EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



The objective of this study was to estimate the net economic 

 value (net willingness to pay) for deer hunting in Montana. A 

 regional Travel Cost Model (TCM) was used to statistically derive 

 a demand equation from survey data collected from hunters during 

 the spring of 1986. 



The regional TCM approach is recommended by the Water 

 Resources Council (1979, 1983) as one of the two preferred 

 techniques for estimating recreational benefits. In addition, a 

 number of Federal agencies are required by the Water Resource 

 Council Principles and Guidelines (1983) to use the concept of 

 net economic value when evaluating Federal agency actions. 



The TCM method uses the distance traveled as a measure of 

 price and the number of trips taken from a given origin to a 

 particular site as a measure of quantity. The resulting "demand 

 equation" is used to calculate the additional amount deer hunters 

 would be willing to pay, over and above their travel costs, to 

 have the opportunity to hunt at the site being investigated. 



The conversion of distance traveled to a dollar value is 

 accomplished by multiplying travel distance by a cost per mile 

 figure. Two cost per mile values were calculated and used in 

 this study. The cost per mile figure calculated from the angler 

 survey (i.e., reported cost basis) more closely represents the 

 actual cost associated with recreational vehicles used during 



