Moose hunting is one of the oldest and most appreciated hunts in Sweden. The hunt is most widespread in the northern parts of the country but occurs throughout Sweden. Moose hunting and bear hunting also arouse great interest from hunters abroad who come to Sweden to take part in this form of hunting. There are between 300,000-400,000 moose in Sweden, which makes Sweden one of the most moose-dense countries in the world. Every year, about 100,000 moose are shot during the moose hunt, which gives Swedish moose hunters just over 10,000 tonnes of moose meat each year.

When can you hunt moose?

The hunting season for moose starts on the same day for all moose hunting areas - 1/9 for northern Sweden and 8/10 for southern Sweden.

What is required for moose hunting?

To hunt moose, you must have access to a hunting ground. It can be own or leased by someone else (hunting lease). The moose hunt is an extensive and regulated hunt. The hunt is conducted in three types of areas: Moose management area, license area and unregistered land. You can hunt moose only during the time from one hour before sunrise to sunset. In moose hunting, the same legislation applies as for other hunting according to the Hunting Act and the Hunting Ordinance.

Silent hunting clothes

For this type of hunt, classic garments are used in green/neutral color with a focus on mobility, silence, ventilation ability, camouflage and visibility. For the stand shooter, we recommend quiet, durable and warm clothes. However, moose hunting usually requires that you wear some form of red visible marking, such as a red cap or signal vest of some kind.

What weapon do you use?

Moose hunters use class 1 weapons, so-called moose bouncers. The moose bouncer is a bullet weapon, usually a repeater of some kind. When moose hunting, a class 2 weapon or lower may not be used. The caliber of a Class 1 weapon is characterized by a bullet that weighs at least 9 grams and has an impact energy of at least 2700 J when iat a distance of 100 meters. Standard calibers are 308 Winchester, 30-06 or 6.5 × 55.

Hunting methods

You usually hunt moose in 2 ways, one is that you sit on a stand and wait for example at game exchanges or places that the moose visit to eat. The second way is to use stand lines with stand shooters and drive hunters or dogs that are released in the area. The purpose is to get the moose to expose themselves to get the opportunity to shoot. The use of a standing dog on moose hunting is of great interest among moose hunters and is also a dominant form of hunting from central Sweden and the north. In the southern part of Sweden, where the land is smaller, using hunters or people to drive the animal and offensive dogs are used.