Linking deer hunter perceptions of quality deer management (QDM) and chronic wasting disease (CWD)

Over the past three decades, white-tailed deer management in the eastern USA has largely shifted from maximum sustained yield to quality deer management (QDM), focusing on increasing the abundance of mature males. However, the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) introduces challenges to cervid management for wildlife agencies. The CWD management framework necessitates rapid shifts in harvest strategies, often targeting reduction of the demographic which spreads CWD in most – mature males. We investigated how hunter adherence to QDM related to perceptions of CWD and the CWD management framework. We surveyed 9,713 deer hunters in Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, and South Carolina and found that perceptions of QDM were related to perceptions of CWD; specifically, hunters who were experienced with and supportive of QDM showed more concerns of CWD impacts on human and deer health. Our findings aid wildlife agencies in balancing conservation decisions with public perceptions of wildlife diseases and management frameworks.过去三十年间，美国东部的白尾鹿（white-tailed deer）管理模式已基本从最大持续产量（maximum sustained yield）转向质量鹿类管理（Quality Deer Management, QDM），核心目标为提升成年雄鹿的种群丰度。然而，慢性消耗病（Chronic Wasting Disease, CWD）的传播给野生动物管理机构的鹿科动物管理工作带来了严峻挑战。该疾病的管理框架亟需对狩猎策略进行快速调整，通常以减少绝大多数传播CWD的种群——成年雄鹿为核心目标。本研究探讨了猎人对QDM的依从性与其对CWD及CWD管理框架的认知之间的关联。我们对路易斯安那州、密苏里州、俄亥俄州与南卡罗来纳州的9713名鹿类猎人开展了问卷调查，结果显示，对QDM具备实践经验且持支持态度的猎人，对CWD给人类及鹿类健康造成的影响表现出更高的担忧程度。本研究结果可为野生动物管理机构平衡保护决策与公众对野生动物疾病及管理框架的认知提供有效参考。