EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



The objective of the upland game bird hunter study was to estimate the net economic value of 

 an upland game bird hunting trip. Estimates of net economic value were determined for a 1990 

 upland game bird hunting trip for the average hunter as well as for resident and nonresident 

 hunters and "first" and "last" trip of the hunting season. Net economic values were also 

 estimated for a hypothetically improved hunting condition. In addition resident and nonresident 

 hunter expenditures are detailed along with hunter/trip characteristics, attitudinal and preference 

 information, and opinions about selected upland game bird management issues. 



The upland game bird questionnaire was mailed to 3,000 upland game bird hunters. The 

 Dillman Total Design Method was used to administer this survey, resulting in a 74 percent 

 response rate. This method requires sending an initial survey, a follow-up postcard, and if 

 necessary a second survey. See Chapter II for details concerning the response rate and Dillman 

 method. Since no follow-up of nonrespondents was conducted, it is not known if their responses 

 were different from those hunters who resfK)nded. 



Hunter and trip characteristics for resident and nonresident hunters differed in many areas. 

 Nonresidents drove considerably farther than residents (755 vs. 58 miles), had higher incomes 

 ($54,000 vs. $38,000), and a larger percentage belong to a hunting/conservation organization. 

 Nonresidents also spent considerably more on their trip than resident hunters, see Table 8 for 

 details. A detailed presentation of this information is found in Tables 2-6, Chapter III. 



The valuation of upland game bird hunting was accomplished by asking hunters to respond to 

 two contingent valuation (CVM) questions. The question format presented hunters with a 

 straightforward "yes-no" situation on whether or not the trip was worth a predetermined bid 

 amount randomly varied across questionnaires. Their answers provided the data to estimate the 

 net economic value of upland game bird hunting. 



Analysis of responses resulted in a net economic value of $149.00 for the complete sample. Net 

 economic values for the resident/nonresident subsamples were $131. 00 and $174.00 respectively. 

 Chapter IV provides a detailed look at the estimation of the net economic values and Table 9 

 presents the benefit estimates for the various situations analyzed. 



