Aland Islands on map
The Aland Islands comprise over 6,000 islands, mostly small and uninhabited, that lie in the Baltic Sea, at the entry to the Gulf of Bothnia. There are connecting flights through Stockholm, Helsinki, or Turku, but the experts recommend taking a ferry - all in all it doesn’t take much more time, but is much less stressful, and in fact sailing through the Baltic islands is a treat in itself.
About hunting in Aland Islands
A network of islands in the Baltic Sea, between Finland and Sweden, offers you seal hunting and other outdoor pursuits in an environment that has hardly changed since the last Ice Age. Read more...
The brackish waters of the Baltic Sea wash the islands of this large archipelago, that is squeezed between Finland and Sweden in more ways than one. Low rocky shores and sandy dunes, forests and bays, with some fields, pastures, villages and towns, including the oldest Christian temple in the Baltics, offer tranquil calmness that thousands of tourists find irresistible. Some of these tourists come here for hunting. After Finland gained independence from Russia, the predominantly Swedish population of the Åland Islands filed a claim to the newly formed League of Nations, to be ceded to Sweden. The claim was denied, but a compromise was reached. While they remain de-jure a part of Finland, the Åland Islands enjoy a great degree of autonomy, and in fact are for all practical purposes an independent country. Hunting is an ancient tradition on the Åland Islands, and in fact, as the exposition of the local Hunting and Fishing Museum testifies, the original population of the archipelago were seal hunters. Seal hunting is still allowed, with a quota of 450 animals a year, and it’s the seal safaris that are the main attraction for the international hunter on the Åland Islands. To hunt on the archipelago, you would need to obtain a local hunting permit. International travelers must provide proof that they have passed a hunting examination and are entitled to hunt and own hunting weapons in their home country. Hide details
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Hunting methods
The Åland Islands are a haven for waterfowl, especially eiders and other diving ducks. Roe deer and the European moose have been introduced by humans and thrive on the islands, along with a small herd of the exotic for Europe white-tailed deer. However, the biggest attraction of the Åland Islands for a hunter is the chance to bag a European seal. Seal safaris take you to the most remote islands of the archipelago. You either try to approach a swimming swarm of seals in a boat, or land on tiny islets and try to stalk them as they rest on the rocks and beaches. An accurate headshot with the rifle crowns the hunt; avoid missing at all cost as a wounded seal is nearly impossible to retrieve.
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