Grouse permit

To purchase a grouse permit, first select a small game area and buy the desired number of days for it. You can pay for your permit directly using most methods of payment. If you are interested in a seasonal permit, submit an application for the hunting area of your choice in spring.

• Day permit
• Seasonal permit

If you have a grouse permit, you may hunt all small game except beavers. This means that in addition to the capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse and willow grouse, you may also hunt waterfowl, hares and small predators. In some hunting areas, beavers are also included in the seasonal grouse permit. 

The open seasons vary by species, year and region. The open seasons are decided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and they are always published just before the hunting season in late August or early September.

• Open seasons in small game permit areas during the hunting season 2024–2025 are listed in this table (in Finnish, PDF, 108 kb).

Before purchasing a grouse permit, you should read  the general terms of small game hunting permits as well as Metsähallitus’ terms of purchase and cancellation. Remember to also familiarize yourself with the terms of the grouse permit before making the payment.

Each hunting permit is an investment in nature, as the permit revenue is spent on game management. Complete your investment in nature by submitting a catch report.

Day permit

Grouse permits are very popular. The most popular dates (usually the first week of the season) and areas often sell out quickly. All grouse permits are never sold out, however, and you should go ahead and plan a hunting trip for the late autumn, or choose areas with little demand.

Hunting specialists limit hunting by setting quotas for each permit area. Permits are sold until this quota has been reached. This ensures that hunting is sustainable. Bag quotas are also set for each hunting area and announced in the permit terms on the introductory page of each area. On this page you can also find any special conditions applicable to the hunting area.

The grouse permits go on sale in June. Only some of the day permits come on sale in June, however: their number corresponds to around one half of the permit days sold in the previous autumn. The rest of the permits are available in late August as the results of game inventories and the dates of open seasons are known. Before restarting in August, the sale of permits is suspended for one to two weeks, during which the permit quotas to be sold are updated in the system

 In June, permits are sold for all areas for the period between 10 September and 10 October. In August, permits will be sold for the open season proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Permits can be purchased online on Eräluvat.fi or by calling Eräluvat customer service at +358 20 69 2424 from 9:00 AM on the day the permit sale starts. On Eräluvat.fi, you can pay for your permits using all the most common methods of payment. You can reserve permits for at most seven (7) days. If you pay for your permits immediately, you can purchase permits for up to five people for seven days (5 * 7 days) with the same order. By calling Eräluvat customer service you can order permits for at most ten people for seven days (10 * 7 days). Any permits ordered by telephone will be invoiced to the customer. Eräluvat customer service is open at +358 20 69 2424 between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays.

• Permit quota for the permit sale in June 2024 (in Finnish, PDF, 941 kt)
• Permit quota for the permit sale in August 2024 (in Finnish, PDF, 206 kt)

Before making your purchase, please read the terms of purchase and cancellation.

Youth permit

If you are aged under 18, you can buy a more affordable day permit (youth permit). For example, a young person pays EUR 5 a day for grouse permits, whereas adults pay four times as much.

If you are aged under 15, you can hunt small game without a personal permit in the company of a person who is aged over 18 and who has the necessary hunting permit and a licence to possess a firearm. In this case, any catch of a hunter aged under 15 is included in the bag quota of the person who accompanies them. If you are aged under 15, you must also be under this person's direct supervision while hunting.

Seasonal permit

A seasonal permit for small game hunting including grouse cannot be purchased directly; it must be applied for in the spring preceding the hunting season. Seasonal permit is a good option if you wish to hunt frequently in the same area.

 A seasonal permit may be granted to you if you have no other opportunities to hunt small game. As other opportunities are deemed membership in a hunting club, a right to hunt on state-owned land in your home municipality referred to in section 8 of the Hunting Act, and a right to hunt on land owned by you. If any of the seasonal permit quota is left over after applicants with no other hunting opportunities have been granted their permits, these permits may also be issued to others.

Permits are available for a number of hunting areas managed by Metsähallitus.

• See here for the areas where a seasonal permit for small game hunting, including grouse, is available.

A dedicated seasonal permit, which is cheaper than a normal seasonal permit, is available for those hunting with a bow and arrow. You can apply for a bow hunter's seasonal permit with the same application as for the normal seasonal permit.

If you live in Kemi or Tornio in the county of Lapland, you have the right to hunt in Metsähallitus-designated areas, for which you can obtain a city resident's seasonal permit. You can purchase a seasonal permit by calling Eräluvat customer service on or after 16 June 2025. You do not need to submit an application for the city resident's seasonal permit.

Seasonal permits for small game are valid from 1 August to 30 April. However, the open season for grouse varies from year to year, which is why you should check the open seasons laid down in the Hunting Decree and comply with them. Once the open seasons have been decided, they will be updated to the Finnish Wildlife Agency’s website (riista.fi).

Seasonal permit for small game hunting including grouse gives you a right to hunt also waterfowl, hares and small predators. This permit does not usually allow you to hunt beavers, as a specific season permit exists for them. In some hunting areas, however, holders of a seasonal permit for grouse may hunt beavers. This is mentioned in the area information.

Applying for a seasonal permit in 2025

You can apply for a seasonal permit for small game hunting including grouse in the spring preceding the hunting season. The application period for the hunting season 2025–2026 will begin on 1 April 2025 and end at 4:00 PM on 30 April 2025.

• Areas for which you can apply for a seasonal permit for the 2025–2026 season (in Finnish, PDF, 88 kb)

You can select a primary and a secondary area in your application, but a permit can only be granted for one area. Applications are always processed in the order of preferences. It is important to note that depending on the number of permit applications, you may also receive a permit for your secondary area. If you are interested in a seasonal permit for only one area, direct your application solely there.

You can also indicate in your application your interest in receiving a seasonal permit for a third area designated by Metsähallitus. In practice, this means areas where there are still available permits after the application process. Metsähallitus will always inquire about your willingness to accept a seasonal permit for a third hunting area before making a decision.

It is advisable to apply for a seasonal permit online (link above). However, if you prefer, you can print out the application form and return it to the corresponding office for the permit area during the application period. The online application is in English but, unfortunately, the paper form is available only in Finnish and Swedish.

• Application form for the seasonal permit for small game hunting (in Finnish, PDF, 126 kb)

The applications are received and processed by Metsähallitus’ hunting specialists. The decision will be sent to you by e-mail or letter, depending on the delivery method you select in your application. You will receive the decision by the end of May.