Hunting

Several trapping settlements from the Stone Age have been uncovered along the beaches of Femund. At Storhøa close to Heggeriset, south in the municipal, eastern Norway’s largest trapping facility of reindeer is situated. Trapping pits from the Viking Age can be found in the north, as well as south and west of the border of the municipal. It is not uncommon to come across trapping pits for cervids in the wilderness. Blokkodden is a peninsula in Lake Drevsjø. The formation is ideal for trapping game. According to tradition, there is a trapping pit for moose in the area.

All kinds of game have been hunted in these parts through the ages, partly because of the meat (moose, reindeer, beaver and bear), but also because of the fur, used as clothes and for trading. In this mountain village with freezing winters and short summers, the conditions were not ideal for growing grain. The outcome of the hunting played an important role in trading for grain. The beaver was also hunted for its sought after castoreum, a secretion that was mixed with booze and used as medicine against many ailments. The beaver came close to extinction, but the population has returned. Smaller game, like hare, fox, pine marten, otter, weasel and squirrel were also popular, in addition to different types of large woodland birds like the grouse.

The trapping of gyrfalcons in Engerdal was rather unique. Gyrfalcons were caught alive and sold to lords and kings in central Europe.