Effect Of Hunting Frequency On Duck Abundance, Harvest, And Hunt Quality In Mississippi

• Main Author: St James, Elizabeth Anne
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Scholars Junction 2011
• Subjects: abundance; duck; hunting frequency; hunt quality; harvest; Northern Shoveler; Shoveler
• Online Access: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/1665; https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2664&context=td

Waterfowl hunting is important historically, culturally, and economically in Mississippi and North America. I evaluated effect of hunting frequency (2 or 4 days/week) on duck abundance, harvest, and hunters’ perceived quality of their experience on Mississippi Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). Neither relative abundance nor harvest of all ducks, mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), northern shoveler (A. clypeata), or green-winged teal (A. crecca) differed between experimental hunting frequencies. Duck harvest increased with hours spent afield. Hunters’ perceived quality did not differ between hunting frequencies but was greatest when hunters harvested > 4 ducks/ day and increased with harvest of larger sized ducks. I suggest WMAs may be hunted 4 days/week without impacting duck abundance, harvest, or hunt quality. I recommend continued evaluations of hunting frequency on duck abundance, harvest, and hunt quality to sustain science-guided management of waterfowl hunting on Mississippi public lands.