Using Latent Profile Analysis to Evaluate Preferences for Chronic Wasting Disease Management Options among Different Hunter Types.

Abstract

Simple SummaryExtensive research has explored hunters’ support for chronic wasting disease management, but many studies do not account for differences between types of hunters nor the tradeoffs hunters make in their decision-making about management alternatives. To address this, we used data from a survey of Texas hunters to create categories of hunters and explore their preferences for chronic wasting disease management based on these categories. Across five hunter categories, most hunters support disease management, although their attitudes towards Texas Parks and Wildlife Department varied. Different hunter categories had different preferences for chronic wasting disease management policies. Wildlife agencies can refer to our study findings to create preferred chronic wasting disease management policies and better communicate about them.Wildlife agencies seek to understand how hunters have and will respond to chronic wasting disease (CWD) management policies because of the vital role hunters play in deer management efforts. As such, dozens of studies have examined the human dimensions of CWD management and policy to assess stakeholder support for management alternatives and reveal what drives support. However, most of these studies have not (1) fully explored the heterogeneity that exists among hunters, and (2) accounted for the tradeoffs that agencies and hunters must make with regard to deer management and potential CWD policy alternatives. To address these deficiencies, we used latent profile analysis to create different typologies of hunters based on a survey of Texas hunters, then analyzed discrete choice experiments investigating the CWD management preferences of these typologies. Across five hunter typologies, we found strong overall support for CWD management, although attitudes towards Texas Parks and Wildlife Department were variable. Preferences for CWD management policies greatly differed between each hunter typology. Wildlife agencies can refer to our findings to better develop hunter-preferred CWD management policies and identify areas of compromise between typologies. Our results also provide agencies with insights regarding how to better communicate about CWD management with different types of hunters.