The seasonal land use is divided into five seasons, which in turn are divided into two categories according to function and grazing intensity. Winter grazing area shows areas that reindeer use in the winter. Winter grazing areas are divided into two categories: Winter pasture 1 – Late winter land, intensively used areas that are normally most secure against large volumes of snow and ice formation in midwinter and late winter. Winter pasture 2 – Winter areas that are used early and often lower, generally less intensively used. The use of pastureland will vary from year to year within the same area. The classification system is applicable to reindeer husbandry all over the country. The annual variations in factors such as weather and pasture conditions means that the delimitation of the seasons has to be somewhat broad and approximate.

The reindeer grazing areas where Sami reindeer husbandry takes place covers approx. 40% of the land area of Norway, extending from Finnmark in the north to Engerdal, Hedmark in the south. Sami reindeer husbandry also takes place in Trollheimen on the basis of a special legal arrangement. Non-sami reindeer husbandry takes place in the mountain areas in Southern Norway, based on agreements with landowners.