GoatGuy
04-25-2008, 03:23 PM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This study was conducted for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) to determine
hunters’ opinions on Vermont’s Youth Weekend Hunts (the Youth Spring Turkey Weekend,
Youth Waterfowl Weekend, and Youth Deer Weekend) and to assess the effectiveness of the
Youth Hunts in recruiting and retaining hunters. The study entailed three telephone surveys that
included active hunters, active youth hunters, youth mentors, and inactive hunters. Another
smaller survey of vendors was also conducted.
For the hunter surveys, telephones were selected as the preferred sampling medium because of
the universality of telephone ownership. Interviews were conducted Monday through Friday
from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday noon to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m., local time. The surveys were conducted in May-June 2007. Responsive Management
obtained a total of 1,206 completed interviews of adult hunting license holders, 408 interviews of
2006 youth license holders (referred to as “current youth license holders”), and 111 interviews in
a supplementary survey of 2001 youth hunting license holders (referred to as “2001 youth license
holders”).
The software used for data collection was Questionnaire Programming Language 4.1. The
analysis of data was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software as well
as proprietary software developed by Responsive Management.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS
The results of the research suggest that the Youth Weekend Hunts (the Youth Deer
Weekend, the Youth Spring Turkey Weekend, and the Youth Waterfowl Weekend) are
well attended. From information obtained from vendor records, the researchers
estimate that 8,768 free youth deer and turkey tags were issued in Vermont in 2006
(6,348 deer tags and 2,420 turkey tags).
Overwhelmingly, the Youth Deer Weekends are the most popular Youth Weekend
Hunts. As youth gain experience, their likelihood to participate in the Youth Spring
Turkey Weekend appears to increase.
Typically, youth participate for no more than 3 years in Youth Weekend Hunts.
The large majority of those who had not participated in a Youth Weekend Hunt were,
nonetheless, aware of them.
EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS FOR HUNTER RECRUITMENT
The results suggest that hunters think that recruitment is an important goal of the
Youth Weekend Hunts.
Satisfaction with the Youth Weekend Hunts is high.
Along with high satisfaction rates, the Youth Weekend Hunts appear to increase
youth’s desires to continue hunting.
Although many youth go hunting prior to their first Youth Weekend Hunt, for a
substantial percentage, the Youth Weekend Hunt is their introduction to hunting.
The Youth Weekend Hunts reinforce the route of initiation that other research has
suggested is critical in recruitment: through the family. That the Youth Weekend
Hunts provide this opportunity for intimate, family initiation is important.
SUPPORT FOR YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS AMONG HUNTERS AND THEIR
PERCEPTIONS OF THE EFFECTS OF YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS ON
SUBSEQUENT HARVEST OF GAME
Support is high for the Youth Weekend Hunts, even among those who think that the
Youth Weekend Hunts may cause a decrease in subsequent harvest.
Reasons for supporting Youth Weekend Hunts include the opportunity to teach youth
the proper way to hunt/teach ethics, recruitment, and providing youth a better chance
to see and harvest game. In light of some of the dissatisfactions that hunters have
expressed, which include poor behavior of other hunters, the Youth Weekend Hunts
certainly serve an educational purpose.
While some hunters believe that harvests in other seasons after Youth Weekend Hunts
are decreased, most hunters do not think Youth Weekend Hunts have a marked effect
on subsequent harvest, and even many who do think harvest is reduced support the
Youth Weekend Hunts anyway.
One criticism among some hunters toward the Youth Weekend Hunts is that sometimes
mentors shoot the game instead of the youth. The survey results suggest that this may
be occasionally happening, although not enough of a problem that hunters are calling
for the elimination of the Youth Weekend Hunts.
It appears that the Youth Weekend Hunts may have a societal benefit by providing
opportunities for interaction between parents and children.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Vermont’s Youth Weekend Hunts should be continued.
• The Youth Weekend Hunts have high levels of support, even among those who think that
the Youth Weekend Hunts may cause a decrease in subsequent harvest: 87% of adult
hunting license holders who did not participate in a Youth Weekend Hunt support the
hunts, with 62% who strongly support, and 79% of adult hunting license holders who
think the hunts may cause a decrease in subsequent harvest still support the Youth
Weekend Hunts.
• In addition to having high levels of support among adult hunters, the Youth Weekend
Hunts also appear to be recruiting new hunters: 69% of current youth license holders
indicated that their first Youth Weekend Hunt was the first time they had ever been
hunting. Furthermore, 79% of adult hunting license holders who had participated in a
Youth Weekend Hunt indicated that the experience made them want to keep hunting “a
lot,” and 95% indicated that it made them want to continue hunting “a lot” or “a little.”
The VFWD should directly address the concern that mentors may be occasionally
shooting game instead of the youth shooting the game during the Youth Weekend
Hunts.
• Although the survey results suggest that mentors may be occasionally harvesting game
rather than the youth harvesting game during Youth Weekend Hunts, the majority of
adult hunting license holders still support the Youth Weekend Hunts. Survey results
suggest that outreach to directly address this concern may be effective in reducing
concern, reducing the problem behavior, and further increasing support for Youth
Weekend Hunts.
• In addition to communicating to all licensed hunters (adult and youth) that mentors are
not permitted to harvest game during the Youth Weekend Hunts as part of the outreach
for the hunts, the penalty for doing so should be increased. Increasing the penalty and
increasing communication about the penalty will demonstrate that the VFWD is
addressing the problem.
• Criticism among those who oppose the program may lessen if those people feel that
Vermont is making a serious attempt to stop the unfairness of mentors shooting game,
particularly in light of the fact that some hunters think that subsequent harvest is affected.
Communication efforts should also focus on the importance of showing the youth
ethical hunting behavior.
• Increasing efforts to prevent mentors from harvesting game during Youth Weekend
Hunts should also include positive communications about the enjoyment of other aspects
of hunting, should emphasize ethical hunting behavior, and should focus on the
importance of showing the youth ethical hunting behavior. Note that harvest success
during the Youth Weekend Hunt is not a primary motivation for hunting among youth
and that harvest failure does not translate into dissatisfaction, nor does it appear to
markedly decrease subsequent desires youth have for hunting. (Note that this refers to
harvest failure during the one weekend of the Youth Weekend Hunt; obviously, constant
failure to harvest would decrease youth interest in hunting.) Furthermore, many hunters
feel that the importance of the Youth Weekend Hunts is to teach ethical behavior and
respect for the heritage of hunting.
This study was conducted for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) to determine
hunters’ opinions on Vermont’s Youth Weekend Hunts (the Youth Spring Turkey Weekend,
Youth Waterfowl Weekend, and Youth Deer Weekend) and to assess the effectiveness of the
Youth Hunts in recruiting and retaining hunters. The study entailed three telephone surveys that
included active hunters, active youth hunters, youth mentors, and inactive hunters. Another
smaller survey of vendors was also conducted.
For the hunter surveys, telephones were selected as the preferred sampling medium because of
the universality of telephone ownership. Interviews were conducted Monday through Friday
from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday noon to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m., local time. The surveys were conducted in May-June 2007. Responsive Management
obtained a total of 1,206 completed interviews of adult hunting license holders, 408 interviews of
2006 youth license holders (referred to as “current youth license holders”), and 111 interviews in
a supplementary survey of 2001 youth hunting license holders (referred to as “2001 youth license
holders”).
The software used for data collection was Questionnaire Programming Language 4.1. The
analysis of data was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software as well
as proprietary software developed by Responsive Management.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS
The results of the research suggest that the Youth Weekend Hunts (the Youth Deer
Weekend, the Youth Spring Turkey Weekend, and the Youth Waterfowl Weekend) are
well attended. From information obtained from vendor records, the researchers
estimate that 8,768 free youth deer and turkey tags were issued in Vermont in 2006
(6,348 deer tags and 2,420 turkey tags).
Overwhelmingly, the Youth Deer Weekends are the most popular Youth Weekend
Hunts. As youth gain experience, their likelihood to participate in the Youth Spring
Turkey Weekend appears to increase.
Typically, youth participate for no more than 3 years in Youth Weekend Hunts.
The large majority of those who had not participated in a Youth Weekend Hunt were,
nonetheless, aware of them.
EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS FOR HUNTER RECRUITMENT
The results suggest that hunters think that recruitment is an important goal of the
Youth Weekend Hunts.
Satisfaction with the Youth Weekend Hunts is high.
Along with high satisfaction rates, the Youth Weekend Hunts appear to increase
youth’s desires to continue hunting.
Although many youth go hunting prior to their first Youth Weekend Hunt, for a
substantial percentage, the Youth Weekend Hunt is their introduction to hunting.
The Youth Weekend Hunts reinforce the route of initiation that other research has
suggested is critical in recruitment: through the family. That the Youth Weekend
Hunts provide this opportunity for intimate, family initiation is important.
SUPPORT FOR YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS AMONG HUNTERS AND THEIR
PERCEPTIONS OF THE EFFECTS OF YOUTH WEEKEND HUNTS ON
SUBSEQUENT HARVEST OF GAME
Support is high for the Youth Weekend Hunts, even among those who think that the
Youth Weekend Hunts may cause a decrease in subsequent harvest.
Reasons for supporting Youth Weekend Hunts include the opportunity to teach youth
the proper way to hunt/teach ethics, recruitment, and providing youth a better chance
to see and harvest game. In light of some of the dissatisfactions that hunters have
expressed, which include poor behavior of other hunters, the Youth Weekend Hunts
certainly serve an educational purpose.
While some hunters believe that harvests in other seasons after Youth Weekend Hunts
are decreased, most hunters do not think Youth Weekend Hunts have a marked effect
on subsequent harvest, and even many who do think harvest is reduced support the
Youth Weekend Hunts anyway.
One criticism among some hunters toward the Youth Weekend Hunts is that sometimes
mentors shoot the game instead of the youth. The survey results suggest that this may
be occasionally happening, although not enough of a problem that hunters are calling
for the elimination of the Youth Weekend Hunts.
It appears that the Youth Weekend Hunts may have a societal benefit by providing
opportunities for interaction between parents and children.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Vermont’s Youth Weekend Hunts should be continued.
• The Youth Weekend Hunts have high levels of support, even among those who think that
the Youth Weekend Hunts may cause a decrease in subsequent harvest: 87% of adult
hunting license holders who did not participate in a Youth Weekend Hunt support the
hunts, with 62% who strongly support, and 79% of adult hunting license holders who
think the hunts may cause a decrease in subsequent harvest still support the Youth
Weekend Hunts.
• In addition to having high levels of support among adult hunters, the Youth Weekend
Hunts also appear to be recruiting new hunters: 69% of current youth license holders
indicated that their first Youth Weekend Hunt was the first time they had ever been
hunting. Furthermore, 79% of adult hunting license holders who had participated in a
Youth Weekend Hunt indicated that the experience made them want to keep hunting “a
lot,” and 95% indicated that it made them want to continue hunting “a lot” or “a little.”
The VFWD should directly address the concern that mentors may be occasionally
shooting game instead of the youth shooting the game during the Youth Weekend
Hunts.
• Although the survey results suggest that mentors may be occasionally harvesting game
rather than the youth harvesting game during Youth Weekend Hunts, the majority of
adult hunting license holders still support the Youth Weekend Hunts. Survey results
suggest that outreach to directly address this concern may be effective in reducing
concern, reducing the problem behavior, and further increasing support for Youth
Weekend Hunts.
• In addition to communicating to all licensed hunters (adult and youth) that mentors are
not permitted to harvest game during the Youth Weekend Hunts as part of the outreach
for the hunts, the penalty for doing so should be increased. Increasing the penalty and
increasing communication about the penalty will demonstrate that the VFWD is
addressing the problem.
• Criticism among those who oppose the program may lessen if those people feel that
Vermont is making a serious attempt to stop the unfairness of mentors shooting game,
particularly in light of the fact that some hunters think that subsequent harvest is affected.
Communication efforts should also focus on the importance of showing the youth
ethical hunting behavior.
• Increasing efforts to prevent mentors from harvesting game during Youth Weekend
Hunts should also include positive communications about the enjoyment of other aspects
of hunting, should emphasize ethical hunting behavior, and should focus on the
importance of showing the youth ethical hunting behavior. Note that harvest success
during the Youth Weekend Hunt is not a primary motivation for hunting among youth
and that harvest failure does not translate into dissatisfaction, nor does it appear to
markedly decrease subsequent desires youth have for hunting. (Note that this refers to
harvest failure during the one weekend of the Youth Weekend Hunt; obviously, constant
failure to harvest would decrease youth interest in hunting.) Furthermore, many hunters
feel that the importance of the Youth Weekend Hunts is to teach ethical behavior and
respect for the heritage of hunting.