WI Survey lists reasons people skipped deer hunt

Survey lists reasons people skipped deer hunt Chronic Wasting Disease, lack of time cited

Chronic wasting disease was one of many reasons deer hunters chose to not hunt last year, according to a recently completed survey.

The Department of Natural Resources and UW-Madison polled 2,100 gun deer hunters from all areas of the state. Names were selected at random from a list of gun deer license buyers from 2001.

Most hunters who responded -- from 88 to 90 percent -- said they hunted the same or more in 2002 than in past years.

Of those hunters who chose not to hunt in 2002, 22 percent said they didn’t hunt because they were concerned about chronic wasting disease and venison safety.

A greater number, 24 percent, said they didn’t hunt because of a lack of time or other responsibilities.

Only 1 percent of the respondents listed a statewide ban on baiting and feeding as the most important reason they chose to not hunt in 2002.

“We’re certainly aware that there’s split opinion out there regarding a ban on baiting and feeding,” said Tom Hauge, director of the DNR wildlife management program.

The survey has a confidence level of plus or minus 3 percent, according to the UW-Madison survey center.

The survey looks into the concerns hunters have about chronic wasting disease and how it affected their hunting efforts, said Jordan Petchenik, the DNR sociologist who coordinated the study.

Hunters also ranked other safety items above human health concerns associated with chronic wasting disease.

When asked to respond to a list of perceived risks associated with gun deer hunting, about 50 percent of hunters said they were very or somewhat concerned over the risk of being accidentally shot by a member of another hunting party.

About 38 percent of hunters in counties with chronic wasting disease said they were concerned about becoming ill from the disease. The number decreased to 35 percent for hunters in counties without wasting disease.

When asked how they felt about eating venison, 36 percent of the hunters in counties with the disease said they had some concern. By contrast, only 11 percent said they would be concerned if the deer would test negative for the disease.

“This was one of the more in-depth hunter surveys we’ve attempted,” Hauge said. “We got a high return percentage on the survey of around 68 percent, so we feel this is a pretty good indicator of opinion out there.”

One thing left out is the number of sportsman that have stopped hunting & fishing. Because of the illegal requirement to give your SSN# to get a license. We need to keep working to stop the Illegal use of SSN# This should also a resolution put forward in the upcoming Conservation Congress

Ask Russ Feingold about this in his upcoming Listening Session

My sister, who works as an animal disease microbiologist in Illinois, says stay away from venison because of the mad-cow like disease that is afflicting deer (particularly in the Midwest). I hope Ted Nugent doesn't get it.

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