National Deer Association

Over the Past Few Years Multiple Research Projects Centered Around New Hunters Have Uncovered the Same Five Knowledge Gaps as Barriers to New Potential Hunters. International Hunter Education Associations Studies on Adult Hunter Education Graduates, Wildlife Management Incorporateds Work With New Hunters Seeking Mentors and Wildlife Management Incorporateds Studies on New Hunter Personas and the Journey New Hunters Take to Hunting Were Just a Few of the Projects to Uncover Essentially the Same List of Knowledge Gaps: 1. Understanding Regulations, Seasons, and Licensing. 2. Learning How to Field Dress and Process Wild Game. 3. Learning Firearm Handling. 4. Finding Somewhere to Hunt and Understanding Access to Hunting Areas. 5. Understanding General Hunting Techniques and Prey Behavior. While the Individual Items Are Not in the Same Order for Every Study or Audience Segment, These Same Knowledge Gaps Prevent New Adult Hunters From Feeling Confident Enough to Actually Hunt. This Project Aims to Develop Video Lessons and Powerpoint Decks for Live Training for the Three Knowledge Gaps as of Yet Unanswered by the Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) Community. 1. Understanding Regulations, Seasons, and Licensing. 2. Learning How to Field Dress and Process Wild Game. 3. Finding Somewhere to Hunt and Understanding Access to Hunting Areas These Lessons Will Be Made Available at No Cost to State Agencies, Non-governmental Organizations, Outdoor Learning Centers, and Other R3-RELATED Organizations to Use and Disseminate Among Their Hunting Audiences, and for New Prospective Hunters to Find on Their Own on Youtube. We Will Also Be Creating Photography Assets During the Production of Game Processing Videos for Sharing With the Entire R3 Community to Assist in Telling the Story of Food as the Center of the Motivation for Hunting.