There have been fewer and fewer moose in the forests of Västerbotten over the past 20 years. Now the Hunters' Association in Västerbotten believes that the limit has been reached.
"We have halved the population and it shows in the forests. Many hunters get in touch, everyone is in a bad mood because they don't see any moose anymore, says Calle Franklin.
According to him, there is now a great risk that many will give up hunting.
"It's like fishing in a lake without fish, it's really boring and no one wants to spend time on it. Many people take vacations to hunt, but if you don't see a moose in the forest for several weeks, you probably spend the vacation on something else, says Franklin and continues:
"Want the joy back again – not just the whip"
"If nothing happens, there is a risk that people will stop hunting. It doesn't make sense to hunt at all then," he says.
This weekend, the Hunters' Association in Västerbotten had its annual meeting – and then the question of the moose population came up, once again.
– When are the limits for a meaningful hunt? The hardest hunters with dogs will probably continue hunting, but there is a pain threshold for many.
"We want the joy of hunting back again. Now we have reached the goals that were talked about ten years ago. Now we want to manage the tribe and raise the quality, not just have a whip about firing targets. We want it to be fun to hunt again, says the chairman.