B.L. Swift's scientific contributions

This paper investigated duck-hunting participation among 1988-1989 small-game license holders in New York. We interviewed 396 sporadic hunters and 400 dissociators by telephone to assess their motivations for hunting ducks and reasons why they temporarily or permanently stopped hunting ducks. All three groups of hunters had multiple motivations for hunting ducks. Achievement motivations was associated more frequently with dissociators and sporadic hunters. Appreciative motivation was most important for consistent hunters. Sporadic hunters may be more likely than consistent hunters to dissociate from duck hunting in the future, and managers may find it difficult to increase their duck-hunting interest. 57% of sporadic hunters indicated they were "too busy' to hunt ducks every year. Confusing regulations about huntable duck species and low waterfowl populations were reported by about one-third of sporadic hunters and dissociators as reasons for not hunting ducks. Lack of a place to hunt ducks and crowded hunting areas were impediments to more sporadic hunters and dissociators than were inconvenient season dates, short seasons, or small bag limits. Cost of duck hunting, short season length, and dislike of steel shot requirements were impediments for a greater number of recent dissociators than for persons who stopped hunting waterfowl before 1980. -from Authors