Explaining support for mandatory versus voluntary conservation actions among waterfowlers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Personal conservation behavior and compliance with natural resource regulations are important to wildlife conservation. We examined how waterfowl-hunting involvement, motivations, satisfaction, and experience, along with institutional trust and demographics, correlated with support for waterfowl regulations and personal conservation actions. Regulations included zones, split seasons, and motorized decoys, while conservation behaviors addressed hunter recruitment, along with donations, volunteering, and voting in ways to support wildlife conservation. Results suggested that agency trust was positively related to support for regulations but negatively related to personal conservation behaviors. An increased orientation to harvest waterfowl was negatively related to both support for regulations and conservation behaviors. Education, income, Ducks Unlimited membership, and days hunting were positively related to personal conservation behavior. Results may help managers work cooperatively with hunters and conservation groups to support wildlife conservation.