Predicting Deer Hunter Harvest Behavior in Wisconsin's Chronic Wasting Disease Eradication Zone

Abstract

Attempts to eradicate chronic wasting disease from free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Wisconsin depend on gaining compliance of hunters to harvest deer at rates unprecedented in modern wildlife management. A mail questionnaire and hunter diaries were used to assess hunters' attitudes, effort, and harvest behavior in response to disease management strategies that have included an extended hunting season, removal of seasonal bag limits, and implementation of incentives. Logistic and linear regressions were used to test the influences of attitudinal variables and attributes of hunting experiences on the number of deer harvested. Hunting efficiency (i.e., converting chances among deer seen), number of deer seen, and willingness to harvest antlerless deer predicted harvest levels better than hunting effort (i.e., time afield) did. Individual differences among hunters' desire for venison also emerged as an important predictor of the number of deer harvested.

Keywords:

• hunter effort
• harvest motivations
• behavior
• diary cards
• chronic wasting disease

Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Integrated Science Services.

Notes

¹Variables removed at step 2: hunter type, attitude toward CWD eradication plan, attitude toward population reduction goal, perceived risk of eating deer from CWD.

²Variables removed at step 1: time available to hunt, access to land.

³Variables removed at step 3: effort, motivation to comply with EAB, motivation to win $20 drawing for harvesting deer.

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