Deer Hunters' Perceptions and Behaviors Associated with the Deer Crop DamageIssue in Michigan

摘要

Agriculture is a major industry in Michigan, and deep depredation to crops canhave a significant impact on individual producers and the State's economy. Along with regular season antlerless dear harvest, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division implements two special permit systems for culling deer in an attempt to control crop losses. These 'Shooting Permits' and 'Block Permits' are a source of debate between farmers and deer hunters, and these localized controversies create a challenging social environment for deer management. A multi disciplinary study was funded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (Wildlife Division) (MDNR-Wildlife Division), Michigan Agriculture Experiment Station (MAES) and the Michigan State University Extension Service (MSU-E) to investigate biological and sociological factors that could assist in the management of issues associated with crop depredation by deer. This