Hunting in Crete and Greece – Attention hikers: From September to February, it is hunting season on the island, with shotguns!
Hunting Regulations in Greece: Understanding the Legal Framework
Hunting in Greece is governed by a comprehensive set of regulations designed to manage wildlife conservation and to ensure that the activity is conducted ethically and sustainably. These regulations are implemented by the General Secretariat of Forests and Natural Environment, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture. Individuals interested in hunting must possess a valid license, which is mandatory to carry at all times while engaging in hunting activities. In addition, a multi-choice test is required in which the applicant must prove that he has understood the basic hunting rules.
Licenses are subject to specific qualifications, and in certain cases, foreign licenses may be recognized, permitting international hunters to participate in hunting within designated areas.
More informattion about Gun law in Greece!
The country’s hunting laws are periodically updated to adapt to changing ecological and social factors. Authority for overseeing and controlling hunting activities is vested in the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, particularly through the Directorate of Forests and the Unit of Aesthetic Forests and Hunting. Seasonal restrictions are in place to protect certain species during their breeding or migration periods, and hunting is often allowed only in specified geographic zones. Hunting season is usually from September to February.
In addition to federal regulations, local hunting clubs play a significant role in the management of hunting practices. These clubs often act as intermediaries for hunters to acquire necessary permits and facilitate the dissemination of information regarding hunting seasons, legal quarry, and hunting methods. The collaborative effort between national authorities, local clubs, and hunters helps to maintain the integrity of natural habitats while offering controlled and regulated hunting opportunities.
Hunting Regulations and Legislation
Greece’s hunting regulations are a framework of laws and documentation intended to manage wildlife preservation and ensure responsible hunting practices. These laws are delineated by various national and EU directives, and adherence to them is mandatory for all hunters, local or foreign.
Legal Requirements and Documentation
Hunters in Greece are required to obtain the necessary documentation before engaging in the sport. A hunting license, issued by the relevant authorities, is mandatory and must be on the hunter’s person at all times during the hunt. EU citizens may use their foreign licenses in specific areas, and all applicants must not have a criminal record. Apart from the hunting license, additional documents such as a passport and insurance may be necessary. The Ministry of Environment and Energy (Gamekeepers office), alongside local police stations, are involved in the issuance and regulation of these documents.
Documentation typically includes:
- Hunting license
- Valid passport (for non-residents)
- Proof of insurance (usually available together with the local hunting licence)
Species and Seasons
Regulated by the Hellenic Hunters Confederation and the Ministry, hunting in Greece is permitted only for specific species during set seasons. For example, the Kri Kri Ibex (Capra aegagrus cretica) and wild boar have particular seasons when they can be legally hunted. Hunters must stay informed about the current hunting seasons and the species that are allowed to be hunted to ensure compliance with the legal framework.
Huntable species include:
- Kri Kri Ibex (Capra aegagrus cretica)
- Wild boar
- Woodcock
Protected Areas and Restrictions
Certain areas in Greece, like Sapientza and other controlled hunting areas, are subject to strict hunting regulations to safeguard biodiversity. Hunting is either severely restricted or altogether banned in these zones. Hunters must respect these boundaries as stipulated by the hunting regulation to avoid legal repercussions and to contribute to conservation efforts.
Examples of restrictions:
- No hunting in National Parks (NAT; outlined in yellow on the map below)
- Specific rules for controlled hunting areas
- Not in a 300 metre zone from the sea
- At least 250 metres from the nearest house or road
- Not in areas devastated by forest fires where hunting has been banned by the competent authority
- Not in the vicinity of archaeological sites
Equipment and Firearms Regulations
Greek law enforcement agencies, including the police, enforce stringent regulations on the types of hunting equipment and firearms that may be used. Shotguns are the most common legal firearm, whereas automatic weapons and unregistered rifles are prohibited. The use of nets, traps, or other non-selective hunting methods is also forbidden as part of responsible hunting practices and to maintain ecological balance.
Only single or double-barrelled shotguns with a shotgun length of more than one metre and containing no more than three shot loads are permitted. The use of lead shot in wetlands is prohibited.
Firearm rules include:
- Shotguns permitted
- Automatic weapons banned
- No use of unregistered rifles
The criteria set by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, along with national legislation and European Union directives, are in place to ensure that hunting activities are conducted safely, legally, and with a mind toward conservation and sustainability.
Hunting Permits and Licensing Process
In Greece, the process for obtaining hunting permits involves various steps and requires coordination with regulatory bodies. Anyone wishing to hunt must secure the appropriate licenses and adhere to the stipulated fees and regulations.
Application and Issuance
Those seeking a hunting licence must be at least 18 years old and apply through the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Gamekeeper’s office) or police stations in the region they intend to hunt. The application must include personal identification, proof of no criminal background, and payment of applicable fees. In addition, a multi-choice test is required in which the applicant must prove that they have understood the basic hunting rules.
Upon approval, licenses are issued, which are valid for the annual harvest season and must be renewed periodically. Additionally, special permits are required for hunting in Controlled Hunting Areas.
Fees and Taxes
To acquire a hunting licence, applicants are obligated to pay certain fees and taxes, including VAT. These costs may vary depending on the type of licence—whether general, regional, or local. Insurance is also mandatory, ensuring coverage for potential accidents during hunting activities.
Regulatory Bodies and Enforcement
The Ministry of Environment and Energy, which monitors the hunting regulations with its gamekeepers, is the main regulatory body overseeing hunting regulations, while local hunting federations play a role in enforcement. Hunters must present their licenses and special permits to the authorities before and after a hunt. These entities also oversee the registration of trophies from successful hunts to ensure compliance with conservation measures and ethical standards.
Current overview of the hunting season and regulations for 2025/2026
The 2025-2026 hunting season kicked off on August 20, 2025. Every year, an official ministerial decision lays out the rules—what you can hunt, how much, and where.
This approach tries to balance wildlife sustainability with clear instructions for hunters. If you’re planning to hunt, you need to register your game using the Kentauros electronic system.
Through this platform, hunters log each animal they take—species, number, the works. Experts then use this data to tweak management policies as needed.
Take turtle doves, for example. This season, each hunter can bag up to four in one outing, but there’s a hard national limit of 36,000 doves. Once that cap’s hit, that’s it—no more turtle dove hunting for the year.
As for licenses, you’ve got a few choices. There are:
- Local licences (covering a single prefecture),
- Regional licences (think Crete or the Dodecanese),
- General licences (valid across Greece).
Before you get a license, you have to pass a hunting rules exam. And if you let your license lapse for seven years, you’ll need to retake the test.
Some spots are set aside as controlled hunting zones to protect habitats and keep everyone safe. While places like the Lakonia and Kritsa plains attract lots of hunters, you really shouldn’t wander into restricted or protected areas.
Authorities spell out these zones in the official decisions, so there’s no excuse for not knowing. Hunters in Greece often target species like turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) and wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Each species comes with its own bag limit, based on what the experts think the population can handle. These strict limits and zone controls are supposed to keep hunting fun but not reckless.
Crete: Hunting Ban for the Next 5 Years – Which Areas Are Affected?
Officials have slapped a temporary hunting ban on parts of Crete after a major fire in July 2025. The ban runs for five hunting seasons, wrapping up after 2030-2031.
They hope this gives wildlife and the land a real shot at recovery. The restricted area covers about 10,210 acres in the municipalities of Schinokapsala and Agios Ioannis, within the Ierapetra region of Lasithi.
The fire hit this region especially hard, so now it’s under extra protection while habitats rebuild. The ban zone starts at the Kaki Skala stream on the coast, close to the Nikolarakis tourist spot.
From there, it heads north along the stream until it hits the Ierapetra-Sitia provincial road. Then it follows a dirt road beside the stream up to the olive waste pits.
The boundary keeps going north, including the path to Mylonas waterfalls and the dirt road to Alistes in Agios Ioannis. If you go west, you’ll find the Diakakis olive groves.
Next, a dirt road leads north to Lapokostantakis Georgios’s property. The ban area stretches north again, up to the photovoltaic park owned by Sarantonis-Kaminogiannakis.
From the park, the boundary turns east, passing over Panagiotakis Emmanouil’s olive groves and reaching the local power pole. It keeps east along the Agia Fotia stream near Polytropa.
Going north on the stream, the line hits the Agios Ioannis community well, then follows a dirt track to olive groves owned by Karidis Nektarios and Sokratis. The border moves east and south to Kurmoulakis Leonidas’s olive grove.
Finally, the boundary ends at the TOEB reservoir of Schinokapsala. From there, it runs south along a rural road, past Valantis Sfyrakis’s olive grove, and circles back to where it began by the coast.
This ban covers both furred and feathered game. The idea is to let nature bounce back, plain and simple.
If you want the nitty-gritty details—exact borders, rules, all that—check the official announcement on Crete’s hunting regulations for this period. It’s the only way to be sure you’re following the rules and doing your part for the environment.
You can find more about these restrictions at this link on hunting bans in Crete.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Greece, hunting regulations are precise and designed to ensure both the conservation of wildlife and the safety of the public. Here, we address some of the most common inquiries regarding the specifics of hunting different species and the necessary licensing.
What species are legal to hunt in Greece?
The species that can be legally hunted in Greece are determined by the General Secretariat of Forests and Natural Environment and include game such as hare, pheasant, wild boar, and various species of waterfowl and upland birds. It is important that hunters familiarize themselves with the list of huntable species for the current season as these can change.
Are there specific bird hunting regulations in Greece?
Bird hunting is regulated by both national and EU legislation. Specific measures, including permissible hunting seasons and protected areas, are in place to ensure the sustainability of bird populations. Details on regulations, including the transposition of the Birds Directive and trapping laws, can be found in the summary of national hunting regulations.
The list of bird species that can be shot includes the skylark, wood pigeon, rock pigeon, quail, turtle dove, song thrush, thrush, redwing, juniper, blackbird, magpie, jackdaw, carrion crow, starling, woodcock, pheasant, rock partridge and chukar partridge.
Throughout Greece, wild boar, red fox, wigeon, mallard, pintail, garganey, shoveller, pochard, tufted duck, tufted duck, coot, gadwall, white-fronted goose, pochard, snipe and lapwing can also be hunted.
What are the laws surrounding deer hunting in Greece?
Deer hunting in Greece is subject to strict regulations which include designated hunting seasons and areas where hunting deer is allowed. Licensed hunters must adhere to the quotas and guidelines set forth in Greek hunting law.
How does one legally engage in Kri Kri ibex hunting in Greece?
To legally hunt Kri Kri ibex on Sapienza Island, hunters must have a general hunting license and obtain a special permit for hunting in the Controlled Hunting Area. Detailed information on the acquisition of hunting rights and other pertinent rules can be found in the HUNTING REGULATIONS by Kri Kri Hunt.
What are the requirements for spearfishing in Greece?
In Greece, individuals wishing to partake in spearfishing must have a fishing license. There are also specific areas where spearfishing is allowed and certain periods during the year when it is prohibited to protect marine life during breeding seasons.
Is bow hunting permitted in Greece and what are the regulations?
Bow hunting is not widely practiced in Greece and, as such, the regulations for bow hunting are not as extensive as for firearms. Prospective bow hunters should approach the relevant local authorities to check for the latest regulations and any region-specific restrictions that may apply.
Disclaimer: As I am not a lawyer, the above statements are the result of my personal research, opinion and my own experience. It does not constitute legal advice.
