Animal Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Waterfowl Hunting On Raccoon Movements, Shandra Nicole Frey, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Nontarget wildlife may react to hunters with avoidance, ambivalence, or attraction, depending upon the frequency of contact and the consequences of past contacts. We studied raccoons (Procyon lotor) located within the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, before and during waterfowl hunting seasons to assess changes in the size of their distributions, locations, and travel distances. Raccoon distribution size did not change with the onset of hunting. Once hunting began, raccoons were located more frequently in areas with lower densities of hunters and less frequently in areas with higher densities of hunters. Raccoons also responded to the presence …