Support for lethal wildlife management in Michigan: Results from the 1999 and 2000 Resource Attitudes in Michigan surveys

In the past, wildlife management largely focused on game species management for the benefit of consumptive recreationists. However, managers have noted a growing interest in wildlife among non-traditional audiences. Wildlife agencies across the United States have begun to incorporate human dimensions information into their management policies in an effort to respond to the desires of an increasingly diverse constituency. This paper presents two studies utilizing results from the annual "Resource Attitudes in Michigan" (RAM) Survey to assess support for lethal wildlife management. In Study 1, data from the 1999 RAM Survey were used to measure support for lethal wildlife management among wildlife agency personnel and the Michigan public. Wildlife agency personnel were generally more supportive of lethal wildlife management than were members of the public; majorities of both groups found lethal management acceptable in all of the situations that were considered. In Study 2, data from the 2000 RAM Survey were used to assess gender differences in acceptance of lethal wildlife management in eight situations. Men were more supportive of lethal wildlife management than were women in most of the situations, and scored higher than did women on a scale measuring overall support for lethal wildlife management. In both studies, respondents were particularly supportive of using lethal management to control wildlife diseases.