A nomadic species of hunters in the Delta Quadrant.
The Hirogen are a species of hunters who roam the Delta Quadrant in scattered groups. They are tall, strong and highly skilled trackers, and their whole way of life centres on pursuing prey for sport and for status. The hunt is more than a pastime for them, it is the way they define their lives.
They use a network of communication relays to coordinate across great distances and tend to treat other species as targets. Their ships are well suited to stalking, and they keep trophies of their kills. Hirogen society has a strong sense of tradition about the proper conduct of a hunt.
Voyager first meets the Hirogen in the episode Message in a Bottle, and they become dangerous antagonists in the two-part story The Killing Game, in which the Hirogen take over the ship and force its crew to take part in holodeck hunts. Captain Janeway eventually finds a way to make peace with them, although the species remains an unpredictable presence in the Delta Quadrant.