Factors associated with hunter success for ducks on state-owned lands in Illinois, USA

Factors that influence hunter success for waterfowl are subject to varying levels of control by managers. The relative influence of these factors is poorly understood, but such information may be valuable to guide management actions intended to promote successful hunting and communicate management d...

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Published inWildlife biology Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 113 - 122
Main Authors Stafford, Joshua D., Pearse, Aaron T., Hine, Christopher S., Yetter, Aaron P., Horath, Michelle M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Hornslet Nordic Council for Wildlife Research (NKV) 01.06.2010
Nordic Board for Wildlife Research
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Subjects
Anas platyrhynchos
Anatidae
Anatini
Aquatic birds
Conservation Reserve Program
Duck shooting
ducks
foraging
habitat conservation
habitats
harvest
hunter success
Illinois
Management
managers
Methods
Original s
public lands
public ownership
temperature
waterfowl
wetlands
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife management
United States
Illinois
USA, Illinois
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Summary:Factors that influence hunter success for waterfowl are subject to varying levels of control by managers. The relative influence of these factors is poorly understood, but such information may be valuable to guide management actions intended to promote successful hunting and communicate management decisions to constituents. We used bag-check data to investigate factors influencing hunter success for mallards Anas platyrhynchos and other dabbling ducks (tribe Anatini) during the period 1981-2000 and 2002 at Illinois public waterfowl areas. Competing models of hunter success for mallards and other dabbling ducks included a negative association with average low temperature during the duck season (uncontrollable by managers) and positive associations with estimates of local and continental duck abundance, factors which we considered partially controllable by managers. Although a certain proportion of variation in hunter success for ducks cannot be directly influenced by managers, we suggest that programs and management efforts, which promote larger continental duck populations (e.g. Conservation Reserve Program) and local duck abundance (e.g. provide quality wetland foraging habitats), may positively influence hunter success.
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ISSN:0909-6396
1903-220X
DOI:10.2981/09-071