Mike Tonkavitch, Ohio

Managing Ohio’s Whitetailed Deer

Michael J. Tonkovich, Ph.D. Deer Biologist Athens 740-589-9922 [email protected]

Topics for Discussion 

White-tailed Deer Timeline

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Overview of Ohio Deer Management Process – Goal Setting, Seasons, Permits, Hunters, Harvest

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Management Challenges and Strategies

Deer program timeline 

Deer were absent

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Deer were found in 28 eastern and southeastern counties

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1st modern season – 12 days, buck-only (“4-inch horn”)

1904-19 1937

1943

Deer program timeline 

1st either-sex season to address crop damage in NE Ohio

1947

1956-64 

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Statewide either-sex season to provide “sustained hunting recreation” Mandatory registration

1962 1963

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Deer Management Policy – W17

Deer Management Policy W17, 1963 “to provide maximum sustained hunting recreation within the context of minimizing conflicts between deer populations and agriculture, forestry, motorists, and the general citizenry who prize the presence and sight of deer”

Topics for Discussion 

White-tailed Deer Timeline



Overview of Ohio Deer Management Process – Goal Setting, Seasons, Permits, Hunters, Harvest

Deriving a Deer Population Goal or Target Farmer attitude surveys Public open houses Miscellaneous surveys Other

County Population Goal or Target

Hunters, Harvest, Permits, and Herd Demographics OHIO HUNTERS

MICHIGAN

380,000

724,239

0.6 MILLION

1.5 MILLION

232,000

477,000

0.7 MILLION

1.8 MILLION

% ANTLERLESS

63%

44%

% YEARLING BUCKS

50%

63%

DEER PERMITS HARVEST DEER POPULATION

Ohio’s Deer Seasons Season Archery

Dates 27 Sep - 1 Feb

Gun Regular Bonus

1 Dec - 7 Dec 20 Dec - 21 Dec

Youth (17 and under)

22 Nov - 23 Nov

Muzzleloader

27 Dec - 30 Dec

Deer Management Zones and Permits

Deer Zone

Bag Limit

Zone A Zone B Zone C

1 deer 2 deer 3 deer

Valid Permits $24 either-sex, $15 antlerless-only $24 either-sex, $15 antlerless-only $24 either-sex, $15 antlerless-only

Topics for Discussion 

Timeline



Overview of Ohio Deer Management Process – Goal Setting, Seasons, Permits, Hunters, Harvest



Management Challenges and Strategies

Minimum Statewide Deer Population, 1990-2006

700,000

Challenges… With room to grow!

Licensed Ohio Hunters, 1925-2006

Licensed Deer Hunters, 2000-2007

Licensed Hunters who Deer Hunt, 1978-2007

Annual Ohio Deer Hunter Participation Rate 551,000 Hunters that Purchased at Least 1 Deer Permit 2001-2007

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Annual “Churn” or Turnover Among Deer Hunters 

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Nationally, 37% of This Year’s Hunters will NOT Hunt Next Year! 25% of Ohio and Michigan Hunters will NOT Hunt Next Year! “A Year Out is a Way Out” How Can We Reduce Annual Turnover? – –

Targeted Marketing? Hunter Surveys?

Reducing Annual Churn with Targeted Marketing 

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The Strategic Plan for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, 2001-2010, lists 9 strategic issues including: – Recruitment & Retention of Anglers, Hunters & Trappers Retention & Recruitment Program strategies to increase participation in hunting include: – Fully utilize information from our Point of Sale license system… – Employ both proven & newly developed

Reducing Annual Churn with Targeted Marketing – Identify hunters likely to lapse in the coming season (modeling approach) – 2004 - Test effectiveness of a fullcolor promotional brochure on deer hunting & a small incentive offer for increasing license purchase rates among targeted hunters – 2005 - Test effectiveness of multitouch mailings (postcards) for increasing license purchase rates among targeted hunters – 2006 - Test effectiveness of “Large Incentive” for increasing license purchase rates among targeted hunters

Modeling License-buying Behavior by Ohio Hunters 

Ohio Hunters Likely to Lapse – Buy hunting license late in the year / close to deer gun season – Buy few, if any, additional permits or only a single deer permit – Have limited harvest success during deer season – Have low social support (few other hunters in their household or neighborhood)

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Available Resources – Point-of-Sale license & permit purchase records (includes purchase date) in a central data warehouse since 1999

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Model Parameters included: – 4-year deer permit buying records – 4-year hunting license buying records – Timing of deer permit purchases

2004 – Ohio Hunting Guide 

Promotional Brochure – Emphasized deer hunting opportunities (all seasons) – TIME – Included maps of public hunting areas & “Getting Permission to Hunt on Private Lands” – ACCESS – Offered “Tips for Success” & “Other Hunting Opportunities” – VALUE

2005 – Multi-touch Mailings 

Timing & Key Messages – Mid-October: emphasized early deer hunting opportunities - TIME – Early November: highlighted other hunting opportunities – VALUE – Late November: trophy deer & last minute reminder linked to Ohio State-Michigan rivalry – QUALITY

2006 – Large Incentive

SUMMARY of FINDINGS 

Electronic Licensing Sales systems can be “mined” to model license-buying behavior & predict which hunters are likely to lapse

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Hunting Information & Reminders showed limited results in terms of increasing license purchases among sporadic & occasional hunters – Both lacked “urgency” or significant “call for action”

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Strategies that most effectively address “why people hunt less” may be more successful (i.e., identify & overcome the barriers to participation) – Why do 25% of Hunters “Churn” each Year?

NEXT STEPS? 

Develop cooperative research projects with Human Dimensions researchers at Ohio State University – Use focus groups from past efforts to understand what worked, what didn’t & how to better communicate or “sell” our message

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Concentrate on Avid Hunter Groups – “Up-sell” and “Cross-sell” products to good customers

Annual “Churn” or Turnover Among Deer Hunters 

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 

Nationally, 37% of This Year’s Hunters will NOT Hunt Next Year! 25% of Ohio and Michigan Hunters will NOT Hunt Next Year! “A Year Out is a Way Out” How Can We Reduce Annual Turnover? – –

Targeted Marketing? Hunter Surveys?

2005 DEER HUNTER SURVEY

“MORE WEEK-END DAYS TO HUNT WITH A FIREARM – 46%

Ohio’s Deer Seasons Season Archery

Dates 27 Sep - 1 Feb

Gun Regular Bonus

1 Dec - 7 Dec 20 Dec - 21 Dec

Youth (17 and under)

22 Nov - 23 Nov

Muzzleloader

27 Dec - 30 Dec

2005 DEER HUNTER SURVEY

“LICENSE FEES TOO HIGH – 32%

Reduced ($15 vs. $24) Price Antlerless Permit -2007 

Strategy – Double Antlerless Bag Limits 1st 8 weeks of Archery – Permit Archers to use Antlerless Permit Statewide 1st 8 weeks of Archery

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Expectations – Increase TOTAL antlerless harvest, not

Evaluation of the $15 Antlerless Permit 

84,000 antlerless permits to 68,000 hunters

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Total permit sales up 8%! – A slightly higher than average (18%) number of hunters (20%) bought more (rather than the same or fewer) permits – Many that bought more, bought significantly more!

Evaluation of the $15 Antlerless Permit Proportion of Hunters Buying 1, 2, and 3 or more Deer Permits, 2007 vs. 5-year Average

Evaluation of the $15 Antlerless Permit Mean Number of Deer Permits Purchased per Hunter, 2001-2007

Evaluation of the $15 Antlerless Permit Percent of Hunters Buying More in 2007

Number of Deer Permits in 2006

Evaluation of the $15 Antlerless Permit Percent of Hunters Buying 1, 2, 3 or more Permits in 2006

Percent of Hunters by Permit Group Buying MORE Permits in 2007

Greatest Response from the Smallest Group of Hunters and Lowest Response from The Largest Group of Hunters

Annual Deer Hunting Participation Rate 551,000 Hunters that Purchased at Least 1 Deer Permit 2001-2007

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Evaluation of the $15 Antlerless Permit Change in Antlered and Antlerless Harvest in 2007, 1st 8 weeks only

38%!

1%

Daily Composition of Hunter Harvested Deer, Archery Opener to Gun Season Opener, 2007 vs. 2006 2006

Antlered

2007

Antlerless % Antlerless Deer in Harvest Starts Higher Shift to Antlered Delayed by 1 Week

Even During the Rut, % Antlered Deer Never Reaches 2006 Levels! Harvest shifts to back to antlerless deer 7-10 days ahead of EXPIRATION DATE!

Can We Increase Antlerless Harvest by Limiting Opportunities? 

Money Influenced the Purchase Decision, the Deadline Influenced the Harvest Decision!

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Long Seasons May Lull Hunters Into Believing There is “Lots” of Time Left to Shoot my Doe!

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Deferring Harvest Often Leads to Missed Opportunities!

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Additional Seasons May Simply Redistribute Hunter Harvest or Perhaps Reduce It By Diluting “Hunter Effort”

Thank You!

Michael J. Tonkovich, Ph.D. Deer Biologist Athens [email protected] 740-589-9922