Europe’s hunting heritage is deeply rooted and highly sophisticated. Intense game management and selective breeding have produced exceptional trophy quality across the continent. Hunters can pursue muskox in Greenland’s tundra, reindeer on Iceland’s windswept Eastfjords, majestic red deer on Scottish moors and Spanish ibex on Mediterranean cliffs. From rugged wilderness to manicured estates, Europe offers something for every adventurer and is ideal for combining a few days of hunting with cultural tourism.
A tapestry of landscapes from Arctic ice caps to Alpine peaks makes Europe a diverse and rewarding hunting destination.
Greenland & Iceland Greenland’s hunts for muskox and caribou are conducted far from hunting pressure, often accessed by helicopter or boat. Trophy muskox bulls can weigh up to 900 pounds, and the hunting season runs from early August through late October. Caribou hunts often take place at the same time. Additional tags for Arctic fox, Arctic hare and ptarmigan are sometimes available. In neighbouring Iceland, reindeer are hunted in the Eastfjords. About 7,000 reindeer live here, and a lottery allocates roughly 1,200–1,300 permits each year. Hunters stalk reindeer on foot and in 4×4 vehicles across rough terrain, and the season runs from July until mid‑September. Goose shooting is also popular, with graylag and pink‑footed geese hunted from late August to late September.
British Isles England’s estate hunts offer a unique mix of native and imported species: free‑range English red deer, Chinese water deer, Reeves muntjac and roe deer, plus estate herds of fallow deer, sika and axis deer. Scotland’s heather‑covered mountains are famous for traditional “stalking” of Scottish red stags. Hunters crawl across treeless moors guided by a stalker using a pull‑out telescope. Roe deer, sika deer and feral goats also roam these highlands. Ireland’s wild mountains and Atlantic seashores hold red, sika and fallow deer, along with feral sheep and goats; the island has one of Europe’s densest sika deer populations and offers outstanding wood‑pigeon shooting.
Nordic Countries Norway, Sweden and Finland share vast boreal forests, lakes and tundra. In Norway, moose are the most prized quarry; about 29,000 were harvested in the 2021–22 season. Red deer numbers have surged, making them the top big‑game target, with over 50,000 harvested yearly. Roe deer and wild reindeer (harvested under strict quotas) round out the deer species. Finland’s game species include capercaillie, mountain hare, moose and white‑tailed deer; foxes, beavers and martens are hunted for fur. Large carnivores such as bears and lynx are taken under special permits, while raccoon dogs and mink are considered invasive. Finland boasts over 300,000 hunters—Europe’s highest per‑capita participatio. Swedish forests host similar game, and driven moose and boar hunts are staples across Scandinavia.
Western and Southern Europe France, Spain and Portugal pair hunting with world‑class cuisine and historic estates. France’s sprawling forests and mountains produce red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar, mouflon and multiple chamois subspecies. Driven pheasant shoots, pigeon and duck hunts are popular, and professional gamekeepers manage wildlife on private estates. Spain offers one of the widest species selections in Europe, including four subspecies of Spanish ibex (Gredos, Beceite, Ronda and southeastern), Cantabrian and Pyrenean chamois, Iberian red deer, mouflon, Barbary sheep, Balearian boc and wild boar. The traditional Montería driven hunt uses hounds to push red deer, roe deer and boar through brush to a line of shooters. Portugal shares many of Spain’s species and is known for driven partridge and boar shoots in rolling cork‑oak forests.
Central Europe Austria, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium feature well‑managed forests and alpine landscapes. Austria’s Lower Alps support Alpine ibex, chamois, red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, mouflon and wild boar. Germany’s private estates and state forests sustain red deer, roe deer and plentiful wild boar; driven boar hunts are a tradition. Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium are smaller countries but offer roe deer, fallow deer and forest boar, along with renowned waterfowl shoots on marshes and coastal flats.
Eastern & Balkan Region Eastern Europe still contains vast tracts of wilderness. Romania retains Europe’s largest populations of Eurasian brown bears and wolves, and its undisturbed forests host red stags, fallow deer, roe deer and chamois. Chamois hunts involve steep climbs in the Carpathian Mountains, while red stag stalking and bear hunts take place in sprawling forests. Bulgaria’s mountains and state hunting grounds produce trophy red stags, Alpine and Balkan chamois, fallow deer, roe deer, mouflon and wild boar. Serbia’s diverse hunting estates range from northern agricultural plains to unspoiled mountains; roebuck densities are high, boar hunts are excellent and there are opportunities for red deer, fallow deer and mouflon. Greece offers the unique Kri‑Kri ibex on the islands of Atalanti and Sapientza; hunting seasons run from late October through early December, with additional mainland hunts in September–October. The islands are protected sanctuaries, and permits are issued annually depending on population health. Greece also holds Balkan chamois, red deer, mouflon and wild boar, often combined with ibex hunts.
