2011 Pennsylvania Waterfowl Hunter Attitudes Survey 2011 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2011 Pennsylvania Waterfowl Hunter Attitudes Survey

2011 Pennsylvania Waterfowl Hunter Attitudes Survey

Survey Objectives

Declining trends waterfowl hunters: Identify reasons for and barriers to

• participation. Opportunities for

recruiting & retaining hunters. Determine attitudes on season timing: Measure season timing preference by duck and goose zones. Address other issues associated with waterfowl hunting: Measure attitudes on issues such as electric decoys, tundra swan hunting and migratory game bird hunting stamp.

Pennsylvania HIP Canada Goose Harvest

50 100 150 200 250 300 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

Thousands Year

Harvest Days Hunted

Survey Scoping & Design

• Consulted with USFWS, PGC I & E Bureau and

reviewed previous national & state surveys methods.

• Mail questionnaire of 5,000 randomly selected PA

waterfowl hunters identified by the 2009-10 & 2010- 11 HIP license questions through point-of-sale.

• Post-stratified survey results by residency, hunter age,

gender, waterfowl hunter type (i.e. duck only, goose

• nly, both) and hunting zone(s).
• A complete survey of attitudes on why not hunt

waterfowl would include samples of non-hunters and

• ther hunters that was beyond the scope of this survey.

PA Waterfowl Hunter demographics.

88 3 9

Percentage of responses

Resident Non-Resident No Response

• 3,599 surveys returned for

72% response rate.

• 88% indicated PA resident.
• 3% indicate non-resident.
• 9% did not indicate residency

status.

• 97% male
• 1.5% female
• 1.5% unknown gender

97 1.5 1.5

Percentage of responses

Male Female No Response

Waterfowl Hunter age distribution Average = 45.5 years old, max = 93

20 40 60 80 100 120 3 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 93

Number of Hunters by Age Hunter Age

Waterfowl Hunter type?

6 14 36 36

Percent

Duck Only Goose Only Both Neither

• 6% or 213 respondents

were only duck hunters.

• 14% or 510 were only

goose hunters.

• 36% or 1,301 were both

duck & goose hunters.

• 36% or 1,352 didn’t hunt

waterfowl the past 2 seasons.

Duck Hunter experience?

28 15 31 25

Percent

> 25 years 16-25 years 6-15 years < 5 years

• 28% hunted greater than

25 years.

• 15% hunted between 16

and 25 years.

• 31% hunted between 6

and 15 years.

• 25% hunted <5 years.

Goose hunting experience?

24 15 33 25

Percent

> 25 years 16-25 years 6-15 years < 5 years

• 24% hunted greater than

25 years.

• 15% hunted between 16

and 25 years.

• 33% hunted between 6

and 15 years.

• 25% hunted < 5 years.

Why do you hunt ducks?

29 23 18 16

Percent

Very important I had time Hunt ducks when not hunting another species Somebody invited me

• 29% was very important

to them.

• 23% had time to hunt.
• 18% hunt ducks when not

hunting another species.

• 16% someone invited

them to hunt.

Why do you hunt geese?

24 22 17 17 8

Percent

Very important I had time Hunt geese when not hunting another species Somebody invited me There were a lot

• f geese
• 24% was very important

to them.

• 22% had time to hunt.
• 17% hunt geese when not

hunting another species.

• 17% someone invited

them to hunt.

• 8% there were a lot of

geese this year.

Most important duck zone?

61 17 20 3

Percent

South North Northwest Erie

• 61% South zone.
• 20% Northwest zone.
• 17% North zone.
• 3% Lake Erie zone.

Where did you hunt ducks?

32 32 32 3

Percent

Private Public Both about the same Regulated hunting ground

• 32% Private land.
• 32% Public land.
• 32% Both about the same.
• 3% Regulated hunting

grounds.

Did you hunt ducks at Pymatuning or Middle Creek?

9 4 86

Percent

Pymatuning Middle Creek Neither

• 9% Pymatuning WMA.
• 4% Middle Creek WMA.
• 86% Neither.

Most important goose zone?

42 39 19

Percent

RP AP SJBP

• 42% Resident zone.
• 39% Atlantic zone.
• 19% SJBP zone.

Pennsylvania

AP zone SJBP zone RP zone

Where did you hunt geese?

51 21 27

Percent

Private Public Both about the same

• 51% Private land.
• 21% Public land.
• 27% Both about the same.

Did you hunt geese at Pymatuning or Middle Creek?

15 7 78

Percent

Pymatuning Middle Creek Neither

• 15% Pymatuning WMA.
• 7% Middle Creek WMA.
• 78% Neither.

Duck Hunter satisfaction?

10 55 15 17 3

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied No Opinion Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

• 65% were satisfied.
• 15% no opinion.
• 20% dissatisfied.

Goose Hunter satisfaction?

17 60 13 9 3

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied No Opinion Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

• 77% were satisfied.
• 13% no opinion.
• 10% dissatisfied.

Has the quality of PA duck hunting changed?

11 21 38 14 5 11

Percent

Much worse Little worse Remainded same Little better Much better No opinion

• 32% worse.
• 38% same.
• 19% better.
• 11% no opinion.

Has the quality of PA goose hunting changed?

5 14 32 24 13 11

Percent

Much worse Little worse Remainded same Little better Much better No opinion

• 19% worse.
• 32% same.
• 37% better.
• 11% no opinion.

Most important periods for duck hunting?

Period LEZ% NWZ % NZ % SZ % Oct 1-15 5% 24% 26% 19% Oct 16-31 11% 24% 25% 18% Nov 1-15 16% 13% 12% 1% Nov 16-30 23% 16% 9% 14% Dec 1-15 11% 5% 5% 6% Dec 16-31 15% 10% 8% 17% Jan 1-15 11% 4% 9% 13% Jan 16-31 7% 3% 6% 13%

When did you hunt geese?

Period SJBP RP AP September 63% 81% 63% Fall 99% 83% 87% Winter 61% 27% 100% Did you harvest geese? 96% 95% 100%

Pennsylvania

AP zone SJBP zone RP zone

Duck Hunter Satisfaction More overlap of duck & Canada goose season?

62 22 12 1 1

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

• 84% were satisfied.
• 12% neutral.
• 2% dissatisfied.
• 1% don’t know.

Duck Hunter Satisfaction Youth waterfowl days?

34 15 36 4 5 5

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don't know

• 49% were satisfied.
• 36% neutral.
• 9% dissatisfied.
• 5% don’t know.

Duck Hunter Satisfaction Motorized spinning-wing decoys legal?

39 17 32 2 6 4

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don't Know

• 56% were satisfied.
• 32% neutral.
• 8% dissatisfied.
• 4% don’t know.

Duck Hunter Satisfaction Close duck season during rifle deer season?

11 10 33 14 28 3

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don't Know

• 21% were satisfied.
• 33% neutral.
• 42% dissatisfied.
• 3% don’t know.

Goose Hunter Satisfaction Open Canada goose season during rifle deer season?

26 14 39 8 10 3

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don't Know

• 40% were satisfied.
• 39% neutral.
• 18% dissatisfied.
• 2% don’t know.

Duck Hunter Satisfaction Weekday versus Saturday

• pening days?

15 11 34 15 21 3

Percent

Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don't Know

• 26% were satisfied.
• 34% neutral.
• 36% dissatisfied.
• 3% don’t know.

Barriers to participation

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Regulations too complex Place to Hunt Time More game Partner Bird I.D.

Percent of response

Important Neutral Unimportant