World-renowned for its ethical and sustainable hunting practices, Namibia has become one of the top hunting destinations in Africa. Hunting options range from trophy hunting on private guest farms to big game safaris in concession areas in the country’s northwest, east, and northeast. Namibia has strict game laws, requiring all hunting farms to register with the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry (MEFT).
All hunting guides, master hunting guides and professional hunters must meet the stringent requirements set by the Ministry. Trophy hunting is allowed between February and November. The Nature Conservation Ordinance provides four game classifications: huntable game, specially protected game, protected game, and huntable game birds.
The huntable game includes kudu, gemsbok (oryx), springbok, warthog and bushpig. The hunting season for the huntable game on farms is usually in April and August. Written permission must be obtained from the farmer before a permit will be issued by the MEFT.
Specially protected game such as elephant, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, hippo, impala, black-faced impala and Burchell’s zebra, and protected game such as lion, blue wildebeest, eland, cheetah, red lechwe, roan, sable, sitatunga, steenbok, tsessebe and waterbuck, may be hunted only with a permit issued by the MEFT.
Game-bird hunting is growing in popularity, with some farmers managing their game-bird populations to offer this form of hunting.
Huntable game birds include Burchell’s and Namaqua sandgrouse, red-billed, crested and Orange River francolins, crested guineafowl, Egyptian goose and Cape and red-billed teal. The bag limits and hunting seasons for the respective species are published in the Government Gazette.
Namibia also offers bow hunting. Several farms have been approved for bow hunting by the MEFT, and on some of these farms, the San or Bushmen trackers who are masters at bow hunting join in the hunt. Professional hunters, master hunting guides and hunting guides are all required to qualify as bow-hunting guides.
