From: "Mark Damian Duda,
Responsive Management"
[mailto:"Mark Damian Duda,
Responsive
Management"mark@responsivemanagement.com]
Hunting and Fishing Participation Among the Nation's Youth
The future of hunting and fishing in the United States ultimately depends upon
the commitment of future generations to these traditional fish and wildlife
activities. The key to active participation in and commitment to hunting
and fishing by future generations is fostering this commitment and participation
among today's youth.
Responsive Management recently completed a major study to better understand the
factors related to hunting and fishing initiation, participation, retention,
and desertion among today's youth 8-18 years old. There were two major
objectives of this study. The first objective was to identify the factors
involved in the recruitment and retention of
the nation's youth in hunting and fishing. The second objective was to recommend
to the fish and wildlife management community programs and strategies to
increase participation in hunting and fishing among the nation's youth and
improve the retention of these participants. Although there has been a
proliferation of studies on hunting and fishing participation and retention,
almost all of this work has focused on adults. This project focuses on
where hunting and fishing recruitment and retention begin: with the nation's
youth.
There were five phases to this project. Phase I consisted of a literature
review of not only what is known about youth and hunting and fishing participation,
but also what is known about youth participation in other activities,
demographic trends affecting youth, and children's cognitive development and stages
of learning. Phase II consisted of a series of
focus groups of youth of various ages. Phase III consisted of a nationwide
telephone survey of youth from all 50 states regarding their participation in
and opinions on hunting and fishing and other outdoor activities as well as
their attitudes toward wildlife. Phase IV of the project included
extensive cross-tabulations of the telephone survey
data. Phase V of the project is the final report, which includes a synthesis
of the findings from the literature review, focus groups, and telephone survey
and analyses, as well as the implications of the findings. It also
includes recommendations and strategies to increase participation in hunting
and fishing among the nation's youth and improve the
retention of these participants.
All of these reports can be accessed at Responsive Management's brand new website
at www.responsivemanagement.com. The final report can be accessed from
the home page by scrolling down to the link "Factors Related to Hunting
and Fishing Participation among the Nation's Youth" and then clicking on
the "Click here" link. All five phases of this study are also available
for download from Responsive Management's website. To access the additional
phases of this project, click on the link in the left toolbar "Natural
Resource and Outdoor Recreation Research"; twenty-three different topic
areas will appear. Click on either the hunting or fishing sub pages and
then on "Click for a list of reports."
This project was funded under a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Division of Federal Aid, Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration.
Mark Damian Duda
Executive Director
Responsive Management
130 Franklin Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Ph: 540-432-1888
Fx: 540-432-1892
mark@responsivemanagement.com
www.responsivemanagement.com