Attitudes toward Deer Hunting in New Jersey: A Second Look

The general population of New Jersey was surveyed in 1974 regarding attitude toward deer hunting, and data were compared to a similar study conducted in 1972. There was a significant increase in the proportion of people who disapprove of deer hunting (38 percent to 43 percent). While those who approve of deer hunting (49 percent) still outnumber those who disapprove (43 percent), the margin has declined from 16 percent to 6 percent in 2 years. Implications to traditional harvest-oriented management programs are also discussed.