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A new study of the habits and motivations of hunters suggests white-tailed deer and moose are the game most New Brunswick hunters are interested in. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
Hunters in researchers' sights: Study explores what drives them
Although hunters contribute $145M to the provincial economy, they haven't been studied much until now
By Shane Fowler, CBC News Posted: Dec 28, 2017 6:00 AM AT Last Updated: Dec 28, 2017 6:00 AM AT
For the first time, a study has looked into what motivates New Brunswick hunters — and apparently it's the chance to be in nature.
The New Brunswick Provincial Survey on Hunting compiled responses from more than 400 hunters across the province on a range of issues, including the game they prefer, how much money they spend, and what makes them hunt.
The study was triggered by a decline in the number of hunting licences being sold in New Brunswick, said Daniel Gautreau, a researcher at the University of Moncton in Edmundston who helped prepare the report.
"We thought it would be important to look at what was happening with hunters regarding different subject matter."
Commissioned by the province two years ago, the study points to white-tailed deer as the animal most hunters want to get.
About 95 per cent of respondents expressed their desire to hunt antlered deer, regardless of whether they had ever purchased a permit to do so.
Moose came in a very close second, also being chosen by about 95 per cent.
"This is consistent across North America," Gautreau said. "The deer family is the important game species that we have in North America."
Bears down the list
Bears were among the least important game species to those surveyed, with only 56 per cent of hunters expressing interest in the animal.
Waterfowl and migratory birds came in last, a choice of 41 per cent of hunters.
The study's findings suggest that Crown land is the most used territory for hunting, as opposed to woodlots and industrial freeholds.
But it appears hunters want more active policing of New Brunswick woods.
"More than half of the hunters that were surveyed did indicate that they wanted more conservation officers out there," Gautreau said.
"We know there's not many conservation officers out there, and this, I guess, gives the right-of-way to poachers to go out and do what they do. And honest hunters don't like that, and they wish that there were more conservation officers to control the amount of poaching out there."
According to the study, a New Brunswick hunter spends thousands of dollars each hunting season.
"We've calculated the expenses of hunters in 2015 was worth around $145 million, which is significant and contributes to the diversification of what forests can bring to the economy," Gautreau said.
The study broke hunters into two groups: those who spend less than $10,000 annually on hunting and those who spend more.
Most fall into the first category and spend an average of $3,000 a year on hunting.
But those who spend more seem to go all out.
"The second group, which is a minority group, they had very high expenses," Gautreau said. "We found their expenses to be around $28,000 per year."
The hunting drive
The study also asked hunters what they get most out of the sport.
"To make the most of nature or of being outdoors" topped the list of motivating factors, with 99 per cent of hunters surveyed declaring it an important factor.
Spending time with friends or family was chosen by 97 per cent of hunters.
Bringing home meat ranked only eighth among aspects of the hunt considered valuable. It was chosen by 81 per cent of hunters.
Bringing home a trophy placed last, with 49 per cent of hunters saying it was important to them.
Valuable information
Gautreau said he expects this study will be used to help shape, or even create, policies surrounding hunting and natural resource management in years to come.
"It's the first type of study on hunters in New Brunswick that I know of, with this detail," he said. "Studies like this exist throughout North America, especially in the United States."
"The U.S.A. has been very good at studying the human dimensions of wildlife management, and hunters are part of that."
The information is valuable in that country for developing policies on wildlife management, forest management, land use planning, rules and regulations.
