Hunting Seasons in Iceland 2026
| Species / Season | Open Season | Night Hunting | Methods | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reindeer Season Iceland | 07/15 – 09/15 | no | rifle | East Iceland highlands only. Náttúruverndarstofnun (Nature Conservation Agency) administers the lottery for hunting permits. Very limited tags available, Iceland has very limited species diversity and no large predators · Hunting permit required, lottery-based tag allocation for reindeer, strict bag limits, Environment Agency oversight |
| Arctic Fox Season Iceland | 09/01 – 04/15 | no | rifle | Year-round pest control permitted in some agricultural areas. Iceland's only native land mammal. Náttúruverndarstofnun (Nature Conservation Agency) is responsible for hunting administration. No large predators in Iceland, very limited species diversity · Hunting permit required, pest control allowed year-round in designated areas, Environment Agency oversight |
| Pink-footed Goose Season Iceland | 08/20 – 03/15 | no | shotgun | Most popular waterfowl hunt in Iceland. Náttúruverndarstofnun (Nature Conservation Agency) is responsible for hunting administration. Large breeding populations in the Icelandic highlands. No large predators, limited species diversity · Hunting permit required, strict bag limits, Environment Agency oversight |
| Greylag Goose Season Iceland | 08/20 – 03/15 | no | shotgun | Common goose hunt in Iceland. Náttúruverndarstofnun (Nature Conservation Agency) is responsible for hunting administration. Breeds in wetlands and coastal areas. No large predators, limited species diversity · Hunting permit required, strict bag limits, Environment Agency oversight |
| Mallard Season Iceland | 09/01 – 03/15 | no | shotgun | Most common duck species in Iceland. Náttúruverndarstofnun (Nature Conservation Agency) is responsible for hunting administration. No large predators in Iceland, very limited species diversity · Hunting permit required, strict bag limits, Environment Agency oversight |
| American Mink Season Iceland | year-round | no | rifle, trap | Invasive species, year-round hunting encouraged. Náttúruverndarstofnun (Nature Conservation Agency) is responsible for hunting administration. Mink threatens native bird populations. No large predators in Iceland, very limited species diversity · Hunting permit required, no closed season, rifle and trapping permitted, Environment Agency oversight |
| Common eider: no regular open season (Iceland) | Closed | no | Common eiders are protected in Iceland; there is no regular open season, including for drakes. The responsible authority, Náttúruverndarstofnun, publishes the applicable hunting seasons and protection rules. · No regular hunting of common eiders. A general hunting or firearms entitlement does not override species protection. | |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Austurland · 2026 (IS-AUSTURLAND) | 10/23 – 10/27; 10/30 – 11/03; 11/06 – 11/10; 11/13 – 11/17; 11/20 – 11/24; 11/27 – 12/01; 12/04 – 12/08; 12/11 – 12/15; 12/18 – 12/22 · Valid for 2026 · Permitted hunting days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday | no | shotgun | The 2026 open season for rock ptarmigan depends on the selected hunting region. Official area boundaries apply; protected areas remain closed. Selling rock ptarmigan is prohibited. · Only Friday through Tuesday, inclusive, within the regional open season. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday. A hunting entitlement does not override local hunting prohibitions. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Norðausturland · 2026 (IS-NORDAUSTURLAND) | 10/23 – 10/27; 10/30 – 11/03; 11/06 – 11/10; 11/13 – 11/17; 11/20 – 11/24; 11/27 – 12/01 · Valid for 2026 · Permitted hunting days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday | no | shotgun | The 2026 open season for rock ptarmigan depends on the selected hunting region. Official area boundaries apply; protected areas remain closed. Selling rock ptarmigan is prohibited. · Only Friday through Tuesday, inclusive, within the regional open season. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday. A hunting entitlement does not override local hunting prohibitions. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Norðvesturland · 2026 (IS-NORDVESTURLAND) | 10/23 – 10/27; 10/30 – 11/03; 11/06 – 11/10; 11/13 – 11/17 · Valid for 2026 · Permitted hunting days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday | no | shotgun | The 2026 open season for rock ptarmigan depends on the selected hunting region. Official area boundaries apply; protected areas remain closed. Selling rock ptarmigan is prohibited. · Only Friday through Tuesday, inclusive, within the regional open season. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday. A hunting entitlement does not override local hunting prohibitions. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Suðurland · 2026 (IS-SUDURLAND) | 10/23 – 10/27; 10/30 – 11/03; 11/06 – 11/10; 11/13 – 11/17 · Valid for 2026 · Permitted hunting days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday | no | shotgun | The 2026 open season for rock ptarmigan depends on the selected hunting region. Official area boundaries apply; protected areas remain closed. Selling rock ptarmigan is prohibited. · Only Friday through Tuesday, inclusive, within the regional open season. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday. A hunting entitlement does not override local hunting prohibitions. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Vesturland · 2026 (IS-VESTURLAND) | 10/23 – 10/27; 10/30 – 11/03; 11/06 – 11/10; 11/13 – 11/17; 11/20 – 11/24; 11/27 – 12/01 · Valid for 2026 · Permitted hunting days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday | no | shotgun | The 2026 open season for rock ptarmigan depends on the selected hunting region. Official area boundaries apply; protected areas remain closed. Selling rock ptarmigan is prohibited. · Only Friday through Tuesday, inclusive, within the regional open season. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday. A hunting entitlement does not override local hunting prohibitions. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Vestfirðir · 2026 (IS-VESTFIRDIR) | 10/23 – 10/27; 10/30 – 11/03; 11/06 – 11/10; 11/13 – 11/17; 11/20 – 11/24 · Valid for 2026 · Permitted hunting days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday | no | shotgun | The 2026 open season for rock ptarmigan depends on the selected hunting region. Official area boundaries apply; protected areas remain closed. Selling rock ptarmigan is prohibited. · Only Friday through Tuesday, inclusive, within the regional open season. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday. A hunting entitlement does not override local hunting prohibitions. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
| Rock Ptarmigan Season Iceland · Reykjanes (Landnám Ingólfs) · 2026 (IS-REYKJANES) | Closed | no | Hunting rock ptarmigan is prohibited on Reykjanes (Landnám Ingólfs). The regional open seasons do not open this protected area to hunting. · Hunting rock ptarmigan is prohibited on Reykjanes (Landnám Ingólfs). The regional open seasons do not open this protected area to hunting. · Data as of: 10/31/2026 |
Note: Summary from the HuntKit hunting seasons database (as of 2026-10-31). Seasons may vary regionally and change at short notice — the official regulations of the respective country/state prevail. Not legal advice.
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