D. C. Guynn, Jr.

Selected characteristics of forest industry hunt-lease programs were determined for II southern states. Mail surveys were obtained from 77 of 109 (71 %) delivered questionnaires that were completed and returned. Respondents reported owning a total of more than 9.4 million ha within the study area in 1984. Most (83%) charged hunters for access to corporate lands. A majority of respondents indicated that non-monetary benefits were gained from hunt-lease programs. Annual lease fees ranged from $2.47 to $26.88/ha and varied by state, timber type and location. Administration was the highest...

Characteristics and activities of hunters leasing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunting rights in South Carolina and Mississippi during 1984 were assessed by mail survey. Of 520 questionnaires delivered, 66% were returned. Safety (81 %), fellowship (76%), and higher quality hunting (70%) were ranked as the most important reasons for leasing hunting rights by respondents in both states. The majority of hunters in both states felt that the right to post leased lands was very important, with about 50% indicating they would discontinue leasing if posting rights were taken away....

A mail questionnaire was used to determine behaviors of Mississippi nonindustrial private forest landowners toward hunting on their lands. Seventy-three percent (516 of 704) of the questionnaires were returned. A telephone survey of nonrespondents indicated negligible bias in the mail survey. About 45% of the respondents posted their land and 43% allowed no hunting by the general public. At least 77% of the respondents allowed hunting on their lands. Since only 6% of the respondents leased hunting rights, most hunting was by the landowner, family or guests. Timber was the most important...

Characteristics and opinions of deer hunters using the Choctaw and Tallahala Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) were determined from a mail questionnaire. Respondents were typically white, middle-class males. Characteristics of education, occupation and community size of residence were significantly different (P < 0.05) between the WMAs. The quality of hunting and current management practices, with the exception of hunting with dogs, were favorably rated on both WMAs. Significantly more respondents from the Tallahala WMA (66%) than the Choctaw WMA (42%) favored hunting with dogs....

A mail survey of licensed trappers was conducted annually from 1976-1977 to 1979-1980 to obtain data to meet reporting requirements of the United States Endangered Species Scientific Authority (ESSA) on the status of the river otter (Lutra canadensis) in Mississippi. Estimates of harvest by trapping, number of trappers catching otters, trapper success, catch per unit effort, and species distribution were obtained from the data. An average of 356 licensed trappers caught an average of 1,155 river otters annually over the 4-year period. Occurrence of river otter was documented in 60 (73%) of...