting lands, the management of introduced species and the loss of habitat through urban and industrial development are similar.
Public access to state and private land is protected by law, but hunting rights…