Hunter-effort-harvest-size relationships among hunt types of white-tailed deer
Abstract
Information on hunter-effort-harvest-size relationships relevant to managing and monitoring hunted populations with multiple hunt types has not been examined in detail. We estimated harvest size from hunter effort in 6 types of hunts for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and compared intercepts and slopes to assess whether harvest size differed with hunting effort. The 6 hunt types were (age-sex class of population hunted and weapons allowed) as follows: antlerless gun (shotgun, centerfire rifle), either-sex archery, either-sex gun, either-sex muzzleloader, buck-only gun, and buck-only muzzleloader. The data set was a 12-year harvest record from a hunt program in western Tennessee. We measured hunter effort by hunter days (number of hunters and days they hunted). We detected differences in intercepts but not slopes among hunt types. Hunt types with largest harvest sizes were >4 times larger than hunt types with smallest harvest sizes, controlling for hunter effort. Because slopes of regressions were similar, hunter effort among hunt types can be adjusted so that a harvest size:hunter effort ratio can be used to track relative deer population change.
Publication Title
Wildlife Society Bulletin
Recommended Citation
Weckerly, F., Kennedy, M., & Stephenson, S. (2005). Hunter-effort-harvest-size relationships among hunt types of white-tailed deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 33 (4), 1303-1311. https://doi.org/10.2193/0091-7648(2005)33[1303:HRAHTO]2.0.CO;2
