# Poll: Attract More Non-Residents



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Prarie Poll from "The Napolean Homestead" newspaper:

North Dakota should place higher emphasis on attracting non-resident hunters than on preserving hunting for its own people, according to the results of the ND Prarie Poll. In addition, the poll by 10 area weekly newspapers shows that rural North Dakotans believe new hunting regulations may not be providing the opportunities they were designed to create. Over two thirds of those responding to the Dec. poll said the state should promote to non-residents, and 58% said *that's even more important than preserving resident hunting**!*

According to the Prarie Poll, only 15% of people surveyed said new laws, hammered out during sometimes contentious debate during the last legislative session, improved access for resident hunters. Twice that many said regulations actually hurt access. Over half of the people responding preceived an increase in posted land this year, indicating some posting may be occuring in protest of the resident sportsmen lobby. 70% of those surveyed in the Napolean area believe there is more posted land. Some 68% feel hunting is an asset to the state and ND should do more to promote out of state visitors. Thats up 2% from poll results last year.

Though hunting regulations were tightened during the session in response to resident hunter complaints about a growing lack of access to land, nearly three-quarters of all people surveyed said there is plenty of land for the number of hunters in their area.

70% of those polled answered "no" in response to the question, "Are there more hunters than the land can *"safely"* handle?" Thats up 6% from last year which may indicate fewer hunters overall.

Nearly half of all people polled this year were against placing caps on hunting licenses, prefering instead to control the game harvest by adjusting the lenght of season and bag limits. The poll was conducted by telephone through a random sampling of people in the areas where the 10 community newspapers circulate. Because the Prarie Poll is opperated by weekly newspapers, the sample is primarly rural.

Only respondents in Kenmare, Stanley and Napolean had a greater number of people who felt it was more important to preserve resident hunting than to attract non-resident hunters. 
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The market hunters just keep coming with the same old crud all the time. (safely handle? what the heck kind of question is that?) ND Decoy had a post about contributions. Who you contribute to and who you as a sportsman vote for is going to be more important than ever in this next election. I don't know about this poll but the Prarie Poll last year was done by the brother of one of our Grade F legislators. Imagine that.


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I would like to see the questions used on this poll. Untill the questions used are shown this "poll" has no validity. Its common knowledge that you can load the questions any way you want to get a response.

"Nearly half of the people polled this year were opposed to caps"

I could also pose that in another way. Nearly half the people polled were not opposed to caps.

What are the qualifications and background of the person conducting the poll?


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## Perry Thorvig (Mar 6, 2002)

Now here is a fair question:

"Do you believe that struggling, poor counties in ND should gain more income by encouraging hunters to spend their money in the county?"

Well, who is going to say no to that? It's a biased, loaded question. That is GG's point. You gotta have some fair questions. And, the poll needs to be fairly administered geographically in order to be valid.

The problem is that some legislator is going to take the poll information and spread it around the legislature. It could catch on amongst those who are little dim below the hairline. But, they are the ones who can vote!

Thanks Dick for the heads up on this one.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

I say we get someone to do a "Random Poll" and only conduct it in the largely populated areas of the state.

Wonder if they asked anything about how outfitters who house the NRs in their own homes and provide everything are effecting the local businesses?

When Napolean, Edgeley, Wishek, ie realize they have a resource that the NR hunter wants they'll have to put some type of marketing plan together to get those hunters to their communities and quit relying on word of mouth and then they won't to whine about how the G&F department has screwed everything up.....they'll have all the hunters they ever wanted.

Any small time entreupeners (ok - spelling bad) that want to make some money putting together a marketing plan for small town North Dakota? Evidently there are too many living there right now.


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## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

Don't waste too much time worring about this poll. It's just an editorial begging for someone believe the opinions expressed ("Hey, everyone else believes this too...."). They "conducted" a similar one on hunting issues just before the last legislative session. No one capable of tying their shoes would fail to see it as a pathetic attempt to influence the feeble minded.

The last anti-hunting editorial/poll was written by Steve Andrist - I presume he's a relation of and the whipping boy of our Honorable Senator John Andrist from Crosby who scored an F on the score card: http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/scorecard.php. Then, he acknowledge it had no scientific validity. John tried to send the pool to all the legislators at the beginning of the session. No idea who wrote the editorial posted - Dick - any idea Andrist Jr.?

That's my take on it, and on their motivation for trying it again.

Ignore it - everyone else will.

M.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Geezzz...Was this poll taken on the doorstep of the cannonball company??? Or maybe outside of Schlects house??? :lol:

Seriously though, I would agree with Perry. The questions were worded very tricky, what red blooded Nodakian is going to wish failure upon rural communities?


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

It took a while but we shook it out.

----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Andrist
To: Sean Kelly ; Mountrail County Promoter ; Napoleon Homestead ; McKenzie
County Farmer ; Todd Morgan ; Nancy Johnson ; Kenmare News ; Jason Nordmark
; Mike Gackle ; Allen Stock
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2004 10:56 AM
Subject: local poll results

Following are the questions for this poll and the results by community.
Please note that this poll deals with question 9 only.

9. We would like your opinion about North Dakota hunting now that the
hunting season is nearing an end. The legislature passed several bills in
2003 related to hunting:
A) Did the laws create a reduction in hunting visitors in your area? (Yes,
No, Don't Know)
B) Did the laws improve access for resident hunters?
C) Is there more or less posted land in your area this year? (More, less,
don't know)
D) Should the state work harder to preserve hunting for our own people, or
to attract more non-resident hunters? (Preserve for local hunters, Attract
non-residents)
E) Is non-resident hunting an asset that should be promoted?
F) Are there more hunters than the land in your area can safely handle?
G) Should we have a cap on hunting license numbers, or should we welcome
all hunters and control the game harvest by adjusting the length of the
season and bag limits? (Cap, adjust, no opinion.)

CARRINGTON
9 YES NO DK
A 21.7 23.3 55
B 8.3 16.7 75
C 50 8.3 41.7
D 30 70
E 71.7 13.3 15
F 5 68.3 26.7
G 10 43.3 46.7

CROSBY
9 YES NO DK
A 51.7 20 28.3
B 20 31.7 48.3
C 31.7 6.6 61.7
D 48.3 51.7
E 73.3 10 11.7
F 8.3 71.7 20
G 15 43.3 41.7

GARRISON
9 YES NO DK
A 26.7 43.3 30
B 11.7 33.3 55
C 50 20 30
D 40 60
E 70 20 10
F 10 71.7 18.3
G 30 33.3 36.7

STANLEY
9 YES NO DK
A 21.7 36.7 41.6
B 15 20 65
C 75 0 25
D 51.7 48.3
E 75 20 5
F 10 70 20
G 33.3 50 16.7

NAPOLEON
9 YES NO DK
A 61.7 23.3 15
B 13.3 41.7 45
C 70 5 25
D 51.7 48.3
E 48.3 15 36.7
F 8.3 81.7 10
G 16.7 55 28.3

WATFORD CITY
9 YES NO DK
A 31.7 28.3 40
B 10 35 55
C 58.4 3.3 38.3
D 31.7 68.3
E 75 16.7 8.3
F 16.7 68.3 15
G 33.3 16.7 50

LISBON
9 YES NO DK
A 20 33.3 46.7
B 11.7 21.6 66.7
C 48.3 10 41.7
D 41.7 58.3
E 65 6.7 28.3
F 6.7 55 38.3
G 28.3 43.4 28.3

GRAFTON
9 YES NO DK
A 28.3 25 46.7
B 23.3 31.7 45
C 46.7 18.3 35
D 43.3 56.7
E 78.3 8.3 13.4
F 3.3 70 26.7
G 11.7 56.7 31.6

ROLLA
9 YES NO DK
A 20 35 45
B 18.3 33.3 48.4
C 58.3 15 26.7
D 30 70
E 80 11.7 8.3
F 15 76.7 8.3
G 13.3 65 21.7

KENMARE
9 YES NO DK
A 31.7 33.3 35
B 20 41.7 38.3
C 75 6.7 18.3
D 56.7 43.3
E 45 33.3 21.7
F 23.3 60 16.7
G 23.4 38.3 38.3


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Since Napoleon is the closest to my current rural location, it points out that the area within the waterfowl hunting zone 1 is a big headache for residents. Napoleon shows that there is more posted land than ever (70%) and resident hunting should be encouraged (>50%). I would invite anyone from outside the zones to come down and see what it is like when the non residents arrive the first two weeks of the season. Without the resident only portion of the early season this past year, I would not have hunted waterfowl.


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## Perry Thorvig (Mar 6, 2002)

Dick,

Do you have any idea of the number of folks who responded in each area? I mean do they figure the percentages based on 20 responses or 2000?


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

I don't remeber the number of folks contacted, maybe didn't know in the first place (?). If anyone can talk about validity here it is probably MRN and he has already spoken on that issue.


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## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

Sorry,been too busy to check in...

The number is probably small - that's why they give what I assume are percentages rather than n's. It's easy to figure out what the n is for each response, then check the rule for the other responses.

e.g., 21.7 = 8 of 37 or 13 of 60??? which fits other responses???

It's just not worth the bother as the bigger problem is how they conducted the poll (they were probably spanked for using the term survey) and collected the data. Even with a huge N, poor survey techniques still give you garbage. Heck, you have to trust they actually called folks. Just look at all the controversey with John Lott now....

Ignore it - it's an editorial written by an angry man, not a scientific presentation of opinions of North Dakotans.

M.


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