understanding hunters’ responses to chronic wasting disease: the potential for conflict index...

Understanding Hunters’ Responses to Chronic Wasting Disease:

The Potential for Conflict Index

Jerry J. Vaske

Mark D. Needham

Michael J. Manfredo

Peter Newman

Colorado State University

Jordan Petchenik

Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

Application Context CWD:

Transmissible fatal disease of deer & elk

Emaciation, loss of body functions, excessive salivation

Similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob (humans), scrapie (sheep)

Not known to be transmissible to humans

Research: ISSRM Conference (2004)

Special journal issue (Human Dimensions of Wildlife)

Management Goal:Eradicate entire wild deer herd within 4 miles of where CWD positivedeer have been found

Methods Mail survey of 2001 Wisconsin gun deer hunters

N = 1373 (67% response rate), cluster analysis: Hunted deer in Wisconsin in 2002 Dropped out of deer hunt in Wisconsin in 2002 due to:

Strong CWD influence Weak CWD influence

Data weighted to adjust over-sampling CWD area

Study assessed: Behavioral intentions – CWD response (8 scenarios) Support for non-lethal & lethal management actions

Scenario Example Scenario 7. For the approaching deer hunting season,

wildlife managers know the following:

CWD has been DETECTED in your deer management unitCWD certified USDA test is NOT AVAILABLE

How likely or unlikely is it for you to take the following actions?

Your action Very

unlikelySomewhat unlikely Unsure

Somewhat likely

Very likely

Continue hunting in my unit in 2003

-2 -1 0 1 2

Continue to hunt, but switch to a new unit in Wisconsin in 2003

-2 -1 0 1 2

Give up deer hunting for 2003 deer season

-2 -1 0 1 2

Traditional Display

I will give up deer hunting for the 2003 deer season:

Very unlikely

Somewhat unlikely

Unsure

Somewhat likely

Very likely

Hunted in 2002 season

72

8

9

4

6

Hunter dropoutsWeak CWD

47

12

24

7

10

Hunter dropoutsCWD

24

14

17

5

39

Scenario 7 – Percentage distribution I will give up deer hunting for the 2003 deer season

Traditional Display

Acceptability ratings for Scenario 7

I will give up deer hunting for the 2003 deer season

Descriptive statistics

Mean

Median

Mode

Standard deviation

Variance

Skewness

Kurtosis


-1.37

-2.00

-2.00

1.19

1.41

1.78

1.94


-0.79

-1.00

-2.00

1.37

1.87

0.75

-0.64

Hunter dropoutsCWD

0.21

0.00

2.00

1.66

2.75

-0.14

-1.64

PCI and Means

Your action

Continue to hunt in same unit

Hunt, but switch to a new unit

Give up deer hunting for season


PCI Mean

.60 0.27

.24 -0.80

.25 -0.79

Hunter dropoutsCWD

PCI Mean

.38 -0.68

.17 -1.12

.62 0.21


PCI Mean

.30 0.96

.23 -1.05

.17 -1.37

Means & PCI measures for Scenario 7

0.04

0.11

0.32

0.1

0.48

0.18

0.09

0.060.07

-2

-1

0

1

2

CWD not been detected in unit you hunt in

USDA certified test for CWD is available

Hunted in Hunter dropouts Hunter dropouts 2002 season Weak CWD CWD

PCI – Situation 1Very

Likely

Unsure

VeryUnlikely

Act

ion

Lik

elih

ood




0.1

0.27

0.57

0.140.13

0.07

0.09

0.55

0.25

-2

-1

0

1

2

CWD detected in adjacent unit only

USDA certified test for CWD not available


Likely

Unsure

VeryUnlikely

Act

ion

Lik

elih

ood





0.6

0.38

0.23

0.62

0.3

0.17

0.24

0.25

0.17

-2

-1

0

1

2

CWD has been detected in unit you hunt in

USDA certified test for CWD not available


Likely

Unsure

VeryUnlikely

Act

ion

Lik

elih

ood





0.470.440.41

0.410.3

0.37 0.510.290.42

-2

-1

0

1

2

PCI – Lethal ActionsStrongly

Favor

Unsure

StronglyOppose

Act

ion

Sup

port

Reduce deer herd within 4 miles of where infected deer detected

Reduce deer herd within 40 miles of where infected deer detected

Eradicate entire herd within 4 miles of where infected deer detected


0.38

0.260.31

0.3 0.330.16

-2

-1

0

1

2

PCI – Non-Lethal ActionsStrongly

Favor

Unsure

StronglyOppose

Act

ion

Sup

port

Do nothing to control CWD and let the disease take its natural course

Monitor CWD and wait for complete test results before managing


Results Summary Did hunt in 2002 gun deer season:

Hunt in unit in 2003 irrespective of CWD, testing

Hunter dropouts: Weak CWD influence:

Hunt in unit in 2003 if CWD not in unit, irrespective of testing Divided on 2003 hunt if CWD in unit, testing unavailable

Strong CWD influence: Hunt in unit in 2003 if CWD not in unit, testing available Divided on 2003 hunt if CWD in adjacent unit Stop hunting if CWD in unit, testing unavailable

All hunters: Favored CWD monitoring & testing Divided on lethal management (herd eradication) Did not favor CWD taking its natural course (no mgmt)

understanding hunters’ responses to chronic wasting disease: the potential for conflict index...

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