EESC Makes an Impact: Preserving our Hunting Resources
Hunting is an economic engine for the U.S. and responsible management of these resources directly supports 45.2 billion dollars spent by hunters annually. Conservation and management of hunting resources also contributes substantially to the 394.8 billion dollars spent on all wildlife-related recreation. Hunting traditions are an integral component of our American heritage, with 14.4 million adults and 1.8 million children participating more than 241 million days each year.
Research at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) plays a crucial role in supporting management of game species and hunting.
EESC research provides important data to help understand migration patterns, population trends, interactions, and behaviors that help decision makers set hunting regulations and ensure sustainable hunting practices.
EESC also helps to advance understanding of the impacts of wildlife diseases on waterfowl and big game, providing critical information for wildlife conservation needs to safeguard hunting opportunities now and in the future.
Big Game Hunting
Elk, Decision Science, and Human Dimensions
Recent research by EESC and other USGS scientists highlights the critical role of supplemental feeding in increasing chronic wasting disease transmission in fed elk at the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming.
The findings allow decision makers and interested parties to understand a range of effects of management alternatives and weigh the importance of various metrics against one another. This collaborative approach, which draws on a history of USGS research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and expertise in ecology, decision science, and human dimensions, is essential for the future management of our nation’s iconic lands and wildlife.
As we navigate the complexities associated with wildlife and land management decisions, understanding the interplay between animal health, ecological integrity, and economic benefits is crucial. These insights will guide future actions to balance conservation efforts with economic sustainability.
White-Tailed Deer Management
White-tailed deer are the most abundant big-game animal in North America, and deer hunting represents a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. Most National Wildlife Refuges permit white-tailed deer hunting in coordination with state regulations. Deer hunting on wildlife refuges serves a dual purpose that includes providing recreational opportunities for licensed hunters, and for achieving critical natural resource management objectives. Researchers at EESC have developed data collection and analysis procedures to streamline the management of annual deer harvests, and to efficiently direct future harvest decisions. The procedures include a robust, road-based survey for population abundance estimation, a protocol for data to be collected at annual deer check stations including sex and age composition of the harvest and a measure of hunter-effort, and finally, a statistical model that integrates these key components into a decision-making framework. The proper harvest management for any species represents a significant outlay of time and money. The application of methods that increases the efficiency of harvest management programs will lead directly to savings in both staff time and overall expense.
Waterfowl Hunting & Harvest Management
The Bird Banding Laboratory
Waterfowl Hunting:
Reporting bird bands from waterfowl in North America is crucial for tracking populations, understanding movements, and supporting conservation and management efforts by state, federal, private, and tribal entities. The USGS Bird Banding Laboratory housed at EESC is an integrated scientific program that supports the collection, curation, archiving, and dissemination of data from banded and marked birds. These data support effective bird science, management, and conservation.
By tracking banded birds through harvest reports, wildlife agencies can better understand hunting's impact on populations and adjust regulations—such as hunting seasons and bag limits—to ensure sustainable harvest and protect vulnerable species. Insights from banding data help wildlife agencies prioritize waterfowl conservation efforts and make informed decisions about habitat protection and species management, helping to safeguard waterfowl populations for future generations.
North American Breeding Bird Survey
Harvest Management:
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) annually tracks the status and trends of wild bird populations. The BBS results provide the definitive record of long-term population changes for hundreds of North American bird species, allowing agencies to focus on science-driven decision-making without needing to conduct new surveys or rely on anecdotal information. BBS data are integral for monitoring populations and managing harvest of wood ducks, one of the most popular species for hunters in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways.
Harvest Management & the Economy
Hunting is an economic engine for the U.S., with 14.4 million hunters spending \$45.2 billion in 2022. EESC scientists, in collaboration with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have developed techniques to improve efficiency in North American waterfowl management. The rigorous process uses data from the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory to help natural resource managers implement decisions that maximize hunting opportunities today, and in the future, even in the face of uncertainty. Now in its third decade of use, the success of the adaptive harvest management model has inspired other countries to use a similar process to improve their management efficiency.
Wildlife Disease
Emerging Zoonotic Disease
Zoonotic diseases are diseases that can spread from animals to humans. EESC research seeks to enhance the detection and monitoring of zoonotic and wildlife diseases. Traditional methods of disease surveillance focus on single pathogens in specific animals, often missing new or unknown diseases. Our scientists seek to develop new techniques for collecting and analyzing samples from wildlife, and to create resources like reference genomes to identify various pathogens. We use advanced DNA/RNA sequencing technologies to identify pathogens and their characteristics, such as virulence (how harmful they are) and antibiotic resistance. This initiative is crucial for improving our ability to detect and respond to wildlife diseases, which is essential for public health, food security, and the sustainability of traditional hunting practices.
This project is particularly important for Native tribal subsistence hunting, since it aims to ensure that these practices remain safe and sustainable. By understanding the pathogens in these birds, the project can help protect the health of Native American communities who rely on them for food.
Avian Influenza
Wildlife Disease:
EESC research on avian influenza is important to understand the impacts and transmission of the disease and their continued susceptibility to our game species and beyond.
The U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center strives to provide world-class science to inform natural resource decisions that preserve and enhance our quality of life. We work directly with managers of our shared natural resources to provide the unbiased scientific tools, research and innovations needed to make informed decisions in today’s complex and rapidly changing conditions. We engage partners to co-develop solutions that balance economic and conservation goals, resulting in cost savings, risk reduction, and long-term resource sustainability.
Hunting is an economic engine for the U.S. and responsible management of these resources directly supports 45.2 billion dollars spent by hunters annually. Conservation and management of hunting resources also contributes substantially to the 394.8 billion dollars spent on all wildlife-related recreation. Hunting traditions are an integral component of our American heritage, with 14.4 million adults and 1.8 million children participating more than 241 million days each year.
Research at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) plays a crucial role in supporting management of game species and hunting.
EESC research provides important data to help understand migration patterns, population trends, interactions, and behaviors that help decision makers set hunting regulations and ensure sustainable hunting practices.
EESC also helps to advance understanding of the impacts of wildlife diseases on waterfowl and big game, providing critical information for wildlife conservation needs to safeguard hunting opportunities now and in the future.
Big Game Hunting
Elk, Decision Science, and Human Dimensions
Recent research by EESC and other USGS scientists highlights the critical role of supplemental feeding in increasing chronic wasting disease transmission in fed elk at the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming.
The findings allow decision makers and interested parties to understand a range of effects of management alternatives and weigh the importance of various metrics against one another. This collaborative approach, which draws on a history of USGS research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and expertise in ecology, decision science, and human dimensions, is essential for the future management of our nation’s iconic lands and wildlife.
As we navigate the complexities associated with wildlife and land management decisions, understanding the interplay between animal health, ecological integrity, and economic benefits is crucial. These insights will guide future actions to balance conservation efforts with economic sustainability.
White-Tailed Deer Management
White-tailed deer are the most abundant big-game animal in North America, and deer hunting represents a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. Most National Wildlife Refuges permit white-tailed deer hunting in coordination with state regulations. Deer hunting on wildlife refuges serves a dual purpose that includes providing recreational opportunities for licensed hunters, and for achieving critical natural resource management objectives. Researchers at EESC have developed data collection and analysis procedures to streamline the management of annual deer harvests, and to efficiently direct future harvest decisions. The procedures include a robust, road-based survey for population abundance estimation, a protocol for data to be collected at annual deer check stations including sex and age composition of the harvest and a measure of hunter-effort, and finally, a statistical model that integrates these key components into a decision-making framework. The proper harvest management for any species represents a significant outlay of time and money. The application of methods that increases the efficiency of harvest management programs will lead directly to savings in both staff time and overall expense.
Waterfowl Hunting & Harvest Management
The Bird Banding Laboratory
Waterfowl Hunting:
Reporting bird bands from waterfowl in North America is crucial for tracking populations, understanding movements, and supporting conservation and management efforts by state, federal, private, and tribal entities. The USGS Bird Banding Laboratory housed at EESC is an integrated scientific program that supports the collection, curation, archiving, and dissemination of data from banded and marked birds. These data support effective bird science, management, and conservation.
By tracking banded birds through harvest reports, wildlife agencies can better understand hunting's impact on populations and adjust regulations—such as hunting seasons and bag limits—to ensure sustainable harvest and protect vulnerable species. Insights from banding data help wildlife agencies prioritize waterfowl conservation efforts and make informed decisions about habitat protection and species management, helping to safeguard waterfowl populations for future generations.
North American Breeding Bird Survey
Harvest Management:
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) annually tracks the status and trends of wild bird populations. The BBS results provide the definitive record of long-term population changes for hundreds of North American bird species, allowing agencies to focus on science-driven decision-making without needing to conduct new surveys or rely on anecdotal information. BBS data are integral for monitoring populations and managing harvest of wood ducks, one of the most popular species for hunters in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways.
Harvest Management & the Economy
Hunting is an economic engine for the U.S., with 14.4 million hunters spending \$45.2 billion in 2022. EESC scientists, in collaboration with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have developed techniques to improve efficiency in North American waterfowl management. The rigorous process uses data from the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory to help natural resource managers implement decisions that maximize hunting opportunities today, and in the future, even in the face of uncertainty. Now in its third decade of use, the success of the adaptive harvest management model has inspired other countries to use a similar process to improve their management efficiency.
Wildlife Disease
Emerging Zoonotic Disease
Zoonotic diseases are diseases that can spread from animals to humans. EESC research seeks to enhance the detection and monitoring of zoonotic and wildlife diseases. Traditional methods of disease surveillance focus on single pathogens in specific animals, often missing new or unknown diseases. Our scientists seek to develop new techniques for collecting and analyzing samples from wildlife, and to create resources like reference genomes to identify various pathogens. We use advanced DNA/RNA sequencing technologies to identify pathogens and their characteristics, such as virulence (how harmful they are) and antibiotic resistance. This initiative is crucial for improving our ability to detect and respond to wildlife diseases, which is essential for public health, food security, and the sustainability of traditional hunting practices.
This project is particularly important for Native tribal subsistence hunting, since it aims to ensure that these practices remain safe and sustainable. By understanding the pathogens in these birds, the project can help protect the health of Native American communities who rely on them for food.
Avian Influenza
Wildlife Disease:
EESC research on avian influenza is important to understand the impacts and transmission of the disease and their continued susceptibility to our game species and beyond.
The U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center strives to provide world-class science to inform natural resource decisions that preserve and enhance our quality of life. We work directly with managers of our shared natural resources to provide the unbiased scientific tools, research and innovations needed to make informed decisions in today’s complex and rapidly changing conditions. We engage partners to co-develop solutions that balance economic and conservation goals, resulting in cost savings, risk reduction, and long-term resource sustainability.