Factors influencing the leasing fees of hunting grounds in Hungary

Abstract

The history of hunting customs and traditions, as well as game management, in Hungary is long and rich, forming an essential part of Hungarian culture. By the end of the 20th century, changes had been introduced to the political and social structures, as had been the case in the field of hunting. In Hungary, the right to hunt is an integral part of land ownership. Those who own land that is classified as hunting land are entitled to exercise this right. Furthermore, landowners may lease this right within the boundaries of the hunting area established by the relevant hunting authority. The lease shall be concluded by a lease contract between the parties, namely the landowner and the hunters’ association. The Hungarian Parliament enacted Act LV of 1996, which modernised the decree on game protection, game management, and hunting. Furthermore, the act delineates the fundamental elements of a hunting lease contract, yet it lacks sufficient detail regarding the leasing fee. Since 1996, a method for determining the leasing fee for hunting has been lacking. This is despite the fact that there has been a need for such a method for more than 25 years. The current situation is such that the contracting parties and the public authorities are unable to determine the leasing fee for hunting in a realistic manner. This lack of clarity has resulted in disagreements between the contracting parties. Furthermore, the current situation is such that there is no accurate and useable method for determining the leasing fee for hunting. A nationwide data collection has commenced among Hungarian hunting associations, based on a literature review and the methodology. The objective is to determine which factors influence the leasing fees and to what extent. The hedonic price method, which has already proven its worth in previous similar research, has been employed to draw up a multivariate regression equation of national validity. This permits the examination of the situation in all counties, and thus the establishment of whether the leasing fee used in the leasing contract of a particular hunting ground matches its characteristics. The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive and transparent model for the determination of leasing fees for hunting, based on a synthesis of national and international literature.