CHAPTER VII 



CONCLUSIONS 



The basic conclusion of this report is that there are significant 

 recreation values associated with deer hunting in Montana. 

 Specific major findings are as follows: 



- 5000 questionnaires were mailed to resident and 

 nonresident holders of deer hunting tags with an overall response 

 rate of 66.5 percent 



- of the 2950 returned questionnaires 2395 were from 

 residents and 555 were from nonresidents 



- of the 2950 returned questionnaires 2786 hunters hunted on 

 their own and 164 hunters hired guides 



- average expenditures per trip were $112.64 for residents, 

 $1006.12 for nonresidents, $1591.95 for guided hunters and 

 $217.47 for nonguided hunters 



- average expenditures per day were $25.08 for residents, 

 $146.23 for nonresidents, $242.67 for guided hunters and $45.21 

 for nonguided hunters 



- the mean net economic value of a Montana deer hunting trip 

 is $301.51 



- the mean net economic value of a Montana deer hunting day 

 is $61.40 



- per trip net economic values varied widely between hunter 

 subgroups with values of $208.74 for residents, $705.85 for 

 nonresidents, $799.99 for guided hunters and $269.05 for 

 nonguided hunters 



- hunters consistently ranked alternative hunting conditions 

 with the chance for a large buck valued highest, the chance for 

 an extra deer valued slightly lower and a good chance for a doe 

 or small buck valued lowest 



- current trip values were not statistically different for 

 the seven DFWP administrative regions 



- when hunters were clustered according to their motivations 

 for hunting they showed significantly different net economic 

 values for their deer hunting trips 



51 



