Factors Affecting Quality and Location Values for Resident Deer Hunting in Utah

Application was made of the economic rent method of resource valuation for the resident deer hunt in Utah. Total economic, location and quality rent values were estimated for all hunting units. These values incorporate the relationship existing between the variable use cost and the units of activity associated with the site. Data were collected by mail survey from hunters following the 1970 season. Approximately 2033 questionnaires were used in the analysis. Additional data were collected from the Utah Division of Natural Resources. The total rent value estimated from the model was approximately $3,326,238.00. Eighty-five percent of the total was attributed to quality and 15 percent to location. Total rent values were highest for Unit 2 (Cache, Unit 1 (Box Elder) and Unit 6 (Lost Creek). It was hypothesized that variations in quality value could be explained by variations in site specific factors. The factors were made subject to multiple regression analysis and the number of bucks, two and one-half years of age and greater taken by resident hunters, was found to be the most significant. Variation in this variable and the others in the model explained 71.3 percent of the variation in the site quality value. To test the sensitivity of capacity in the model, an additional set of capacity constraints were estimated and used in the least-cost program. This gave a higher least cost allocation as the hunters were forced to incur a higher transfer cost. In this allocation the location value increased as the quality value decreased. Multiple regression analysis indicated that 83.3 percent of the variation in site quality was due to variations in site specific factors