Effort and Success of Brown Bear Hunters in Alaska

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2001
Authors:Albert, DM, R. Bowyer, T, Miller, SD
Journal:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Volume:29
Date Published:2001
ISBN Number:00917648
Keywords:Ursus arctos
Abstract:

Understanding hunter motivation, effort, and success is crucial to manage the harvest of wildlife populations, especially for large mammals with comparatively low intrinsic rates of increase. We conducted a survey of hunters based on 3,241 respondents who purchased hunting tags for brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Alaska during 1985-86 to document hunting effort and identify variables correlated with hunting trip success. Success was greater for nonresidents (55.9%) than for Alaskans (8.7%). Based on statewide sales of brown bear tags and sealing data, success of nonresident (51.3%) and resident (9.3%) hunters did not differ from what was reported in the questionnaire. Stepwise logistic regression identified differences in primary motivation, use of professional guides, and regional distribution of hunting effort between successful and unsuccessful hunters. With other factors held equal, hunter success was lower in regions with greater human populations and higher in regions with fewer people. Hunters who used airplanes and chartered boats were more successful than those who did not do so, indicating the importance of access to remote locations. Hunting trips conducted in spring were more successful (20%) than autumn hunts (9%), because a greater proportion of hunters specifically sought brown bears in spring. In addition, a greater proportion of trophy bears was harvested during spring (4.3%) than autumn (1.6%). Because trophy criteria differ between grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis) and Alaskan brown bears (U. a. middendorfi and related subspecies), the greatest proportion of trophy bears came from northwest and interior Alaska. Trophy hunting likely reflects motivational differences in hunters; individuals hunting in northwest Alaska, where harvest of trophies was greatest, sought principally brown bears. Such baseline data are useful to assess future demands for services related to hunting brown bears, documenting and tracking hunter motivations, and potentially better understanding bear population dynamics in relation to harvest in Alaska and elsewhere.

URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/3784174
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