AUTHORS: Eric M. Walberg, Illinois Natural History Survey; Brent D. Williams, Illinois Natural History Survey; Lauren J. Stephens, Illinois Natural History Survey; Craig A. Miller, Illinois Natural History Survey
ABSTRACT: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible neurological disease that is fatal to deer species and has significant environmental, cultural, and economic impacts. Numerous studies have examined support for CWD management among hunters and public, though few have examined landowners’ perspective on CWD management. Understanding Illinois landowners’ beliefs about CWD is important as 97% of land in Illinois is privately owned and landowners’ participation is necessary for CWD management to be effective. We examined the impact of hunting participation on landowners’ beliefs about CWD management, perceived risk from CWD, and trust in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to manage CWD. During 2024, a mail-based questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 5,000 landowners who own a contiguous property of 50 or more acres in Illinois. We received 1,524 questionnaires for a 32% response rate. Most landowners (59%) were not deer hunters, and most respondents (89%) earned an income from the private property that they own. Most (79%) landowners thought there was slight or no risk of becoming ill from CWD, though hunters perceived a significantly higher risk from CWD than non-hunters (t = -3.03, p = 0.002). Landowners were most concerned with the impact of CWD on the health of the deer population in Illinois and CWD spreading throughout the entire deer herd in Illinois, though non-hunters were significantly less concerned about the impacts of CWD than hunters. Landowners trusted the IDNR to manage CWD in Illinois and there was no significant difference between hunters and non-hunters. Landowners believed that the IDNR’s management actions have been somewhat effective, and there was no significant difference in beliefs between hunters and non-hunters except regarding use of sharpshooting to supplement hunting (t = 2.00, p = .046). Our research suggests hunting participation impacts landowners’ beliefs about the impacts of CWD and support for some management actions in Illinois.
