CHAPTER II 



METHODS 



Survey Design 



The Montana Mountain Lion Hunting Survey (See example in Appendix 

 A) was used to collect a wide range of information from 

 respondents who hunted and/or chased mountain lions. The survey 

 was divided into four sections (See Appendix A for a copy of the 

 survey) . 



Section I covered the respondent's mt.lion hunting/chasing 

 activities, reasons for hunting mt . lions, and 

 reasons they chose an area. 



Section II dealt with different mountain lion management 

 options . 



Section III provided information on the hunters' trip 



expenditures, travel time, distance traveled, as 

 well as contingent valuation questions. 



Section IV furnished information on socio-demographic 

 characteristics including age, income, sex, 

 employment, etc. 



The data collected from Sections I, II, and IV of the survey are 

 presented in Chapter III. The information from the contingent 

 valuation questions in Section III is detailed in Chapter IV. 



Sample and Survey Administration 



The population from which the sample was drawn was resident and 

 nonresident hunters who purchased a mountain lion license during 

 1993. The Dillman Total Design Method (1978) was used to conduct 

 the mail survey. Mountain lion hunters first received a cover 

 letter and survey along with a postage paid return envelope. One 

 week later everyone was sent a reminder postcard. Those hunters 

 who had not returned their surveys after the third week were 

 mailed a second survey, cover letter, and return envelope. 



Survey Response Rates 



A large sample size was decided upon due to the fact that about 



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