MOOSE HUNTING ODYSSEY IN THE PINE FORESTS OF JÄMTLAND By Susan Holmberg Any visitor to Sweden over the past twenty years is likely to have noticed representations of the moose (älg) as a key symbol of Sweden. Whether in the form of soft fuzzy dolls, wooden sculptures or graphic design, the Swedish moose is omnipresent. In the 1980s, German tourists were so eager to ”capture” moose crossing road signs that it became a bit of a problem. Production of souvenir road signs and other moose paraphenalia seem to have stemmed the tide of moose sign theft, but the spririt of the moose lives on in the minds of tourists and, more importantly, Swedes themselves.
[ ]
December 2013 / January 2014 14
I
Photo credit: Lubbe Garell (lubbegarell.se)
ndeed, the tradition of moose hunting lies deep in the Swedish psyche. Each year approximately 300,000 licensed hunters comb the vast forests of Sweden to cull one third of the country’s 350,000 moose. The practical purposes of the hunt are to protect the pine forests from damage caused by the moose and to provide moose meat for personal use (one moose can feed a family for a very long time) and commercial sale. Hunters work in teams ranging from about 7 to 25 members and practice the traditional Swedish method of dog-assisted hunting. It is a time-honored tradition that retains its meaning and relevance in contemporary society.
As a relatively new citizen of Sweden, I hadn’t observed this venerable tradition until this year, when I was offered a unique window into the world of moose hunting with Magnus Persson in the central forests of Jämtland. The moose season opened in early September, but Magnus’ team waited
