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- Info
Public opinion: Obstacle or aid to sound deer management
| Author: |
Green, Deborah; Askins, Glen R.; West, Phillip D. |
| Date: |
1997 |
| Periodical: |
Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| Abstract: |
Public involvement is necessary in natural resource management, and early input from interested parties is the most effective way to resolve conflicts (McMullin and Nielsen 1991a). The case of Chincoteague demonstrates how public opinion can serve to support rather than obstruct sound deer management. The use of a public opinion survey allowed assessment of the views of a representative sample of the local community. The data gathered from the survey were instrumental in resolving conflicts about deer management generated by the media. The survey also enhanced wildlife managers' credibility with a nontraditional constituency group. Finally, the survey results provided a focus for educational efforts so the public could make informed decisions about local deer management. With the dramatic growth of white-tailed deer populations in the last 20 years, deer management in many locales has shifted from management of a game species to management of a nuisance animal. As deer problems increase, local communities are likely to want fewer deer and become more interested in deer management. The shifting constituency of wildlife agencies to include groups such as homeowners affected by nuisance deer has generated the need for "a marketing approach to wildlife planning" (Wright et al. 1991:39). As the need to manage people becomes an important aspect of managing deer (Decker and Richmond 1995), the effective use of public opinion will become vital to sound deer management. |
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