Kodiak NWR Bear Viewing Survey

OMB Control No. 1018-XXXX

Expires:  XX/XX/2019

Welcome! We hope you enjoyed your bear viewing experience on the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, and we sincerely thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! Your participation in this survey will help us improve bear viewing opportunities on the Kodiak Refuge for future visitors as we continue to work to preserve our unique bear population and habitat. 

Introduction letter will be included here in online version

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We estimate that it will take you about 15 minutes to complete this survey, including time to review instructions, maintain records, gather information, and complete and submit the survey. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this survey to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

A1 In which month did your visit take place? 

• June

• July

• August

• Other (please tell us what month) ____________________

A2 Where did you go on the Kodiak Refuge to view bears? (select all that apply)

• Frazer Fish Pass

• The O'Malley viewing site

• Area near Private Lodge (which lodge did you stay at?) ____________________

• Area Near Public Use Cabin (please list cabin location) ____________________

• Other ____________________

• I do not know

A3 Which of the following best describes your comfort level with the weather conditions during your bear viewing trip?

• The weather was very comfortable

• The weather was comfortable

• I have no strong feelings about the weather on my trip

• The weather was uncomfortable

• The weather was very uncomfortable

A4 Which of the following most accurately describes your experience flying to your bear viewing location on the Refuge from the town of Kodiak?

• The flight was uncomfortable and I would not do it again

• The flight was uncomfortable but I would do it again

• The flight was comfortable and I would do it again

• The flight was thrilling and I would do it again

Viewers who selected Frazer as their viewing location will be automatically directed to this set of questions after answering question A4.

I2 We hope you had a wonderful experience at the Frazer Fish Pass viewing site! The following questions will help us understand your experience and improve the site for future visitors. 

B1 Was this your first bear viewing experience at the Frazer Fish Pass?

• Yes

• No Please list which year(s) were you last at Frazer ____________________

B2 Which company did you fly to Frazer Lake with?

• Andrew Airways

• Kingfisher Aviation

• Sea Hawk Air

• Island Air

• Harvey Flying Service

• Other

• I am not sure

B3 Please indicate whether or not the following factors influenced your decision to choose Frazer Lake as your bear viewing destination.

	Yes	No
I specifically wanted to see a Kodiak Bear
This location was recommended by a travel guide
This location was recommended by a friend or family
I have been to Frazer Lake before and wanted to return
I wanted the best likelihood of seeing bears to photograph
I wanted to see the Frazer Fish Pass
I wanted to go somewhere where I did not have to hike a lot
I only had a limited amount of time available to view bears
I wanted to have a wilderness experience

B4 Which of the following best represents your feelings towards the walk from Frazer Lake to the bear viewing pad?

• The walk was of reasonable length

• The walk was too long

• I was hoping to walk more

• Other ____________________

B5 Approximately how much time did you spend on the bear viewing pad? 

• Less than an hour

• 1-2 hours

• More than 2 hours but less than 4

• 4 hours or more

B6 How do you feel about the amount of time you spent on the bear viewing pad?

• I did not have enough time

• I had a sufficient amount of time

• I spent too much time on the bear viewing pad

B7 Approximately how many total bears did you see throughout your time on the viewing pad?

• I did not see any bears

• 1-5 bears

• 6-10 bears

• 11-20 bears

• More than 20 bears

B8 How did the number of bears you saw compare to your expectations?

• I saw less bears than I expected to see

• I saw about as many bears as I expected to see

• I saw more bears than I expected to see

B9 What kinds of bears did you see during your time on the viewing pad? Please select all that apply.

• I did not see any bears

• Sow (adult female)

• Boar (adult male)

• Juvenile (young bear independent from sow)

• Cubs

• I do not know

B10 Which of the following represents your closest proximity to a bear during your time at Frazer?

• I did not see any bears

• 50 feet (about 15 meters) or less

• More than 50 feet (about 15 meters) but close enough to see well without binoculars

• Too far to see well without binoculars or spotting scope

B11 What best describes your thoughts on the proximity of bears during your time at Frazer?

• I did not see any bears

• I was uncomfortable with how close the bears were

• The bears were at a comfortable distance

• I wish I had gotten closer to the bears

B12 How do you feel about the number of other people who were on the viewing pad with you?

• There were too many people on the viewing pad

• I was not bothered by the number of people on the viewing pad

• I wish there had been more people on the viewing pad

B13 What impact did the Frazer Fish Pass facilities have on your viewing experience?

• It had a negative impact on my experience

• It had a positive impact on my experience

• It did not impact my experience

B14 How do you feel about the amount of educational information you received at Frazer?

• I received a sufficient amount of information

• I would have liked more information on site

• I would have liked more information before arriving on site

• Receiving information detracted from my bear viewing experience

B15 Which of the following would you recommend to improve the viewing experience at Frazer? Please select all that apply. 

• No improvements necessary

• An established campground

• A sheltered picnic area

• A sheltered viewing pad

• Seating on the viewing pad

• An elevated wooden viewing pad

• A protective barrier around the viewing pad

• More interpretive signage

• More interaction with refuge ranger

• Less interaction with refuge ranger

• Fewer people on the viewing pad

• Safety briefing before arriving to Frazer

B16 Overall, how would you rate your bear-viewing experience at Frazer Lake?

• It fell short of my expectations

• It met my expectations

• It exceeded my expectations

B17 If you could change one thing about your bear viewing at Frazer, what would it be? 

B18 Is there anything else we should know about your experience at Frazer? 

Viewers who selected a location other than Frazer as their viewing location will be automatically directed to this set of questions after answering question A4.

I3 We hope you had a wonderful experience on the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge! The following questions will help us understand the quality of your bear viewing experience. 

C1 Was this your first bear viewing experience at this location?

• Yes

• No (Please list which year(s) that you were last at this location) ____________________

C2 Which company did you fly to your viewing site with?

• Andrew Airways

• Kingfisher Aviation

• Sea Hawk Air

• Island Air

• Harvey Flying Service

• Other

• I am not sure

C3 Please indicate whether the following factors influenced your decision to choose this location as your bear viewing destination.

	Yes	No
I specifically wanted to see a Kodiak Bear
This location was recommended by Travel Guide
This location was recommended by a friend or family
I have been to this location before and wanted to return
I wanted the best likelihood of seeing bears to photograph
I wanted to go somewhere where I did not have to hike a lot
I wanted to have a wilderness experience
I wanted to have a multi-day experience

C4 Which of the following best represents your feelings towards the amount of walking required to get to your primary bear viewing location?

• The walk was of reasonable length

• The walk was too long

• I was hoping to walk more

• Other ____________________

C5 Approximately how many total bears did you see throughout your bear viewing trip?

• I did not see any bears

• 1-5 bears

• 6-10 bears

• 11-20 bears

• More than 20 bears

C6 How did the number of bears you saw compare to your expectations?

• I saw less bears than I expected to see

• I saw about as many bears as I expected to see

• I saw more bears than I expected to see

C7 What kinds of bears did you see during your trip? Please select all that apply.

• I did not see any bears

• Sow (adult female)

• Boar (adult male)

• Juvenile (young bear independent from sow)

• Cubs

• I do not know

C8 Which of the following represents your closest proximity to a bear throughout your time bear viewing?

• I did not see any bears

• 50 feet (about 15 meters) or less

• More than 50 feet (about 15 meters) but close enough to see well without assistance

• Too far to see well without binoculars or spotting scope

C9 What best describes your thoughts on the proximity of bears during your bear viewing trip?

• I did not see any bears

• I was uncomfortable with how close the bears were

• The bears were at a comfortable distance

• I wish I had gotten closer to the bears

C10 How do you feel about the amount of educational information you received throughout your bear viewing trip?

• I received a sufficient amount of information

• I would have liked more information on site

• I would have liked more information before arriving on site

• Receiving information detracted from my bear viewing experience

C11 Which of the following would you recommend to improve the viewing experience at your primary viewing site? Please select all that apply. 

• No improvements necessary

• An established campground

• A sheltered picnic area

• A sheltered viewing pad

• Seating on the viewing pad

• An elevated wooden viewing pad

• A protective barrier around the viewing pad

• Interpretive signage

• More interaction with refuge ranger

• Less interaction with refuge ranger

• Fewer people on the viewing pad

• Safety briefing before traveling to site

C12 Overall, how would you rate your bear-viewing experience?

• It fell short of my expectations

• It met my expectations

• It exceeded my expectations

C13 If you could change one thing about your bear viewing experience, what would it be? 

C14 Is there anything else we should know about your experience? 

All participants will be directed to this set of questions after completing the sections containing site-specific questions.

I4 Thank you for your answers up to this point! This short section explores a few more aspects of wildlife viewing and bear management.  

D1 Have you gone bear viewing at any other locations besides the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge? Check all that apply.

• Kodiak is the only place I've viewed bears in a structured setting

• Denali National Park

• McNeil River

• Katmai National Park

• Other Alaska Location (please specify) ____________________

• Other location outside of Alaska (please specify) ____________________

D2 Which of the following were motivations for you to view bears on the Kodiak Refuge? Please check all that apply.

• I have always wanted to see bears in their natural habitat

• My friend or family member wanted to see bears so I came with them

• I wanted to learn more about bears in Alaska

• Television shows about Alaska made me interested in traveling there

• Bears are intimidating to me and I wanted to face my fears

• I have been on a bear viewing trip in the past and wanted to go again

D3 Which of the following do you feel are absolutely essential for you to feel safe in bear country? Please check all that apply. 

• Proximity of other people

• Physical barriers between me and bears

• The presence of an experienced guide

• Deterrents such as bear spray or air horns

• Having a gun

• Having good visibility of surroundings

• Other ____________________

D4 From the following list, please select your three most important aspects of a bear viewing experience, and rate them from 1-3 (1 being the most important)

______ Large bears

______ A large quantity of bears

______ Close proximity to bears

______ Sense of safety

______ Sense of risk

______ Feeling of being in the wild

______ Lack of human presence

______ Personal comfort in terms of available amenities

D5 Should education and interpretation be part of the wildlife viewing experience?

• No, I do not want to be distracted from viewing wildlife

• Yes, this is a critical part of understanding wildlife and habitat

• It depends on the situation

D6. Hunting on the Kodiak Refuge, including hunting the Kodiak bear, is one of six priority wildlife-dependent uses listed under the 1997 Refuge Improvement Act.  The use is managed to sustain a healthy wildlife population. Given this fact, which of the following most closely represents your personal opinion?

• The Kodiak bear should not be hunted

• Hunting the Kodiak bear is only acceptable for subsistence (food) purposes.

• Hunting the Kodiak bear is an acceptable activity when monitored for sustainability.

• Hunting the Kodiak bear is acceptable when it does not occur in the same area as structured bear viewing.

I5 Welcome to the final phase of our survey! In this section, we would like to learn a little more about how your bear viewing experience has impacted you. Please select the answer for each statement that is most relevant to you after your time viewing bears on the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.  

E1 This question addresses how your opinions on each statement have CHANGED as a result of your bear viewing experience on the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. For each statement, please select whether you disagree with the statement more than you did prior to your trip, whether you feel the same about the statement as you did prior to your trip, or whether you agree with the statement more than you did prior to your trip. 

	I disagree more	I feel the same	I agree more
Bears are a nuisance
Bears and humans can coexist safely
Bears are an important part of our natural ecosystem
I am comfortable thinking about future bear encounters I may have in other places
I am willing to live in a place where bears are free to roam the area
I am concerned over a decrease in brown bears around the world
I am concerned over bear habitat loss around the world
It is a human responsibility to conserve other biological species
It is a human responsibility to conserve natural habitats
Wildlife conservation is important because humans have much to learn from wildlife

E2 This question addresses how likely you are to CHANGE your behavior in bear country as a result of your bear viewing experience. For each statement, please select the column that best explains how your behavior might change as a result of your trip.  

	I already did this and will do it less	I already did this and will not change my behavior	I already did this and will do it more	I do not plan to do this	I did not used to do this but plan to now
Make financial contributions to bear conservation
Educate my friends about bear conservation
Volunteer with local wildlife conservation groups
Carry bear spray when hiking in bear habitat
Hike in a group when hiking in bear habitat
Be more alert to bear signs when hiking in bear habitat
Refrain from approaching bears when I encounter one
Refrain from getting closer to a bear for the sake of getting a good picture
Cook away from my sleeping area when camping in bear country
Store my food in bear-proof containers when camping in bear country
Be cautious about leaving garbage in bear habitat that could introduce bears to human food sources
Give up my fishing sport if I encounter a bear in the same area

E3 This question addresses what new information you learned on your bear viewing trip. For each statement, please express how strongly you agree. 

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree
I learned new information about bear biology
I learned new information about brown bear behavior
I learned new information about brown bear habitat
I learned new information about bear management
I learned new information about the Kodiak ecosystem
I learned new information about Kodiak native history
I learned new information about Alutiiq Culture

I6 Congratulations, you have made it to the end! Before you go, we would like to know a little bit about you. Remember, all answers will remain completely anonymous. However, you are welcome to skip any question that you do not wish to answer. 

F1 What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

F2 In what year were you born? _____

F3 What is the highest level of education you have completed? 

• Some High School

• High School Graduate/GED

• Some College/Associate's Degree

• College Graduate (Bachelor's Degree)

• Post-Graduate Degree (Master's or PhD)

F4 Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?

• Yes

• No

F5 What is your race? Please select one or more of the following categories

• White

• Black or African American

• Asian

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• American Indian or Alaska Native

F6 Do you currently reside in the United States of America?

• Yes (which state do you live in) ____________________

• No (which country do you live in) ____________________

F7 Which best describes the area where you currently live?

• A metropolitan area (containing a core urban area of 50,000 or more people)

• A micropolitan area (containing a core urban area of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 people)

• A small town or rural area (not metropolitan or micropolitan)

F8 Please use the remaining space to share any further suggestions for how your bear viewing experience on the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge could have been improved. 

F9 We truly appreciate your input, and hope to see you again in Kodiak, Alaska!