Present conditions of hunter activities and attitudes in Shimane Prefecture

Abstract

Researchers conducted a questionnaire survey to investigate present hunting activities, hunters' attitudes toward regulations, the hunting environment, and the role of hunters in wildlife management in Shimane Prefecture. There were 249 respondents, and the response rate was 80.0%. Wild boar hunters accounted for 61.6% of the total, and the remainder were mostly bird hunters (32.5%). The main objective of wild boar hunting was nuisance control, and very few hunted for profit despite of the high commercial value of this species. Most respondents were farmers and used wired leg traps. When asked about current problems, wild boar hunters indicated the cost of hunting, but bird hunters indicated the shortage of game.