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.     

Hunting, Social Structure and Human–Nature Relationships in Lower Omo, Ethiopia: People and Wildlife at a Crossroads

Hunting is often either portrayed as the ultimate means to enact a close connection between the human being and nature, or investigated in terms of its contribution to livelihoods. Through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, we explored the meaning of hunting in the lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, and found that large game hunting was best understood as an activity that served to establish and maintain human–human relationships. Hunting was important as it created the basis for long-term bond-relations between a hunter and his friend (‘misso’) and a hunter and his honorary elder sister (‘misha’) that could be drawn on in times of hardship. By contrast, interactions between hunter and wildlife were given hardly any attention by our participants. We discuss implications in relation to the stark decline in wildlife and the degradation of grazing land over the last decades, and the consequences of our findings for conservation and development activities.     

Subsistence hunting among the Waimiri Atroari Indians in central Amazonia, Brazil

Subsistence hunting among the Waimiri Atroari Indians in central Amazonia, Brazil, was studied from September 1993 to October 1994 to assess the current levels of resource exploitation. Hunting effort, harvesting yields and species composition of the hunt were recorded daily in five villages varying in number of people, location and age of the settlement. The Waimiri Atroari harvested a total of 3004 individuals of 41 species in one year. Lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), collared peccary (T. tajacu) and spider monkey (Ateles paniscus) represented 87% of the total yearly game weight. Sex ratios of spider monkeys killed were heavily biased towards females indicating a stronger hunting pressure on those individuals. Harvesting yields was proportional to hunting efforts indicating no evident game depletion in the study period. However, capture per unit of effort was significantly different among villages. Differences in total game mass harvested may be explained by local resource depletion associated with age and size of the settlement. However, this relationship is confounded by the capacity of some villages to exploit distant hunting sites. Data obtained in one village showed that harvest rates were higher in hunting sites located far from settlement indicating game depletion in hunting sites surrounding the village.     

Hunters and hunting patterns in part of the Kaimanawa Recreational Hunting Area

Abstract

A postal survey of 156 hunters who used the three southeastern-most hunting blocks in the Kaimanawa Recreational Hunting Area (RHA) in 1986 and 1987 achieved a 74% response rate. Comparison of age distributions from this and earlier hunter surveys confirmed an apparent decline in recruitment of young hunters entering the sport during the 1980s. Most hunters had considerable experience (>10 years) and were motivated not only by hunting success but also by the aesthetic value of the outdoor experience. The prime motivation for hunting in the Kaimanawa RHA was the presence of sika deer, and more than two-thirds of the hunters came from outside the Tongariro/Taupo Conservancy. Hunting pressure over current sika deer range in the central North Island may decline if this species continues to disperse naturally or through illegal liberations to other areas. Most (80%) hunters felt that deer densities were acceptable and were satisfied with the present unrestricted hunting system. Fewer than half (41%) the respondents were in favour of active management in the Kaimanawa RHA. Suggestions for active management focused on increasing hunter safety and increasing hunting success rates. Deer densities, as indicated by faecal pellet counts, were inversely related to hunting pressure. Variation in hunting pressure between areas was caused mainly by differences in accessibility. This indicates some potential for manipulation of deer density through options such as increasing access to remote areas or restrictions on hunting pressure.     

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.     

Do Embedded Shotgun Pellets Have a Chronic Effect on Body Condition of Pink-Footed Geese?

Abstract: Hunting with shotguns inevitably causes wounding of game that are hit by pellets but not retrieved by the hunter. We examined the effects of pellets on body condition in a total of 2,164 pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) that were captured by cannon-nets, x-rayed, and banded with neck collars after the closure of the hunting season in Denmark. All geese were sexed, aged, weighed, and wing lengths measured. In the overall material, 23.8% and 11.6% of adults and first-winter birds, respectively, carried pellets outside the gizzard. We derived an index of the body condition of individual birds as the residuals of linear regression of log-transformed wing length and weight. Statistical analyses showed a highly significant relationship between body condition, sex, and year, whereas number of pellets was not significantly related to body condition. The results suggest that geese that have been hit by shotgun pellets but have survived the hunting season, so-called lightly crippled individuals, are not injured to an extent to have detectable chronic effects.     

Targeting hunter distribution based on host resource selection and kill sites to manage disease risk

Endemic and emerging diseases are rarely uniform in their spatial distribution or prevalence among cohorts of wildlife. Spatial models that quantify risk‐driven differences in resource selection and hunter mortality of animals at fine spatial scales can assist disease management by identifying high‐risk areas and individuals. We used resource selection functions (RSFs) and selection ratios (SRs) to quantify sex‐ and age‐specific resource selection patterns of collared (n = 67) and hunter‐killed (n = 796) nonmigratory elk (Cervus canadensis manitobensis) during the hunting season between 2002 and 2012, in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. Distance to protected area was the most important covariate influencing resource selection and hunter‐kill sites of elk (AICw = 1.00). Collared adult males (which are most likely to be infected with bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) and chronic wasting disease) rarely selected for sites outside of parks during the hunting season in contrast to adult females and juvenile males. The RSFs showed selection by adult females and juvenile males to be negatively associated with landscape‐level forest cover, high road density, and water cover, whereas hunter‐kill sites of these cohorts were positively associated with landscape‐level forest cover and increasing distance to streams and negatively associated with high road density. Local‐level forest was positively associated with collared animal locations and hunter‐kill sites; however, selection was stronger for collared juvenile males and hunter‐killed adult females. In instances where disease infects a metapopulation and eradication is infeasible, a principle goal of management is to limit the spread of disease among infected animals. We map high‐risk areas that are regularly used by potentially infectious hosts but currently underrepresented in the distribution of kill sites. We present a novel application of widely available data to target hunter distribution based on host resource selection and kill sites as a promising tool for applying selective hunting to the management of transmissible diseases in a game species.     

Market Hunting in the Taï Region,Côte d’Ivoire and Implications for Monkey Populations

We studied the effect of market hunting on primate species in the Taï National Park and adjacent forests in Côte d’Ivoire. We assessed the impact of hunting by comparing the calculated maximal reproduction rate with the current off-take rate. We assessed the average bushmeat consumption per capita/per year from weekly investigations on bushmeat available in 88 bushmeat restaurants and markets over a 12-mo period in 1999. We derived data on preferences for particular game species from interviews of 162 bushmeat consumers, 25 subsistence hunters and 3 groups of professional hunters. Hunting pressure was highest on the larger primate species such red colobus (Procolobus badius), black- and- white colobus (Colobus polykomos) and sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys). The amount of primate bushmeat extracted from the Taï National Park and surrounding forests was 249,229 kg in 1999. We estimated population densities using line transect surveys. By referring to current population densities we calculated the maximum production of each species using the Robinson Redford model (2001) and assuming unhunted conditions. A comparison of current harvest levels with maximum production suggests that harvest of Procolobus badius is sustainable, whereas current off-take of Colobus polykomos, Cercocebus atys, Cercopithecus diana (diana monkey) and C. campbelli (Campbell’s monkeys) exceeds sustainability by ≤3 times. We recommend that wildlife managers promote programs that encourage the production of domestic animals as a substitute for wild meat.     

Use of Bait to Increase Archery Deer Harvest in an Urban–Suburban Landscape

Abstract: Hunting is the primary tool for managing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations. Effectiveness of hunting in suburban areas may be reduced due to limited hunter access to small properties, firearms-discharge laws, and public safety concerns. In Connecticut, USA, hunting over bait on private land was recently legalized to increase harvest opportunities. Our objective was to assess bow-hunter willingness to use bait and effects of bait type, hunter disturbance, time spent hunting, and property size on deer-harvest potential in a suburban landscape. We mailed a prebaiting survey in February 2002 and a postbaiting survey in February 2004 to the same group of hunters. Hunters using bait were more successful and harvested more deer than hunters using no bait. Hunters using bait on small properties observed similar numbers of deer within shooting range as hunters using bait on larger properties. Hunters using bait met their venison needs, whereas hunters using no bait did not meet their needs. Resource managers should implement strategies that increase hunter success when developing urban deer-management programs for communities.     

Hunting and Plant Community Dynamics in Tropical Forests: A Synthesis and Future Directions

This synthesis builds on the preceding articles of this Special Section and has three goals. We first review the nascent literature that addresses indirect effects of hunting for tropical forest plant communities. Next, we highlight the potential indirect effects of hunting for other groups of organisms. Our final goal is to consider what could be done to ameliorate the demographic threats to harvest-sensitive game species caused by unsustainable hunting. Three conclusions are possible at this time concerning the impact of hunting for tropical forest plant communities: (1) Hunting tends to reduce seed movement for animal-dispersed species with very large diaspores; (2) Hunting reduces seed predation by granivorous vertebrates for species with large seeds; and (3) Hunting alters the species composition of the seedling and sapling layers. The cascading effects of hunting are already known to affect bruchid beetles and dung beetles and are likely to affect other, nongame taxa. To ameliorate these problems, several lines of research should be further explored to facilitate the development of game management plans including: (1) alternative use of sources of animal protein; (2) income supplementation for local people from sources other than wild meat; (3) outreach and extension activities for communities; (4) recognition and facilitation of the shifting of attitudes towards hunting; (5) implementation of community-based wildlife management programs in regulated-use areas such as extractive reserves; and (6) landscape-scale conservation planning that maximizes the source-sink dynamics of harvested and unharvested game populations and enforces game regulations in strictly protected areas.     

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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies</Emphasis> population dynamics simulated using a functional–structural tree model

A functional–structural model, PipeTree, based on Abies population data has been developed to reveal the interactions among processes at physiological, individual and population scales. Using field measurements obtained in a comprehensive series of research studies on subalpine Abies forest stands on Mt. Shimagare during the 1950s to 1980s, we designed the structural components and physiological process models for PipeTree. The results of the PipeTree simulation support the feasibility of using a functional–structural tree model to evaluate ecosystem performance at the stand level. PipeTree generates patterns similar to those in real subalpine forests, such as diameter–height relationships and time changes in basal area. After demonstrating the validity of the dynamics of a PipeTree population, we applied a sensitivity analysis under a productivity-enhanced environment in which the maximum photosynthetic rate (P_max) of PipeTree foliage was increased by 50% (caused, for example, by CO₂ enrichment). The results of P_max enhancement simulation show that the 50% increase in P_max doubles the net primary production (NPP) in the PipeTree stand. These results suggest the importance of canopy structure in evaluating the function of terrestrial ecosystems.     

Hunting Primates and Managing Forests: The Case of Iban Forest Farmers in Indonesian Borneo

Hunting by Iban forest farmers in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, is an important part of their subsistence economy, and as such became a focus of study as part of a conservation project in the Danau Sentarum Wildlife Reserve. In this paper, we examine Iban hunting of nonhuman primates with comparison to other large mammals. We analyze rates of encounter and capture, comparing encounters, hunting trips, and animal numbers. Information on habitats hunted shows the importance of secondary and old growth forest. Also examined are Iban attitudes, game preferences, and taboos. The significance of these findings is discussed with regard to the threats to wildlife from increases in the use of shotguns, human population, and habitat destruction, showing that conservation may be aided by promoting or enhancing certain aspects of the traditional Iban agroforestry system.     

‘Impact hunters’ catalyse cooperative hunting in two wild chimpanzee communities

Even when hunting in groups is mutually beneficial, it is unclear how communal hunts are initiated. If it is costly to be the only hunter, individuals should be reluctant to hunt unless others already are. We used 70 years of data from three communities to examine how male chimpanzees ‘solve’ this apparent collective action problem. The ‘impact hunter’ hypothesis proposes that group hunts are sometimes catalysed by certain individuals that hunt more readily than others. In two communities (Kasekela and Kanyawara), we identified a total of five males that exhibited high hunt participation rates for their age, and whose presence at an encounter with red colobus monkeys increased group hunting probability. Critically, these impact hunters were observed to hunt first more often than expected by chance. We argue that by hunting first, these males dilute prey defences and create opportunities for previously reluctant participants. This by-product mutualism can explain variation in group hunting rates within and between social groups. Hunting rates declined after the death of impact hunter FG in Kasekela and after impact hunter MS stopped hunting frequently in Kanyawara. There were no impact hunters in the third, smaller community (Mitumba), where, unlike the others, hunting probability increased with the number of females present at an encounter with prey.     

Behind the economics of hunting in Andalusian forests

Hunting in Spain represents an imperfect market in which some hunters pay a price that is below what would be paid or they simply do not pay a market price. This article evidences the welfare that hunting activities provide to hunters in the forests of southern Spain. To do so, a contingent valuation survey of 557 hunters was conducted, and their maximum willingness to pay (WTP) to maintain their hunting activity over a hunting season was obtained. Bids were established according to the individual expenditure in the hunting market, thereby incorporating heterogeneity into the very design of the valuation exercise. The results show an additional WTP of 212 euros per hunter during the 2009–2010 hunting season, meaning 24% above their actual mean expenditure during that season. Likewise, the research shows how small game hunters are the ones who, in relative terms, would be willing to pay more for the hunting services.     

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.     

Seasonal abundance, reproduction and hunting of common quail Coturnix coturnix in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

This study investigated the potential overlap between breeding and hunting seasons for a population of common quail Coturnix coturnix in the Alexandria District. Seasonal abundance (assessed as the number of birds flushed per unit effort), sex ratios and reproductive condition (based on gonad sizes) of the quail were measured over a period of 16 months, including two hunting seasons. Hunting impacts were assessed in terms of the number of birds killed per unit of hunting effort. Quail exhibited a spring peak in abundance and reproduction, which coincided with the legal hunting season, and bird numbers varied markedly between years. Sex ratio varied, with males dominating early in spring. Hunters killed nearly 60% of the birds flushed, and hunter efficiency was positively correlated with the abundance of quail. These results confirm the dilemma for managers, as quail are currently hunted during the main breeding season and offtakes are high. The development of management strategies is hampered by a lack of understanding of the population biology and ecology, and impacts of hunting. A number of possible hunting strategies are discussed. Since current harvests may not be sustainable, further research is necessary.     

Densities,Distributions, and Seasonal Movements of Gorillas and Chimpanzees in Swamp Forest in Northern Congo

The conservation of gorillas (Gorilla spp.) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) depends upon knowledge of their densities and distribution throughout their ranges. However, information about ape populations in swamp forests is scarce. Here we build on current knowledge of ape populations by conducting line transect surveys of nests throughout a reserve dominated by swamp forest: the Lac Télé Community Reserve in northern Congo. We estimated gorilla and chimpanzee densities, distributions across habitats, and seasonal changes in abundance. Gorilla density was 2.9 gorillas km^–2, but densities varied by habitat (0.3–5.4 gorillas km^–2) with highest densities in swamp forest and terra firma mixed forest. Average chimpanzee density is 0.7 chimpanzees km^–2 (0.1–1.3 chimpanzees km^–2), with highest densities in swamp forest. Habitat was the best predictor of ape nest abundance, as neither the number of human indices nor the distance from the nearest village predicted nest abundance. We recorded significantly greater numbers of apes in terra firma forest during the high-water season than the low-water season, indicating that many gorillas and chimpanzees are at times concentrated in terra firma forest amid a matrix of swamp forest. Seasonally high numbers of apes on terra firma forest islands easily accessible to local people may expose them to substantial hunting pressure. Conversely, the nearly impenetrable nature of swamp forests and their low value for logging makes them promising sites for the conservation of apes.     

Reduction and Maintenance of a White-Tailed Deer Herd in Central Massachusetts

Abstract: Controlled public hunts have been used in a variety of settings to reduce overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herds. We present the results of a large-scale (160 km²) controlled hunt at Quabbin Reservation (QR) in central Massachusetts, USA. The QR was divided into 5 hunt zones. Hunting was initiated in each zone from 1991 to 1994 and continued through 2004. The management goal was to achieve posthunt deer densities of4 deer/km². Initial estimated deer densities in each zone ranged from 11.4 deer/km² to 27.6 deer/km². The management goals were reached in each zone after 2-4 years of hunting. Posthunt populations were maintained at or below the goal even though total hunter effort was reduced. Hunters were not required to harvest antlerless deer, but antlerless deer comprised 55-83% of the harvest each year. We simulated the effects of 5 years without hunting on deer populations. The simulated deer population exceeded management goals after 2 years. Our results demonstrate that controlled public deer hunts can effectively reduce deer populations and maintain them at desired levels over large areas with minimal hunter restrictions. Managers should prepare stakeholders during the hunt planning process for the need to continue overall harvest rates of >30% during the maintenance phase of a deer management program.     

The relative importance of direct and indirect effects of hunting mortality on the population dynamics of brown bears

There is increasing evidence of indirect effects of hunting on populations. In species with sexually selected infanticide (SSI), hunting may decrease juvenile survival by increasing male turnover. We aimed to evaluate the relative importance of direct and indirect effects of hunting via SSI on the population dynamics of the Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos). We performed prospective and retrospective demographic perturbation analyses for periods with low and high hunting pressures. All demographic rates, except yearling survival, were lower under high hunting pressure, which led to a decline in population growth under high hunting pressure (λ = 0.975; 95% CI = 0.914–1.011). Hunting had negative indirect effects on the population through an increase in SSI, which lowered cub survival and possibly also fecundity rates. Our study suggests that SSI could explain 13.6% of the variation in population growth. Hunting also affected the relative importance of survival and fecundity of adult females for population growth, with fecundity being more important under low hunting pressure and survival more important under high hunting pressure. Our study sheds light on the importance of direct and indirect effects of hunting on population dynamics, and supports the contention that hunting can have indirect negative effects on populations through SSI.