2018 Season Waterfowl Hunter Survey Summary. Presented by Josh Richardson, Sr. Biologist Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

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1 2018 Season Waterfowl Hunter Survey Summary Presented by Josh Richardson, Sr. Biologist Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

2 Background Waterfowl hunting season and limits are determined by both state and federal entities Several biologically acceptable options Hunter opinion can help determine the course of action to take

3 Waterfowl Hunter Survey Opportunity to hear from hunters across OK & US Internet survey Census of HIP permit holders ~40,000 Senior licenses w/ Administered Oct/Nov 2018

4 Who responded We had 8,627 responses 5,608 had hunted waterfowl in the last five years State & Federal estimates range 10-15k hunters 10 75% Which season(s) did you hunt ducks? 79% 83% 84% 7 74% 5 25%

5 Demographics of Survey Respondents Geography Even spread across state based on population Age Average = 44 years old spread from 12 years - 84 years Avidity Average = years hunting waterfowl spread from 0 years-69 years Gender 4,086 male (98%), 83 female (2%)

6 Reasons to hunt for waterfowl in OK Most important: 1. Being outdoors/ in nature 2. Hunting with friends or family Least important: 1. Maximizing the number of mallards shot in a season 2. Harvesting their daily limit

7 What zone do you hunt most often? 8 76% % 1% Zone 1 Zone 2 Panhandle

8 Zone 1 Hunters % 24% 1% Zone 1 Zone 2 Panhandle Averaged 12 days of hunting Averaged 30 birds harvested Hunted waterfowl an average of 16.8 years

9 Zone 2 Hunters % 24% 1% Zone 1 Zone 2 Panhandle Averaged 15.3 days of hunting Averaged 39.3 birds harvested Hunted waterfowl an average of 16.9 years

10 Primary targeted waterfowl species 45% 4 35% 41% 36% 3 25% 2 15% 13% 1 5% Any legal duck Dabbling ducks 2% MallardsTeal and/or Wood ducks Diving ducks Canada geese Other geese 7%

11 Waterfowl Hunting Land Use % Zone % Zone % % 13.1% 20.2% Free private Paid private Public

12 What days do you typically hunt waterfowl? Weekends are extremely important.. 93% % % 23% 23% 28% 1 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

13 What days/periods are very desirable for having an open waterfowl season? 45% 4 35% 38% % 2 15% 1 15% 16% 17% 17% 5% Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day Weekend Christmas Deer gun opening day Deer gun season Quail season opening day Pheasant season opening day

14 Zones in Oklahoma 2018 Season Dates Panhandle: Oct. 13- Jan. 9 Zone 1: Oct. 27-Nov. 25 & Dec. 8- Jan. 20 Zone 2: Nov. 3- Nov. 25 & Dec. 8- Jan. 27

15 How satisfied are you with the. 5 45% 4 35% 3 25% 2 15% 1 5% Number of duck hunting zones in Oklahoma 3% 2% Very dissatisfied 7% 5% 43% 4 31% 27% 8% Zone 1 Zone 2 9% 12% 13% Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied No opinion/ don't know

16 How satisfied are you with the. 5 45% 4 35% 3 25% 2 15% 1 5% The boundary between Zone 1 and Zone 2 6% 2% Very dissatisfied 11% 6% 43% 44% 19% 24% 7% Zone 1 Zone 2 7% 16% 14% Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied No opinion/ don't know

17 What is your opinion on zones in Oklahoma? 45% 4 Zone 1 Zone % 33% 34% 3 29% 25% 2 15% 22% 22% 1 5% 7% 5% 4% 3% Combine into a single zone Keep 2 zones, leave boundaries as-is Keep 2 zones, but change boundaries Increase to 3 zones Don't know/ no opinion

18 Split General opinion across all of Oklahoma

19 How satisfied are you with. 4 35% 3 25% Having a split season 36% 3 26% Zone 1 Zone % 1 8% 9% 16% 17% 19% 8% 9% 12% 8% 5% Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied No opinion/ don't know

20 How satisfied are you with the. 45% 4 35% 3 Timing of the split 4 36% Zone 1 Zone 2 25% 2 15% 1 5% 8% 9% 2 18% 14% 23% 5% 6% 13% 9% Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied No opinion/ don't know

21 Information by Zone

22 Zone 1 Hunters on Zone 1 Regulations 35% 3 25% Which of the following would you prefer for the split in Zone 1? 3 26% 26% 2 15% 1 5% 11% 6% Keep the 12 day split Reduce to a 5 day split Remove the split Increase to a 19 day split Don't know/ no opinion

23 Zone 1 Hunters on Zone 1 Regulations Which of the following would you prefer for the split in Zone 1? 26% 11% 26% 6% % Keep a split 37% Remove split

24 In terms of those who use public or private land most often in Zone % 62% % 38% Public Private 2 1 Keep Remove

25 6 Of the Zone 1 hunters that want the split removed (n=239), the majority want the season to open later and end later. 55% % 15% 1 8% 3% Open season later, end as-is Open season asis, end earlier Open season later, end earlier Open season later, end later Don't know/ no opinion

26 Zone 2 Hunters on Zone 2 Regulations 35% 3 25% 2 15% Which of the following would you prefer for the split in Zone 2? 33% 27% 21% 14% 1 5% 6% Keep the 12 day split Reduce to a 5 day split Remove the split Increase to a 19 day split Don't know/ no opinion

27 Zone 2 Hunters on Zone 2 Regulations Which of the following would you prefer for the split in Zone 2? 33% 27% 21% 14% 6% % Keep a split 34% Remove split

28 In terms of those who use public or private land most often in Zone % % Public Private 2 1 Keep Remove

29 7 Of the Zone 2 hunters that want the split removed (n=884), the majority want the season to open later and end as-is. 65% % 1 9% 9% Open season later, end as-is Open season as-is, end earlier Open season later, end earlier Don't know/ no opinion

30 In conclusion Reached 5,608 of our 10-15,000 waterfowl hunters, 1/3-1/2 of our waterfowl hunters responded Average annual harvest of birds, days Weekends and holidays important Mostly satisfied with current zones, but opportunity for combining zones Preference for keeping a split, but opportunity for adjusting split timing

31 Next Steps Additional feedback coming via public comment Report finalized and publicly distributed States provide season date selections early May Recent Service decision has extended final frameworks to Jan. 31 for season Zones selected in 2020, realized in 2021

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