Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Schummer, Michael L.

Committee Member

Kaminski, Richard M.

Committee Member

Penny, Edward J.

Committee Member

Hunt, Kevin M.

Committee Member

Burger, L. Wesley

Date of Degree

4-30-2011

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

Waterfowl hunting is important historically, culturally, and economically in Mississippi and North America. I evaluated effect of hunting frequency (2 or 4 days/week) on duck abundance, harvest, and hunters’ perceived quality of their experience on Mississippi Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). Neither relative abundance nor harvest of all ducks, mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), northern shoveler (A. clypeata), or green-winged teal (A. crecca) differed between experimental hunting frequencies. Duck harvest increased with hours spent afield. Hunters’ perceived quality did not differ between hunting frequencies but was greatest when hunters harvested > 4 ducks/ day and increased with harvest of larger sized ducks. I suggest WMAs may be hunted 4 days/week without impacting duck abundance, harvest, or hunt quality. I recommend continued evaluations of hunting frequency on duck abundance, harvest, and hunt quality to sustain science-guided management of waterfowl hunting on Mississippi public lands.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/17290

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