EXPERIENCE-BASED SETTING MANAGEMENT - IMPLICATIONS FOR MARKET-SEGMENTATION OF HUNTERS

Experience-based setting management seeks to provide rewarding psychol ogical experiences to recreation participants by managing the physical environments in which recreation occurs. This approach has value to p rivate landowners who provide outdoor recreation opportunities, becaus e it improves their ability to target and attract specific segments of the hunting population In this study, 4 market segments of hunter wer e identified: outdoor enthusiasts, high-challenge harvesters, low-chal lenge harvesters, and nonharvesters. They differed significantly in th e setting characteristics (accessibility, amount of regimentation, use density, presence of nonrecreational uses, and degree of site managem ent) that enhanced their hunting enjoyment. Such differences may help agencies justify, development of different service and marketing strat egies to respond to client Reeds and preferences.