Abstract
Hunters that have options to hunt in different areas should evaluate their previous hunting success when they decide where to hunt. Following optimal foraging theory for non-human predators, we investigated if hunting success and density of other hunters on the hunting area will affect the probability of return to the same area, and if such behavioural changes will result in a higher hunting success compared to hunters that change to a new area. For this purpose, we used detailed information about willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus) hunters on state-owned land in Sweden. We found support for the optimal foraging theory application on grouse hunters’ behavioural changes according to hunting success. The return rate increased with increasing hunting success, and hunters that returned to the same area also increased their success compared to hunters that changed to a new area. Only one third of the hunters returned to the same area the subsequent year. We also found a negative effect of density of hunters in an area on hunters’ return rates and their hunting success, suggesting crowding among Swedish grouse hunters.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aanes S, Engen S, Sæther BE, Willebrand T, Marcström V (2002) Sustainable harvesting strategies of willow ptarmigan in a fluctuating environment. Ecol Appl 12:281–290
Andersen, O (2008) Attitudes of hunters and managers toward harvest regulations of willow ptarmigan in Norway. MSc Thesis, Hedmark University College, Evenstad
Asmyhr L, Willebrand T, Hörnell-Willebrand M (2012a) General experience rather than of local knowledge is important for grouse hunters bag size. Hum Dimens Wildl 17:437–445
Asmyhr L, Willebrand T, Hörnell-Willebrand M (2012b) Successful adult willow grouse are exposed to increased harvest risk. J Wildl Manag 76:940–943
Bryan H (1977) Leisure value systems and recreational specialization: the case of trout fishermen. J Leis Res 9:1974–1987
Brøseth H, Pedersen HC (2010) Disturbance effects of hunting activity in a willow ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus population. Wildl Biol 16:241–248
Charnov E (1976) Optimal foraging, the marginal value theorem. Theor Popul Biol 9:129–136
Curio E (1987) Animal decision-making and the “Concorde fallacy”. Trends Ecol Evol 2:148–52
Faye-Schjøll, E (2008) Hunters’ satisfaction as affected by ptarmigan density and hunting practice. MSc Thesis, Hedmark University College, Evenstad
Frey S, Conover M, Borgo J (2003) Factors influencing pheasant hunter harvest and satisfaction. Hum Dimens Wildl 8:277–286
Hayslette S, Armstrong J (2001) Mourning dove hunting in Alabama: motivations, satisfactions, and sociocultural influences. Hum Dimens Wildl 6:37–41
Hazel K, Langenau E, Levine R (1990) Dimensions of hunting satisfaction: multiple satisfactions of wild turkey hunting. Leis Sci 12:383–393
Heberlein T (2012) Navigating environmental attitudes. Conserv Biol 26:583–585
Hill K, Kaplan H, Hawkes K, Hurtado AM (1987) Foraging decisions among Aché hunter-gatherers: new data and implications for optimal foraging models. Ethol Sociobiol 8:1–36
Hutchinson JMC, Wilke A, Todd PM (2008) Patch leaving in humans: can a generalist adapt its rules to dispersal of items across patches? Anim Behav 75:1331–1349
Höner OP, Wachter B, East ML, Runyoro VA, Hofer H (2005) The effect of prey abundance and foraging tactics on the population dynamics of a social, territorial carnivore, the spotted hyena. Oikos 108:544–554
Hörnell-Willebrand, M (2005) Temporal and spatial dynamics of willow grouse Lagopus lagopus. PhD Thesis, Swedish Agricultural University, Umeå, Sweden
Hörnell-Willebrand M, Marcström V, Brittas R, Willebrand T (2006) Temporal and spatial correlation in chick production of willow grouse Lagopus lagopus in Sweden and Norway. Wildl Biol 12:347–355
Kennedy J (1974) Attitudes and behavior of deer hunters in a Maryland forest. J Wildl Manag 38:1–8
Kurland JA, Beckerman SJ (1985) Optimal foraging and hominid evolution: labor and reciprocity. Am Anthropol 87:73–93
Lande, US (2011) Grouse—habitat relationships: monitoring, scale and management. PhD Thesis, Swedish Agricultural University, Umeå
Länsstyrelsen, AB (2007) Sammanställning webenklanket till ripjægare på statens mark i Jämtland, Västerbotten och Norrbotten (in Swedish). Technical report – working document. www.lansstyrelsen.se.
Lindberget, M (2009) Using bag statistics as a management tool: does previous harvest affect CPUE? (in Swedish). MSc Thesis, Swedish Agricultural University, Umeå, Sweden
Lindström ER, Andrén H, Angelstam P, Cederlund G, Hörnfeldt B, Jäderberg L, Lemnell PA, Martinsson B, Sköld K, Swenson JE (1994) Disease reveals the predator: sarcoptic mange, red fox predation, and prey populations. Ecology 75:1042–1049
Mangel M (1990) Dynamic information in uncertain and changing worlds. J Theor Biol 146:317–332
Marcström V, Höglund NH (1980) Factors affecting reproduction of willow grouse, Lagopus lagopus, in two highland areas of Sweden. Swedish Wildlife Research, Viltrevy 11:284–314
Olsson GE, Willebrand T, Smith A (1996) The effects of hunting on willow grouse Lagopus lagopus movements. Wildl Biol 2:11–15
Pyke G, Pulliam H, Charnov E (1977) Optimal foraging: a selective review of theory and tests. Q Rev Biol 52:137–154
Schielzeth H (2010) Simple means to improve the interpretability of regression coefficients. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 1:103–113
Schroeder S, Fulton D (2006) Managing for preferred hunting experiences: A typology of Minnesota waterfowl hunters. Wildl Soc Bull 34:380–387
Shelby B, Heberlein T (1986) Carrying capacity in recreation settings. Oregon State University Press, Oregon
Small RJ, Marcstrom Y, Willebrand T (1993) Synchronous and nonsynchronous population fluctuations of some predators and their prey in central Sweden. Ecography 16:360–364
Steen JB, Steen H, Stenseth NC, Myrberget S, Marcström V (1988) Microtine density and weather as predictors of chick production in willow ptarmigan. Lagopus l Lagopus Oikos 51:367–373
Sutherland, WJ (1996) From individual behaviour to population ecology. Oxford University Press
Vaske J, Fedler A, Graefe A (1986) Multiple determinants of satisfaction from a specific waterfowl hunting trip. Leis Sci 8:146–166
Vaske JJ, Shelby LB (2008) Crowding as a descriptive indicator and an evaluative standard: results from 30 years of research. Leis Sci 30:111–126
Wam H, Andersen O, Pedersen HC (2013) Grouse hunting regulations and hunter typologies in Norway. Hum Dimens Wildl 18:45–57
Willebrand T, Hörnell M (2001) Understanding the effects of harvesting willow ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus in Sweden. Wildl Biol 7:205–212
Willebrand T, Hörnell-Willebrand M, Asmyhr L (2011) Willow grouse bag size is more sensitive to variation in hunter effort than to variation in willow grouse density. Oikos 120:1667–1673
Willebrand T, Paulrud A (2004) Småviltjakt i Jämtland 2003:-så tycker jägarna (In Swedish with English summary). FjallMistra-Rapport 9:1–28
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the county administration of Jämtland for providing us the data and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments which greatly improved the manuscript. We would also like to thank Rolf A. Ims for commenting on the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by C. Gortãzar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Asmyhr, L., Willebrand, T. & Hörnell-Willebrand, M. The optimal foraging theory, crowding and Swedish grouse hunters. Eur J Wildl Res 59, 743–748 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0729-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0729-4