Duck Hunting and Wetland Conservation: Compromise or Synergy

Jeff Bennett, Stuart M Whitten

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle


    Duck hunting is an issue - often controversial - that generates both benefits and costs to society. Hunters enjoy benefits from engaging in their sport, while those who have ethical concerns regarding the shooting of ducks endure costs. Some in the community fear that duck hunting puts pressure on the continued ecological viability of the hunted species, while others argue that the demand for hunting provides sufficient economic incentive for wetland conservation. Whether society as a whole should permit or restrict duck hunting is to some extent an empirical question: Are the costs to society of allowing duck hunting greater or less than the benefits it generates? Evidence presented in this paper addresses this question. The benefits enjoyed by people who hunt ducks in the upper south east of South Australia are estimated using the travel cost method. The ethical costs borne by the general community because of duck hunting are estimated using the choice modeling technique. Finally a threshold value analysis is used to assess the activities of Wetlands and Wildlife, a not-for-profit organization that manages wetlands in part for hunting.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)161-174
    JournalCanadian Journal of Agricultural Economics
    VolumeJuly, 2003
    Publication statusPublished - 2003


    Dive into the research topics of 'Duck Hunting and Wetland Conservation: Compromise or Synergy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this