Paper short abstract:

How did Norwegian hunters and walkers impact one another's activities, and how did these activities change with time? At the turn of the 20th century hunting was commodified. The judicial impact of this commodification changed land use rights and ownership from commons to private land.

Paper long abstract:

In the 1700s and 1800s, local hunting in Norway was an ambiguous and dangerous activity. Hunters walked, stalked and trapped animals when the practice of transhumance came to an end in the autumn and when nature spirits reclaimed their dwelling rights to mountain dairies and grazing places. How did the hunters navigate hunting game that belonged to the spirit world, in landscapes that were perceived as commons, and how did their practices change with the trajectory of time? At the turn of the 20th century hunting was commodified. The judicial impact of this commodification changed land use rights and land ownership from commons to private land. Walking without stalking however remained a common right, and developed as an activity in its own right. Has the judicial door that hunting opened up has dovetailed with the nature appreciation of walking and trekking, impacting and accelerating present changes in land-use further?