Visitor Survey At Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA)

NOTE: For the purpose of this review the questions below will serve as the content for two separate surveys One Hunting and one Fishing survey. Where indicated the terms hunting and fishing (or hunt and fish) will be replaced and used in the version of the survey for that particular sample group.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Hunting (Fishing) Survey

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT and PRIVACY ACT statements: The National Park Service is authorized by 16 U.S.C. 1a-7 to collect this information. This information will be used by park managers to understand the visitor use and the perceptions of recreation management at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Response to this request is voluntary and anonymous. No action may be taken against you for refusing to respond to this questionnaire. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

BURDEN ESTIMATE STATEMENT: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 15 minutes to complete to complete this questionnaire. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection to: Jeffrey C. Hallo, Associate Professor, Clemson University, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, 280B Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634-0735, [email protected] (email).

The following questions are about your hunting (fishing) activities specifically at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (NRA). A map is available from the person who gave you this survey to help you determine what areas are in Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Topic Area 1: KNOW9

1. Were you aware before receiving this survey that you are hunting (fishing) in Delaware Water Gap NRA, which is part of the U.S. National Park System? (Please check one.)

 Yes

 No

Topic Area 1: VISITHIS3

2. Including this visit, how many times have you visited Delaware Water Gap NRA in the last five years to hunt (fish)?

________________ Times

Topic Area 1: ACT31

3. What percentage of your overall time spent hunting (fishing) during the past year occurred within Delaware Water Gap NRA?

________________ Percent

Topic Area 3:

4. What are the reasons you choose to hunt (fish) in Delaware Water Gap NRA? (Check all that apply.)

 Close proximity to home

 Limited opportunities for hunting (fishing) elsewhere

 Availability of game (fish)

 Limited pressure from other hunters (anglers)

 Know the area

 Like the area

 Other (please specify): _____________________________________________________

Topic Area 6: EVALSERV2 AND 3

5. a. What did you like most about hunting (fishing) in Delaware Water Gap NRA today?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

b. What did you like least about hunting (fishing) in Delaware Water Gap NRA today?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

c. What about Delaware Water Gap NRA makes it unique and special to you?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT7

6. Please indicate, in general the extent that the following issues were problems for you (not just while hunting (fishing)) at Delaware Water Gap NRA. (Check one box for each issue, or indicate that you don’t know)

	Not a Problem	Small Problem	Big Problem	Don’t Know
Crowds				DK 
Graffiti				DK 
Human waste				DK 
Litter				DK 
Other recreational users interfering with what you want to do				DK 
Types of recreation uses that should not be allowed				DK 
Visitors not following rules or behaving badly				DK 
Power-lines				DK 
Unnecessary signs				DK 
Human-caused noise				DK 
Condition of trails				DK 
Condition of facilities				DK 
Condition of historic structures				DK 
Condition of park roads				DK 
Adequate information about the park				DK 
Adequate trails				DK 
Adequate designated swimming areas				DK 
Adequate picnic areas				DK 
Adequate river access for boats/canoes				DK 
Adequate river-accessed camping				DK 
Adequate car-accessed camping				DK 
Adequate restrooms				DK 
Adequate signs for direction-finding				DK 
Adequate parking				DK 
Adequate handicap accessibility				DK 
Adequate opportunities to experience historic or cultural sites				DK 
Adequate educational or interpretive programs				DK 
A view of the night sky and stars that is impacted by lights				DK 
Environmental impacts caused by other visitors				DK 
Loss of scenery or scenic value				DK 
Availability of rangers and park staff				DK 
Helpfulness of rangers and park staff				DK 
Safety conditions in the park				DK 
Traffic on roads				DK 
Closures for construction or repair				DK 

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT12

7. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. (Check one box for each statement, or indicate that you don’t know)

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree	Don’t Know
Visitors and their use of the park should be managed more						DK 
Visitors and their use of the park should be managed less						DK 
The quality of the hunting experience in Delaware Water Gap NRA is as good or better than other hunting areas						DK 
Laws and rules in the park should be enforced more						DK 
Laws and rules in the park should be enforced less						DK 
Additional safety zones should be established where necessary to reduce interactions and conflicts with visitors who are not hunting						DK 
It is OK to have hunting rules and regulations that are different where necessary because this is a national park unit						DK 
A permit or reservation systems should be used to better manage hunting where necessary						DK 

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT1 (variation)

8. If you could ask the National Park Service to change some things about the way they manage Delaware Water Gap NRA, what would you ask them to do?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Topic Area 6: EVALSERV27

9. Please rate the quality of the following items during this visit to Delaware Water Gap NRA. (check one box for each statement.)

	Very Poor	Poor	Average	Good	Very Good
Overall quality of your hunting (fishing) experience					
Your ability to find a place to hunt (fish) without too many other hunters (anglers)					
A game (fish) population that was adequate for your hunting (fishing)					
Park aesthetics					
Overall quality of habitat for game (fish)					
Overall quality of the facilities in the park					
Overall quality of recreational opportunities					
Overall quality of your visit					

Topic Area 5: CROWD1

10. How crowded did you feel while at the following locations at Delaware Water Gap NRA? (Circle one number for each location, or indicate that it was not applicable to your visit.)

	Not at all Crowded	Slightly Crowded	Moderately Crowded	Very Crowded	Extremely Crowded	Not Applicable
On trails	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
While at your hunting (fishing) site	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
At a develop campground campsite	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
At pull-offs or parking areas	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
While boating	1	2	3	4	5	N/A
During your entire visit	1	2	3	4	5	N/A

TOPIC AREA 1: VISHIS2 (variation)

11. Do you visit Delaware Water Gap NRA for recreational purposes other than hunting (fishing)? (Please check one)

 Yes → How many times in the last five years for reasons other than hunting (fishing) _______

 No → Skip to next question

Topic Area 1: RES3

12. Do you live in the United States? (Please check one and fill in the appropriate blank)

 Yes (What is your zip code? ____________)

 No (What country do you live in? __________________________________)

Thank you for your help with this survey! Please return it to the person who gave it to you.

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