Morocco's hunting season yields results, new season dates set

Morocco's 2025-2026 hunting season saw significant activity, with over 65,000 hunters engaging in the sport across various open and leased domains, alongside approximately 5,000 participating in tourism hunting. The National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) announced these figures following a Supreme Hunting Council meeting.

The ANEF reported a modest increase in the success rate for small game hunting, noting an average of 1.58 partridges per hunter per day. This season also saw the approval of regulatory measures for the upcoming 2026-2027 hunting season. The official opening is set for October 4, 2026, nationwide, though the opening for turtledove hunting is scheduled for July 24, 2027.

Leased hunting areas have seen a 36% increase in number since 2020, reflecting the growing appeal of this co-management model. Approximately 178,000 partridges were released from national breeding stations into these leased areas during the past season to bolster wild populations. Currently, Morocco manages 1,737 leased hunting areas covering nearly 4.39 million hectares, comprising 1,424 for collective hunting and 239 for tourism.

In parallel, the national strategy to manage wild boar populations resulted in 1,414 culling operations by mid-June 2026, leading to the elimination of 6,339 wild boars. This initiative has helped mitigate damage to crops and enhance safety for communities near forest areas. The Supreme Hunting Council decided to maintain current hunting quotas and culling methods to ensure sector management stability and preserve biological balances.