An open-sourced, web-based application to improve our ability to understand hunter and angler purchasing behavior...

Area of Science:

• Wildlife management
• Conservation funding
• Human dimensions of natural resources

Background:

• State fish and wildlife agencies depend on sportspersons (hunters and anglers) for funding through license sales and equipment taxes.
• A critical information gap exists regarding sportsperson participation, hindering effective engagement strategies.
• Understanding sportsperson behavior, including recruitment, retention, and reactivation, is vital for agency success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, open-source web application, huntfishapp, for analyzing sportsperson license-purchasing data.
• To provide agencies with a tool for deeper insights into their customer base and the impact of management decisions.
• To bridge the information gap on sportsperson participation and inform engagement efforts.

Main Methods:

• Development of a customizable, open-source, web-based application (huntfishapp).
• Integration with structured query language (SQL) databases for hunting and fishing license information.
• Utilizing license-purchasing data to monitor sportsperson recruitment, retention, and reactivation patterns.

Main Results:

• The huntfishapp enables querying and interaction with structured license sales data.
• Dashboards provide agencies with enhanced understanding of sportsperson demographics and behavior.
• The application facilitates the assessment of management decision impacts on participation.

Conclusions:

• The huntfishapp serves as a valuable informational resource and analytical tool for wildlife agencies.
• Improved understanding of sportspersons can lead to more effective engagement and management strategies.
• Data-driven insights from license sales are crucial for informed decision-making in conservation.