In recent years there have been both political discussions and legal proceedings related to how commons in Nordland and Troms should be managed. In this article our point of departure is the tension that arises when presumed similar land, defined as outfields, is managed differently in different parts of Norway. While Fjelloven and Statsallmenningsloven dictate how outfields are treated south of Nordland, the northernmost part of the country is regulated by Finnmarksloven. Statskog SF regulates commons in Nordland and Troms. We deploy a combination of qualitative methods to investigate how a selection of actors experience and relate to the regulation of commons in the Salten region of Nordland. Both proponents and detractors of the current management model structure their arguments around capital, skills and rights. All actors position themselves relative to the alternative management models, but they differ in the degree to which they make their positions heard. While municipalities and local agents consider the establishment of Fjellova to be overdue, others value Statskog’s initiatives to secure common access to outfields. Status quo is maintained by lines of conflict intersecting with centre – periphery divides. Unresolved Indigenous Sámi rights complicates the situation further.