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NARRATIVE
The land surface area of Denmark is 44,000 km and the
surrounding shallow sea area is approximately the same
again. The coastline is approximately 7,000 km and the
human population is just below six million. With a population
of registered hunters of 177,000, Denmark has one of the
highest densities of hunters according to surface area and as
a proportion of the population (~3%). According to Danish
legislation, 45 game species can be hunted. In addition,
several species are regulated according to a special scheme
for prevention of damage to agriculture and other society
interests. The annual harvest is monitored according to a
mandatory bag statistic programme that has been in operation
since 1941. The total annual bag is approximately 2.3 million
(2013) with pheasant Phasianus colchicus (700,000) and mallard
Anas platyrhynchos (480,000) representing about half of the
Table 1: The annual bag for 2013 of quarry species or groups of species, including the distribution of shotgun and rifle hunting.
Species Individuals killed by:
Shot Bullet Other*
Roe deer 40,000 87,400
Other hoofed mammals 18,200
Hare 55,300
Rabbit 10,400
Red fox** 20,000 17,500
Other mammals 90,00 8,000
Partridge 28,800
Pheasant 710,800
Wood pigeon 278,500
Mallard 486,000
Other dabbling ducks 158,500
Diving ducks 71,200
Geese 77,100
Gulls 21,700
Coot 10,900
Woodcock 34,000
Snipe 10,700
Crows and magpie 90,000 25,000
Rook 90,700
Other birds 9,800
Total 2,122,700 213,800 33,000
Source: Naturstyrelsen (2014). *“Other” includes trapping and bow hunting. **Distribution of red fox Vulpes vulpes bag killed by shot or bullet is judged by the author.
total (Naturstyrelsen 2014). The most common hunting practice
is driven shoots of pheasant and other bird species based
extensively on the release of reared birds. Mixed shooting of
upland game with the use of flushing and pointing dogs and
decoying of wood pigeon Columba palumbus and ducks is also
very widespread. A special tradition is shore and sea shooting
from punts and small motorboats with diving ducks as the
primary quarry. Rifle hunting/stalking is a growing interest. Roe
deer Capreolus capreolus are the most common deer species
and are hunted by shooting with rifles as well as shotguns. Red
deer Cervus elepahus and fallow deer Dama dama populations
are increasing and spreading to most parts of the country.
Consequently, the hunting interest and need to manage their
populations is increasing. The larger deer species (red and
fallow) can only be hunted with rifles.
Practical and social barriers to switching to non-toxic ammuntion: Danish experience