Assessing Deer Hunter Attitudes Toward Regulatory Change Using Self-Selected Respondents

Abstract

State wildlife agencies are charged with managing wildlife populations of harvestable species. Opinions regarding how species should be managed differ dramatically and decisions are often made without comprehensive data. There is interest among deer hunters in Minnesota to change harvest regulations that benefit mature bucks. Beginning in 2005, research focused on the biological and social implications of changing deer regulations. We used data collected via random surveys, public input meetings, and an Internet survey to assist with the decision-making process. We observed demographic differences among respondents for the three data collection methods; however, the attitudinal differences were "minimal" (i.e., Cramér's V ≈ .1). We believe that a structured public input process, even if self-selected, can help inform decision-makers. Agencies that use public input meetings should reevaluate their public input process to include an Internet component if there are adequate baseline data available to make comparisons.

Surveying Louisiana waterfowl hunters: Open web and random mail surveys produce similar responses to attitudinal questions

“…This similarity of attitudinal responses suggests that self‐selection in web surveys does not automatically bias attitudinal results. Our results are consistent with a body of literature that suggests attitudinal questions may be less sensitive to bias, making web‐based surveys an efficient and valid method to obtain public input on regulatory alternatives (Best et al , Peterson and Messmer , Cornicelli and Grund , Gigliotti ).…”

“…We evaluated differences in attitudinal variables for practical significance using a procedure we termed ‘polar reclassification,’ in which we omitted neutral responses, compressed directional responses, and interpreted results by simple majority (Cornicelli and Grund ). We combined responses of Strongly Oppose and Oppose into Oppose, and responses of Strongly Support and Support into Support.…”

“…Relatively few studies, however, differentiate responses by nature of question (e.g., demographic, behavioral, or attitudinal). Hunter attitudes have been reported to be similar in comparisons of both random to convenience samples and mail to web survey methods (Peterson and Messmer , Cornicelli and Grund , Gigliotti ). A potential explanation of these results is based in the cognitive hierarchy model of human behavior, which conceptualizes stability of attitudes relative to behaviors (Fulton et al , Vaske and Donnelly , Pierce et al , Vaske , Vaske and Manfredo ).…”

Applying typology analyses to management issues: Deer harvest and declining hunter numbers

“…For example, the most effective way to reduce ungulate populations is to increase the harvest of adult females (e.g., Ueno et al , Milner et al , Boulanger et al ), yet some hunters do not pursue females for nonobjective reasons. Such established beliefs make implementing new harvesting regimes difficult (Finch and Baxter , Cornicelli and Grund ).…”

Innovations in On-Site Survey Administration: Using an iPad Interface at National Wildlife Refuges and National Parks

“…Recent studies, however, have shown that online surveys, when utilizing a mixed-mode design, can be a good option for obtaining respectable response rates while keeping costs relatively low (Greenlaw & Brown-Welty, 2009). Also, online surveys have proven to be a successful tool for human dimensions of wildlife research (i.e., Cornicelli & Grund, 2011;Graefe et al, 2011;Lesser, Yang, & Newton, 2011;Sexton et al, 2011).…”