Correlates of hunting participation in Europe and North America

Abstract

We examine the effects of rural residence, population density, amount of forestland, percent of forestland, age, income, unemployment, and gender on hunting participation in a total of 90 US States, Canadian Provinces and European Countries. The dependent variable was the standardized residual of hunter numbers predicted from the population of the country. This was calculated using a different regression line for each of four regions (US, Canada, EU, and Central European Countries+ Switzerland. Our analysis showed that the percent of the population that was classified as rural was the strongest and most consistent predictor of hunting participation. The amount of forestland also increased hunting participation. Controlling for these variables population density did not have an appreciable effect. States that had lower per capita income also had more hunting. But this relationship was largely do to the lower income in states with higher percentages of rural population. Age, gender, unemployment, and percentage of forestland had no direct influence on hunting participation across states. This analysis provided support for cultural explanations for hunting. Hunting is more associated with rural culture than it is with other factors. The implication is that if one wants to support hunter populations it is important to support rural development and strong rural communities. This could be as important as providing habitat and prey numbers.