But there is no scientifically valid way to measure this "sampling method", as you call it. There is no way to know whether the harvest increased or whether hunters just reported better. If you are trying to measure 100% of the harvest then you need 100% participation. I will say that it measures the legal harvest, but I don't know how much that is gonna help in managing the resource if more than half the hunters have given up trying to be legal.
True…..I bet they have some way of gauging it using historical success rates or something…..The only thing that really makes it differ from the old survey is that you’re not getting a response from folks who killed zero….I wonder how constant the traditional percentage was for the % of total hunters killing zero…..whether we’re talking deer or turkey. I don’t believe for a minute that they actually ever though they’d get 100% compliance. I’m sure they had a goal of “x” amount and then a means of using that number to extrapolate it or use the trends just like a random sampling problem. I believe that about one of the only ways they can really use the info is to look at trends to see if the yield is sustainable or declining.
