Eight years after undertaking an unprecedented attempt to eradicate chronic wasting disease (CWD) from its free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population, Wisconsin wildlife managers are rethinking their strategies in the face of public opposition to their efforts. This article draws on a dozen surveys of hunters and landowners to identify six psychological bases that created deer hunter opposition to the Wisconsin plan. These include opposition to the population goal, conflicts with traditions, conflicts with consumption norms, the uncertainty of the plan's efficacy, and perceived lack of credibility in the agency. We argue that these six clusters of attitudinal beliefs made it unlikely that hunter support could have been cultivated regardless of the scope or pace of the CWD eradication effort. Our findings call into question the use of recreational hunting as a viable tool for bringing about severe deer population reductions for disease management.

Attempts to eradicate chronic wasting disease from free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianusj in Wisconsin depend on gaining compliance of hunters to harvest deer at rates unprecedented in modem wildlife management. A mail questionnaire and hunter diaries were used to assess hunters' attitudes, effort, and harvest behavior in response to disease management strategies that have Included an extended hunting season, removal of seasonal bag limits, and implementation of incentives. Logistic and linear regressions were used to test the Influences of attitudinal variables and attributes of hunting experiences on the number of deer harvested. Hunting efficiency (i.e., converting chances among deer seen), number of deer seen, and willingness to harvest antlerless deer predicted harvest levels better than hunting effort (I.e., time afield) did. Individual differences among hunters' desire for venison also emerged as an Important predictor ofthe number of deer harvested.

Current literature suggests that seeing and bagging game, among other experiences, play a major role in overall satisfaction for hunters. In addition, research highlights relationships that harvest expectations may have with harvest success and in explaining satisfaction. We add to the multiple satisfactions concept that, despite other derived benefits, harvest success may be fundamental to sustain participation and duck (Anatidae) hunters themselves are agents of their own success. We used data from mail surveys conducted between 2007-2015 of Wisconsin, USA, waterfowl hunters to investigate the role of duck hunter behavior and expectations in explaining differences in season satisfaction ratings. We found that duck hunters who spent more days afield, scouted prior to hunting, were mobile during the season, and utilized public lands harvested substantially more ducks than those who did not put effort into these behaviors. Furthermore, we find evidence in support of previous work that by examining the effect of harvest success through the lens of harvest expectations, it better describes satisfaction than either measure did alone among this population of duck hunters. Based on past experiences, duck hunters may develop unrealistic expectations that doom them to dissatisfactory harvests. These results provide assistance to managers and conservationists in helping hunters understand and set realistic harvest expectations, achieve their harvest goals, and continue to be active hunters.Ó 2019 The Wildlife Society.

The extent to which wildlife diseases like chronic wasting disease (CWD) are density dependent creates opportunities to manage them by implementing population reduction to disrupt disease spread and lower its prevalence. We tested a model to investigate the influence of risk perceptions and other salient beliefs on deer hunter support for deer density reduction as chronic wasting disease strategy in Wisconsin. We found that the influence of risk perceptions on hunter support for population goals was mediated through beliefs about whether eradication is necessary. Our results suggest that hunter beliefs about the likelihood of deer reduction achieving CWD eradication had the greatest influence on support for herd reduction. If managers intend to use recreational hunters to combat CWD, they need to provide tangible evidence that deer reduction results in progress in containing or eliminating CWD to increase beliefs in the efficacy of the strategy.

Background Tree stand falls are the most common injury to hunters in the USA, but there is limited research on the topic. This study examined the 5-year trends in incident tree stand fall injuries in rural north-central Wisconsin and described patient demographics and injury features. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on five prior hunting seasons, 2009–2013. Cases were ascertained from electronic health records via natural language processing that identified patients from the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area who received medical attention for a tree stand fall. Annual incidence rates were calculated using the number of hunting license holders in the target population, per administrative data from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Results There were 16,556–16,902 deer hunters in any given year, with 39 (92% male) confirmed medically-attended tree stand fall injuries in 2009–2013. Injuries mainly occurred in the lower extremities (n=23), and included two fatalities and one paralysis case. The risk of tree stand fall injuries went from 6.0 (95% CI: 3.2, 11.1) per 10,000 hunters in 2009 to 3.6 (95% CI: 1.6, 7.9) per 10,000 hunters in 2013, which was not a significant change over five years (p=0.79). Most falls occurred among archery hunters, in the evening and when descending from a tree stand. Cases were demographically similar to the general population of Wisconsin deer hunters. Conclusions The current seasonal incidence rate of tree stand fall injuries is relatively low in rural Wisconsin, but with limited signs of improvement. Continued efforts are needed to promote the long-term safety of the hunting public.

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Falls from elevated hunting platforms have replaced firearm accidents as the largest source of hunting-related injuries and deaths in the United States. Our study applied participation and behavior data from 2 statewide hunter surveys conducted in 2013, current license purchasing data, and an audit of medical records between 2009 and 2013 in the north-central region of Wisconsin to generate annual and cumulative risk probabilities of being injured in a fall. Although archery hunting of deer (Odocoileus sp.) attracts fewer participants than firearm season, risk exposure is 4.5 times greater because of season length. Overall, the average risk probability for serious injury was 1 out of 71 through 25 years of hunting participation. The most avid deer hunters-those who hunt during archery and firearm seasons over a lifetime-incur a 1-in-20 chance of being injured falling from a deer stand. Our results support agency decisions to require safety education for new hunters. However, increased efforts are needed to get existing hunters to purchase and consistently utilize body harnesses and climbing equipment while using deer stands. Ó 2016 The Wildlife Society.