Wolf hunting
Wolf hunting is only really possible when there is snow on the ground. The tracks in the snow tell the hunters where the wolves have settled for the day. When their location is known, the wolves are encircled in a circle that is large enough to ensure that the wolves are not scared off too early. When it is certain that the wolves have been completely surrounded, the encirclement is marked with flag line.
Applications for the hunting of 48 wolves
Mon Jan 12 13:23:00 2015
According to the draft regulation made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, population-based licenses could be granted for the hunting of max. 29 wolves. The Finnish Wildlife Agency will assess and examine the case-specific grounds for the granting of licenses. Decisions concerning the received applications can be made after the regulation enters into force.
The EU’s Habitats Directive enables the population-based hunting of large carnivores on the conditions that the game species has a management plan and that the hunting will not weaken the obtainment of the protection level – and if there is no other satisfactory solution to the conflict. Until now, population-based hunting in Finland has concentrated on lynxes and bears, reducing conflicts caused by them. The hunting of wolves will be implemented as a two-year trial, where the effects of hunting on the wolf population, wolf pack structure and people’s attitudes will be closely examined.
Management plan for the Finnish wolf population
The population management plan for Finnish wolves approved in 2005 was the first of its kind. It was also the first wolf management plan to be renewed. The Finnish Wildlife Agency and Natural Resources Institute Finland worked together to create an updated management plan for wolf, which was then ap...
The Hunting Act and the relevant decrees
The bear, the wolf, the lynx and the wolverine are considered game animals. Legislation concerning game animals is laid out in the Hunting Act. More detailed provisions are found in the Hunting Decree, the Government Decree on Derogations Laid Down in the Hunting Act, and the species-specific Decree...
Sightings as the basis of population estimates
Natural Resources Institute Finland's (Luke) estimates on the numbers of animals are primarily based on sighting data collected by a volunteer organisation consisting of the contact persons of regional game management associations. Other utilised methods include on-the-ground censuses made by hunter...
