Abstract
We conducted a participant observation to clarify the current hunting activities undertaken in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, and its issue from the point of view of sustainability of hunting activity. The correlation between the number of bagged animals and the number of participants was not significant. The role of beaters in the hunting party was considered vital to the success of a hunt. Our findings suggested that it is important to support core hunters, as they are typically the beaters in group hunts. In addition, our results showed that the time required to track target animals exceeded the actual duration of the hunt itself. It is therefore difficult for hunters who hunt as a pastime only to fully devote themselves to the observation and tracking components of hunting. Nuisance control achieved collaterally through the recreational hunting by research target party can be considered a cost-effective method of wildlife population control for municipalities who typically only offer a reward for bagged animals.
