The Royal Dutch Hunters’ Association
The Royal Dutch Hunters’ Association (Koninklijke Nederlandse Jagersvereniging) is the largest organisation representing the interests of hunters in the Netherlands, and works together with all parties associated with the responsible management and use of the Dutch countryside. They achieve this by providing background information and hunting related data to stakeholders and the general public. The association has the following departments based at the head office: ecology, legal matters, interests representation and communication.
Hunting in the Netherlands
Spending time in the countryside and harvesting wildlife from the hunting grounds are sources of great pleasure for Dutch hunters. They also take action if animals cause disruption or damage, for example to agriculture or road traffic. The Netherlands has a high human population density, a large number of towns and villages, an highly intertwined network of asphalted roads, and very productive agricultural land. Despite the large numbers of people living and working in the Netherlands, the country has a very rich plant and animal life. This is one of the reasons why the country counts more than 27,000 hunters among its population. Despite the increasing urban development and the intensification of agriculture, the state of the wildlife is good. Some species (for example goose, fox and wild boar) strongly benefit from man’s activities.
Who are we?
The association for Dutch hunters is a national organisation with more than 21,000 members. The association carries out research into animal species and advises the 300 local hunting associations. The drive for biodiversity takes central place in the method of working, making a sensible (wise) use of fauna possible.
Hunting in the Netherlands:
- More than two million hectares of the Netherlands is hunting ground
- Hunting serve to use, to protect and to manage
- 27,000 hunting and licence holders
- United in more than 300 local hunters and shooters associations
- The equivalent of 13,000 full-time voluntary jobs in the countryside
- An annual social added value of 600 million euros