Hunting season opens

Namibia’s hunting season will officially open next month on game-proofed commercial farms and conservancies.The industry has been warned to comply with the rules and regulations within the sector that annually contributes millions to the economy.Huntable game species may be hunted from 1 May to 31 August 2022 on commercial farms not less than 1 000 hectares which are enclosed with registered game-proof fences.During this period hunting can also take place on registered conservancies where quotas have been approved for huntable game.Game species can be hunted from 1 June to 31 July 2022 on commercial farms not less than 1 000 hectares in size which are enclosed with a normal livestock fence.GunsTourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said hunters may not import any automatic firearms or handguns.According to Shifeta the importation of hunting rifles will only be allowed on the presentation of a letter of invitation from the farm owner, lessee or conservancy committee where the hunt will take place.There are prescribed limitations regarding the number of huntable game species that may be hunted by a single hunter on a commercial farm that is enclosed with a livestock fence during a hunting season.Three large game animals may be hunted per hunter, a total of two large game animals and four small game animals, a total of one large game animal and eight small game animals or a total of 12 small game animals.“No person shall hunt more than one kudu during the hunting season,” said Shifeta.Large game species include kudu, oryx and red hartebeest, while small game species consist of springbok and warthog.Shifeta added that prior permission is required from the Directorate of Veterinary Services to transport warthog from the land where it was obtained and for any game meat or products of game to be exported from Namibia.The directorate does not allow any game meat to be transported from north of the Veterinary Cordon Fence.Hunting permits are issued to the landowner or conservancy committee and cost N$100 each.“Hunting permits cannot be issued to take trophies out of Namibia. No such export may take place without prior permission from the ministry,” said Shifeta.Animals get a breakHunting clients to Namibia declined by more than 4 000 hunters from 2019 to 2020 due to border closures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic.Severe declines in Namibia’s hunting tourism can be seen, based on a survey conducted by the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA), which indicated that the total hunter count was approximately 1 000 clients during 2020.This is compared to the 5 032 hunting clients that visited Namibia in 2019.NAPHA says that a survey among its members during September 2021 showed that, compared to 2019, an estimated 20% of trophy hunters visited Namibia during 2020.“By August 2021, this figure rose to 35%. The official statistics remain to be received from the tourism ministry’s Permit Office.”It further noted that Namibia had a total of 5 032 “conservation hunters” for 2019, which is a slight (5.7%) decrease from 2018 (5 337).Hunters came from 49 different countries, the USA and Germany accounting for 55% of all visiting hunters.It was reported in 2020 that the sector employees 15 000 people and that N$500 million is generated from trophy hunting.

Hunting season opens

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-25

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Hunting season opens

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-25

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