Update to Social Media Survey: Final results!

[queensalmon]

Hi all!

Some of you may recall a post I made in March advertising a hunter survey on the impacts of social media. Some of you requested seeing the final results, and here they are! Please be advised that the final report is nearly 17 pages long, and if you are interested in just the survey results, you can scroll down to the section titled Results and Discussions of Survey. Located there are breakdown percentages of answer selections, graphs, and other visualizations, along with descriptive statistics cross-examining different demographic groups, and some quoted text incorporated directly from open-ended questions in the survey.

From Posts to Pressure: Social Media, Hunter Crowding, and Wildlife Management in Montana and the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area

From Posts to Pressure: Social Media, Hunter Crowding, and Wildlife Management in Montana and the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area 4 May 2026 | Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science - ENSC 499R Senior Capstone | Rosalie Sowers Abstract Social media has ...

docs.google.com

(Please let me know if there are any access issues. This is not yet formally published. File also attached as a PDF)

If you are looking for a super quick snapshot, here it is. Social media exposure causes crowding, and crowding causes reduced hunt quality. Crowding also reduces harvest success and opportunity, as well as has negative impacts on wildlife distribution. Multiple states (Arizona, Idaho, Montana, ect) have reduced tags, shortened seasons, and moved to draw systems in response to crowding. Among all respondents in the survey, about half indicated using social media for hunting purposes. Non-residents, younger hunters, and hunters with less than 5 years of experience used social media the most to locate hunting opportunities and public lands. A very high percentage of respondents in these groups also indicated they personally think social media causes crowding, and an even higher percentage outside of these groups agreed. Overall, the general perception of social media was largely negative, especially when influencers utilize social media platforms to generate profit from public lands.

Please note that the results of this survey and the final paper are not intended to single out a specific group or cause any harm. This is not an attack on anyone who may utilize social media for hunting purposes. I am simply presenting the data that I gathered factually without bias, supported by scientific literature. I had a few folks really slander me in the open-ended sections of the survey. Please, this is not necessary, and if you have any grievances with my research, I would be happy to discuss the results with you personally and respectfully.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this study. Your experiences and opinions are currently helping improve management of public lands in Montana; these results were passed on to the Forest Service, the Wildlife Society, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.

Additional thank you to everyone who gave me feedback regarding the structure of the survey. There were several concerns from respondents who had never hunted or heard of the Hyalite WSA, which is where this project was largely based. Please be assured that I took this feedback seriously and edited the survey programming to disregard any responses from hunters who indicated they had never heard of the WSA.

Overall, I really enjoyed doing this project, and it was a great wrap to my undergraduate career! I graduate this Friday, and I sincerely thank all of you for taking part in my last major milestone in college. Please reach out if you have any questions regarding the results or want to discuss any portion of this study further. Otherwise, cheers! Maybe this year I'll get my first bull with my bow good luck to all!

 

[elkduds]

Excellent! Congratulations on graduating, and best of luck with future plans.

Literature findings suggest a clear progression: social media increases exposure to hunting locations and opportunities, that exposure can concentrate hunters in specific areas, and this crowding contributes to reduced hunt quality, displacement from preferred areas, loss of opportunity, and perceived wildlife impacts. Survey results supported this pattern, with many respondents reporting that social media influenced their hunting decisions and negatively impacted their hunting experiences. Respondents also commonly reported changing locations, avoiding areas entirely, or losing potential opportunities for success due to interference from other hunters. Respondents also observed wildlife responses in crowded areas, including movement into less accessible terrain, reduced sightings, and altered movement patterns.

Spot burning is real. Surprised?

 

[Hunting Wife]

I think you did a fine job with your analysis of a controversial and complex topic. Congratulations on your graduation and best wishes on your future endeavors!

 

[queensalmon]

Excellent! Congratulations on graduating, and best of luck with future plans.

Literature findings suggest a clear progression: social media increases exposure to hunting locations and opportunities, that exposure can concentrate hunters in specific areas, and this crowding contributes to reduced hunt quality, displacement from preferred areas, loss of opportunity, and perceived wildlife impacts. Survey results supported this pattern, with many respondents reporting that social media influenced their hunting decisions and negatively impacted their hunting experiences. Respondents also commonly reported changing locations, avoiding areas entirely, or losing potential opportunities for success due to interference from other hunters. Respondents also observed wildlife responses in crowded areas, including movement into less accessible terrain, reduced sightings, and altered movement patterns.

Spot burning is real. Surprised?

Haha not at all. Within the introduction, there's a section describing spot burning and how influencers contribute to it. Subjectively, it's baffling to me how these folks promote their content in the name of recruitment and conservation when clear data says otherwise.

 

[INMT]

I took the survey, thank you for reporting back and congrats on graduating

Now if you want to PM me the a$$holes that found it necessary to slander you in the open-ended sections of the survey, that would be much appreciated. You didn’t deserve that from those slimy leaches.

Congrats again.

 

[queensalmon]

I was truly baffled about their hostility! Unfortunately, the survey was completely anonymous and their names were not recorded. I'm not sure what got their panties in a bunch, maybe they were aspiring influences lol.

I took the survey, thank you for reporting back and congrats on graduating

Now if you want to PM me the a$$holes that found it necessary to slander you in the open-ended sections of the survey, that would be much appreciated. You didn’t deserve that from those slimy leaches.

Congrats again.

 

[INMT]

I was truly baffled about their hostility! Unfortunately, the survey was completely anonymous and their names were not recorded. I'm not sure what got their panties in a bunch, maybe they were aspiring influences lol.

Aspiring or current, you nailed it.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Impressive, young lady. About 2% of senior capstone projects add any degree of value to the real world. You hit this one out the park. Here’s to a great start to the rest of your professional life.

 

[queensalmon]

Impressive, young lady. About 2% of senior capstone projects add any degree of value to the real world. You hit this one out the park. Here’s to a great start to the rest of your professional life.

Thank you kindly! It definitely helps when you can enjoy and have a personal connection to your research.