Geology topics

Elizabeth M. Kierepka

Publications and source records attributed to Elizabeth M. Kierepka.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2026

How hunters and non-hunters view barriers to allowing hunting access in an urban county

Barriers to allowing hunting of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) on private land shape hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation efficacy as well as the ability of wildlife management agencies to use hunting as a management tool. Understanding perceptions of these barriers is crucial in urbanizing landscapes where there are increased challenges to allowing hunting access, and deer may persist in relatively high numbers. We compared barriers to allowing hunting access on one’s property among hunters (n = 281) and non-hunters (n = 874) who did not have hunting occur on their property across urban, suburban, and rural groups in Durham County, North Carolina. (i.e., six groups). Rural landowners tended to perceive geographic barriers (e.g., property size) as less problematic than suburban and urban landowners, irrespective of personal participation in hunting, but landowners who hunted tended to view all barriers as less problematic than those who did not. Small property size, human population density, and housing density were viewed as important barriers to allowing hunting access for all groups, but suburban and urban non-hunters perceived the challenges as greater barriers compared to other groups. Conversely, the complexity of hunting regulations was viewed as a minor barrier to allowing hunting among all landowners. Safety concerns, not knowing other hunters, and disagreement with hunting as a practice showed the greatest contrasts between landowners who hunted and those who did not, with the latter group reporting the barriers as more important. Barriers to hunting identified in this study aligned with variables that predicted whether land is huntable (e.g., property size, housing density) in prior research. Our results indicate that developing public outreach highlighting hunting safety and creating landowner-hunter partnership programs may help facilitate hunting access in urbanizing areas.

North Carolina↗

USGS2026

Integrating fecal DNA and telemetry to estimate wildlife densities in anthropogenic landscapes

Density estimation is central to wildlife management efforts but can be challenging in anthropogenically-dominated landscapes due to small parcel sizes, access restrictions, and limited green space. Reliable density estimates are especially important for managing white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), whose high abundance in urbanized areas increases the need for accurate population assessments to guide management and reduce negative human–wildlife interactions. Herein, we evaluated (a) the use of a plot-based spatial capture-recapture sampling design to estimate deer density in developed landscapes and (b) if integrating telemetry data improved the precision or biological inferences of density estimates. We conducted fecal sampling at 2 study areas reflecting different characteristics of the urbanization gradient in Durham and eastern Orange counties, North Carolina: (1) rural (i.e., forested, large parcels) and (2) suburban (i.e., small parcels, limited continuous access, diversity of landscape features). We collected 223 fecal samples during a 3-week sampling period in July and September 2022, resulting in 157 individual deer detected (112 F:45 M). Rural densities were estimated at 54 deer/km 2 (95% CI = 35–84) and suburban densities at 75 deer/km 2 (95% CI = 48–117). Integrating telemetry data allowed estimation of sex-specific space use and densities, which were not possible from fecal data alone; however, precision of total density estimates was similar across integrated and fecal-only analyses. Overall, our results highlighted key trade-offs inherent to plot-based spatial capture-recapture in suburban landscapes, most notably low recapture rates, accessibility challenges to maintain optimal trap spacing, and the importance of considering auxiliary data streams as part of the study design.

North Carolina↗

USGS2025

Emotions and political identity predict public acceptance of urban deer management

Addressing public preferences can enhance wildlife management effectiveness and reduce backlash. We conducted novel research on public acceptance of wildlife management by accounting for the role of underexplored drivers including emotion and political identity across an urban-to-rural gradient. Using data from a 2022 survey about white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in Durham County, North Carolina, we analyzed drivers of acceptance for three management strategies: passive management, lethal management by hunting, and lethal management by professionals. Support for deer management varied across the urban-to-rural gradient, as rural residents favored hunting but were less supportive of passive management compared to urban and suburban residents. Emotions and general attitudes toward deer were the strongest predictors of management acceptance. Support for passive management was higher among residents with more positive emotions toward deer, whereas support for lethal strategies was higher among those with more negative emotions. Additionally, political identity emerged as a complex yet influential factor in shaping support for lethal management. Conservative respondents exhibited a higher acceptance of hunting, whereas liberal respondents exhibited a higher acceptance of professional sharpshooting. Collectively, our results demonstrate the ways in which emotions, politics, and other socio-demographic factors interact to influence public support for deer management across the urban–rural gradient. When direct experience with wildlife is lacking (e.g., in urban areas), emotions may act as heuristic guides that shape preferences. Managers aiming to increase deer management acceptability could integrate insights about emotional, political, and demographic drivers of public management support in communication efforts, potentially rendering urban deer management more effective.

North Carolina↗