Promoting hunting tourism in north Sweden: opinions of local hunters

Hunting tourism can help to diversify local economies in rural areas. In northern Sweden, hunting tourism has the potential to counteract outmigration and unemployment, but may entail ecological and social risks. I used a mail survey of 2,110 hunters in rural northern Sweden to assess attitudes toward hunting tourism. Respondents emphasized the importance of hunting to maintain economical, social, and cultural values in the rural areas. Most hunters estimated that game contributed equal or larger amount of meat to their household than meat bought commercially. Few respondents had first hand experience of hunting tourism and they were divided on their attitude towards promoting hunting tourism. Many (46%) were uncertain about their attitude towards hunting tourism; 36% were positive and 18% were negative. Ethical values on using wildlife in hunting tourism and the attitude towards new hunters coming to hunt influenced attitudes on development of hunting tourism. Hunters that were positive to hunting tourism believed that it would create new jobs. Because hunting in Sweden is highly organized and collective, there are no models of hunting tourism adapted to the hunting culture in northern Sweden. The uncertainty of the potential local benefits from a development of hunting tourism should be placed within a research framework, especially in the northernmost parts where governmental undertakings are large and the state can influence land use.     

Wildlife in the life of local people of the semi-arid Argentine Chaco

The semi-arid Argentine Chaco is inhabited by mestizo people, who live on an economy of subsistence based on the use of natural resources and livestock ranching. I investigated the dietary and economic importance of wildlife for local people. Through interviews and participant observation, I found that wildlife is used primarily as food, providing about a third of the total meat consumed by local peasants. Local people use at least 26 species of wildlife although they concentrate on few species. Small species, Chacoan cavies and armadillos, are consumed most, representing 48% of the total wild meat consumed. Consumption of wild meat follows seasonal patterns determined by hunting methods, preferences for meat quality and species activity patterns. The consumptive value of wild meat is high in comparison with wages, but lower in comparison with forest exploitation. Illegal commercialization of wildlife is practiced mainly by villagers and by outsiders and it affects endangered species. Patterns of use of wildlife by local people differ from other Latin American groups in terms of the range of species hunted and the role that hunting plays in local people’ livelihoods. The first steps towards conservation of this increasingly threatened region should involve decreasing hunting by local people of the more vulnerable species and controlling all illegal commercial hunting.     

Prey preferences of bushmeat hunters in an East African savannah ecosystem

Prey preferences of top carnivores in African ecosystems are well known, but far less is understood about the preferences of human hunters and the effects of their hunting activities. We interviewed 82 hunters living in Mpimbwe Division adjacent to Katavi National Park and Rukwa Game Reserve in western Tanzania. We compared stated preferences for different species of mammals with that reportedly hunted, and we used reportedly hunted species in Jacob's indices to examine proportional offtake of each species that would be expected as based on both encounters and density estimates of the wildlife species. Then, using general linear models, we tested whether the derived indices of preference were affected by the proportional density, habitat preference, and body mass of the mammalian prey species. We found that hunters would like to kill large mammals but, instead, hunt opportunistically when they cannot realize these preferences and so end up taking smaller species than would be expected. We found that a surprising amount of rarer species is taken in this ecosystem. Our study helps to unveil novel information that wildlife managers can use to predict what hunters take most from protected areas, and it highlights the importance of treating humans as apex predators in modern day Africa.     

Hunting strategies employed by bird hunters with economic pursuit in the city of Guiyang,Southwest China

Understanding hunter motivations and strategies is of particular importance in regions fraught with wildlife hunting, due to the critical hunter’s role in linking wildlife supply and consumption. However, such information is extremely scarce in China despite the worrisome situation of wildlife hunting. This study documents the techniques, motivations and hunting frequencies of bird hunters who have economic interests in the city of Guiyang, Southwest China, where numerous wild birds have been observed in trade. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires given to 50 hunters in a public market between March and July 2015. At least 9 kinds of tools and 10 kinds of techniques have been employed in local bird hunting practices. Up to eight factors have stimulated the collection of wild birds, of which commercial benefit was undoubtedly the most important. Hunting activities were conducted throughout the year, and efficient and low-cost hunting techniques, such as hunting with nets and neck snares were the predominant hunting techniques. The use of bait birds, whistles and bird song recordings was common, with the aim of improving the harvest by finding and attracting target species, highlighting a preference for hunting certain species of birds. The various hunting motivations underscore the complexity of the current hunting issue. Conservation management was discussed by considering the hunting strategies employed and the needs of hunters, as well as the market demand, which highlights the necessity of the combined actions of law enforcement, commercial breeding, social welfare, the development of hunting grounds and environmental education.     

Diverse University Students Across the United States Reveal Promising Pathways to Hunter Recruitment and Retention

Declining participation in hunting, especially among young adult hunters, affects the ability of state and federal agencies to achieve goals for wildlife management and decreases revenue for conservation. For wildlife agencies hoping to engage diverse audiences in hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts, university settings provide unique advantages: they contain millions of young adults who are developmentally primed to explore new activities, and they cultivate a social atmosphere where new identities can flourish. From 2018 to 2020, we surveyed 17,203 undergraduate students at public universities across 22 states in the United States to explore R3 potential on college campuses and assess key demographic, social, and cognitive correlates of past and intended future hunting behavior. After weighting to account for demographic differences between our sample and the larger student population, 29% of students across all states had hunted in the past. Students with previous hunting experience were likely to be white, male, from rural areas or hunting families, and pursuing degrees related to natural resources. When we grouped students into 1 of 4 categories with respect to hunting (i.e., non-hunters [50%], potential hunters [22%], active hunters [26%], and lapsed hunters [3%]), comparisons revealed differences based on demographic attributes, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Compared to active hunters, potential hunters were more likely to be females or racial and ethnic minorities, and less likely to experience social support for hunting. Potential hunters valued game meat and altruistic reasons for hunting, but they faced unique constraints due to lack of hunting knowledge and skills. Findings provide insights for marketing and programming designed to achieve R3 objectives with a focus on university students. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

Road Development and the Geography of Hunting by an Amazonian Indigenous Group: Consequences for Wildlife Conservation

Protected areas are essential for conservation of wildlife populations. However, in the tropics there are two important factors that may interact to threaten this objective: 1) road development associated with large-scale resource extraction near or within protected areas; and 2) historical occupancy by traditional or indigenous groups that depend on wildlife for their survival. To manage wildlife populations in the tropics, it is critical to understand the effects of roads on the spatial extent of hunting and how wildlife is used. A geographical analysis can help us answer questions such as: How do roads affect spatial extent of hunting? How does market vicinity relate to local consumption and trade of bushmeat? How does vicinity to markets influence choice of game? A geographical analysis also can help evaluate the consequences of increased accessibility in landscapes that function as source-sink systems. We applied spatial analyses to evaluate the effects of increased landscape and market accessibility by road development on spatial extent of harvested areas and wildlife use by indigenous hunters. Our study was conducted in Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador, which is impacted by road development for oil extraction, and inhabited by the Waorani indigenous group. Hunting activities were self-reported for 12–14 months and each kill was georeferenced. Presence of roads was associated with a two-fold increase of the extraction area. Rates of bushmeat extraction and trade were higher closer to markets than further away. Hunters located closer to markets concentrated their effort on large-bodied species. Our results clearly demonstrate that placing roads within protected areas can seriously reduce their capacity to sustain wildlife populations and potentially threaten livelihoods of indigenous groups who depend on these resources for their survival. Our results critically inform current policy debates regarding resource extraction and road building near or within protected areas.     

Games as experiments to understand why wildlife devaluation may not reduce the number killed

Illegal hunting and trade might be reduced by devaluing the commodities of live animals. However, theory and anecdote suggest that the tactic’s success depends on the proportion devalued and may also generate unintuitive and counter-productive outcomes. Unfortunately, the difficulty of researching criminals limits empirical and experimental tests of theory and practice. We overcame those constraints by designing and conducting a competitive game; simulating criminal hunting of protected wildlife where the proportion of animals devalued across a meta-population increases at a cost to investment in security. We conducted 33 games each with 10 different volunteers from the public visiting five public events (fairs, gala, and carnivals) in different communities of the Wellington metropolitan area, New Zealand. Games confirmed the relative effectiveness of security over devaluation tactics. Even moderate security protected the majority of commodities, but only when devaluation reached extraordinary levels (≥90%) was it protective, and even then only partially. When the risk of hunting is low, reduced rewards were enough to still motivate hunting. Games also revealed that when security and devaluation tactics are mixed across a meta-population, elevated risk caused hunters to revise their valuation of devalued commodities upwards and hunt and harvest them anyway. Counter-intuitively, more valuable devalued commodities were preserved but those of lesser value harvested, then sometimes discarded but at other times their value claimed. And lastly, hunters choose to take greater risks, shifting their activities to adjacent populations where the returns could be greater even though known to be better protected. The survival of wildlife in those populations deteriorated, even as the number of hunters caught increased. In all these ways, our games demonstrated how the addition of devaluation tactics to strategies for protecting wildlife can incentivise and exacerbate, rather than mitigate, the illegal hunting and trade of wildlife, consistent with theory and anecdote.     

Successes and Challenges of University First Hunt Programs

Wildlife professionals are tasked with sustainably managing habitats and wildlife for the benefit of a variety of stakeholders, and hunters are an important user group. But the number of hunters in North America has continued to decline, and as a result, new wildlife professionals entering the field are less likely to be hunters than their predecessors. We find this trend concerning because future wildlife professionals would be better equipped to manage wildlife resources and develop policies if they understand the motivations and culture of the hunter constituents supporting their work. To address this trend, we have developed collegiate hunting experience programs at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) and Louisiana State University (LSU), USA, wherein undergraduates in wildlife programs are provided with the education, training, equipment, and opportunity to hunt waterfowl and deer. The hunting experience is transformative for our students, resulting in a deeper connection to the wildlife resource, and a richer understanding of hunting culture and hunters’ stewardship of wildlife habitat. In the 2 programs, we have encountered challenges (e.g., timidity around firearms), and opportunities for expanding our reach to broader segments of society (e.g., leveraging social media). The relative success of our programs indicates that the possibility for implementation of similar opportunities elsewhere is high, and may provide new ways for private landowners, non-governmental organizations, and corporate outfitters to engage in undergraduate education. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Trapping in predator management: catching the profile of trap users in Sweden

Many populations of wildlife, including large- and medium-sized predators are increasing in Europe. Trapping can be one way to reduce negative impacts of predators on human interests, such as game species and threatened species, but there is little knowledge of trap usage and motivation behind it. We used a mail survey in Sweden (n?=?3,886 respondents) to compare predator trappers with hunters who used other methods to kill predators, and with other hunters who did not kill predators, in regard to sociodemographics, beliefs, behaviors, and constraints. During 12 months prior to the survey 19 % of respondents had trapped any small- or medium-sized predator, while 15 % of respondents had trapped and 55 % had hunted (without using traps) red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European badger (Meles meles), or corvid birds. Reducing predator numbers was an important reason for hunting predators with traps. Of predator trappers, 97 % had hunted species that were potentially prey of the targeted predators (e.g., roe deer [Capreolus capreolus], hare [Lepus spp.], and grouse), 94 % believed that there were too many red foxes, badgers, or corvids on their main hunting ground, and 64 % believed it to be very important to reduce predator numbers to benefit other game species. We conclude that the use of traps is widespread among Swedish hunters, and that increasing wildlife populations, increased presence of wildlife in urban areas, and management of invasive species calls for effective management actions, of which trapping can be one.     

Assessing trophy hunting in South Africa by comparing hunting and exporting databases

Trophy hunting constitutes a major part of the global wildlife tourism industry and is connected through the export of kills to international wildlife trade. Inconsistencies between kills and exports can contribute to identifying illegal trophy hunting that constitutes a major threat to biodiversity conservation. This paper quantitatively analyses to what extent the data of trophy hunting kills and of trophy exports are consistent using the example of South Africa. Data was extracted from two different sources for the year 2018. These sources were trade data reported under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and its Trade Database on the export of trophy items from South Africa, which is compared with the South African Professional Hunting statistics (SAPHs) containing trophy kills information for each species and the country of origin of the hunter. The data of trophy hunting kills and data of trophy hunting export was found to differ to varying degrees across the countries contributing to trophy hunting and CITES-listed trophy-hunted species. We found that both databases report hunting of the same 28 threatened taxa. On the other hand, the same data reports that hunters of 64 nationalities participated in a total of 4,726 trophy kills, while only 3,131 hunting trophy items were exported from South Africa, to 37 countries as final destinations. Among the possible reasons for the discrepancies found, we suggest that the time required to taxidermize trophy specimens may delay the items being addressed to their final destination, in addition to the dual citizenship of some hunters that should also have some influence on our results, as well as the important commercial destination of Brussels Airport. The USA show the highest absolute number of trophy hunters, followed by Spain, but Denmark is the highest driver per capita. Therefore, greater participation of these countries in conservation policies for endangered species is necessary. Additionally, a more detailed differentiation of the term “trophy” to more specific terms such as claws, skins, skulls, etc. may improve reporting systems to easier identify illegal activities related to hunting.     

The role of game management in wildlife populations: uncertainty analysis of expert knowledge

Uncertainties about future states of wildlife populations make it difficult to pre-adapt to possible threats and ensure sustainability of resources and harvesting over the long term. This uncertainty is partly due to the unknown impact and future states of many factors that explain population sizes and variation. In this paper, the effect of local game management activities on the uncertainty of future population sizes of groups of Finnish wildlife species (ungulates, forest grouse, large predators, small predators and mountain hare) was analysed using expert knowledge and the Bayesian belief networks (BBNs) modelling techniques. As a result, the current knowledge and agreement of the relationships between wildlife population sizes and the game management activities explaining their variation as well as trends are evaluated. Information given to hunters and the number of hunters were seen as the most effective factors for the management of game populations. However, there were great uncertainties in the expectations regarding future trends in the management activities, especially in feeding, and there was disagreement in the direction of the trend in the length of the hunting season. The trends in the size of forest grouse populations were viewed as the most uncertain trend among species groups. At the same time, forest grouse were seen as the most regulated species group by local game management. Among interest variables, experts were very uncertain and they disagreed about the direction of the trend in the recreational value of hunting.     

An Evaluation of Hunter Self-Monitoring in the Bolivian Chaco

Community wildlife management is being tested across the tropics as a means of promoting the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife resources. Key to successful programs is the effective participation of local hunters and communities in monitoring, planning, decision-making and implementation. We evaluate one method to achieve this participation, namely hunter self-monitoring. Between 1997 and 2000, Izoceño hunters from 22 communities in the Bolivian Chaco have voluntarily participated in monitoring their hunting activities, measuring and recording data on captured animals and hunting methods in personal notebooks. Despite the lack of remuneration, participation exceeds 60% of active hunters. However, the written information and specimens provided are not complete, and are biased according to hunting methods and prey characteristics. Complementary research is essential to answer specific research questions. Nevertheless, hunter self-monitoring serves to raise awareness of wildlife management issues at the communal or indigenous territory level, as evidenced by preliminary actions taken by hunters and communities in the Izozog.     

Wildlife Depletion in a West African Farm-Forest Mosaic and the Implications for Hunting Across the Landscape

Unsustainable hunting is a threat to conservation and rural livelihoods that depend on bushmeat for food and income. To reduce the pressure on forest-dependent vulnerable species, hunting in farmland might complement offtake from forests and provide a sustainable source of bushmeat. To explore this possibility, we investigated patterns of hunting and wildlife depletion, and integration of hunting into agricultural livelihoods, in an intensively managed farm-forest mosaic landscape. Surveys were conducted across 63 households over a year in a Ghanaian cocoa-farming community surrounded by a timber production forest. The findings indicated a high level of wildlife depletion in the landscape and the local extinction of the largest species, especially in farmland. Most hunting occurred in forests and offtake from farmland was low, yet hunting in farmland was disproportionately common relative to its coverage in the landscape. Most farmland hunting was opportunistic and integrated with agricultural activities. Our findings suggest that intensively used farmland provides little opportunity to reduce hunting pressure in forests.     

Modern Hunting Practices and Wild Meat Trade in the Oil Palm Plantation-Dominated Landscapes of Sumatra,Indonesia

The ongoing expansion of plantation agriculture has changed the ecological, demographic, and social conditions of Southeast Asia’s forested areas, yet little is known about hunting practices in these novel landscapes. Using information from 73 in-depth interviews with hunters, agricultural workers and wild meat dealers in the Jambi province of Sumatra, Indonesia, we describe contemporary hunting practices, including how hunting methods, wildlife harvest and consumption rates vary between different indigenous and immigrant ethnic groups. Hunting is now primarily a commercial endeavor for harvesting wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat; over 7500 wild boars were sold in Jambi City alone in 2011. The Muslim majority avoids wild boar for religious reasons, but there is substantial local and export demand driven by Chinese and Christian Batak. We conclude that hunting within oil palm plantations may reduce crop damage from wild boar and also yield large amounts of wild meat with relatively little by-catch of threatened animals.     

Applicability of age-based hunting regulations for African leopards

In species in which juvenile survival depends strongly on male tenure, excessive trophy hunting can artificially elevate male turnover and increase infanticide, potentially to unsustainable levels. Simulation models show that the likelihood of safe harvests can be improved by restricting offtakes to males old enough to have reared their first cohort of offspring to independence; in the case of African leopards, males were ≥7 years old. Here, we explore the applicability of an age-based approach for regulating trophy hunting of leopards. We conducted a structured survey comprising photographs of known-age leopards to assess the ability of wildlife practitioners to sex and age leopards. We also evaluated the utility of four phenotypic traits for use by trophy hunters to age male leopards in the field. Our logistic regression models showed that male leopard age affected the likelihood of survey respondents identifying the correct sex; notably, males <2 years were typically misidentified as females, while mature males (≥4 years) were sexed correctly. Mature male leopards were also more likely to be aged correctly, as were portrait photographs. Aging proficiency was also influenced by the profession of respondents, with hunters recording the lowest scores. A discriminant model including dewlap size, the condition of the ears, and the extent of facial scarring accurately discriminated among male leopard age classes. Model classification rates were considerably higher than the respective scores attained by survey respondents, implying that the aging ability of hunters could theoretically improve with appropriate training. Dewlap size was a particularly reliable indicator of males ≥7 years and a review of online trophy galleries suggested its wider utility as an aging criterion. Our study demonstrated that an age-based hunting approach is practically applicable for leopards. However, implementation would require major reform within the regulatory framework and the hunting industry.     

Population parameters of indigenous populations ofMyocastor coypus: the effect of hunting pressure

The coypu or nutriaMyocastor coypus Molina, 1782 is a semiaquatic rodent intensively harvested for fur in its native region. We studied population parameters at four sites differing in hunting pressure and characterised hunting activity in north-eastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Our interviews with hunters, local inhabitants and wildlife managers revealed that hunting is a cultural tradition in the countryside with the coypu being used as meat and, fur and the young occasionally used as pets. Quarterly live trapping captured a high proportion of all coypus present at each site. In sites with higher hunting pressure, low density of coypus was associated with high population losses and immigration. I n these sites the proportion of juveniles and pregnant females was similar to that obtained at sites with no hunting pressure. No foraging deficiencies were evident from diet quality analysis. Our results suggest that harvesting determines the dynamics of coypu populations in, this region where hunting pressure can be assessed by accessibility of hunting sites, their distance to urban or rural settlements, effective control of hunting, and human population density of the area.     

What Enables Size-Selective Trophy Hunting of Wildlife?

Although rarely considered predators, wildlife hunters can function as important ecological and evolutionary agents. In part, their influence relates to targeting of large reproductive adults within prey populations. Despite known impacts of size-selective harvests, however, we know little about what enables hunters to kill these older, rarer, and presumably more wary individuals. In other mammalian predators, predatory performance varies with knowledge and physical condition, which accumulates and declines, respectively, with age. Moreover, some species evolved camouflage as a physical trait to aid in predatory performance. In this work, we tested whether knowledge-based faculty (use of a hunting guide with accumulated experience in specific areas), physical traits (relative body mass [RBM] and camouflage clothing), and age can predict predatory performance. We measured performance as do many hunters: size of killed cervid prey, using the number of antler tines as a proxy. Examining ∼4300 online photographs of hunters posing with carcasses, we found that only the presence of guides increased the odds of killing larger prey. Accounting for this effect, modest evidence suggested that unguided hunters presumably handicapped with the highest RBM actually had greater odds of killing large prey. There was no association with hunter age, perhaps because of our coarse measure (presence of grey hair) and the performance trade-offs between knowledge accumulation and physical deterioration with age. Despite its prevalence among sampled hunters (80%), camouflage had no influence on size of killed prey. Should these patterns be representative of other areas and prey, and our interpretations correct, evolutionarily-enlightened harvest management might benefit from regulatory scrutiny on guided hunting. More broadly, we suggest that by being nutritionally and demographically de-coupled from prey and aided by efficient killing technology and road access, wildlife hunters in the developed world might have overcome many of the physical, but not knowledge-based, challenges of hunting.     

Extent and ecological consequences of hunting in Central African rainforests in the twenty-first century

Humans have hunted wildlife in Central Africa for millennia. Today, however, many species are being rapidly extirpated and sanctuaries for wildlife are dwindling. Almost all Central Africa''s forests are now accessible to hunters. Drastic declines of large mammals have been caused in the past 20 years by the commercial trade for meat or ivory. We review a growing body of empirical data which shows that trophic webs are significantly disrupted in the region, with knock-on effects for other ecological functions, including seed dispersal and forest regeneration. Plausible scenarios for land-use change indicate that increasing extraction pressure on Central African forests is likely to usher in new worker populations and to intensify the hunting impacts and trophic cascade disruption already in progress, unless serious efforts are made for hunting regulation. The profound ecological changes initiated by hunting will not mitigate and may even exacerbate the predicted effects of climate change for the region. We hypothesize that, in the near future, the trophic changes brought about by hunting will have a larger and more rapid impact on Central African rainforest structure and function than the direct impacts of climate change on the vegetation. Immediate hunting regulation is vital for the survival of the Central African rainforest ecosystem.     

Influence of Landscape Characteristics on Hunter Space Use and Success

Sport hunting of ungulates is a predominant recreational pursuit and the primary tool for managing their populations in North America and beyond, given its influence on ungulate distributions, social organization, and population performance. Similarly, land management, such as motorized vehicle access, influences ungulate distributions during and outside hunting seasons. Although research on ungulate responses to hunting and land use is widespread, knowledge gaps persist about space use of hunters and what landscape features discriminate among hunt types and between successful and unsuccessful hunters. We used telemetry location data from hunters (n = 341) to estimate space use from 2008–2013 during 3 types of controlled, 5-day hunts for antlered mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) in northeastern Oregon, USA: archery elk, rifle deer, and rifle elk. To evaluate space use, we developed utilization distributions for each hunter, created core areas (50% contours) for groups of hunters, and derived several metrics of space-use overlap between successful and unsuccessful hunters. We also modeled predictors of space use using resource utilization functions with beta regression and stepwise model building. Hunter space use was compressed, with even the largest core area (unsuccessful rifle elk hunters) encompassing <16% (1,178 ha) of the area. We found strong similarities in space use of rifle hunters compared to archers, and core areas of successful hunters were markedly smaller than those of unsuccessful hunters (e.g., = 104 ha vs. 681 ha, respectively, for archers). Percentage cover and distance from open roads were the most consistent covariates in the 6 final models (successful vs. unsuccessful for each of 3 hunts) but with different signs. For example, predicted use of archery and rifle elk hunters increased with cover but decreased for rifle deer hunters. Although the same covariates were in the final models for unsuccessful and successful rifle elk hunters, their negligible spatial overlap suggested they sought those features in different locales, a pattern also documented for rifle deer hunters. Our models performed well (Spearman's rank correlation coefficients = 0.99 for 5 of 6 models), reflecting their utility for managing hunters and landscapes. Our results suggest that strategic management of open roads and forest cover can benefit managers seeking to balance hunter opportunity and satisfaction with harvest objectives, especially for species of special concern such as mule deer, and that differences in space use among hunter groups should be accounted for in hunting season designs. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.     

Hunting Behavior of Chimpanzees at Ngogo,Kibale National Park,Uganda

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) prey on a variety of vertebrates, mostly on red colobus (Procolobus spp.) where the two species are sympatric. Variation across population occurs in hunting frequency and success, in whether hunting is cooperative, i.e., payoffs to individual hunters increase with group size, and in the extent to which hunters coordinate their actions in space and time, and in the impact of hunting on red colobus populations. Also, hunting frequency varies over time within populations, for reasons that are unclear. We present new data on hunting by chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda, and combine them with earlier data (Mitani and Watts, 1999, Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 109: 439–454) to examine hunting frequency and success, seasonality, and cooperation. The Ngogo community is the largest and has the most males of any known community. Chimpanzees there mostly hunt red colobus and are much more successful and make many more kills per hunt than at other sites; they kill 6–12% of the red colobus population annually. The number of kills and the offtake of meat per hunt increase with the number of hunters, but per capita meat intake is independent of hunting party size; this suggests that cheating occurs in large parties. Some behavioral cooperation occurs. Hunting success and estimated meat intake vary greatly among males, partly due to dominance rank effects. The high overall success rate leads to relatively high average per capita meat intake despite the large number of consumers. The frequency of hunts and of hunting patrols varies positively with the availability of ripe fruit; this is the first quantitative demonstration of a relationship between hunting frequency and the availability of other food, and implies that the chimpanzees hunt most when they can easily meet energy needs from other sources. We provide the first quantitative support for the argument that variation in canopy structure influences decisions to hunt red colobus because hunts are easier where the canopy is broken.