摘要：Damage to property from deer hunters, though usually not discovered immediately, is a problem for many Arkansans. A questionnaire survey was mailed to 3,773 rural landowners in Arkansas to determine the type and cost of damage suffered from hunters. Thirty-five percent reported minor problems, and 15% reported severe damage from hunters. The most common problems caused by hunters were fence cutting (33%), severe littering (16%), road damage (13%), crop damage (10%), cattle shot (8%), gates left open (6%), and trespassing (6%). Eighty-three (5%) of the landowners reported damage costs of $500 or more; one sustained a $15,000 loss. Total state-wide losses are estimated at almost $15 million per year. Solutions lie in cultivating a stewardship position among landowners and a stronger ethic of respect among hunters. Mandatory hunter education programs can help instill hunter ethics, while posting laws can provide the administrative mechanism to control access and exposure.
