EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



The objective of the mountain lion hunter study was to estimate 

 the economic value of mountain lion hunting as well as develop a 

 profile of lion hunters/chasers. This information will help in 

 setting management direction for mountain lion hunting/chasing in 

 Montana. 



One thousand eight hundred license holders were mailed a 

 questionnaire using the Dillman Total Design Method. A large 

 sample was needed due to the fact that about 50% of licenses 

 holders do not hunt in any given year. Seven hundred and 

 seventeen people returned the survey. The overall response rate 

 was 40%. Chapter II provides details on the response rates and 

 survey methods . 



Mountain lion hunters are mainly men with an average age of 41 

 years. To better understand mountain lion hunters, resident and 

 nonresident responses were separated. While incomes for resident 

 hunters were lower than nonresidents, as expected, it was 

 surprising that almost 70% of residents had incomes between 

 twenty and seventy-five thousand dollars. The majority of 

 nonresidents, 65%, made over forty thousand dollars a year and 

 39% of these hunters made more that seventy-five thousand dollars 

 a year. Residents hunted lions twice as often as nonresidents 

 but spent only about half as much as nonresident hunters during 

 the mountain lion hunt/chase season. Residents spent an average 

 of $29.00 per day on their lion hunting/chasing while 

 nonresidents spent an average of $250.00 per day pursuing lions. 



Lion hunters were also asked to respond to a contingent valuation 

 question in order to estimate what they felt mountain lion 

 hunting was worth over and above their actual expenditures. An 

 analysis of their responses provided estimates of value. Net 

 economic value for resident hunters is $25.00 per day and $50.00 

 per day for nonresidents hunters. Chapter IV provides a detailed 

 look at the estimation of the net economic value analysis. 



