Factors influencing Wisconsin deer hunter participation in voluntary CWD testing

Abstract

Hunter participation in testing harvested white-tailed deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a critical wildlife disease surveillance strategy; however, this strategy has not been evaluated to determine what may promote or discourage hunter participation in testing when involvement is voluntary. We used a binomial logit model to predict the relative influence of harvest location and several psychological constructs on hunters' voluntary participation in testing for CWD in Wisconsin, USA. The presence of CWD in the county of harvest was a significant factor in determining hunter participation in testing. We found hunters' testing behavior was influenced by risk perceptions associated with CWD impacts on the deer population and consumption of venison from areas of the state known to have CWD. Higher risk perceptions associated with CWD impacts to economic values and recreational hunting experiences decreased the likelihood of testing for the disease. Belief in the efficacy of CWD management actions was another significant factor; however, this effect varied with levels of trust in information provided by the managing agency, attention paid to news coverage related to CWD, and risk perceptions associated with economic and recreational impacts. For agencies seeking to increase hunter engagement with CWD management through participation in voluntary testing programs, a key challenge is to demonstrate how testing contributes to effective disease management.