Hunters in researchers' sights: Study explores what drives them

For the first time, a study has looked into what motivates New Brunswick hunters and apparently it's the chance to be in nature.

The New Brunswick ProvincialSurvey on Hunting compiled responsesfrom more than 400 hunters across the province on a range of issues, including the game they prefer, how much money they spend, and what makes them hunt.

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"We thought it would be important to look at what washappeningwith hunters regarding different subject matter."

Fewer buy hunting licences

Commissioned by the province two years ago, the study points to white-tailed deer as theanimal most hunters want to get.

About 95 per cent ofrespondentsexpressedtheir desire tohunt antlered deer, regardlessofwhether they had everpurchaseda permit to do so.

Moose came in a very close second, also being chosen by about 95 per cent.

"This isconsistentacross North America," Gautreausaid. "The deer family is the important game species that we have in North America."

Bears down the list

Bears were among the least important game species to those surveyed, with only 56 per cent of hunters expressing interest in the animal.

Waterfowl and migratory birds came in last, a choice of 41 per cent of hunters.

The study's findings suggestthatCrown land is the most used territory for hunting, as opposed to woodlots and industrial freeholds.

But it appears hunters want moreactivepolicing of New Brunswick woods.

"More than half of the hunters that were surveyed did indicate that they wanted more conservation officers out there," Gautreausaid.

"We know there's not many conservation officers out there, and this,I guess, gives the right-of-way topoachers to go out and do what they do. Andhonest hunters don't like that, and they wish that thereweremore conservation officers to control the amounImages/Mediat of poachingout there."

Big bucks

According to thestudy, a NewBrunswick hunter spends thousands of dollars each hunting season.

"We've calculated the expenses of hunters in 2015 was worth around $145 million, which is significant and contributes to thediversificationof what forests can bring to the economy," Gautreau said.

The study broke hunters into two groups: those who spend less than $10,000 annually on hunting and those who spend more.

Most fall into the firstcategory and spent, on average,$3,000 last year.

But those who spend more seem to go all out.

"The second group, which is a minority group, they had very high expenses," Gautreausaid. "We found their expenses to be around $28,000."

The hunting drive

The study also asked hunters what they get most out of the sport.

"To make the most of nature or of being outdoors" topped the list ofmotivatingfactors, with 99 per cent of hunters surveyed declaring it a "very important," "important" or "more or less important" factor.

Spending time with friends orfamily was a close second as a motivating factor, chosen by 97 per cent of hunters as very important, important or more or less important.

Eighty-one percent of hunters said bringing home meat was a very important, important or more or less important factor.

Bringinghomea trophy placed last, with 49 per cent of hunters saying it was very important, important or more or less important.

Valuableinformation

Gautreausaid he expects this study will be used to help shape, or even create, policies surrounding hunting and natural resource management in years to come.

"It's the first type of study on hunters in New Brunswick that I know of, with this detail," he said. "Studies like this exist throughout North America,especiallyin the United States."

"The U.S.A. has been very good at studying the humandimensionsof wildlife management, and hunters are part of that."

The information is valuable in that country for developing policies on wildlife management, forest management, land use planning, rules andregulations.