Hunting management and hunting-related values

Abstract

Aim of the present analysis is to show how the attitude towards hunting management depends on hunting-related values. 237 standardized questionnaires have been distributed to hunters of Northern Hellas (Macedonia and Thrace) and the data were processed through Pearson test after normality test. Contrary to the hunters who regard hunting merely as a “sport”, these who regard it as a “life way” support long-term, more “eco-centric” and sustainable solutions like habitat improvement and predator control (and not, for example, release of quarries). This group of hunter is negative to more intensive hunting guarding, as it does not tolerate to have its “reliability” questioned and to be “policed” in his “life way”. Hunters who consider hunting to be not only a “male” but also a “female” activity present also a similar attitude. Hunters who feel respect to the quarry desire control of predators, so that they assure more opportunities to kill it themselves in a “respectful” way (quick and accurately). Moreover, they want to feel “the value of the defeated which gives glory to the winner”. Hunters who seek social distinction through hunting desire quick increase of quarry population through release and predator control in order to increase the probability to catch them and to gain thereby in prestige within his hunter companion. Hunters who search for beautiful landscapes during hunting are negative towards release of quarries as this spoils the quietness and the “naturalness” of landscape. They rather desire intensive guarding. In conclusion basic hunting management alternatives (quarry release, habitat improvement, predator control and intensive hunting guarding) are correlated with certain hunting-related values.

Full text

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Hunting management and hunting-related values
C. K. Sokos1, N. D. Hasanagas2, K. G. Papaspyropoulos3, P. K. Birtsas4*
¹Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace, Ethnikis Antistaseos 173-175, GR 55134, Thessaloniki, Hellas
²Forest Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Foundation, GR 57006 Vassilika- Thessaloniki,
Hellas
³Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Forestry and Natural Environment, GR 54124, Hellas
4Technological Education Institute of Larissa, Department of Forestry and Management of Natural Environment,
Laboratory of Wildlife, GR 43100 Karditsa, Hellas
*Corresponding author: E-mail: pbirtsas@teilar.gr, Tel.- Fax +30 2441064725,
Abstract
Aim of the present analysis is to show how the attitude towards hunting management depends on
hunting-related values. 237 standardized questionnaires have been distributed to hunters of Northern
Hellas (Macedonia and Thrace) and the data were processed through Pearson test after normality test.
Contrary to the hunters who regard hunting merely as a “sport”, these who regard it as a “life way”
support long-term, more “eco-centric” and sustainable solutions like habitat improvement and predator
control (and not, for example, release of quarries). This group of hunter is negative to more intensive
hunting guarding, as it does not tolerate to have its “reliability” questioned and to be “policed” in his
“life way”. Hunters who consider hunting to be not only a “male” but also a “female” activity present
also a similar attitude. Hunters who feel respect to the quarry desire control of predators, so that they
assure more opportunities to kill it themselves in a “respectful” way (quick and accurately). Moreover,
they want to feel “the value of the defeated which gives glory to the winner”. Hunters who seek social
distinction through hunting desire quick increase of quarry population through release and predator
control in order to increase the probability to catch them and to gain thereby in prestige within his
hunter companion. Hunters who search for beautiful landscapes during hunting are negative towards
release of quarries as this spoils the quietness and the “naturalness” of landscape. They rather desire
intensive guarding. In conclusion basic hunting management alternatives (quarry release, habitat
improvement, predator control and intensive hunting guarding) are correlated with certain hunting-
related values.
Keywords: wildlife management, hunting view, mentality, value system
1. INTRODUCTION
The inadequate strategic planning for the hunting activity in Hellas causes consequences to wildlife and
to humans [1]. The hare-hunters of Thessaloniki, for example, believe that the improvement of hunting
quality is required. For the achievement of this aim they declare “willingness to pay” provided that it is
ensured that their money will effectively serve the aim for which it is intended [2].
Many wildlife managers claim that human attitudes are the most challenging problem [3]. The wildlife
managers should take into consideration simultaneously environmental, social and economic conditions
[4]. Not all hunters are characterized by the same social features and the need of a Sociology of
Hunting becomes every year stronger [5]. Hunting management is not only a matter of policy-making
but also a matter of individual values which determine the mentality and thereby the attitude of hunters
to management strategies [6].
Sokos C., Hasanagas N., Papaspyropoulos K., Birtsas P. 2009. Hunting management and hunting – related values.
Proceedings of 2nd Conference on Environmental Management, Engineering, Planning and Economics (CEMEPE
2009). Kungolos, A., Aravossis, K., Karagiannidis, A., Samaras, P. (eds). University of Thessaly and National
Technical University of Athens, 2009. (ISBN: 978-960-6865-09-1).

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Aim of this analysis is to show how the attitude towards hunting management depends on hunting-
related values. These can be dimensioned as follows: a) position of hunting in the relevance system of
the hunter, and b) pedagogic function of hunting. In particular, the position of hunting in the relevance
system can be analyzed as follows: 1) regarding hunting as “life way”, 2) regarding hunting as a simple
“sport”, 3) acceptance of gender equality concerning hunting. The mentality influence is here defined
as inspiration of certain feelings to hunters like 1) respect to the quarry, 2) social distinction, and 3)
appreciation of beautiful landscapes.
2. METHOD
237 standardized questionnaires have been distributed to hunters of Northern Greece (Macedonia and
Thrace) and the data were processed through cross-sectional analysis. Pearson test has been applied.
Focused interviews with hunters groups have been conducted before the research design in order to
operationalize the initial explanatory variables. In depth interviews with individual experienced hunters
and participating observation have been used in order to interpret the results.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The hunters who participated in the research varied from 20 to 79 years old (average: 46) and their
education involved either not holders of a degree or graduates of all the educational levels (30% of the
sample were high school graduates). A significant number of hunters ask for control of predators and
hunting guarding (42.6% and 50.9 % respectively). Release (28.7%) and the improvement of habitat
(26.9%) are of a mediocre demand. And last in demand comes feeding (2.8%) and the settlement of
bars (6.5%). Finally, there is a percentage that does not express an opinion (1.9%).
3.1 Position of hunting in the relevance system of the hunter
In Table 1, we notice that the position of hunting in the system of values affects the general trend of the
hunter as far as the means are concerned. In contrast to the hunters that see hunting as “a simple sports
activity”, those who view it as “a lifestyle”, are in favor of the “eco-centric” and “sustainable” solutions
(habitat improvement and predator control) solutions that slower bring more permanent results and
provide the chance of survival. At the same time, this category of hunters are negative to intense
hunting guarding, since it does not like to be considered untrustworthy and be under control when
hunting. A similar approach show those who would like their daughter (if having one) to become a
hunter. Those, in turn, would not treat their daughter as an object of any sort of narcissistic exploitation.
In other words, they do not try to raise her as a son, but they think hunting is a meaningful lifestyle that
goes beyond the “barriers” and the prejudice of the “social gender” which sees woman as a
representative of “passivity”, non violence, non aggressiveness etc. If they were acting with narcissism
they would not present alike beliefs with those who view hunting as a lifestyle.
Table 1. Relevance system and hunting management strategies (Pearson’s coefficient and significance,
*P<0.05, **P<0.01).
Release of quarries
Habitat improvement
Predators control
Intense guarding
Hunting as a lifestyle
-.060
.231(**)
.241(**)
-.199 (**)
.356
.000
.000
.002
Hunting as a sport
.051
-.155(*)
-.144(*)
.045
.433
.017
.026
.488
If he had a daughter he would
encourage her to be a hunter
-.185(**)
.242(**)
.186(**)
-.084
.005
.000
.004
.199

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3.2 Pedagogic function of hunting
Those who enhance the feeling of enthusiasm towards the quarry want its protection from predators
(Table 2), so as to maximize the chance to hunt it themselves in a way that is characterized with dignity
(quick death with only one shot) and they want to feel “the sense of the defeated one and the honor of
being the winner”. Those who hunt because they want to achieve social superiority want quick increase
of quarries through release, so as to have the high chance of catching it themselves and feel more
prestigious over other hunters. Finally, those who hunt because they enjoy beautiful landscapes, they
are negative to the increase of population density through release (which disturbs the tranquility of the
landscape and the evolution which is “independent” and “natural”). They want stricter guarding, so as
to minimize illegal hunting and turbulence in general. In addition, even if guarding focuses on illegal
hunting, it probably creates an additional sense of security for the admirers of beautiful landscapes.
Table 2. Pedagogic function of hunting (Pearson’s coefficient and significance, *P<0.05, **P<0.01).
Quarries releases
Predators control
Intense guarding
Feeling of the quarry’s respect through hunting
-.095
.184(**)
.032
.142
.004
.625
Feeling of social superiority through hunting
.130(*)
.138(*)
-.060
.045
.032
.359
Love for beautiful landscapes through hunting
-.186(**)
.059
.173(**)
.004
.362
.007
4. CONCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS
Contrary to the hunters who regard hunting merely as a “sport”, these who regard it as a “life way”
support long-term, more “eco-centric” and sustainable solutions like habitat improvement and predator
control (and not, for example, release of quarries which have low survival into the wild [7]). Such
solutions bring more permanent effects and provide more survival opportunities to the quarries.
Simultaneously, these hunters are negative to more intensive hunting guarding, as they do not tolerate
to have its “reliability” questioned and to be “policed”. Hunters who consider hunting to be not only a
“male” but also a “female” activity present also a similar attitude.
Hunters who feel respect to the quarry desire control of predators, so that they assure more
opportunities to kill it themselves in a “respectful” way (quick and accurately). Moreover, they want to
feel “the value of the defeated which gives glory to the winner”. Hunters who seek social distinction
through hunting desire quick increase of quarry population through release and predator control in
order to increase the probability to catch them and to gain thereby in prestige within their hunter
companion. Hunters who search beautiful landscapes during hunting are negative toward release of
quarries as this spoils the quietness and the “naturalness” of landscape. They rather desire intensive
guarding.
In general, it is advisable to create the feeling of hunting as a “way of life”. This deep feeling does not
lead to over-harvesting of quarry population but rather to sustainable use of resources. Hunters who
consider hunting as a “way of life” and not just as a “sport” can play a determinant role in the
pedagogic dimension of hunting by influencing other hunters.
Limitation of this research is that the sample was collected only from Northern Greece. In future, larger
sample from the whole country as well as from other countries can be collected in order to check

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whether these results are replicable in areas with different ecological conditions, hunting systems and
“tradition”.
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