The activities and attitudes of nonresident hunters in Shimane Prefecture

Abstract

Since the 1970's, the number of hunters in Shimane Prefecture has declined greatly. The administration worried about reduced hunting pressure on nuisance animals such as wild boar, adopted a new policy to make it easier for hunters from other Prefectures (nonresident hunters) to be active in Shimane. To estimate the effectiveness of this policy, we investigated the activities and attitudes of nonresident hunters. More than half engaged in wild boar hunting (62.3%), and a considerable proportion hunted with guns (72.5%). Gun hunters targeting wild boar were concentrated in a few counties and were members of domestic hunting groups. About half of the wild boar hunters complained that there were too many snares, which can entrap their hunting dogs. Another policy within Shimane Prefecture, aimed at increasing the number of hunters is to encourage farmers to apply for hunting licenses. Most farmers use traps rather than guns for hunting because the equipment is easier and cheaper to maintain (Ueda and Kanzaki 2006). As a result of this policy, the hunting environment for gun hunters has deteriorated. Not only domestic gun hunters but nonresident hunters have decreased. We suggest that the Shimane Prefectural government should consider the consistency of these two policies both of which were intended to increase the hunting pressure on nuisance animals.