Hunting as a revenue sector in South Africa is worth billions, with local hunters spending approximately R11,6 billion per year.

This is according to a recent study conducted by Prof Peet van der Merwe and the late Prof Melville Saayman from Tourism, Research and Environment and Economics Society (TREES) at the North-West University (NWU).

Using a total of seven surveys, the study was conducted from 2005 until 2017.

A spike in hunting costs

During the 2015 survey it was found that the average South African hunter spends up to R31 000 per hunter per hunting session.

This money is typically spent on accommodation, food, meat billing, transport and hunting gear.

When the researchers conducted the same study during 2017, they discovered that the average hunter spent R58 000 per hunter per hunting session. The researchers attributed the spike in hunting costs to the increase of fuel, accommodation and food prices.

Hunters do not hunt for themselves

According to Prof Van der Merwe they decided to ask South African hunters during the 2017 survey if they hunted for themselves or other people – a question they had never asked before.

The feedback they received was astonishing. They discovered that 54% of biltong hunters hunt for other people.

“Although hunting is a very costly activity, this shows that hunters are not forking out this money from their own pockets,” says Prof Van der Merwe.  “They are getting some sort of financial compensation from the individuals who they are hunting for.

“This proves that there are more people who consume game meat than we have imagined.”