To become a show champion in Norway, a dog must:
1. Win three certificates in Winners class at dog shows from three different judges
2. Earn one first prize in a hunting field trial

Also, prior to being eligible just to compete in conformation dog shows, the dog must have been in a hunting trial and have obtained a first, second or third place hunting prize. The dog can compete in shows and even obtain a certificate with just a third place win at a hunting trial but in order to finish his championship and obtain an officially recognized show champion title, the dog must have won a first prize at a hunting trial.

To become a hunting champion in Norway, a dog must:
1. Obtain three first prizes from three different hunting trials and one of the trials must be a two day event,     meaning the dog must attend both days and obtain a first prize on one of those two days at this two day trial,     and also must obtain a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd prize on the other day.
2. Win one first prize based on conformation quality at a dog show

The hunting season for Norwegian Elg (a member of the moose family) is between September 23 and October 31st each year. Generally, there is a break the first week of October.

A few land owners get together to create a hunting district or area within which it is decided by a committee how many animals will be allowed to be shot. The Committee decides the sex, age and number of elg to be shot in each area. It is required that all hunting teams have at least one approved dog with them for tracking, to facilitate finding wounded animals.

Elkhounds are used to hunt elg two ways, either as a loshund (free running) or as a bandhund (on an 8 to 10 foot leash with harness). Whether to use a loshund or a bandhund, depends on the terrain of the land. If an Elkhound is trained as a loshund, the dog is allowed to try to find the elg on his own, either by open scent, or by tracking it down. This is called free-ranging. The Elkhound is taken to an area likely to be inhabited by moose, and then released off lead. The dog usually ranges around the area and sometimes finds a small knoll where he can stand on his hind legs to catch the scent. When the dog has detected the scent, he reports back to the hunter and then takes off into the woods out of sight but not without letting the hunter see which direction he is heading. The dog tracks the moose silently and reports back periodically to the hunter. When the dog sights the moose, he approaches silently; and then when he has gotten close enough to stand the moose at bay, he begins to bark. The moose, using his massive wrack of antlers and sharp hooves as a lethal weapon, will sometimes lunge at the dog. This is where the dog's boldness, courage, and intelligence are essential - as well as such physical attributes as a short back, good leg length and the ability to bounce out of the way like a rubber ball.

The dog must be able to hold the moose at bay, sometimes finding it necessary to nip at the moose's legs to distract the moose from the approach of the hunter, always leaping out of the way of the murderous hooves and antlers, and at the same time having the intelligence to use restraint so that the moose does not bolt into a full run.

On those occasions where the moose will break into a run, the dog follows along silently. He never barks while the moose is on the run, for this would only keep the animal moving and no Elkhound or hunter could possibly keep up with a fast moving moose. If the dog tracks silently, the moose eventually will come to a stop once again.

With a good dog, the hunter can always tell what is happening up ahead. If he hears the dog barking, he knows that the dog has made a stand, and that he need only follow the direction of the barking. If the dog should fall silent, the hunter knows that the moose is on the run and the hunter will wait until he once again hears the barking and the hunter will move in that direction. Of course in these modern times, many hunters use radios and lookout posts to stay in contact with one another.

When the dog has found the elg, he barks and keeps the elg at bay for as long as it takes for the hunter to get in a position for the kill.

When an Elkhound is used as a bandhund, he is placed on a 2.5 to 3 meter (8 to 10 foot) lead and does his hunting by scent or tracking to locate the elg. The dog will instinctively use the wind when trying to locate the elg, always leading the hunter up against the wind. By doing this, the dog can scent the elg without the elg being able to scent or hear the dog and hunter.

When the dog finds fresh elg tracks his pace quickens and he works with intensity to locate the animal. The dog has to be absolutely quite at all times during tracking. The dog will indicate to the hunter that the elg is close, by either standing up on his hind legs and sniffing the air, dropping his tail from the curled position, or raising the hackles on his back.

Once the hunter encounters the elg, the elkhound is commanded to sit or lie down, so as to be out of the line of fire between the hunter and the elg. The dog must be able to react calmly to shots from the hunter's rifle.

Once the elg is dispatched, the dog is freed to go to his prey. This gives the elkhound the feeling that the elg is his property, which helps to bolster his confidence and satisfaction.

HUNTING IN THE UNITED STATES

In the United States and Canada, game laws prohibit the use of elkhounds for hunting moose. However, Elhounds have been used successfully in the past to hunt badger, bear, deer, mountain lions, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, woodchucks and upland game birds.