Quote:
Originally Posted by Lreynolds
Individual surveys can't be biased. What is biased is taking information from only part of the population, and then applying it to the entire population. You don't want to estimate the average weight of people in Louisiana by weighing only fat people, right? That is the foundation for taking "random samples". With a random sample you get the full range of hunters from dedicated to once-a-year guys in the proportion they exist in the population.
Unless they buy more than 1 duck-hunting license, the opinion of a dedicated hunter doesn't mean any more than a casual hunter. In fact, from a hunter recruitment and retention standpoint, it probably means less.
On our surveys, the more dedicated, experienced, invested hunters are always the least satisfied ........ but they never quit. They buy a license year after year no matter what. They are the in-flexible portion of my constituency. So if my goal is to grow the number of hunters or reduce the number of hunters that quit, then the dedicated hunters are NOT the segment of the hunter population that I need to focus on.
So NO group of hunters is any more or less valuable to me (except those who participate , and I when evaluating regulations/management options I would like to have the opinions of a random, representative sample of hunters.
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So it's a money thing? Goes to show why so many people probably didn't give a **** to vote. They know their seasoned, dedicated waterfowlers opinion ain't worth the post card the survey was mailed on. And as for new hunters in the state for the year. I've asked that question multiple times but it was some story about the last survey was done with Katrina numbers so we can't judge off that. I highly doubt the waterfowl industry is hurting for newcomers or retention. Go check out a public launch at 4am on a Saturday morning in December, do your surveys there. PLENTY of folk their to ask, and plenty of them aren't seasoned or know a mallard from a teal, right up surveyors alley!