Data from: Behavioural responses of a gamebird to human encounters across the hunting season

We examined the behavioural adaptation of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in
response to human encounters across the hunting season. We conducted
disturbance experiments in two different parts of the species’ range, in
subarctic (Iceland) and in alpine (Italy) habitats. A single pedestrian
observer approached individuals and groups of rock ptarmigan to record
flight initiation distance (FID) as a measure of disturbance
susceptibility in hunted versus non-hunted populations. We hypothesized
that FID would increase during the hunting season and subsequently
decrease, returning to pre-hunting levels. The results demonstrated that
in hunted sites, FID increased significantly during the hunting season,
indicating heightened disturbance sensitivity, and subsequently returned
to baseline values post-season. In areas where hunting was not permitted,
FID remained relatively constant. The study demonstrates rapid behavioural
shifts in response to hunting, emphasizing the impact of hunting on
wildlife-human interactions. These findings contribute to the
understanding of wildlife disturbance responses and offer insights into
the balancing of hunting with recreation, suggesting that non-hunted areas
may foster more tolerant wildlife, enhancing experiences for non-hunting
recreationists.