Subsistence hunting and conservation issues in the game reserve of Gile, Mozambique

Ethnozoological research was conducted to gather information on the hunting activities and their relevance for the subsistence of local people in 8 villages around the game reserve of Gile, Mozambique. Two series of data were gathered by questionnaires to: (a) 510 householders from eight villages located in the outskirts of the Reserve; (b) 10 hunters from the village of Gile, the main centre of the study area. Several hunting techniques were recorded: spears, nets, traps (including gin-traps) and wildfires, while the use of guns did not appear relevant. The importance of subsistence hunting for local people was underlined by the high percentage of respondents who declared that they usually conduct this activity and sell bushmeat. The proportion of hunters per village was related to the village size but not to its geographical location of villages and the household composition. A positive relationship existed between the proportion of hunters, crop production and fishing activities, indicating that hunting is part of an integrated system of subsistence activities. Most animals harvested were mammals (89.5%, of which 46.7% were ungulates) and most were captured within the Reserve (96%). A higher percentage of animals was sold (56%), representing a relevant income source for the villagers. Small animals were mainly captured by traps during solitary hunting, medium-sized animals in collective net hunting; larger prey were captured by gin-traps adopted by both solitary and collective hunting. In the diet of the local people wild animals represented a higher protein source than domestic animals.     

Subsistence hunting and bushmeat exploitation in central-western Tanzania

An ethnozoological research was carried out in the Tabora District (central-western Tanzania) from December '95 to February '96, to gather information on the sustainable exploitation of wildlife there and to outline the zoological culture of the native people (the Banyamwezi). The objective was to describe the hunting activity and the techniques employed in capturing wild mammals and to gather quantitative data on game harvest. An inventory of the mammal species living in the study area was conducted by three different methods: (1) direct field observation of animals and their tracks; (2) identification of animals captured by the villagers; (3) interviews with the hunters. The activities of 10 local hunters from seven villages were followed during a nine week period. The number of mammals killed and the techniques used for each species were recorded. Other data were collected through interviews of the villagers and concerned (1) the use of every species as food or for other purposes; (2) the species considered as pests; (3) the best places and time for hunting the different species; (4) the time spent hunting them; (5) the food restrictions and taboos; (6) the extent of the bushmeat market (quantity, price, etc.). A total of 236 animals belonging to 37 species were killed during the study period with the following breakdown into taxonomic groups: Bovidae (44.06%), Carnivora (22.88%), Lagomorpha (8.05%), Rodentia (7.2%), diurnal Primates (5.93%), Insectivora (4.23%), Hyracoidea (0.84%), nocturnal Primates (0.84%), Hippopotamidae (0.42%) and Pholidota (0.42%). Four different techniques were used by local hunters in the study area: guns (53.81%), traps (19.06%), spears (11.01%) and dogs (16.01%). Poaching is rampant because of the scarcity of ranger staff and vehicles for patrolling.     

Hunting strategies employed by bird hunters with economic pursuit in the city of Guiyang,Southwest China

Understanding hunter motivations and strategies is of particular importance in regions fraught with wildlife hunting, due to the critical hunter’s role in linking wildlife supply and consumption. However, such information is extremely scarce in China despite the worrisome situation of wildlife hunting. This study documents the techniques, motivations and hunting frequencies of bird hunters who have economic interests in the city of Guiyang, Southwest China, where numerous wild birds have been observed in trade. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires given to 50 hunters in a public market between March and July 2015. At least 9 kinds of tools and 10 kinds of techniques have been employed in local bird hunting practices. Up to eight factors have stimulated the collection of wild birds, of which commercial benefit was undoubtedly the most important. Hunting activities were conducted throughout the year, and efficient and low-cost hunting techniques, such as hunting with nets and neck snares were the predominant hunting techniques. The use of bait birds, whistles and bird song recordings was common, with the aim of improving the harvest by finding and attracting target species, highlighting a preference for hunting certain species of birds. The various hunting motivations underscore the complexity of the current hunting issue. Conservation management was discussed by considering the hunting strategies employed and the needs of hunters, as well as the market demand, which highlights the necessity of the combined actions of law enforcement, commercial breeding, social welfare, the development of hunting grounds and environmental education.     

Hunting among Moka Bubis in Bioko: dynamics of faunal exploitation at the village level

Hunting by Bubi villages around Moka, Bioko, and their impact on the local prey fauna was studied during July–August, 1992. Questionnaires were sent to 45 known hunters in the region in order to find out their techniques and hunting procedures. Hunting trips were also followed (a total of 204 km covered) and counts of animals brought to the villages from 103 recorded trips were also made. There were two main hunting methods employed: trapping and shooting. Most commonly used was snare trapping. At least five different types were used during the study. Guns were less commonly employed. Both techniques are efficient and productive but prey caught by each method differed. Most animals caught by snares were large rodents (Atherurus africanus, Cricetomys emini) and small antelopes (Cephalophus monticola) whereas those shot were usually antelopes (C. monticola and C. ogilbyi), monkeys (Cercopithecus spp.) and, when accompanied by dogs, drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus). The effects of hunting in the region is acute especially since they incur upon the proclaimed protected areas in the south of the island. Hunting trips are gradually being lengthened and areas which were originally unaffected by this activity are now part of the villages' hunting zones.     

Trapping in predator management: catching the profile of trap users in Sweden

Many populations of wildlife, including large- and medium-sized predators are increasing in Europe. Trapping can be one way to reduce negative impacts of predators on human interests, such as game species and threatened species, but there is little knowledge of trap usage and motivation behind it. We used a mail survey in Sweden (n?=?3,886 respondents) to compare predator trappers with hunters who used other methods to kill predators, and with other hunters who did not kill predators, in regard to sociodemographics, beliefs, behaviors, and constraints. During 12 months prior to the survey 19 % of respondents had trapped any small- or medium-sized predator, while 15 % of respondents had trapped and 55 % had hunted (without using traps) red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European badger (Meles meles), or corvid birds. Reducing predator numbers was an important reason for hunting predators with traps. Of predator trappers, 97 % had hunted species that were potentially prey of the targeted predators (e.g., roe deer [Capreolus capreolus], hare [Lepus spp.], and grouse), 94 % believed that there were too many red foxes, badgers, or corvids on their main hunting ground, and 64 % believed it to be very important to reduce predator numbers to benefit other game species. We conclude that the use of traps is widespread among Swedish hunters, and that increasing wildlife populations, increased presence of wildlife in urban areas, and management of invasive species calls for effective management actions, of which trapping can be one.     

An Evaluation of Hunter Self-Monitoring in the Bolivian Chaco

Community wildlife management is being tested across the tropics as a means of promoting the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife resources. Key to successful programs is the effective participation of local hunters and communities in monitoring, planning, decision-making and implementation. We evaluate one method to achieve this participation, namely hunter self-monitoring. Between 1997 and 2000, Izoceño hunters from 22 communities in the Bolivian Chaco have voluntarily participated in monitoring their hunting activities, measuring and recording data on captured animals and hunting methods in personal notebooks. Despite the lack of remuneration, participation exceeds 60% of active hunters. However, the written information and specimens provided are not complete, and are biased according to hunting methods and prey characteristics. Complementary research is essential to answer specific research questions. Nevertheless, hunter self-monitoring serves to raise awareness of wildlife management issues at the communal or indigenous territory level, as evidenced by preliminary actions taken by hunters and communities in the Izozog.     

Were snares and traps used in the Middle Stone Age and does it matter? A review and a case study from Sibudu, South Africa

The concept of remote capture involved in the creation and use of snares and traps is one of several indicators that can be used for the recognition of enhanced working memory and complex cognition. It can be argued that this humble technology is a more reliable indicator of complex cognition than encounter hunting, for example with spears. It is difficult to recognize snares and traps archaeologically because they are generally made from materials that do not preserve well. To infer their presence in the past, it is therefore necessary to rely on circumstantial evidence such as mortality profiles, taxonomic diversity and high frequencies of creatures that are susceptible to capture in snares or traps. Clearly there are some problems with using snares to infer complex cognition because people do not necessarily choose meat-getting strategies with the lowest costs. Although snares make economic sense because they reduce search costs, their use by modern hunters is not associated with the type of status accorded to other means of hunting. Social demands, more than economic or environmental ones, may consequently have determined the amount of snaring and trapping that occurred in the past. Because of social attitudes, an absence of snaring need not mean that people were incapable of using this technique. At Sibudu, a South African Middle Stone Age site, snares or other non-selective capture techniques may have been used during the Howiesons Poort and perhaps also the Still Bay Industry. The circumstantial evidence consists of 1. high frequency representations of animals that prefer forested environments, including the tiny blue duiker (adult and juvenile) and the dangerous bushpig, 2. high frequencies of small mammals, 3. high taxonomic diversity and, 4. the presence of small carnivores. Importantly, the Howiesons Poort faunal assemblage is different from that in more recent Middle Stone Age occupations of the site.     

High Risk of Lead Contamination for Scavengers in an Area with High Moose Hunting Success

Top predators and scavengers are vulnerable to pollutants, particularly those accumulated along the food chain. Lead accumulation can induce severe disorders and alter survival both in mammals (including humans) and in birds. A potential source of lead poisoning in wild animals, and especially in scavengers, results from the consumption of ammunition residues in the tissues of big game killed by hunters. For two consecutive years we quantified the level lead exposure in individuals of a sentinel scavenger species, the common raven (Corvus corax), captured during the moose (Alces alces) hunting season in eastern Quebec, Canada. The source of the lead contamination was also determined using stable isotope analyses. Finally, we identified the different scavenger species that could potentially be exposed to lead by installing automatic cameras targeting moose gut piles. Blood lead concentration in ravens increased over time, indicating lead accumulation over the moose-hunting season. Using a contamination threshold of 100 µg.L⁻¹, more than 50% of individuals were lead-contaminated during the moose hunting period. Lead concentration was twice as high in one year compared to the other, matching the number of rifle-shot moose in the area. Non-contaminated birds exhibited no ammunition isotope signatures. The isotope signature of the lead detected in contaminated ravens tended towards the signature from lead ammunition. We also found that black bears (Ursus americanus), golden eagles and bald eagles (Aquila chrysaetos and Haliaeetus leucocephalus, two species of conservation concern) scavenged heavily on moose viscera left by hunters. Our unequivocal results agree with other studies and further motivate the use of non-toxic ammunition for big game hunting.     

Age bias in the bag of pink-footed geese <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anser brachyrhynchus</Emphasis>: influence of flocking behaviour on vulnerability

In pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) wintering in Denmark, The Netherlands and Belgium, the proportion of juveniles in the hunting bag is consistently higher than that observed in the autumn population. Such juvenile bias in the bag is usually ascribed to young geese lacking experience with hunting or disruption of juveniles from families. An alternative explanation may be that flocking behaviour of families make juveniles more vulnerable. Observations of morning flights of pink-footed geese to the feeding grounds from two of the major autumn-staging areas showed that geese were distributed in many small flocks (median flock size = 9). This was not significantly different from the flock size distribution shot at by hunters (median = 8), suggesting that hunters targeted goose flock size in proportion to the general probability of encounter. The rate at which hunters downed geese was independent of flock size. The ratio between juveniles and adults in flocks decreased with flock size and flocks of <60 individuals primarily comprised family groups. The likelihood of being shot at was 2.4 times higher for juveniles and 3.4 times higher for older birds in small flocks (<10 individuals) compared to larger flocks. The observations suggest that both juveniles as well as successful adult breeding birds were more vulnerable than non-breeding/failed breeding birds as a result of flocking behaviour.     

Hunting as a Source of Local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge among Campesinos in Nicaragua

Campesinos are the most numerous hunters in Latin America. Yet, local and traditional knowledge (LTK) among campesinos about hunting is often invisible to conservationists who perceive them as nonindigenous or illegal hunters. Moreover, research and methods for accessing campesino hunting LTK are limited in theory and practice. Conservationists therefore know little about campesinos’ cultural understandings of hunting. We assessed the LTK of Nicaraguan campesinos to determine whether they shared cultural hunting knowledge. Through 11 months of ethnographic fieldwork, an ethnoecology framework, and cultural consensus analysis, we found that campesino hunting LTK was shared across the study community. This knowledge extended from a worldview that emphasized subsistence and hunting secrets to ensure bountiful harvests, expressed through folk taxonomies, hunting strategies, campesino-dog relationships, and preparation of hunted animals. Campesino hunting LTK emerged from campesino culture, yielding numerous implications for conservation in Latin America.

     

Habitat preferences of ptarmigan hunters in Norway

Hunting for willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) is a popular recreational activity in Norway, but studies of the hunters are limited. While large game management in Norway is based on sound models and research, management of small game hunters and hunting have not been subject to the same rigour. Compared to the extensive body of knowledge about ptarmigan behaviour and habitat preferences, the knowledge base on ptarmigan hunters is very limited. We surveyed the habitat preferences of 3,056 hunters to identify preferred landscape categories using pictures covering a range of landscape types. We also examined to which extent residence types and forms of hunting were related to habitat preferences. Through factor analysis, we identified three categories of hunting habitat; mountain forest, low alpine and high alpine. Mode of hunting is more important than residence status in terms of preferred habitat. Hunters using dogs preferred mountain forest and low alpine habitats more than hunters without dogs. Hunters without dogs had a higher preference than dog hunters for high alpine habitats. Hunters with mixed modes of hunting have wider habitat preferences. Residence status only affects the perception of the mountain forest habitat. The results may have implications for management as land use and place-based meanings are currently changing in many natural and rural landscapes, and hunting needs to be integrated with other recreational uses.     

Big-game,small-game,and gamebird hunting in New Zealand: Hunting effort,harvest, and expenditure in 1988

Abstract

A postal survey of 8639 licensed firearm owners in 1989 indicated that an estimated 117 200 ± 6300 New Zealanders (3.5% of the total population) did some hunting in 1988. An estimated 33 100 former hunters did not hunt in 1988 but thought it likely that they would hunt again in future. The survey provided useful estimates of 1988 national totals for hunting effort (4.4 million hunter days), gross expenditure ($NZ100 million), and harvest (6.5 million animals).

Small-game hunting dominated, involving 81% of hunters, 59% of total hunting effort, and 86% of total numerical harvest: rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) each comprised 40% of the national bag. Gamebird hunting involved 48% of hunters, 19% of effort, and 11% of total harvest: ducks comprised 73% of the gamebird harvest. Although big-game hunting attracted the fewest hunters (42%) it ranked second for hunting effort (21%). Big game formed 3% of the total numerical harvest: pigs (Sus scrofa), goats (Capra hircus), and red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus) were the most commonly taken. Big-game were estimated to comprise 49% of total harvest biomass, followed by small-game (47%), and gamebirds (4%). Most deer (nearly 60%) were taken for recreation, with helicopter-based hunting accounting for only one-third the total deer harvest.

A quarter of those people hunting in 1988 hunted on five or fewer days that year, and a relatively small group of mainly professional hunters accounted for a disproportionately large share of the overall harvest Hunters reported spending an average of $851 each on hunting in 1988. Expenditure on big-game comprised 44% of the total, small-game 23%, and gamebirds 33%. Expenditure per animal harvested or per day hunted was greater for big-game animals (other than goats) than for gamebirds, which were more expensive to hunt than small-game. Total hunting effort was inversely related to the average expenditure per animal harvested, regardless of the type of game.     

陕北横山杨界沙遗址动物遗存研究

杨界沙遗址位于陕西榆林市横山县雷龙湾乡沙峁村张油坊组, 2010年发掘时出土了大量的动物遗存, 时代为仰韶晚期。按照出土单位对所有的动物骨骼进行了科学的收集以及分类、测量和鉴定。通过系统的分类和研究表明至少代表3纲7目10科11个属种, 包括蚌类、鸟类、环颈雉、刺猬、褐家鼠、中华鼢鼠、甘肃鼢鼠、草兔、黄鼬、狗、猪、鹅喉羚、绵羊。根据对出土动物骨骼的分析结果表明: 遗址周围的自然景观以草原为主, 草原上有草兔、绵羊等食草动物, 不远处有一定面积沙漠, 其间有鹅喉羚出没。草原和沙漠间分布着一定面积的水域, 其间有蚌类出现。家养动物猪的肉量比例占到了整个食用动物群的87.9%, 除了饲养家畜, 捕猎野生动物也是当时人们的肉食来源之一。     

Lead Exposure in Bald Eagles from Big Game Hunting,the Continental Implications and Successful Mitigation Efforts

Studies suggest hunter discarded viscera of big game animals (i.e., offal) is a source of lead available to scavengers. We investigated the incidence of lead exposure in bald eagles in Wyoming during the big game hunting season, the influx of eagles into our study area during the hunt, the geographic origins of eagles exposed to lead, and the efficacy of using non-lead rifle ammunition to reduce lead in eagles. We tested 81 blood samples from bald eagles before, during and after the big game hunting seasons in 2005–2010, excluding 2008, and found eagles had significantly higher lead levels during the hunt. We found 24% of eagles tested had levels indicating at least clinical exposure (>60 ug/dL) during the hunt while no birds did during the non-hunting seasons. We performed driving surveys from 2009–2010 to measure eagle abundance and found evidence to suggest that eagles are attracted to the study area during the hunt. We fitted 10 eagles with satellite transmitters captured during the hunt and all migrated south after the cessation of the hunt. One returned to our study area while the remaining nine traveled north to summer/breed in Canada. The following fall, 80% returned to our study area for the hunting season, indicating that offal provides a seasonal attractant for eagles. We fitted three local breeding eagles with satellite transmitters and none left their breeding territories to feed on offal during the hunt, indicating that lead ingestion may be affecting migrants to a greater degree. During the 2009 and 2010 hunting seasons we provided non-lead rifle ammunition to local hunters and recorded that 24% and 31% of successful hunters used non-lead ammunition, respectively. We found the use of non-lead ammunition significantly reduced lead exposure in eagles, suggesting this is a viable solution to reduce lead exposure in eagles.     

Effects of hunting pressure and collection method bias on body mass of drake mallards

We weighed hunter-killed mallards (Anas platyrhynchos; n = 4,747) during the 2005, 2008, and 2009 hunting seasons in Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, and South Dakota to examine effects of hunting pressure on body mass. Our final model indicated that main effects describing age, hunting pressure, hunting method, season, relative harvest date, and selected interactions were influential in predicting mass of drake mallards during fall. Body mass of hatch-year and after-hatch-year drake mallards harvested in low hunting pressure jurisdictions was 4.3% and 2.5% greater, respectively, than those harvested in high hunting pressure jurisdictions. Body mass of drake mallards from low hunting pressure jurisdictions was 12.1% greater for birds that were harvested using pass or jump shooting hunting methods than those that were harvested by hunters using decoys over dry agricultural fields. When possible, managers should consider disturbance during planning stages of attracting mallards, and not rely upon dry agricultural fields as foraging resources for mallards unless a positive energy balance can be achieved. Finally, studies examining physiological condition of waterfowl must account for collection technique. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

Assessing the impact of ancient Maya animal use

Tropical forest animals are at high risk worldwide as a result of over-exploitation and forest clearing. Zooarchaeological studies of animal use by the ancient Maya of the southern lowland regions of Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and Mexico provide long-term historical information on animal populations under conditions of human population growth and climatic change that is valuable to both archaeology and conservation biology. In this paper, zooarchaeological data from 35 chronologically defined faunal sub-samples recovered from 25 ancient Maya archaeological sites are used to assess the effects of ancient hunting on animal populations of the Maya region between the Preclassic and Colonial periods (2000 BC–AD 1697). The variations in species abundance are used as a proxy for describing changes in ancient Maya hunting practices and hunted animal populations, interpreted on the basis of hunting efficiency models from foraging ecology. A significant reduction in the proportion of large mammals, particularly Odocoileus virginianus, in zooarchaeological assemblages between the Late Classic (AD 600–850) and Terminal Classic/Postclassic periods (AD 850–1519) suggest that over-hunting during the Late Classic may have led to a reduction in availability of these animals to the ancient Maya hunters in the later periods. This finding is discussed in relation to important social and environmental variations to evaluate the impact of hunting and other factors such as forest clearance and climate on ancient animal populations in the Maya region.     

Attitudes of Missouri Small Game Hunters Toward Nontoxic-Shot Regulations

ABSTRACT Wildlife managers are becoming more concerned about the exposure of birds, in addition to waterfowl, to spent lead shot. Knowledge of hunter attitudes and their acceptance of nontoxic-shot regulations will be important in establishing new regulations. Our objective was to assess the attitudes of small game hunters in Missouri, USA, toward a nontoxic-shot regulation for small game hunting, specifically for mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Most hunters (71.7–84.8%) opposed additional nontoxic-shot regulations. Hunters from rural areas, hunters with a rural background, hunters who hunt doves, hunters who currently hunt waterfowl, hunters who primarily use private lands, and current upland game hunters were more likely to oppose new regulations. For mourning dove hunting, most small game hunters (81.1%) opposed further restrictions; however, many non-dove hunters (57.1%) expressed no opinion. Because our results demonstrate that most small game hunters and dove hunters in Missouri are decidedly against further nontoxic-shot regulations, any informational and educational programs developed to accompany future policy changes must address their concerns.     

Duck hunter activity,success, and satisfaction on public hunting areas

Because hunting disturbance can influence local distribution of ducks and their availability to hunters, managers often limit access to hunting areas to improve hunting success and satisfaction. Few studies have quantified the effectiveness of public area access restrictions on duck hunter activity, harvest, or hunters' satisfaction with their hunting experience. We used a cross-over design over 6 consecutive hunting seasons (2008–2009 through 2013–2014) on State Wildlife Areas (SWAs) in northeastern Colorado, USA, to compare the effects of restricted hunting access regulations and regulations without these restrictions on duck hunter activity, harvest success, harvest levels, and satisfaction. We also considered effects of SWA types, duck abundance, temperature, precipitation, use of equipment by duck hunting parties, and, for hunter satisfaction, hunting success, hunting parties' satisfaction with ducks seen, habitat conditions, crowding from other hunters, and SWA regulations. The number of days when duck hunters had access to restricted properties was about half that on unrestricted properties, and unrestricted properties were used by about twice as many duck hunting parties, but the mean number of hunting parties per available hunting day and mean party size were similar under the 2 types of regulations. Most (56%) duck hunting parties did not bag any ducks; hunting success (harvest of ≥1 duck by a hunting party) was best explained by a model that included a regulation type × hunting season interaction, a SWA type × month interaction, hunter density the previous day, an index of hunter investment (number of decoys used and whether dogs and calls were used), and temperature. Successful hunting parties harvested 1.92 ± 1.60 (SD) ducks/hunter/day (range = 0.1–7.0); the best model predicting the number of ducks harvested per hunter in successful parties included a regulation type × hunting season interaction, a SWA type × month interaction, hunter density the previous day, an index of hunter investment, temperature, and precipitation. Overall satisfaction of duck hunting parties with a day's hunt averaged 3.62 ± 1.20 based on a rank scale of 1 (very unsatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied), and was best explained by a model that included hunting party success; hunter investment; temperature; and satisfaction with duck numbers, habitat conditions, hunting regulations, and crowding. While greatly reducing days available for hunting, access restrictions were associated with improved chances of hunting parties successfully harvesting ≥1 duck in 5 of 6 hunting seasons, and substantially greater numbers of ducks harvested by hunters in successful parties in 1 of 6 hunting seasons. Restrictions did not have a strong direct effect on hunting parties' satisfaction with a day's hunt. Uncontrolled factors, including weather and use of equipment by hunters, had important influences on hunter success, harvest, and satisfaction. Managers should carefully assess hunting activity, hunter expectations and desires, and hunting area characteristics when considering access restrictions on public hunting areas.     

Hunting Patterns,Ban on Baiting,and Harvest Demographics of Brown Bears in Sweden

Abstract We analyzed harvest data to describe hunting patterns and harvest demography of brown bears (Ursus arctos) killed in 3 geographic regions in Sweden during 1981–2004. In addition, we investigated the effects of a ban on baiting, instituted in 2001, and 2 major changes in the quota system: a switch to sex-specific quotas in 1992 and a return to total quotas in 1999. Brown bears (n=887) were harvested specifically by bear hunters and incidentally by moose (Alces alces) hunters. Both hunter categories harvested bears 1) using dogs (37%), 2) by still hunting (30%), 3) with the use of bait (18%), and 4) by stalking (16%). The proportion of bears killed with different harvest methods varied among regions and between bear- and moose-oriented hunters. We found differences between male (52%) and female bears (48%) with respect to the variables that explained age. Moose-oriented hunters using still hunting harvested the youngest male bears. Bears harvested during the first management period (1981–1991) were older and had greater odds of being male than during the subsequent period. It appears that hunters harvesting bears in Sweden are less selective than their North American counterparts, possibly due to differences in the hunting system. When comparing the 4 years immediately prior to the ban on baiting with the 4 years following the ban, we found no differences in average age of harvested bears, sex ratio, or proportion of bears killed with stalking, still hunting, and hunting with dogs, suggesting that the ban on baiting in Sweden had no immediate effect on patterns of brown bear harvest demography and remaining hunting methods. As the demographic and evolutionary side effects of selective harvesting receive growing attention, wildlife managers should be aware that differences in harvest systems between jurisdictions may cause qualitative and quantitative differences in harvest biases. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(1):79–88; 2008)     

The economic value of publicly accessible deer hunting land

Access to lands for hunting is widely recognized as critical to sustaining and developing participation in hunting. Deer hunters comprise a substantial portion of recreational hunters in the United States, and numerous stakeholders benefit from the deer management services provided by hunters on public lands. We estimated the economic value of publicly accessible deer hunting land in Michigan using economic models of hunting destinations for hunters in the archery season and for hunters in the firearm season. We found that the amounts of state-owned hunting land, federally owned hunting land, and publicly accessible, privately owned Commercial Forest Act land are significant (P < 0.001) and positive determinants of hunting destinations. The annual economic value of Michigan's publicly accessible hunting land to archery and firearm deer hunters, beyond hunter expenditures, was estimated to be over $80 million. Access to state-owned land accounted for approximately $50 million in annual economic value to Michigan deer hunters. The average per-acre value of publicly accessible hunting land is greatest in the Southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, where public access is scarce and the majority of hunters reside. Understanding the economic values hunters derive from publicly accessible hunting lands will enable managers and policy makers to make better decisions when considering policy options that involve reducing or increasing public access. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.