V. M. Klemola

Finnish game and hunting

Klemola V. M. (1937). Finnish game and hunting. Silva Fennica no. 40 article id 4521. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a9066

Abstract

Finland possesses climatic and botanical conditions that can make it rich in game. Several species, for instance blue hare (Lepus timidus L.), squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris L.), red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) and ermin (Mustela erminea L.), and several migrating bird species are distributed in almost in every parts of the country. Hunting is still unorganized, but restrictive regulations have been established, and the central organization of hunting clubs (Suomen Yleinen Metsästäjäliitto) has member clubs in different part of the country. There is about 70-80,000 hunters in the country. Hunting has influenced the abundance of many species. For instance, European beaver (Castor fiber L.) has been hunted to extinction, and lynx (Lynx lynx L.), wolf (Canis lupus L.), otter (Lutra lutra L.), bear (Ursus arctos L.) and wolverine (Gulo gulo L.) are threatened. Also the distribution of elk (Alces alces L.) is patchy due to hunting.

The article shows distribution and abundance of forest birds, and describes the six game zones in Finland. The game zones correspond the vegetation zones, and have distinctive differences in distribution of the game species. Hunting has previously been important livelihood in Finland, but has this role only in the north in Lapland, Kainuu and Perä-Pohjola, and near the eastern border of the country. The number of hunted small game in the hunting season 1933-1934 are presented by the species. The monetary value of the game is estimated at about 30-40 million Finnish marks annually.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

Keywords
Finland; distribution; game preservation; hunting; game zones; game species

Published in 1937

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