Hi from me!

[wildpicture]

Hi,

let me introduce myself. I am a student in Wildlife Management at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). As part of my (research) master program, I need to conduct a scientific research project. My research is aimed at the management of games reserves in South Africa. The topic of my study is to analyse if there is an economic difference between managing a game reserve specifically for photography as compared to hunting. At the same time I would like to analyse what each of these options can contribute to employment and biodiversity.

As part of this research project, I have made a web survey for hunters intending to visit South Africa. Through this survey I would like to learn more about the profile of such hunters and the wishes and demands of these hunters with regards to their accomodation and facilities at the reserves.

I would like to invite all hunters intending to travel to South Africa to fill in this survey. Please only fill in the survey if you do intend to make such a trip, or have already made one. Of course hunters living in South Africa are also very much inveted to fill in the survey!

I would like to stress that all information in the survey is completely anonymous. It can not be linked to the person entering it and it will not be used in any commercial way.

The address of the web survey is:
http://www.wildpicture.com/uop/hunter_survey1.htm

I hope you will spare a few minutes to voice your opinion and support my research project.

Regards,
Hans

P.s. I am aware of last year's research by Prof. Saayman from NWU and will incorporate his findings into this study as well.

[Clueless]

Good luck with your studies.  
And welcome to THL.
 
I'm not planning a trip to Africa to hunt.  My survey would be useless. :)

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

I agree with Clueless.  The survey does not apply to me either... plus the fact that I don't participate in anonymous surveys on the computer or over the telephone.

I am also curious as to why you are not in Pretoria.

[gitano]

"Wildpicture" - Let me guess... It is your unbiased opinion that photographic 'safaris' generate more revenue, contribute to higher employment and increased biodiversity, as compared to 'consumptive' uses such as hunting. Now you just need the data to prove it, right?
 
Welcome to THL, truly, but you'll be getting no fuel for your fire from this corner.
 
Paul

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

Wildpicture... your thread in the Campfire forum has been removed.  

You are certainly welcome to THL and to interact with anyone here.  

However, you may not spam the forums in an attempt to force a survey into the general conversation.  Please do not do this again.

Jay Edward
Administration

[wildpicture]

Wildpicture... your thread in the Campfire forum has been removed.  You are certainly welcome to THL and to interact with anyone here.  
However, you may not spam the forums in an attempt to force a survey into the general conversation.  Please do not do this again.

Jay, thank you for reminding me. I thought campfire would also be an appropriate part to post about my research project. I am certainly not trying to spam.

To the others who seem so openly suspicious, I would just like to say: Why immediately so suspicious and hostile? Speaking about being biased. No reason for that. I am doing a research master program (MPhil) in wildlife management at the University of Pretoria. That is one of the most respectable universities in South Africa with a 100 year history. The Centre for Wildlife Management of that university concerns itself with the management of game reserves. These game reserves are geared towards hunting as well as more general tourism.

And the reason I am not in Pretoria is that I am doing this research program through distance learning. I will be in Pretoria and South Africa for the practical parts. Over the past 17 years I have traveled about a dozen different countries in eastern, western and southern Africa.

[Clueless]

Wildfire.  To me anything that requires a Survey is the same as Spam. ( Take the PEPSI survey for instance) You would be better served here to post pictures of your experiences in hunting in other countries.
 
And telling about your experiences in Africa.
 
There are survey's going on in the forum at this moment in time re: the weather, what we'r doing with our rebate checks, whose using what reloads, bows, rifles, hand guns.
 
I'm not the suspicious sort but why  go to another site to take a survey when the survey can be done on site by questions and posting of articles and pictures.  
 
You see where I'm going with my suggestions? :smiley:

[wildpicture]

Sure. Now I understand your nickname. :-)


All surveys are spam. Universities are a waste of time......

[Clueless]

Wild I'm a University graduate and have no complaints against Universities.
 
Don't assume just because I live in Tennessee I'm uneducated.
 
Surveys are spam in emails, phone calls, etc.
 
I agree with Jay. I don't fill them out, I don't take the calls.
 
I know enough about University surveys to know you should have been given a list of people you could survey within your specialty.

[wildpicture]

Wild I'm a University graduate and have no complaints against Universities.  Don't assume just because I live in Tennessee I'm uneducated.

I am sorry. I didn't mean to offend you in any way. About Tennessee, I wouldn't know what kind of people live there as I have never been there myself. So I am not assuming anything. Again, sorry if it sounded like that.

I know enough about University surveys to know you should have been given a list of people you could survey within your specialty.

Well, part of the research program is to define and set up your own research methodology. So the university doesn't give out lists with people you can interview. Of course you'll have to find out yourself who your target groups and populations are and how to reach them. For this survey I am looking for people who like to hunt and travel to Africa to hunt African game in game reserves over there. One way to get into contact with such people is to register at hunting fora and post a link to the survey over there.

Personally, I do not hunt myself but have nothing against shooting an animal to eat it. Most of the time these animals have had a way better life than any cattle in the bio-industry and the meat is much better tasting and certainly healthier. I do like a nice Kudu or Impala steak on the BBQ. :)


Back to the survey again. If you have a look at it, you will see that it only asks some questions about the background of the hunter for demographic analysis. The main part is about what a hunter would expect from game reserves (accommodation and facilities) and what animals they would like to see and/or hunt. I still do invite hunters on African game to participate, but everybody is of course free not to do so!

[Clueless]

Maybe a site for African Game hunters would be more suited to your purposes wild.
 
I can't speak for anyone else but my longest trip for hunting included Canada on several occassions.  Went to Maine a few times.  None were guided trips and none were "game farms".
 
I have no plans to travel to Africa for hunting purposes.
 
I will however travel 30miles from home to hunt what ever happens to be in season on a regular basis. :smiley:

[greywolf]

only 30 miles ????? *boggle* I expected you to be more of a 130 mile kinda guy

[Clueless]

That's local hunting Grey.
 
If I'm planning on doing bear hunting this year I'll have to travel 400+miles.  Half way across the state of TN.
 
130miles from me is almost at the Mississippi.  Or Memphis.  No hunting in Memphis..less ya count hunting for Elvis!!:eek:

[gitano]

To the others who seem so openly suspicious, (That would be me.) I would just like to say: Why immediately so suspicious and hostile? (I'll explain below.) Speaking about being biased. No reason for that. (It is erroneous and unscientific for you to assume that there is no reason for my suspicion.) I am doing a research master program (MPhil) in wildlife management at the University of Pretoria. That is one of the most respectable universities in South Africa with a 100 year history. (So, by inference, whatever you do as a student at the University of Pretoria is therefore respectable? How positively scientific of you.) The Centre for Wildlife Management of that university concerns itself with the management of game reserves. These game reserves are geared towards hunting as well as more general tourism. (So what. That is entirely irrelevant to understanding what you intend. Your statement implies that the Centre for Wildlife Management ONLY undertakes studies that advance their perspective. If that were true - which I seriously doubt - wouldn't that be a bit biased.)

You do what so many scientists today do - you attempt to validate and justify your position by associating yourself either with a respected entity/organization, or by 'ganging up' with a group of like-minded people, 'proving' that because you agree with the "masses" you must be correct.
 
You had an opportunity to appropriately and scientifically rebut my rebuff by stating clearly why my 'suspicions' were unfounded. Instead, you attempted to justify and rationalize your "survey" by using the reputation of the school you are attending, and stating:

I am doing a research master program (MPhil) in wildlife management at the University of Pretoria.

I have a Bachelor's degree in zoology, a Masters in ecology, and a multi-disciplinary Ph.D. in electrical engineering, physics and fisheries science. I have been doing scientific research for almost 40 years, more than 20 of which was field work. I was head of the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game's fisheries hydroacoustics program for 12 years. I am not impressed with credentials. Neither am I impressed with where someone gets their education. None of my above credentials matters one whit here at THL, nor should they.
 
Here at THL, (and everywhere for a genuine scientist), if I cannot make my points based on the facts and pursuasive argument, then use of 'credentials' or 'pedigree' is just bullying. Instead of proving a point, citing credentials and pedegree simply illustrates that the argument being forwarded, (and its arguer), is at best weak. Here at THL, I am frequently taken to task, and it is demanded, that I "prove" any point I am trying to make. I would have it no other way... because from such demands come good science and truth.
 
We here at THL will listen, howevr, so far you've said precious little to instill any trust in helping you with what is, to date, a poorly described project. You've not explained why those of us that love hunting shouldn't be 'suspicious' when someone with the moniker wildpicture, asks us to participate in a survey (ptooey), in which our input and insights will used to demonstrate whether or not taking pictures is more economically important to governments, than consumptive activities like hunting are.
 
By the way... the folks here at THL are not so naive as you might think. Comments like:

Personally, I do not hunt myself but have nothing against shooting an animal to eat it.

do not fool us. On the contrary, looks more like a wolf in sheep's clothing to me. You didn't say you "approved" of hunting, you said you "had nothing against shooting an animal to eat it." By deduction, you therefore must have "something against" those that shoot animals for reasons other than subsistance. I doubt that there are five members of THL that must rely on game for sustenance. Based on your own comments:[/COLOR]
 
1) You don't hunt, and
2) You only 'approve' of one very specific "kind" of hunting,
 
you must, therefore, 'disapprove' of the hunting that almost all of the members of THL do.
 
Paul

[bowhunter 51]

.............................................................................................................BH51.....