In several parts of the county, the hunters this year choose to shoot fewer moose than normal. One reason is that not enough calves have been born. In Wanås moose management area in the northeastern part of Skåne they have decided to shoot fewer animals this year due to moose shortages.

- We will have a cancellation hunt this year to have a step down. This means that we can shoot one bull and three calves. For the next two years, we will completely shut down the moose hunt. We also have neighboring areas that are planning to reduce their shootings, ”says Lars Stiernerbielke, chairman of the Wanås Älgskötsel area.

Why is it important to maintain a strong moose strain?

- It is important for our survivors to maintain a strong fauna. The elk belong to our nature and we should be afraid of them. I hope to come back to it as it was in the 1990s with a good moose strain, ie about six moose per hectare. We are not there yet, but it is significantly fewer, says Lars Stiernerbielke.

SVT News Skåne has been in contact with all five moose management areas and a majority of them report fewer moose, although there are local differences.

- More animals must be born in order for the tribe to grow larger, and then, among other things, the availability of food will determine, says Jonas Paulsson, chairman of the Jägarförbundet Skåne.

409 fell

Statistics from the county administrative board show that Skåne's hunters have shot 37 percent fewer moose in 2018 compared to ten years ago. Last year, only 409 moose fell in the whole of Skåne, despite a target of shooting 597 moose.

The population has also been on the decline over the past decade, according to hunters' reports to the county administrative board.