Safety Zones and Shooting Sectors

Rules for safe shooting during hunting, including distance to buildings and roads.

Safety is the most important aspect of hunting. The Wildlife Resources Act (viltressursloven) requires hunting to be done in a way that is no danger to people, livestock or property (§ 21). It is also forbidden to shoot on or across a public road or railway, or from an aircraft or motor vehicle (§ 28).

Never shoot toward houses, roads, paths, or other places where people may be present. For rifles, a minimum safety distance of at least 200 meters from buildings is commonly used, though this varies with terrain and caliber.

During driven hunts, each stand hunter is assigned a shooting sector, usually specified by degrees or terrain features. You only shoot within your sector. Shooting outside your sector is the most common cause of accidents during hunting.

Never shoot toward the top of a ridge without knowing what's on the other side. The bullet trajectory continues far beyond the target. A rifle in .308 caliber can be dangerous at over 3 km.

For shotguns, the safety requirements are somewhat different. The shot swarm loses energy faster but spreads over a larger area. Never shoot low when other hunters are nearby.

Alcohol and hunting are incompatible. It is illegal to carry a loaded weapon while intoxicated. Most hunting teams have zero tolerance for alcohol during hunting.

Before the hunt: Review the safety rules with all participants. After the hunt: Evaluate whether safety was maintained. Report any deviations to the hunt leader.