LDWF Announces 2015 Waterfowl Hunter Survey Results

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Waterfowl Section announced Thursday the results of the 2015 waterfowl hunter survey at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission’s monthly meeting.

Conducted in partnership with LSU’s School of Renewable Natural Resources, the survey asked Louisiana waterfowl hunters for input on waterfowl hunting activity, experience with the past hunting season, satisfaction with recent changes in zones, zone boundaries, potential new zone boundaries, and attitudes on particular policies.   “This is a continuation of a cooperative human-dimensions research program conducted by LDWF’s Waterfowl Section and LSU since 2010, designed to gather hunter-opinion data to better inform future decisions on waterfowl hunting regulations,” said LDWF Waterfowl Study Leader Larry Reynolds.

The effort included four separate survey modes: 5,000 mailed surveys to randomly selected waterfowl hunters split between 2,500 printed surveys with follow-ups to be completed and mailed back; and 2,500 postcards with Internet pass codes to be completed on-line. E-mails were sent to nearly 25,000 waterfowl hunters asking them to take the survey on-line, and the survey was posted on the LDWF website for hunters not contacted by the other 3 methods. Responses were received from 7,382 hunters, the highest number of participants since this research effort began.

Responses provided feedback on topics including:

*Zones – 80 percent of La. hunters hunt in one zone; only about 1 percent hunt in all three zones.

*Zone satisfaction – 65 percent of hunters responding are satisfied or very satisfied with the zone alignment as it is currently.

*Goose hunters – 85 percent of La. hunters don’t hunt specifically for geese.

*Hunter satisfaction –  59 percent of hunters were satisfied  with the 2014-5 hunting seasons; Coastal Zone hunters were most satisfied with 67 percent responding that they were either satisfied or very satisfied.To view the full hunter survey report presented to the LA Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, go to this web file: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items .   For more information contact, Larry Reynolds at 225-765-0456 or lreynolds@wlf.la.gov.