Ptarmigan Trapping in Finnish Lapland 1950 to 2020

Abstract

Trapping of ptarmigan by snare in winter is an ancient tradition in Fennoscandia, and in the 19th century, ptarmigan had become an important source of income. Changes in external factors after the 1950s have, however, altered the socioeconomic context, leading to a radical decrease in the number of professional trappers. Based on field data from two periods 60 years apart, this article provides a diachronic analysis of the change in ptarmigan trapping and the main factors behind its decline as a meaningful economic activity. The results show that whereas the practice of setting snares still relies on traditional knowledge, external developments, such as a transition to motorized transport and market failures, were—along with broader socioeconomic and demographic changes—the key factors behind the decline. Changes in the harvest base due to climate change or other causes mentioned in the interviews appear to have been less important factors.