The wild reindeer has been an important resource for the people in the north, and has been hunted since the first settlements appeared. The most common methods of hunting have been pitfalls and enclosures, trapping and stalking where the animal was shot at by bow and arrow and later by guns. Small herds of tame females or tame male could be used as decoys to attract wild reindeer males. The autumn was the most important season for hunting wild reindeer.
The reindeer has provided the Saami food and clothing. Antlers and bones have been the raw material for making various tools. Products from the reindeer have also been important goods for barter or sale. In addition, the reindeer has been prominent as a means of transport.
From the middle of the 17th century the growth of tame reindeer herding took place as a specialised Saami business. This industry developed in the inland and expanded towards the coast, but there was also an expansion of reindeer from the coastal siidas to the inland, such as from the lower part of Tana and Varanger. The growth of reindeer herding siidas disrupted the borders of the hunting siidas leading to their dissolution.
Today's reindeer herding is most of all attached to meat production, and much of what was previously regarded as important raw materials is now wasted. Lately, however, there has been a growing interest in duodji, traditional Saami handicrafts, and there is also work done to develop modern products of skin and antler. Draught animals are still tamed, but they are mostly used in competitions and for tourists transport nowadays.