Sweden

Official Name Kingdom of Sweden Capital Stockholm Area 449960 km² Population 8 Mio. Currency Krona SEK Languages Swedish

Fair Game Woodcock, Blue Mountain hare, Rock Ptarmigan, Red Fox, Beaver, Moose, Roebuck European, Fallow Deer, Black grouse, Capercaillie, Hazel grouse, Greylag goose, Lynx, Brown bear, Wolf

As almost all hunting land is already accounted for, there are few opportunities to lease shooting rights in Sweden. However, many foreign hunters are invited to enjoy "exchange hunting" in Sweden. Under this scheme a foreign hunter can invite a Swedish hunter to hunt in his own country and is invited, in return, to hunt in Sweden. Another increasingly popular option is to go hunting in Sweden as a "paying guest", and more and more landowners and hunting co-operatives offer this opportunity to both Swedish and foreign visitors.

Every landowner has the hunting rights on his or her land, regardless of whether it is large or small. If landowners do not want to exercise these rights, they can lease them out in whole or in part. Hunting takes place to a greater or lesser extent on most land where it is legally permitted.

Hunting Season
The hunting seasons in Sweden cover mainly the autumn and winter (August-February). The start and duration of the season for a particular species can vary considerably between one part of Sweden and another. It is therefore necessary for foreign hunters to find out through their host what dates apply to the area where they plan to hunt. Moose hunting in southern and central Sweden starts at the beginning of October and continues for about two months. In northern Sweden the season for moose starts at the beginning of September and is divided into two parts with a break during the rutting season towards the end of September and beginning of October. In the smallest hunting areas moose hunting is allowed for only a few days. The season for roe deer is longer. It starts on 16 August with hunting for bucks. In southern and central Sweden hunting for kids is allowed from 1 September, and all roe deer can be taken from 1 October. In northern Sweden roe-deer hunting finishes on 31 December and in the rest of Sweden on 31 January. Certain provinces also permit hunting for bucks between 1 May and 15 June. For hazel hen, black grouse and capercaillie hunting is permitted from 25 August, except in Skåne and on Gotland. Red grouse and ptarmigan occur only in northern Sweden, where the hunting season starts on 25 August. Beaver are found in parts of central and northern Sweden and hunting is permitted fr o m 1 October to 10 or 15 May. The best season for beaver is normally the latter part of April and the beginning of May. Hunting seasons in Sweden are reviewed by the government every third year. Please note also that owners of hunting rights may limit the normal seasons for certain species for example, by starting the season later than normal, or closing the season before the usual date.

Import Regulations For Firearms
Foreign visitors planning to take their own firearms on a hunting trip to Sweden must start planning in good time and in co-operation with their Swedish host. As a rule it is best for the host to make an application on behalf of the guest. Permission for the import and export is given by the police authority at the point where the firearms will be brought in to the country. The police have special application forms for this purpose. Applications must be made in good time, at least one month in advance. The permit to import firearms must be shown to Customs at the point of entry into Sweden. In some cases the police lodge the permit with Customs and it is picked up by the guest when he arrives in the country. Note! It is very important that the application is sent to the police authority at the point where the firearms will be brought in to the country! The following information is needed on the application form: Type of firearm (for example: rifle, bolt action, calibre, make and serial number). What the weapon will be used for, as well as the period during which it will remain in Sweden (earliest arrival date, latest departure date). Quantity of ammunition and calibre. Owner's name, address and date of birth. Name, address, profession and telephone number of hunting host/operator. Name and location of hunting area. Whether the foreign hunting guest has any type of permit for the weapon in his own country, or other documents which support his right to own a weapon and confirm that he is accustomed to using the weapon for hunting of this type. Copies of such permit or other documents must be attached to the application form. Place of arrival/departure in Sweden. Written invitation from the Swedish host or hunting-tour operator. If the foreign hunting guest is a citizen from a EU country he must also enclose the original of his EU Firearms Pass. Visitors from Denmark, Finland or Norway with permanent permission from proper authority to own and use firearms for private use in these countries may, without any special import permit or fee, to Sweden import these firearms and ammunition belonging to them. The firearms and ammunition may be used in Sweden for a period of maximum three months. The permit of the weapon should be brought along or - regarding Denmark and Finland - the European Firearms Pass. The fee for a permit to import firearms is 475 SEK, regardless of how many weapons are imported. The fee must be paid at the time of application.

Contacts
Swedish Board of Agriculture
S-551 82 Joenkoeping, Sweden
Fax: (4636)155005

Schwedischer Jagdverband:
Svenska Jägareförbundet
Box 1
S - 163 21 Spanga
http://www.si.se
http://www.jagareforbundet.se