Sex differences and data quality as determinants of income from hunting red deer Cervus elaphus

摘要: When hunting species in which the sexes differ substantially value, sex-selective harvesting can increase income dramatically. In some hunted species, for example red deer Cervus elaphus Scotland, there are also marked ecological differences between sexes. deer, stag mortality and dispersal rates higher when hind densities high. Hence, is a trade-off having enough hinds to produce valuable stags, but keeping low minimise losses from mortality. We develop model, parameterised on Rum, explore these trade-offs. This stochastic, age sex-structured model includes two neighbouring estates with differing policies. Due dispersal, levels act as sources of stags that harvest more heavily. The optimal strategy depends actions neighbours, keeps below 50% carrying capacity imposes heavy pressure stags. Scottish aim fewer than suggests optimal, could lead reduced incomes. reasons this mismatch predicted behaviour actual strategies by incorporating realistic uncertainty, bias infrequent population counts into our model. show estates' approximately harvesting, because numbers generally underestimated counts, whereas uncertainty surrounding sizes leads lower harvest. most effective method improving incomes count frequency. modelling approach broadly applicable, both management under spatially explicit conservation policies such no-take areas.