A Panel Design to Assess the Effects of Regulatory Induced Reductions in Opportunity on Deer Hunters’ Satisfaction

Abstract

Beginning in 1992, regulatory changes in Colorado shortened rifle hunting for buck deer to the first three days of the combined deer and elk rifle seasons. These changes represented a severe reduction in season length (40%–75%) and provided an opportunity to examine the impact of dramatic regulatory changes on hunters’ beliefs, satisfaction, and behavior using a panel study design. Data were collected before and after the regulatory changes, from a panel of 1,018 rifle buck deer hunters (521 residents and 497 nonresidents). Satisfaction with the rifle buck deer hunting experience declined significantly for both resident and nonresident hunters after the new regulations were implemented. Hunters’ beliefs about the consequences of the regulations and their level of support for the regulations explained a relatively large and significant proportion of the change in satisfaction levels. Beliefs about the consequences of and level of support for the regulations were significant predictors of the perceived level of regulatory constraint. In turn, the level of regulatory constraint predicted perceptions of overall constraint to rifle deer hunting and these perceptions were significantly related to actual participation in rifle buck deer hunting. Study results imply that regulations that are perceived as decreasing recreation opportunities can decrease overall satisfaction with the hunting experience. The authors suggest thresholds exist for regulatory constraints beyond which there are severe impacts on satisfaction.