This comes after the Covid-19 pandemic prevented the event from taking place last year.

See PODCAST below

Dave Hayter, the Acting General Manager of Biodiversity Management and Conservation at the department, says the two-day auction is known to be the highlight on the calendar of the wildlife sector, generating revenue of more than R10 million for the provincial fiscus.

Hayter explains that the aim of the auction is to regulate the game populations of the state-owned reserves and to optimize revenue generation for the Free State.

More than 8 100 head of game will be available to purchase at the auction.

“On the first day, 830 live game packages of 12 different species will be auctioned. The packages consist of Black Wildebeest, Eland, Gemsbok, Impala, Red Hartebeest, Ostrich Adult, Sable Antelope, Springbok, Waterbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Cape Mountain Zebra and Plains Zebra.

“On the second day, a total of 117 hunting packages consisting of 18 different species will be auctioned. The species will include 78 trophy hunts as well as 39 non-trophy hunts. Non-trophy hunts that consist of 23 game carcass packages of 12 species, 11 culling packages of 12 species will be sold. The auction will be catalogue based and is divided into hunting packages and live animals.”

Visitors and potential buyers can also look forward to numerous vendor stalls, a beer garden, different food outlets and music.

Details of the event:

Dates: 27 and 28 May

Venue: Willem Pretorius Nature Resort

Time: Friday at 12h00 and Saturday at 10h00

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