Clarifying how hunt‐specific experiences affect satisfaction among more avid and less avid waterfowl hunters

ABSTRACT Marketing research methods could enhance understanding of hunter satisfaction, a key metric for state wildlife management agencies. We used 3 marketing research approaches—revised importance‐performance, importance‐grid, and penalty‐reward‐contrast analysis—to test determinants of waterfowl hunter satisfaction in Minnesota, USA. These methods have seen limited application in research on hunting and other outdoor recreation activities. Using results from a 2015 mail survey, we examined the implicit and explicit motivations and overall satisfaction of Minnesota waterfowl hunters. We also differentiated how experiences relate to satisfaction for more avid and less avid hunters, defined by self‐reported importance of the activity. Seeing ducks in the field was important to satisfaction for both avidity groups. Bagging ducks each day in the field was more important to satisfaction for less avid hunters, whereas bagging a lot of ducks over the season and attracting ducks with decoys were more important to the satisfaction of more avid hunters. Our methods illuminate differences between explicit and implicit motivations for participation in waterfowl hunting, clarify factors crucial to satisfaction, and identify asymmetric influences of experiences on satisfaction and dissatisfaction. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.