2025 Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference

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AUTHORS: Matt Harlow, DJ Case & Associates; Holly Mauslein, DJ Case & Associates; Tanna Wagner, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: A lot of effort has been put into making state fish and wildlife agencies more relevant to broader audiences. To this end, AFWA’s Education, Outreach and Diversity Committee created the National Conservation Outreach Strategy in 2018. This strategy provided a toolkit that enabled each state fish and wildlife agency to increase awareness of its role in protecting and conserving wildlife. In 2019, the “Making It Last” campaign was pilot-tested to help learn how to best “tell the state story” to boost relevancy with the public, followed by a second phase to fine-tune and further test the initiative. However, states’ limited budgets and uncertainty regarding the campaign’s effectiveness reduced the number of states able to implement and evaluate the campaign. With the relevancy topic becoming more critical every year, the need existed to field a rebranded and tested campaign accompanied by improved toolkit materials and evaluations.
With four participating state agencies from Kansas, Vermont, South Carolina, and California, this project advances the public case for why fish and wildlife agencies matter across the nation. This third phase focused on engaging more states by rebranding away from the “Making It Last” theme to a more directly relevant brand and messaging content. These new resources were developed using public testing via focus groups, best practices, and lessons learned in previous phases of this campaign. We focused on updating and upgrading the story of state-based conservation through messaging and materials designed to resonate better with the public and agency staff.
The result is a campaign that more state agencies can utilize to increase public awareness and support, especially among audiences not traditionally engaged in conservation or fish and wildlife-based recreation.

AUTHORS: Kristin F. Hurst, Southern Illinois University; Zachary M. Hurst, Playa Lakes Joint Venture

ABSTRACT: Addressing complex conservation challenges frequently requires collaboration between stakeholders who hold disparate and sometimes incompatible views. To advance solutions, stakeholders need a common understanding of the scope of the problem and other stakeholder’s positions related to it. This requires that they be receptive to information that may not align with their pre-existing positions. We experimentally tested a strategy to foster such receptivity by evaluating the effect of a behavioral intervention on perspective-taking and empathy. Participants (N = 223) who previously expressed opposition to a transition to renewable energy were randomly assigned to write a short, morally grounded essay either in favor of (intervention) or in opposition to (control) a shift to renewable energy. We expected that writing a morally grounded essay in favor of one’s opposing stance would increase perspective-taking, empathy, and support of the energy transition. We found a main effect on support and empathy but not perspective-taking. We also hypothesized that empathy would mediate the relationship between essay writing and support. We tested a serial mediation model where writing a counter-attitudinal essay would result in increased empathy and support, which then results in an intention to act. While we found a significant indirect effect of essay writing on behavioral intention, mediated by support, there was no evidence that empathy helped to explain this relationship. Given the relatively simple intervention and its potential to be easily incorporated into group settings, we suggest that its use may help lay the foundation for a more productive discussion. Future research can help understand the mechanism by which this occurs and its impact on the likelihood of reaching agreements.

AUTHORS:  Shannon Westlake, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Kiandra Rajala, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Patrick Bixler, The University of Texas at Austin; Nicole Alt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT:  Innovation in conservation is required to move from surviving to thriving. As exemplified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Center for Pollinator Conservation (Center), social science innovations can enhance efficacy and resiliency. The Center is a multi-agency science and collaboration hub tasked with helping direct conservation actions that can reverse declining pollinator population trends in a connected and collaborative way. To meet those tasks and recognize and shed light on previous and ongoing USFWS pollinator conservation efforts, we developed and conducted a social network analysis study.

To build knowledge of the existing network and help inform evidence-based decisions to increase efficacy of pollinator conservation efforts, the Center launched a study across the USFWS in Fall 2023. From 1,599 USFWS respondents: 49.9% had never participated in USFWS pollinator conservation efforts); 16.3% previously worked on efforts but do not currently; and 33.8% who currently work on USFWS pollinator conservation efforts. Across these participant categories, our results indicated strong interest in new or re-engagement in pollinator conservation needs or efforts, and a primary scope of work at the local scale (i.e., within one state). Informing how the Center can share information and resources, we learned that emails and targeted meetings are the preferred pollinator communication methods across all three participant categories.

Initial results provide insight into connections across USFWS and external partners and identify key “bridgers” in priority pollinator conservation topics (e.g., conservation planning, partnership coordination, pesticides). These results will not only facilitate easier geographic connections but can also support silo busting efforts across USFWS and with external partners approach in a collaborative approach pollinator conservation. By better understanding relationships and knowledge flows, we can more effectively accelerate knowledge flows and reduce bottlenecks, create connections, leverage support, and adapt strategies to allow for learning and innovation towards a thriving conservation future.

AUTHORS:  Ashley Gramza, Playa Lakes Joint Venture; Zach Hurst, Playa Lakes Joint Venture; Ryan Roberts, Playa Lakes Joint Venture

ABSTRACT:  The Central Grasslands region of North America provides crucial habitat for a myriad of bird and wildlife species and vital resources for human communities. This ecosystem is in rapid decline mainly due to cropland conversion, climate change, and invasive plant species. Current conservation efforts have not stopped this decline, highlighting the need for a shift in conservation delivery strategies that incorporate local populations within this landscape. Furthermore, grassland management decisions are multidimensional and complex, requiring social science to understand, yet this research has not often been coordinated among social scientists nor integrated into conservation delivery strategies. To improve the integration of social science knowledge into conservation delivery, we synthesized existing conservation social science research related to grassland management decision-making, examined social science needs and priorities of grassland conservation delivery professionals, and used the aforementioned information to create a plan that identifies challenges and opportunities for grassland conservation delivery and includes a research priority list for future social science research to benefit grassland conservation. The grassland management social science literature review underscored the importance of conducting more transdisciplinary, community-based and participatory grassland conservation projects. These strategies will increase the reach, effectiveness and equity of conservation efforts and help ensure long-term grassland persistence across the Central Grasslands. This project with its combination of data sources provides a good understanding of the current state of knowledge and related research needs, while making this information available to grassland conservation professionals. It also provides a starting point for conservation social scientists to coordinate and collaborate on future research that is useful and usable to grassland conservation professionals within the Central Grasslands.

AUTHORS: Susan Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Creel surveys are often touted as extremely important to fisheries management as a way of understanding angling participation and characteristics. What types of information is collected during creel surveys, and, more importantly, how is it applied to fisheries management? Using Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park’s (KDWP) creel survey data, I will demonstrate the link between fisheries management goals and objectives, among other useful applications of creel surveys – including “supplemental questions” at the end of creel surveys as an alternative to online surveys. Through these applied examples, the audience will better understand how KDWP fisheries managers use creel survey and other human dimensions data to inform decision-making, engage with anglers, and maintain quality fishing opportunities.

AUTHORS:  Sarah Ulrichsen, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Christopher Chizinski, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

ABSTRACT:  Understanding the factors that motivate anglers to go fishing is crucial for effective fisheries management and conservation efforts. People's engagement with fishing is deeply influenced by their motivations—a complex interplay of the needs, desires, and goals that propel people to engage in recreation. We analyzed anglers' motivations to seek their primary species—including trophy fishing, keeping and eating the catch, identity, social interaction, and gear use—across various species preferences, such as Bass, Catfish, Walleye, and panfish. Data were collected via a web-based survey distributed to a stratified random sample of licensed anglers across Kansas. We sent invitations to 7500 licensed anglers and had 771 total responses (a 13% response rate). Preliminary results indicate significant differences in motivational factors when comparing species preferences. Walleye anglers are more motivated by keeping the fish they catch and liking the taste of their preferred species. In contrast, Bass anglers place a much lower value on reaching the bag limit, fishing for nutrition, and keeping the fish they catch. Among all species, anglers placed the most importance on choosing a fishing location because of the presence of their preferred fish species. These results highlight the importance of species-specific management strategies catering to the angling community's diverse motivations. Through understanding differentiated motivations, managers can be provided with critical insights into the importance of various motivational factors of recreational fishing as they relate to sought-after fish species, helping to inform the development of targeted regulations and conservation strategies that address the diverse needs and values of fishing communities in the Midwest.

AUTHORS:  Josef Hrabowski, Ball State University; Sandy Clark-Kolaks, Indiana DNR; Emily McCallen, Indiana DNR; Len Hunt, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources; Faezeh Soleimani, Ball State University ;Paul Venturelli, Ball State University

ABSTRACT:  Recreational fishing license sales have been declining for almost a decade in many US states, greatly impacting management funding. A detailed knowledge of the license buying patterns of specific population segments could allow agencies to tailor their marketing and management more efficiently. We used the ESRI Tapestry system to identify life-mode-specific, spatial and temporal patterns of license sales in Indiana between 2012 and 2022. Each life mode describes a population segment based on demographic (e.g., age and household makeup), economic (e.g., income and profession) and behavior (e.g., recreational preferences and affinity to technology). We found that the majority of license holders in Indiana in all years were older people living in more rural communities. However, younger urban population segments had the largest increase in license sales during 2020 (i.e., during the COVID pandemic). This suggests that the younger urban population segment is interested in fishing but does not have the time for this hobby during normal years. We also calculated churn rates by market segment as well as identify recruitment, retention and reactivation trends. We saw that while older people make up a higher proportion of total license purchases, they were more likely to drop in or out, while younger segments who a higher consistency. We also examined spatial patterns of license purchases while taking the observed differences of market segments into account, to identify possible geographic influences. We found that the availability of boat ramps and boat docks had the greatest influence on license purchases. Information gathered through the analysis of purchasing patterns by population segment will allow agencies to identify barriers to fishing, and tailor marketing, communications, and management to specific segments.

AUTHORS: Ben C. Neely, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Susan F. Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Jeff D. Koch, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Harvest regulation is a common tool used by fisheries managers to structure fish communities. However, anglers must comply with harvest restrictions for expected outcomes to occur. Dynamic angling motivations have led to supposition that different, unexplored factors influence contemporary angler decisions to harvest captured fish. We used recursive partitioning (i.e., decision trees) to model fate of angled fish (harvested or released) from creel data collected throughout Kansas from 1997 to 2024. A suite of 20 variables that related to the captured fish (e.g., fish length, legal status), location (e.g., surface area, rural/urban), time (e.g., year, day of week), and angling party (e.g., number of anglers, proportion male) were associated with each fish encounter. The global model indicated that legal status of an individual fish (i.e., vulnerable to harvest based on length), species, and fish length were the most important variables and correctly classified fate in 83.8% of test data records. Submodels developed individually for 12 species or species groups correctly classified fate in 67% (Lepomis spp.) to 96% (Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu) of test data records. These models highlight how variables influencing harvest differed by species or species group, and specified fish length, legal status, rural/urban characterization, and fishery longitude as the most important variables impacting fate. Our models demonstrate that angler decision to harvest a fish can be approximated from a few important variables commonly captured during standard creel surveys. Although these variables may differ based on fish taxa, generalities within can be useful for informing harvest regulation for fisheries management.

AUTHORS:  Rebecca M. Krogman, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Annika Preheim, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT:  Anonymous location data (ALD) provide travel and movement information based on mobile and "smart" devices' geolocations. When applied to a recreational location like a lake, ALD can provide metrics such as travel distance from home, trip duration, trip timing across days and seasons, and total visitation. These are essential metrics for recreational use studies, which have traditionally collected such data via mailed, telephone, or intercept survey. In Iowa, recreational use of public lakes and reservoirs is monitored every five years to identify areas for priority work, measure change over time, and assess recreational user opinions, behaviors while visiting, and needs. The Department of Natural Resources' (DNR's) Iowa Lakes Survey was conducted as an incentivized mailed survey in 2002-2005, 2009, 2014, and 2019, and was due to be completed again in 2024. However, as has been seen across survey science, response rates were declining, and DNR decided to conduct its 2024 Iowa Lakes Survey using a completely novel methodology: a combination of ALD and intercept survey of recreational visitors. With the travel metrics captured by ALD, intercept surveys could focus on preference and experience questions, making them shorter and more targeted. DNR initiated the 2024 Iowa Lakes Survey in April 2024 with intercept surveys being conducted statewide for 12 months. These data will be combined with ALD for the same time period to yield recreational information that is both comprehensive and representative of Iowa's resource users. Preliminary data from the spring, summer, and fall will be presented.

AUTHORS: Matthew Maldonado, University of North Dakota; Taufique Mahmood, University of North Dakota; David P. Coulter, South Dakota State University; Alison A. Coulter, South Dakota State University; Steve R. Chipps, U.S. Geological Survey; Maddy Siller, South Dakota State University; Michaela Neal, University of North Dakota; Ayon Saha, University of North Dakota; Mark A. Kaemingk, University of North Dakota

ABSTRACT: As climate change continues to manifest, its potential effects on angler behavior remain a blind spot in inland recreational fisheries. Predicted alterations to a waterbody’s hydrology, fish community, and infrastructure from climate change could ultimately influence angler behavior. The severity and impact of these alterations on angler behavior is currently unknown, despite the importance of angler effort for effective fisheries management. Previous research has shown that angler effort is closely tied to hydrology or waterbody surface area, with larger waterbodies attracting more angler effort. Establishing this link between resource availability and angler effort allows us to further our understanding of how anglers may respond to climate change. Our goal was to use a resource size (i.e., lake surface area) – use (i.e., angler effort) model to understand the potential influence of climate and hydrology on the spatial and temporal patterns of angler effort. We used this model to understand how drought and deluge cycles may influence the magnitude and distribution of angler effort within a basin (i.e., several watersheds). Our lake size – angler effort model was developed using historical creel survey angler effort and remotely sensed waterbody surface area data for 15 waterbodies in North and South Dakota from 1990 to 2019 (r2 = 0.86). We used this model to predict angler behavior by remotely sensing the surface area for 45 public waterbodies in the Devils Lake Basin, North Dakota, USA for 32 years (1990-2021). We tracked synchrony in angler effort in the basin, demonstrating spatial and temporal patterns that are tied to changes in lake hydrology and fishing opportunity for anglers. Our results allow managers to address the current blind spot of how anglers might respond to climate change by characterizing climate-related spatiotemporal dynamics in angler effort and identifying hotspots of high interannual variation in angler effort at a basin-level.

AUTHORS: Matteo Cleary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; John Pohlman, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources;

ABSTRACT: Each state that receives Land and Water Conservation funding from the National Park Service is responsible for drafting plans for how it will disburse those funds to applicant organizations. State, county, and municipally owned properties are where much of Wisconsin's wildlife management and related recreation take place. We present results from a large mixed-methods effort to learn what our public experiences as they recreate in these places. We paired our publicly sourced data with responses from county and municipal recreation decisionmakers, which helped us build a more holistic picture of emerging needs for land and water management throughout the state, as they relate to recreation planning.

AUTHORS: Natalia Hagen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Matthew Gruntorad, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Sarah Ulrichsen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Christopher C. Chizinski, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

ABSTRACT: The Rainwater Basin in south-central Nebraska is a working landscape with numerous wetlands and important wildlife habitats. We conducted phone interviews with 198 agricultural producers across 10 counties in the Rainwater Basin region to understand their perspectives on conservation programs and their level of concern towards the environmental issues of climate change, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. Results indicated that none of the interviewed producers were currently participating in conservation programs despite their concerns about water pollution on a local level. Coding of the interviews revealed four major themes as to why producers were no longer participating in conservation programs and an overall lack of strong positive or negative opinions towards these programs. This suggests agricultural producers may lack confidence in the ability of conservation programs in their current state to be of personal benefit. To increase conservation program participation, it will be critical to recognize what producers need to facilitate enrollment.

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