Web-based Cognitive Interviews to Pre-test the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (FHWAR)

OMB Control No. 1090-0011

Expires 10/31/2021

Wildlife-Watcher Questionnaire – v4.3

6.17.2020

IntroPART1.

The first set of questions are about the trips or outings you may have taken for the PRIMARY PURPOSE of observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife. The questions do not refer to noticing wildlife while doing other activities such as hunting and fishing. DO NOT include trips to zoos, circuses, aquariums, museums, or scouting for game.

By wildlife, we mean birds, mammals, fish, insects, reptiles such as turtles, snakes, and lizards, and amphibians, such as frogs. DO NOT include farm animals or pets.

W_PARTAFH.

From January 1, 2020 until today, did you take any trips or outings to any location more than one mile away from home within the United States for the PRIMARY PURPOSE of observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife?

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes → GO TO W_AFHST

2. No → SKIP TO W_PARTHOME

W_AFHST.
[SHOW IF W_PARTAFH = 1]

From January 1, 2020 until today, in which state or states did you take any trips or outings for the PRIMARY PURPOSE of observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife?

Alabama	Hawaii	Michigan	North Carolina	Utah
Alaska	Idaho	Minnesota	North Dakota	Vermont
Arizona	Illinois	Mississippi	Ohio	Virginia
Arkansas	Indiana	Missouri	Oklahoma	Washington
California	Iowa	Montana	Oregon	West Virginia
Colorado	Kansas	Nebraska	Pennsylvania	Wisconsin
Connecticut	Kentucky	Nevada	Rhode Island	Wyoming
Delaware	Louisiana	New Hampshire	South Carolina
District of Columbia (DC)	Maine	New Jersey	South Dakota
Florida	Maryland	New Mexico	Tennessee
Georgia	Massachusetts	New York	Texas

W_TRIPSAFH.
[SHOW IF W_PARTAFH = 1]

From January 1, 2020 until today, how many trips or outings lasting a single day or multiple days have you taken more than one mile away from home within the United States for the PRIMARY PURPOSE of observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife?

W_AFHDAYS.
[SHOW IF W_PARTAFH = 1]

From January 1, 2020 until today, how many TOTAL days did you observe, photograph, or feed wildlife more than one mile away from home within the United States? If you’ve gone on more than one trip or outing, please provide the total number of days of all trips or outings combined.

W_trip1.
[SHOW IF W_TRIPSAFH = 1]

The next question is about any expenses you may have had on your most recent trip or outing taken to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife that occurred from January 1, 2020 until today.

How much was spent for your share of each of the following trip-related expenses, even if someone else purchased the item for you? Enter the amount spent by you or someone else for your share of expenses. For any item in the list that was not purchased on this trip, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased.”

GRID ITEMS:

1. Food, drink, and refreshments

2. Lodging at motels, cabins, lodges, or campgrounds, etc.

3. Transportation costs for a private vehicle, such as gas or highway tolls

4. Airfare

5. Other transportation costs, such as trains, buses, taxis, or car rentals

6. Guide fees, pack trip or package fees

7. Public land use or access fees. Include fees for any land owned by the local, state, or federal government. Do not include leases.

8. Private land use or access fees. Include entrance, privilege, or admittance fees for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife on private lands. Do not include leases.

9. Heating and cooking fuel

10. Equipment rental such as boats or camping equipment

11. Boating expenses such as fuel, launching fees, boat mooring, storage, maintenance, pumpout fees, or insurance

w_trip2.

[show if w_trips>1]

The next questions are about any expenses you may have had on your most recent trip or outing taken to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife that occurred from January 1, 2020 until today.

First, thinking about your most recent trip or outing to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife, how much was spent for your share of each of the following trip-related expenses, even if someone else purchased the item for you? Enter the amount spent by you or someone else for your share of expenses. For any item in the list that was not purchased on this trip, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased.”

GRID ITEMS:

1. Food, drink, and refreshments

2. Lodging at motels, cabins, lodges, or campgrounds, etc.

3. Transportation costs for a private vehicle, such as gas or highway tolls

4. Airfare

5. Other transportation costs, such as trains, buses, taxis, or car rentals

6. Guide fees, pack trip or package fees

7. Public land use or access fees. Include fees for any land owned by the local, state, or federal government. Do not include leases.

8. Private land use or access fees. Include entrance, privilege, or admittance fees for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife on private lands or game or shooting preserves. Do not include leases.

9. Heating and cooking fuel

10. Equipment rental such as boats, hunting, or camping equipment

11. Boating expenses such as fuel, launching fees, boat mooring, storage, maintenance, pumpout fees, or insurance

W_trip3.

[show if W_trips>1]

Next, thinking about the trip or outing to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife you took before your most recent trip that occurred from January 1, 2020 until today, how much was spent for your share of each of the following trip-related expenses, even if someone else purchased the item for you? Enter the amount spent by you or someone else for your share of expenses. For any item in the list that was not purchased on this trip, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased.”

GRID ITEMS:

1. Food, drink, and refreshments

2. Lodging at motels, cabins, lodges, or campgrounds, etc.

3. Transportation costs for a private vehicle, such as gas or highway tolls

4. Airfare

5. Other transportation costs, such as trains, buses, taxis, or car rentals

6. Guide fees, pack trip or package fees

7. Public land use or access fees. Include fees for any land owned by the local, state, or federal government. Do not include leases.

8. Private land use or access fees. Include entrance, privilege, or admittance fees for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife on private lands or game or shooting preserves. Do not include leases.

9. Heating and cooking fuel

10. Equipment rental such as boats, hunting, or camping equipment

11. Boating expenses such as fuel, launching fees, boat mooring, storage, maintenance, pumpout fees, or insurance

W_trips4.

[show if W_trips>2]

Next, thinking about the trip or outing to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife you took before your two most recent trips that occurred from January 1, 2020 until today, how much was spent for your share of each of the following trip-related expenses, even if someone else purchased the item for you? Enter the amount spent by you or someone else for your share of expenses. For any item in the list that was not purchased on this trip, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased.”

GRID ITEMS:

1. Food, drink, and refreshments

2. Lodging at motels, cabins, lodges, or campgrounds, etc.

3. Transportation costs for a private vehicle, such as gas or highway tolls

4. Airfare

5. Other transportation costs, such as trains, buses, taxis, or car rentals

6. Guide fees, pack trip or package fees

7. Public land use or access fees. Include fees for any land owned by the local, state, or federal government. Do not include leases.

8. Private land use or access fees. Include entrance, privilege, or admittance fees for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife on private lands or game or shooting preserves. Do not include leases.

9. Heating and cooking fuel

10. Equipment rental such as boats, hunting, or camping equipment

11. Boating expenses such as fuel, launching fees, boat mooring, storage, maintenance, pumpout fees, or insurance

W_PARThome.

The next questions are about your experiences with wildlife around your home, meaning the area within a one-mile radius of your home. We’re interested in whether you took a SPECIAL INTEREST in observing or viewing wildlife, not just simply noticing wildlife while doing something else such as gardening or exercising.

From January 1, 2020 until today, did you do any of the following wildlife-watching activities around your home, or not?

By wildlife we mean birds, mammals, fish, insects, reptiles such as turtles, snakes, and lizards, and amphibians, such as frogs. DO NOT include farm animals or pets.

grid items:

1. Closely observe wildlife or try to identify types of wildlife you did not know

2. Photograph wildlife

3. Feed birds or other wildlife

4. Maintain natural areas such as wooded lots, hedgerows, or open fields of at least one-quarter acre for the benefit of wildlife, not including farmland

5. Maintain plantings such as shrubs or agricultural crops for the benefit of wildlife

6. Visit parks and natural areas to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes → SKIP TO W_DAYSHOME

2. No

W_SPNDAFH.

[show if w_partafh=2, 98, 99 AND W_PARTHOME=2, 98, 99]

From January 1, 2020 until today, did you purchase, or did someone purchase for you, any equipment or other items PRIMARILY for use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, either around your home or more than a mile away? This could be smaller items such as binoculars or cameras, camping equipment, or big-ticket items such as a boat or land used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes → GO TO W_EQUIP

2. No → STOP! Thank you. Please return the questionnaire in the enclosed envelope.

W_DAYShome.
[SHOW IF W_PARTHOME_A=1 OR W_PARTHOME_B=1 OR PARTHOME_F=1]

From January 1, 2020 until today, on how many days did you do each of the following wildlife-watching activities around your home?

grid items:

1. [SHOW IF W_PARTHOME_A=1] Closely observe wildlife or try to identify types of wildlife you did not know

2. [SHOW IF W_PARTHOME_B=1] Photograph wildlife

3. [SHOW IF W_PARTHOME_F=1] Visit parks and natural areas to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife

W_AREAACR.
[SHOW IF W_PARTHOME_D=1]

How many acres of natural area did you maintain for the benefit of wildlife? Include land and water in acre total. If less than 1 acre, enter 1.

W_FARMCST.
[SHOW IF W_PARTHOME_E= 1]

From January 1, 2020 until today, what was the TOTAL cost for maintaining these plantings?

W_EQUIPintro.

The next questions are about expenditures on equipment and other items you may have purchased in the United States for use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife. We’re interested in expenditures on items you PRIMARILY use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, and not items that you own but use primarily for purposes other than observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife.

w_equip.

From January 1, 2020 until today, how much did you spend on any of the following items PRIMARILY for your use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? If an item was purchased for you, please estimate its value and enter the amount. For any item in the list that was not purchased, or was purchased but NOT PRIMARILY for your use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife.”

GRID ITEMS:

1. Binoculars, field glasses, spotting scopes, rangefinders, etc.

2. Cameras, video cameras, special lenses, phone camera accessories, tripods, memory cards, film and processing, or other photography equipment

3. Commercially prepared and packaged wild bird food

4. Other bulk food used to feed wild birds, not specifically packaged as bird food

5. Food used to feed other wildlife

6. Nest boxes, bird houses, feeders, or baths

7. Day packs, carrying cases, or special clothing such as foul weather gear, camouflage clothing, or boots

8. Nature journals, tools for measurement such as magnifying lens or ruler, or holding containers

9. Any other equipment used PRIMARILY for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife such as walking sticks, field guides, or maps

W_aux.

From January 1, 2020 until today, how much did you spend on any of the following items PRIMARILY for your use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? If an item was purchased for you, please estimate its value and enter the amount. For any item in the list that was not purchased, or was purchased but NOT PRIMARILY for your use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife.”

grid items:

1. Camping equipment such as sleeping bags, packs, duffel bags, portable cooking stoves, tarps, and tents

2. Frame packs or backpacking equipment

3. Any other items used PRIMARILY for use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife such as blinds or GPS devices.

W_other.

From January 1, 2020 until today, how much did you spend on any of the following items? If an item was purchased for you, please estimate its value and enter the amount. For any item in the list that was not purchased, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased.”

grid items:

1. Books, magazines, or DVDs devoted to observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife

2. Mobile apps, online discussion boards or forums, or other online subscriptions devoted to observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife

3. Dues or contributions to national, state, or local conservation or wildlife-related organizations

W_BIG.

From January 1, 2020 until today, how much did you spend on any of the following big-ticket items PRIMARILY for your use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? If an item was purchased for you, please estimate its value and enter the amount. For any item in the list that was not purchased, or was purchased but NOT PRIMARILY for your use in observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please check the box next to the item that says “This item was not purchased for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife.”

Please only include the amount spent from January 1, 2020 until today, not the total value of the item. For example, if you made a down payment on a recreational vehicle (RV) in January and make monthly payments for the remainder of the cost, include both the down payment and all payments you’ve made since you purchased the vehicle. If you purchased the vehicle in a previous year, but made payments for the remainder of the cost from January 1, 2020 until today, include those payments but not the down payment or any payments you’ve made in previous years.

GRID ITEMS:

1. An off-the-road vehicle such as a snowmobile, 4-wheeler, ATV, UTV, 4 x 4 vehicle, trail bike, or dune buggy

2. A pickup, camper, van, travel or tent trailer, motor home, house trailer, or recreational vehicle (RV)

3. A motor boat

4. A canoe, kayak, or other non-motor boat

5. A boat motor, boat trailer or hitch, or other boat accessories

6. Any other items such as an airplane

W_LAND.

The next questions are about any property that you may have owned or leased in the United States in 2020.

In 2020, did you own, in part or whole, property more than a mile away from your home in the United States PRIMARILY to use for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? If you owned property but you did not use it PRIMARILY for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please DO NOT include it.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes

2. No

W_LANDACR.
[SHOW IF W_LAND=1]

How many acres did you own? Include land and water in acre total. If less than 1 acre, enter 1. If you owned property but you did not use it PRIMARILY for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please DO NOT include it. If you owned multiple pieces of property in 2020 that you PRIMARILY used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please include the TOTAL acreage.

W_LANDGRP.
[SHOW IF W_LAND=1]

Did you own this property that you PRIMARILY used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife with anyone else, or not? This could be a spouse or partner, other members of your immediate or extended family, a club or group, or anyone else with whom you share ownership of the property.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes

2. No

W_LANDoth.
[SHOW IF W_LANDGRP=1]

With whom did you own this property that you PRIMARILY used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? Please select all that apply.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Someone who lives in your household

2. Someone, or a group of people, who do not live in your household

W_ownnum.

[show if W_landgrp=1]

How many others owned this property with you, not including yourself?

W_LANDCST.
[SHOW IF W_LAND=1]

From January 1 to December 31, 2020 what was YOUR SHARE of the TOTAL cost of the property used for observing, photographing or feeding wildlife? Include mortgage, taxes, and maintenance. If the property was purchased in 2020, include the down payment and any closing costs or other expenses associated with the purchase.

W_LEASE.

In 2020, did you lease property in the United States PRIMARILY to use for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? If you leased property but you did not use it PRIMARILY for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please DO NOT include it.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes

2. No

W_LEASEACR.
[SHOW IF W_LEASE=1]

How many acres did you lease? Include land and water in acre total. If less than 1 acre, enter 1. If you leased property but you did not use it PRIMARILY for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife, please DO NOT include it. If you leased multiple pieces of property in 2020, include all acreage that you PRIMARILY used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife.

W_LEASEGRP.
[SHOW IF W_LEASE=1]

Did you lease this property that you PRIMARILY used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife with anyone else, or not? This could be a spouse or partner, other members of your immediate or extended family, a club or group, or anyone else with whom you share the lease of the property.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes

2. No

W_LEASEoth.
[SHOW IF W_LEASEGRP=1]

With whom did you lease this property that you PRIMARILY used for observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife? Please select all that apply.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Someone who lives in your household

2. Someone, or a group of people, who do not live in your household

W_leasenum.

[show if W_LEASEgrp=1]

How many others leased this property with you, not including yourself?

W_LEASECST.
[SHOW IF W_LEASE=1]

From January 1 to December 31, 2020 what was YOUR SHARE of the TOTAL cost of the property leased for observing, photographing or feeding wildlife? Include rent and maintenance. If the property was first leased in 2020, include the deposit and any other expenses associated with the lease.

w_FPART.

The final questions are about some other types of outdoor activities in which you may have participated.

From January 1, 2020 until today, did you do any recreational fishing in the United States? Please do not include occasions when you only observed others fishing.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

1. Yes

2. No

w_HPART.

From January 1, 2020 until today, did you do any hunting in the United States? Please do not include occasions when you only observed others hunting or when you only scouted.

RESPONSE OPTIONS:

3. Yes

4. No

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to test and refine the questionnaires for the 2022 National survey of FHWAR. Your response is voluntary and we will not share your response publicly. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. OMB has reviewed and approved this focus group and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 60 minutes for the cognitive interview and 10 minutes for the phone debriefing, including time to read instructions and gather information. You may submit comments on any aspect of this information collection to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), Falls Church, VA 22041-3803, or via email at Info_Coll@fws.gov.