When the swedish licensed bear hunt for 2025 formally ended on 15 October, 461 of a maximum of 465 bears had been killed. In the county of Värmland, where the quota was three bears, with a maximum of one female, the hunt was suspended on the first day because the first bear shot was a female. In the county of Dalarna, two bears remained when the hunt was cancelled, and in Gävleborg, two bears too many were shot. According to the county administrative board, this was due to an administrative error combined with a high hunting pace.
In general, the hunt proceeded at its usual rapid pace. On the first day of the hunt, it was reported that 124 bears had been killed, which corresponds to approximately a quarter of the total allocation. After a week, on 28 August, a total of 392 bears had been killed, i.e. 85 per cent of the total quota.
Wounded bears
During the hunt, 11 bears were shot/wounded in Dalarna, five of which were then shot during the search. At least two confirmed incidents occurred in connection with the search or wounding. On 22 August in Vännäs municipality, Västerbotten, a hunting team wounded a bear that returned to the same place a few hours later. It was wounded again and a hunter ended up under the bear, which managed to bite the hunter before it was shot dead. On 1–2 September 2025 in the municipality of Storuman, Västerbotten, a hunter was injured by a bear that had been wounded because the hunter chose to shoot despite poor visibility and rough terrain. In both incidents, the hunters received hospital care but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.
A complete national summary of gender distribution is not yet available, but the data is available at rovbase.se. However, the County Administrative Board of Jämtland County has already compiled the number of bears killed and reports that of the 106 bears shot, 60 were females and 46 were males. Females accompanied by cubs, as well as cubs, may not be shot.
All bears shot must be inspected by county administrative board staff at the shooting site and reported to rovbase.se with information on weight, sex and, in some cases, an approximate age estimate. A small selection of the bears shot are sent to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) for a more in-depth analysis, where data on their health, diet, age and genetic makeup is collected. Samples such as teeth, muscles and hair are sent to determine age, DNA and the presence of parasites and lead, among other things. The stomach contents are also analysed to understand the bear’s eating habits. In licensed hunting, the hunter is allowed to keep the skin.
Illegal bait in Dalarna
Ahead of this year’s licensed hunting season, nearly 2,000 bait sites were reported, but at least ten illegal bait sites that were not reported to the county administrative board have been found in north-western Dalarna. These have been reported by Norwegian bear researchers within the Scandinavian Bear Project.
One bear was shot near these bait sites, and the police have launched an investigation into suspected serious hunting offences. Technical evidence, such as bait cameras and telephones, has been secured. In 2020, a 26-year-old man in Jämtland was convicted of setting up an illegal bait site and fined 17,500 Swedish kronor.
Susann Engqvist
Photo Günter Lenhard