The 32nd FeHoVa International Exhibition on Firearms, Fishing, and Hunting opened on Thursday at the Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Center, bringing together 200 exhibitors from 13 countries. The event will be open to visitors until February 8.
Opening the exhibition, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén, President of the National Hungarian Hunters’ Association, said that today no regulation affecting hunting or fishing can be adopted without prior consultation with professional organizations. He emphasized that the majority of adopted regulations submitted to the government are based directly on proposals from sector representatives.
Deputy PM Semjén recalled that the Hunting Act was also preceded by extensive consultations, adding that the resulting regulatory framework has “stood the test of time.” He described as sound decisions the extension of hunting lease contracts to 20 years, the establishment of a minimum hunting area size of 3,000 hectares, and the creation of wildlife management regions. Hungary is now divided into 52 ecological units, each led by a regional chief gamekeeper who assists licensed hunters.
He noted that amendments to firearms legislation have eliminated unnecessary bureaucratic requirements, resulting in a practical and reasonable regulatory environment.
Semjén also referred to the 2021 “One with Nature” World of Hunting and Nature Exhibition, which he described as the largest event in Hungary in the 21st century. The exhibition series attracted 1.6 million visitors, including 640,000 at the Hungexpo venue alone, and its positive impact continues to benefit the Hungarian hunting community.
Among current challenges, the deputy prime minister cited drought and animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza, myxomatosis, and African swine fever. Due to the latter, the wild boar population had to be reduced to 40 percent, with the state providing compensation to those affected.
Semjén highlighted that revenues from wildlife management have increased eighteenfold over 16 years, reaching HUF 3 billion, while the number of hunters has grown from 57,000 to 71,000 despite stricter entry requirements. He added that HUF 4.5 billion in revenue from hunting licenses and permits remains with the Hungarian Hunters’ Chamber and is primarily used for habitat development.
Addressing the opening, Minister of Agriculture István Nagy said that during the 2024/25 hunting season, 328,000 big game animals were harvested across 1,451 hunting areas, along with 559,000 small game animals such as hares and pheasants. A total of 72,800 trophies were evaluated, with roe deer antlers accounting for 56 percent and red deer antlers for 31 percent.
Minister Nagy noted that despite difficulties, the sector closed the year with a positive financial balance of HUF 3 billion. He said the regional wildlife management system and national trophy evaluation framework have significantly improved sustainable management and quality control.
The exhibition also featured remarks by Zoltán Kovács, State Secretary for International Communications at the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, who said consultations have begun on future innovations for FeHoVa, which has played a key role in preserving hunting culture for more than three decades.
Representatives of international hunting organizations, fishing associations, and dog breeders also highlighted Hungary’s strong traditions and leadership in wildlife management and nature-based activities.