by Thinus Ferreira
Following the low-grade trashy TV reality jump of Moer 'n Boer from VIA to kykNET, M-Net's Afrikaans channel kykNET (DStv 144) is adding an eyebrow-raising hunting reality show called Jagter that will see participants compete to become the best animal killer for entertainment.
Nico Panagio is the presenter of Jagter, which starts on 9 December on kykNET. Jagter is a licensed show from Die Jagter Productions and will run for 10 episodes.
According to a kykNET press release, 12 people will compete for the title of South Africa's "best ethical hunter".
Hunting is deeply controversial in South Africa and now kykNET brings it to television for DStv subscribers.
At the centre of the issue is an ongoing legal, ethical, and political debate between conservationists, animal welfare groups, private game landowners, and the government.
While the South African government and industry bodies view regulated hunting as a vital pillar of rural economic development and wildlife management, critics argue it has become an unethical, commercialised system that threatens biodiversity and fails to benefit local communities.
A lot of people see hunting in South Africa as a blood sport for wealthy tourists who should use cameras instead of rifles. Now kykNET is bringing both the cameras and the rifles.
In South Africa, foreign hunting shows and YouTube channels frequently spark local outrage, especially when international hosts film hunts involving elephants, lions, or leopards.
While local hunting associations maintain that legal hunts bring vital revenue to rural areas, viral clips of celebratory kills often trigger intense public backlash, boycotts, and renewed pressure on the government to tighten hunting regulations.
"Jagter is about much more than the moment someone pulls the trigger," says Louis Schoeman, creator and executive producer of Jagter in a supplied quote in the kykNET press statement.
"It is about responsibility, discipline, respect for nature, and the decisions made long before that moment. We wanted to create a series that celebrates the skills of hunters, as well as the values that underpin responsible hunting."
"Ultimately, Jagter will not only determine who can shoot the best, but who has the character and judgment to truly earn the title."
