The role of behavior accessibility and individual risk perceptions in chronic wasting disease risk mitigation behaviors among Minnesota deer hunters

ABSTRACT

Human activities, including the movement of harvested cervids, pose significant risks for spreading chronic wasting disease (CWD) to new locations. This study used hierarchical agglomerative clustering to compare Minnesota, USA hunters’ carcass disposal habits and likelihood of CWD testing as a function of individual differences in risk perceptions and hunting area. We utilized a survey of Minnesota hunters conducted during Spring 2020 that included a random sample of individuals that hunt statewide and in a local disease management zone (N = 5,000, response rate = 33%). We did not detect a significant difference in disposal behaviors as a function of CWD risk perceptions, but rather because of increased accessibility of low-risk disposal methods. Conversely, we found perceived likelihood of conducting CWD testing was positively associated with perceptions of risk. These findings have implications for vector tracing for future CWD outbreaks and highlight the benefit of understanding constituent habits and regulation compliance in disease management.

KEYWORDS:

• Cervid
• deer hunting
• wildlife diseases
• wildlife management

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. David C. Fulton and Dr. Barbara Keller for their contributions throughout the research process. This work was funded by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The survey described in this report was organized and implemented by the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Disclosure Statement

No financial interest or benefit has arisen from the direct applications of this research.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.