Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2016

AUTHORS: Chris Henderson*, Michigan Tech

ABSTRACT: Participation rates in consumptive activities such as hunting and angling have been declining across much of the country in recent years, leading to many changes in management of wildlife, decision-making, and governance by state wildlife management agencies. States have invested millions of dollars in hunter and angler recruitment efforts that have not always been effective at increasing long-term participation. A comprehensive understanding of the various social factors that influence hunting can help wildlife managers, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens work together to the benefit of rural communities, public lands, wildlife, and the ecosystems on which they depend. In order to assess patterns associated with hunting participation in Michigan, my research uses a hierarchical model to incorporate variables at multiple scales that influence hunting behavior at the individual level, and collectively comprise the "social habitat" of hunting. I analyze the entire population of Michigan in the year 2010 based on population data from the U.S. Census Bureau and hunting license sales data from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, determining the log likelihood of each individual having purchased a hunting license based on a series of predictor variables at micro, meso, and macro scales of influence. I found that sociodemographic characteristics of communities, ecological and landscape variables, and regulatory frameworks have a significant relationship with hunting, and that analyzing them within a multilevel context allows for integration and interaction within those contexts.

AUTHORS: Brian J. Dhuey*, Krista Mcginley – Bureau of Wildlife Management, Wisconsin DNR

ABSTRACT: Pheasant hunting in Wisconsin has gone through many challenges and changes in recent years, with shrinking grass land acres and increased pressures on public lands and areas with stocked pheasants. Wisconsin Pheasant stamp purchasers were divided into three regional groups based on, wild pheasant populations, pheasant stocking densities, and zip code of residency. Questionnaires were sent out post hunt and responses were compared regionally and by landownership type they primarily hunted. Hunters in the Southeastern Region of Wisconsin are more likely to pheasant hunt (p

AUTHORS: Christopher T. Rota, University of Missouri; John H. Schulz*, University of Missouri; Ronald A. Reitz, Missouri Department of Conservation; Joshua J. Millspaugh, University of Missouri; Kenneth D. Richkus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; William F. Harvey IV, Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Shaun L. Oldenburger, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Michael J. Rabe, Arizona Game and Fish Department

ABSTRACT: Ingested lead (Pb) pellets are lethal to mourning doves Zenaida macroura, and decisions regarding the future use of Pb shotshells will require input from multiple stakeholders. To help inform these decisions, we assessed awareness of dove hunters about the impacts of Pb poisoning on mourning doves and dove hunting, and their attitudes toward possible regulatory actions. We developed a 74 item questionnaire to determine attitudes and characteristics of migratory bird hunters in 39 of 40 states with mourning dove hunting seasons, and mailed the questionnaire to approximately 32,000 dove hunters. We developed questions to address hunter awareness of the impacts of Pb shot on mourning doves and hunter attitudes about possible policy actions. Approximately 58% of hunters agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that any exposure to Pb makes practically no population effect to mourning dove populations due to the birds’ short lifespan, and only 9% of all hunters agreed with requiring the use of non–Pb shot for dove hunting. Agreement with the need for a regulation was not associated with the cost of non–Pb shot or the amount of money spent annually on shot shells. Managers and policy makers wanting to communicate effectively with hunters need to consider that many dove hunters view the nontoxic-shot waterfowl regulation as unnecessary, say they would likely reduce the number of dove hunting trips if non–Pb shot was required, use ≥10 boxes of ammunition per season, harvest >10 doves per season, believe the cost of shells is less of a problem, believe non–Pb shot is more likely to cripple doves, and believe it will be hard to find alternatives to Pb shot in local stores. Despite economic and scientific evidence, hunters continue to hold beliefs contrary to existing information. State agencies, however, are well positioned to play a pivotal role in addressing the issue.

AUTHORS: Amber D. Goguen, Michigan State University; Shawn J. Riley*, Michigan State University; Brent A. Rudolph, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; John F. Organ, USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units

ABSTRACT: An often-overlooked aspect of hunting-based wildlife management systems is wild harvested meat produced, and provisional and cultural ecosystem services generated by the sharing and consumption of this valuable natural resource. We assessed the extent of venison provided by hunters and received by Michiganders; identified pathways of venison movement; and, characterized factors associated with venison consumption in Michigan. We assessed characteristics of hunters as providers of venison from a mail-back questionnaire to a stratified random sample (n=19,981) of 2013 Michigan deer license holders. We assessed venison consumption statewide through voluntary closed-ended telephone interviews with a random sample (n=997) of Michigan residents. We estimate 26-33 million pounds of wild harvested venison were procured during the 2013 Michigan deer hunting season. In the absence of established markets, > 85% of hunter-respondents who harvested a deer in 2013 shared venison. Hunters who reported sharing provided venison to an average of 5.6 people, mostly to people with whom they shared a close personal connection. Hunter characteristics were not predictive of sharing behaviors; the only variable correlated with sharing was whether they harvested a deer. Approximately 72% of Michigan resident-respondents reported eating venison at least once in their lifetime, and nearly 50% reported consuming venison at least once in the past 12 months. Level of hunting experience, level of urbanization of residence, and race were predictors of venison consumption. Sharing by hunters magnifies the potential number of people coupled to natural systems through the consumption of wild harvested meat. Nonetheless, the closed nature of hunters’ sharing networks creates potential limits to the number and types of beneficiaries within this system. We discuss implications for wild harvested meat as a coupler between humans and nature, and as a mechanism to maintain relevancy of hunting.

AUTHORS: Brent A. Rudolph*, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Shawn J. Riley, Michigan State University

ABSTRACT: North American wildlife is treated as a public trust resource (PTR), managed for the benefit of all people by government. Many historically overexploited wildlife species were restored via application of restrictive hunting regulations and enforced compliance, but recovery goals were shared by hunters and managers. Present-day societal needs include reducing abundant game populations and zoonotic diseases. Hunters often oppose steps to reach these objectives, creating tension between managing PTRs and gaining trust of hunters upon whose participation and support wildlife management depends. Trust can be an important commodity for governments to elicit compliance rather than depending solely on enforcement. Influencing opinions of procedural justice (perceptions of appropriate exercise of power) may provide a practical means for gaining trust. Our objectives were to: 1) assess compliance with a baiting ban adopted to eradicate bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Michigan white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, 2) assess trust in the state wildlife agency, and 3) determine how enforcement, personal gains, norms, and factors contributing to trust affected compliance. We determined the minimum baiting violation rate was 25% in the bTB area, and 30% of respondents indicated they trusted the agency to establish appropriate deer hunting rules. Logit modeling of hunter survey data (n= 3,222; 51% response rate) identified diverse influences (enforcement, personal gains, social norms, and procedural justice) on compliance. Trust was influenced by procedural justice, hunter agreement with agency goals, and judgements of performance. We provide a framework for measuring factors that may influence stakeholder trust and ultimately hunter compliance and effectiveness of regulations. We conclude trust is not easily built, but may work in concert with applying traditional enforcement. This approach requires close coordination between trustees (elected and appointed officials who hold authority for enacting regulations) and trust managers (agency personnel who provide technical expertise to trustees and bear responsibility for enforcement).

AUTHORS: Ryan Tebo*, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Marrett Grund, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Although squirrels are commonly hunted throughout the United States, the effects of varying harvest rates on squirrel population densities and long-term yields are not well documented. The primary objective of our study is to compare mortality rates of squirrels from a wildlife management area where hunting is permitted and at a nearby park where hunting is prohibited. We captured gray and fox squirrels using live traps at Whitewater Wildlife Management Area and at Whitewater State Park during July-September 2015. At the onset of the 2015 squirrel hunting season, there were 43 radiocollared squirrels at the wildlife management area and 40 radiocollared squirrels at the park. The survival status will be determined weekly and survival data will be compared between sites using a nest survival model in Program Mark. We intend to capture another 100 squirrels in 2016 and monitor radiocollared squirrels through May 2017. We will present capture techniques and data that depict mortality patterns from the beginning of the hunting season through December 2015. We anticipate the results from this study will help us define an appropriate harvest strategy for squirrels in southeast Minnesota.

AUTHORS: Michelle L. Lute* and Shahzeen Z. Attari

NOTE: THIS TALK HAS BEEN CANCELLED