The range of animal
species hunted by humans varies in different parts of the world. This is influenced by
climate,
faunal diversity,
popular taste and locally accepted views about what can or cannot be legitimately hunted. Sometimes a distinction is also made between varieties and breeds of a particular animal, such as
wild turkey and
domestic turkey. The flesh of the animal, when butchered for consumption, is often described as having a "gamey" flavour. This difference in taste can be attributed to the natural diet of the animal, which usually results in a lower
fat content compared to domestic farm-raised animals. In some countries, game is classified, including
legal classifications with respect to
licenses required, as either "small game" or "large game". Large game are often subject to individual licensing where a separate permit is required for each individual animal taken (tags).
Africa In some parts of
Africa, wild animals hunted for their meat are called
bushmeat; see that article for more detailed information on how this operates within the economy (for personal consumption and for money) and the law (including
overexploitation and illegal imports). Animals hunted for bushmeat include, but are not limited to: • Various species of
antelope, including
duikers • Various species of
primates like
mandrills or
gorillas •
Rodents like
porcupines or
cane rats Some of these animals are endangered or otherwise protected, and thus it is illegal to hunt them. In Africa, animals hunted for their pelts or
ivory are sometimes referred to as
big game. Also see the legal definition of game in
Eswatini.
South Africa South Africa is a famous destination for game hunting, with its large
biodiversity and therefore impressive variety of game species. Many creatures have returned to former areas from which they were once taken as a result of being killed for
big-game hunting. Commonly hunted species include: •
Springbok •
Impala •
Steenbok •
Oribi •
Bushbuck •
Nyala •
Greater kudu •
Common eland •
Blue wildebeest •
Black wildebeest •
Blesbok •
Bontebok •
Sable antelope •
Roan antelope •
Gemsbok •
Giraffe •
Cape buffalo •
Southern white rhinoceros •
Plains zebra South Africa also has 62 species of gamebirds, including
guineafowl,
francolin,
partridge,
quail,
sandgrouse,
duck,
geese,
snipe,
bustard and
korhaan. Some of these species are no longer hunted, and of the 44
indigenous gamebirds that can potentially be utilised in South Africa, only three, namely the
yellow-throated sandgrouse,
Delegorgue's pigeon and the
African pygmy goose warrant special protection. Of the remaining 41 species, 24 have shown an increase in numbers and distribution range in the last 25 years or so. The status of 14 species appears unchanged, with insufficient information being available for the remaining three species. The gamebirds of South Africa where the population status in 2005 was secure or growing are listed below: •
Helmeted guineafowl •
Greywing partridge •
Redwing partridge •
Orange River partridge •
Cape francolin •
Natal francolin •
Swainson's francolin •
Common quail •
Harlequin quail •
Namaqua sandgrouse •
Double-banded sandgrouse •
Burchell's sandgrouse •
White-faced duck •
Egyptian goose •
Yellow-billed duck •
Red-billed teal •
Cape shoveler •
Southern pochard •
Knob-billed duck •
Spur-winged goose Oceania Australia In
Australia, game includes: •
Deer and
sambar •
Duck •
Magpie geese •
European rabbit •
Feral cat •
Red fox •
Wild pig •
Wild goat •
Kangaroo •
Emu •
Crocodile (Saltwater and Freshwater) •
Feral buffalo •
Banteng ("Scrub bull") •
Feral camel •
Australian feral horse •
Quail •
Wild bull •
Blackbuck •
Feral donkey •
Feral dog New Zealand Game in
New Zealand includes: •
Chamois •
Deer, multiple species •
Pig •
Tahr •
Duck, multiple species
North America Canada and the United States In the
United States and
Canada,
white-tailed deer are the most commonly hunted big game. Other game species include:
Asia People's Republic of China In the PRC there is a special
cuisine category called
yewei, which includes animals in the wild.
Russia , 1871 •
Anser •
Beaver •
Black grouse •
Brown bear •
Common quail •
Deer •
Duck •
European hare •
Fox •
Ground squirrel •
Goose •
Hazel grouse •
Eurasian lynx •
Mountain hare •
Perdix •
Pheasant •
Rabbit •
Raven •
Siberian ibex •
Squirrel •
Wild boar •
Woodcock Europe United Kingdom in
London In the
UK, game is defined in
law by the
Game Act 1831 (
1 & 2 Will. 4. c. 32). It is illegal to shoot game on Sundays or at night. Other non-game birds that are hunted for food in the UK are specified under the
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. UK law defines game as including: •
Black grouse (No longer hunted due to decline in numbers) •
Red grouse •
Brown hare •
Rock ptarmigan •
Grey and
red-legged partridges •
Common pheasant Deer are not included in the definition, but similar controls provided to those in the Game Act apply to deer (from the
Deer Act 1991). Deer hunted in the UK are: •
Red deer •
Roe deer •
Fallow deer •
Sika deer •
Muntjac deer •
Chinese water deer • and
hybrids of these deer Other animals which are hunted in the UK include: •
Duck, including
mallard,
tufted duck,
teal,
northern pintail and
common pochard •
Goose, including
greylag goose,
Canada goose and
pink-footed goose •
Wood pigeon •
Cuckoo •
Eurasian woodcock •
Common snipe •
Eurasian golden plover •
Corncrake Capercaillie are not currently hunted in the
UK because of a recent decline in numbers and conservation projects towards their recovery. The ban is generally considered voluntary on private lands, and few birds live away from
RSPB or
Forestry Commission land allegedly.
Iceland In
Iceland game includes: •
Reindeer •
Rock ptarmigan, a popular
Christmas dish in Iceland •
Puffin •
Auk •
Goose •
Mallard Nordic countries Game in
Norway,
Sweden,
Denmark and
Finland includes: •
Moose,
Alces alces. Moose hunting season in October is close to a
national pastime. •
Fallow deer •
Red deer •
Roe deer •
Mountain hare •
Boar in Denmark and southern Sweden. (Once hunted to extinction, boars were re-introduced in the late 20th century and are now considered a
pest by farmers, but an asset by hunters.) •
Rock ptarmigan •
Willow ptarmigan •
Mallard •
Auk in Norway •
Black grouse •
Woodcock •
Common pheasant •
Common wood pigeon •
Goose Poland In
Poland, legal game includes:
Big game •
Moose •
Red deer •
Sika deer •
Fallow deer •
Roe deer •
Wild boar •
European mouflon Small game •
Fox •
Common raccoon dog •
Badger •
European pine marten •
Beech marten •
American mink •
Polecat • (American)
raccoon •
Muskrat •
European hare •
European rabbit •
Hazel grouse •
Common pheasant •
Grey partridge •
Greylag goose •
Bean goose •
Greater white-fronted goose •
Mallard •
Eurasian teal •
Common pochard •
Tufted duck •
Common wood pigeon •
Eurasian woodcock •
Eurasian coot Germany In Germany legal game includes: • Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) - most common. • European fallow deer (Dama dama L.) • Wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) • Red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) • Sika deer • European mufflon • Chamois (only lives in Bavaria) • European hare and European rabbit • Red fox • Racoon dog • European badger • Stoat, European polecat, least weasel, pine marten and beech marten • Racoon • Greater rhea (only lives in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) • Mute swan • Canada goose, Egyptian goose, greylag goose, bean goose, greater white-fronted goose, brent goose and ruddy shelduck • Mallard, northern pintail, Eurasian teal, European wigeon, tufted duck, common pochard, greater scaup, velvet scoter and common scoter • Ring-necked pheasant • Grey partridge • Wild turkey (only lives in North Rhine-Westphalia) • Wood pigeon and Eurasian collared dove The German hunting laws list animals like moose, European bison, brown bear, harbour seal, western capercaillie, greater bustard and birds of prey as game even though there are no hunting seasons for them as they're endangered in Germany. Hunting in Germany is very restricted, and it is really hard to practice without living in Germany for a long time. == Meat preparation ==