With the executive order on hunting and regulation using birds of prey, which came into force on 1 September 2018, it has become possible to conduct hunting and regulate harmful game through the use of birds of prey in Denmark – also called falconry.
(Morten Møller, Preben Schøpzinsky, Frank Skårup, Morten Stricker, Edith Wenzel og Rene R. Bruun)
When can I hunt or regulate with birds of prey?
You must have the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s endorsement of the right to hunt birds of prey on your hunting license before you may hunt and regulate by the use of birds of prey. At the same time, you must also have a legal team of birds of prey in accordance with the rules in force at any given time on keeping birds in captivity.
All rules about hunting or regulation must be observed.
If you want to use birds of prey for regulation, you must apply via virk.dk. Go to login with NEM-ID.
What can I hunt with birds of prey?
Suitable birds of prey of the falcon and hawk family (Accipitridae and Falconidae) may be used for hunting or regulation of the following species: barnacle goose, crow, rooks, magpies, gulls, mallards, chickens, pheasant, partridge, waders, pigeons, blishen, hare and wild rabbit.
The current rules on hunting must always be observed, including hunting times, etc. Species that do not have hunting time may therefore not be hunted with birds of prey, even though the species is stated in the falconry order. This applies, for example, to common pochard, on which there is no hunting time, and which is therefore not allowed to be hunted, even though the species is mentioned in the falconry executive order.
A suitable bird of prey is a bird of prey whose size and behavior suit the prey, so that the prey is killed as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Endorsement
You can obtain the endorsement on your hunting license by passing a written falconry test. See information about the falconer test
The falconer test
Times for the tests will be announced here on the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
Reporting
In addition to the usual reporting of game yields and of regulated game, falconers must separately report a number of additional information about hunting or regulation made using birds of prey, including i.a. information on the birds of prey used, which species have been killed, how much, etc. Send your report to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s main mailbox mst@mst.dk. Download the reporting form.
You must fill in a form per. hunting. If you have not been hunting in the season, check the box in the top right corner. “Escaped / injured prey” means prey that has been hit / beaten by the bird of prey, but then escaped / disappears (“struck-but-lost”).
Feel free to submit the reports regularly after each hunt and no later than 31 March. If we have not received your report by 31 March, the endorsement of the right to hunting with birds of prey until the report is received by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.
You can see the full executive order (Ministry of the Environment and Food Executive Order no. 1072 of 27 August 2018 on hunting and regulation using birds of prey).
