Arizona Big Game Hunt Permit Tag Draw Study
Conducted for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, this study evaluated Arizona hunters’ attitudes toward the Arizona Big Game Hunt Permit Tag Draw, as well as participation and attitudes toward hunting. In general, “Arizona hunters feel that having more opportunities to hunt is more important than the hunt quality or outcome of the hunt.”
Survey respondents evaluated thirteen factors related to the hunting experience and ranked these according to importance. The highest ranked factor was having the opportunity to go hunting, which was ranked above actually obtaining a “trophy” animal by most respondents. Approximately twice as many respondents would be satisfied with lower hunt success rates, if they were given the opportunity to hunt more often.
Of the six factors related to a successful hunting experience, the top ranked included:
- Having the opportunity to hunt
- Spending time with family
- Learning to hunt and develop skills
The lowest ranked factor was having a trophy animal.
Although the report includes a number of interesting findings, some of the most notable include:
- Slight majorities of respondents stated that they hunt “frequently,” including 58% of the telephone respondents and 57% of Web respondents. 33% of telephone respondents and 37% of Web respondents claim they hunt “occasionally.”
- The top two reasons given for hunting big game in Arizona among both Web and telephone respondents were ” for the sport, recreation, or challenge,” and “for the meat.”
- The top two hunting companions for both sets of respondents are immediate family and friends.
- The most preferred big game species by both groups is elk, distantly followed by deer.
- The most frequently used weapon type among both groups were rifles, bow and arrows, and shotguns.