Hunting chief urges caution after mild ptarmigan opener

After a mild opening weekend for ptarmigan hunting, the chair of the Icelandic Hunting Association urged hunters to put safety first and act in moderation, mbl.is reported. Counts indicate the ptarmigan population is in good condition this year.

Áki Ármann Jónsson hunted on Holtavörðuheiði heath and said the weather could hardly have been better. The catch was modest: hunters took one or two birds each, and although there were many tracks, few birds were seen. One large flock was spotted but quickly escaped.

Jónsson said many people were hunting on the heath and urged them to keep at least 200 metres from one another. He described an unsettling incident in which another hunter walked into his group while they were shooting. “I was startled; we were shooting, and then suddenly I saw a man’s head appear,” he said, adding that such incidents could easily end badly.

The season varies in length by region and runs longest in East Iceland, where it continues until December 22. The season has been extended slightly compared with last year. Jónsson said the number of hunting days should give people enough time to get their quota and choose when to go.