Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlife Approach Study

OMB Control Number 1024-0224

Expiration Date: XX-XX-XXXX

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Bison Approach Study

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

1. Is this your first time visiting GRTE?

 YES

 NO - Go to question #3

2. Including this visit, how many times have you visited Grand Teton National Park? ____________

3. During this trip, how many nights have you stayed in Grand Teton National Park or the surrounding area outside the park thus far?

________ Number of nights

4. Please indicate how much you disagree or agree with the following statements. Please select only one response for each item.

When I am in a setting like Grand Teton…	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Somewhat disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Somewhat agree	Agree	Strongly agree
I sense things momentarily slow down	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I notice time slowing	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel my sense of time change	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel my sense of self become somehow smaller	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel small compared to everything else	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel my sense of self shrink	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I have the sense of being connected to everything else	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel closely connected to humanity	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I have a sense of complete connectedness	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel that I am in the presence of something grand	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I experience something greater than myself	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I perceive vastness	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel challenged to mentally process what I am experiencing	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I find it hard to comprehend the experience in full	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I struggle to take in all that I am experiencing at once	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel my eyes widen	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel myself smile	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
It gives me the chills	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

5. Before this trip to Grand Teton National Park, have you ever encountered any bison?

 NO

 YES – How many encounters:

 1 encounter

 2-5 encounters

 6-9 encounters

 More than 10 encounters

6. On this visit to Grand Teton National Park, have you encountered any bison?

 NO

 YES – How many encounters:

 1 encounter

 2-5 encounters

 6-9 encounters

 More than 10 encounters

7. When thinking in terms of your emotions, please indicate how much you disagree or agree with the following statements related to your previous encounters with bison.

 I have not had any previous encounters with bison.

When I saw bison, I felt…	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly agree
Excited	1	2	3	4	5
Attentive	1	2	3	4	5
Alert	1	2	3	4	5
Enthusiastic	1	2	3	4	5
Inspired	1	2	3	4	5
Nervous	1	2	3	4	5
Distressed	1	2	3	4	5
Scared	1	2	3	4	5
Hostile	1	2	3	4	5
Afraid	1	2	3	4	5
Awe	1	2	3	4	5

8. When considering the bison you encountered on your trip, please indicate how much you disagree or agree with the following statements.

 I have not had any encounters with bison on this trip.

I considered…	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly agree
My personal safety	1	2	3	4	5
The safety of others	1	2	3	4	5
The welfare of the bison	1	2	3	4	5
The impacts of visitors’ behavior on bison	1	2	3	4	5
My ability to see the bison as well as I wanted to	1	2	3	4	5
My ability to take the photograph I wanted	1	2	3	4	5
Other: _______________________	1	2	3	4	5

9. Are you aware that there are regulations regarding the recommended distance individuals should be from bison?

 YES

 NO

How far is the recommended distance?

 100 yards

 50 yards

 25 yards

 10 feet

 I don’t know

Distance Exercise Starts Here

First, at this point in the survey, the technician will proceed with the walking exercise, and one of the following treatment messages will be randomly administered to each respondent in order to understand distance awareness and understanding:

1) The National Park Service recommends you stay a minimum distance of 25 yards away from bison. Please move to the point that best represents the recommended distance.

2) The National Park Service recommends you stay a minimum distance of 2 bus lengths from bison. Please move to the point that best represents the recommended distance.

3) Please move to the point that best represents the minimum distance a person stay away from bison

4) “Don’t steal someone else’s ‘Wow moment!’ Please move to the point that best represents the distance from bison a person should stay to avoid stealing someone’s Wow moment.

Next, the respondent will walk a 50 yard transect towards a bison cutout. Once they stop at their chosen proximity, the researcher will use a range finder to record the selected distance.

Finally, after the exercise is complete, the technician will resume the survey.

Distance Exercise Ends Here

10. Please indicate your level of disagreement or agreement with the following statement. Please select only one response for each item.

Statement	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Somewhat disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Somewhat agree	Agree	Strongly agree
The message I received during the distance exercise was helpful in determining the safest distance that I should maintain between myself and bison.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

11. When planning your trip to Grand Teton National Park, which was the primary source you used to find information about viewing bison? (Please select only one)

 Brochure/map  Ranger/employee  Other visitors  Other _____

 Newspaper  Interpretive program  Social media  Word of

 Website  Signs  Educational groups mouth

 I did not seek

information

12. How much do you disagree or agree with the following statements regarding your most used information source about viewing bison in Grand Teton National Park?

Statement	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly agree
The information made me aware of appropriate behaviors while viewing bison	1	2	3	4	5
The information made me think about appropriate behaviors while viewing bison	1	2	3	4	5
The information made me interested in appropriate behaviors while viewing bison	1	2	3	4	5
The information changed my behavior regarding viewing bison	1	2	3	4	5

13. During your visit, did you receive any wildlife watching safety information?

 NO

 YES – Which information source was the most helpful for obtaining wildlife viewing

information?

 Openly available printed material/Self-guided material

 Signage at the Trailhead

 Signage at the campground

 Park staff /Safety volunteers

 Ranger-led tours/programs

 Assistance from Information Desk / Visitor Center

 Education signs

 Radio message

 NPS website

 NPS Grand Teton app

 Other (please specify): _________________________________

15. From the social media sites you mentioned above, how likely are you to post photographs or comments related to this visit to Grand Teton National Park?
Information (Circle one)	Not at all likely	Slightly likely	Moderately likely	Very likely	Extremely likely
Twitter	1	2	3	4	5
Facebook	1	2	3	4	5
Instagram	1	2	3	4	5
Snapchat	1	2	3	4	5
YouTube	1	2	3	4	5
Pinterest	1	2	3	4	5
Other: ___________	1	2	3	4	5
I do not use social media outlets	1	2	3	4	5

16. Please rate your overall level of approval of visitors taking “selfies” with wildlife in Grand Teton National Park:

Strongly Disapprove	Moderately Disapprove	Slightly Disapprove	Neither	Slightly Approve	Moderately Approve	Strongly Approve
1	2	3	4	5	6	7

17. Please select the choice below that best describes your traveling party. (Please select only one

choice)

 Individual

 Family only

 Friends only

 Family plus friends

 Tour or other group

18. How many people were in your [personal, organized, tour] group, including you?

________ Number of people

19. What is your age? ___________

20. What is your gender?

 Male

 Female

21. Which one language do you and members of your personal group primarily use to communicate with each other?

 English

 Other (Specify) _______________________________________________________________

22. Are you a permanent resident or citizen of the United States?

 NO - What is your country of origin? ______________________________________________

 YES - What is your primary zip code? _____________________________________________

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