Successes and Challenges of University First Hunt Programs

Wildlife professionals are tasked with sustainably managing habitats and wildlife for the benefit of a variety of stakeholders, and hunters are an important user group. But the number of hunters in North America has continued to decline, and as a result, new wildlife professionals entering the field...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 2020-08, Vol.84 (6), p.1032-1037
Main Authors: RINGELMAN, KEVIN M., COLLIER, BRET A., LABORDE, LUCIEN P., ROHWER, FRANK C., REYNOLDS, LARRY A., MESSERLI, JAKE, McLANDRESS, M. ROBERT, OBERSTADT, GEORGE, EADIE, JOHN M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
college
Colleges & universities
Commentary
Digital media
Education
Hunting
reactivation
recruitment
retention
shooting
Small arms
student
Training
User groups
Waterfowl
Wildlife habitats
Wildlife management
youth
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Summary:Wildlife professionals are tasked with sustainably managing habitats and wildlife for the benefit of a variety of stakeholders, and hunters are an important user group. But the number of hunters in North America has continued to decline, and as a result, new wildlife professionals entering the field are less likely to be hunters than their predecessors. We find this trend concerning because future wildlife professionals would be better equipped to manage wildlife resources and develop policies if they understand the motivations and culture of the hunter constituents supporting their work. To address this trend, we have developed collegiate hunting experience programs at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) and Louisiana State University (LSU), USA, wherein undergraduates in wildlife programs are provided with the education, training, equipment, and opportunity to hunt waterfowl and deer. The hunting experience is transformative for our students, resulting in a deeper connection to the wildlife resource, and a richer understanding of hunting culture and hunters’ stewardship of wildlife habitat. In the 2 programs, we have encountered challenges (e.g., timidity around firearms), and opportunities for expanding our reach to broader segments of society (e.g., leveraging social media). The relative success of our programs indicates that the possibility for implementation of similar opportunities elsewhere is high, and may provide new ways for private landowners, non-governmental organizations, and corporate outfitters to engage in undergraduate education.
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.1002/jwmg.21878