Swedish county boards have agreed to allow the shooting of 48 wolves during the 2026 license hunt, distributed across nine territories nationwide. No wolves will be hunted in Jönköping county, while six in the Klyftamon territory in Västra Götaland will be culled due to livestock attacks. The aim is to reduce the wolf population density to 270 individuals.
Swedish county administrative boards have recently agreed on the distribution of the 2026 wolf license hunt. A total of 48 wolves will be allowed to be shot nationwide, spread across nine territories. In the southern predator management area, which includes Jönköping county, 12 wolves are allocated, but no hunting will occur in Jönköping itself.
The latest inventory shows approximately 355 wolves in Sweden. According to a government decision, the population should be reduced in a first step to 270 wolves ahead of the 2026 license hunt. From this year, a new lower reference value of 170 wolves applies, and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with developing a new management plan, expected to be ready in 2026.
In Jönköping county, wildlife officer Linda Andersson explains the reason for no hunting: 'The reason is the main purpose of the license hunt, that is, to reduce the density of wolf territories and the concentration of wolves where it is highest, and that license hunting must not be conducted in areas with genetically important wolves.' The county's location in the southern area shifts focus to regions like Södermanland county, which has the highest density of territories without genetically important individuals.
In Västra Götaland, specifically the Klyftamon territory, six wolves are permitted to be shot. Wildlife officer Mia Bisther justifies the decision: 'There are no genetically important wolves there and moreover we have had some problems with damaging individuals and livestock attacks.' This addresses local issues with livestock damage in the area.