Role of Hunting in
Wildlife Management
Dr. Kenneth J. Raedeke
Affiliate Professor
University of Washington
Traditional Roles of Hunting
Harvest resources (meat, hides, etc.)
 Manage wildlife populations
 Reduce problem species
 Provide recreational opportunities
 Economic return to society

North American Wildlife
Management Model
Wildlife as a public trust resource
 Elimination of markets for game
 Allocation of wildlife by law
 Kill only for legitimate purpose
 Wildlife is an international resource
 Science-based wildlife policy
 Democracy of hunting

Current Big Game Harvests in
Washington State (2008)
Deer
 Elk
 Moose
 Black bear
 Mountain goat
 Bighorn sheep
 Cougar

35,040
6,826
74
2,115
15
32
188
Game Bird Harvests in Washington
State (2008)
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Wild turkey
Pheasants
Band-tailed pigeons
Doves
Ducks
Geese
Grouse & Quail
5,035
20,000
434
68,735
410,000
74,045
251,472
Economic Value of Hunting
(1996 Data)
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14 Million hunters in USA
Hunters spent $23 Billion in direct expenses
Ripple effect of $73 Billion
Generated $3.1 Billion in state and federal taxes
Created 704,600 jobs nationwide
 Resulting
in household income of $416 Billion
 1% of USA workforce
Washington State Statistics
(2006 data)
Hunters
182,000
 Days of hunting
2,126,000
 Total expenditures$313,134,000
 Average $$ per hunter
$1,688
 Average $$ per Wildlife
Viewer
$563

Pittman-Robertson Funding
Hunter initiated tax on firearms and
ammunition of 10% in 1930
 Generated $2 billion
 Currently $150 million per year
 Funds used for wildlife management by
states

Wildlife Harvest Models

Annual surplus model

Large mammals
 Bird populations

Maximum Sustained Yield (MSY)
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Large mammals (control situations)
Population control model

For pest or eruptive populations
Annual Surplus Model
Hunting takes the annual surplus
production that can not be supported by
the habitat
 Based on concept of compensatory
mortality

 That
is, hunting mortality replaces other forms
of mortality and is not additive
Maximum Sustained Yield Model
Produces the highest harvest from a
population
 Reduces population to half of carrying
capacity of habitat
 Based on logistic growth model
 Used for deer/elk damage problems on
private commodity lands

Maximum Sustained Yield
Control of Wildlife Populations
Snow geese in western USA and Canada
 White tailed deer in mid-west and eastern
USA
 Deer and elk on private commodity lands
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Why do I hunt?
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Family tradition in rural America
Challenge of the chase
Get out doors and appreciate nature
Spend time with friends and family
Obtain interesting meat and artifacts
Support wildlife conservation

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License fees ( $500 per year)
Tax on sporting goods
Travel to exotic lands