Roe deer hunting has started in the Tampere urban area on 15 September

News item

17.9.2024 09.39

Roe deer hunting has started in a limited area in Kauppi–Niihama, Tampere, as high-seat hunting. The number of roe deer has dramatically increased in the urban area, and the population will be culled together with Tampereen riistanhoitoyhdistys (the game and wildlife management association of Tampere).

The City of Tampere has not previously carried out deer hunting. The hunting activities will take place between this September and February next year, and they have been planned together with the game and wildlife management association of Tampere, the Finnish Wildlife Agency, the police and the ELY Centre.

The hunting area in Kauppi–Niihama features a dense forest and sapling stands, and is not a favoured spot for recreational use. Deer hunting will not restrict the safe movement of people spending time outdoors or picking berries or mushrooms in the terrain.

– A notification has been delivered to the homes of people living close to the hunting area, and more information will be available on the city’s website tampere.fi/metsakauriit In addition, notices will be posted near the hunting site to guide those moving around the area to prepare for the hunting and the resulting sounds, says Jani Aho, Forest Specialist at the City of Tampere.

The number of traffic accidents involving wildlife near Teiskontie has increased considerably in recent years. Local residents have also reported disturbances caused by roe deer in home gardens and cultivated areas.

– Through hunting, we also aim to encourage the roe deer to move deeper into the forest, away from transport routes and residential areas, says Aho.

According to the assessment conducted by the game and wildlife management association, hunting should continue until the beginning of February 2025.

– Hunting will become easier the further the autumn progresses. When the weather gets colder and snow falls, the deer are more likely to be attracted to the bait, says Antti Lappalainen, Manager of Operations at the game and wildlife management association of Tampere.

The number of roe deer has grown in the Tampere urban area. It is difficult to estimate the size of the population, but the data from collisions and observations suggest that it is too large for the urban area and continues to grow. Over 100 collisions with deer were recorded in the urban area in 2023.