Effect of Ranchland Attributes on Recreational Hunting in Florida: A Hedonic Price Analysis

Recreational hunting has been an attractive enterprise for some ranchers interested in supplementing their income from cattle. Ranchland attributes- such as parcel size, tree cover, and proximity to urban centers- are expected to influence hunters’ preferences and, thus, hunting lease payments. We estimated the effects of these attributes on hunting revenues using a hedonic model. The results reveal that trees and vegetation cover on ranchlands have a positive impact on hunting revenues, indicating opportunities for silvopasture practices. Those ranchers in Florida who maintain about 22% trees and other vegetation cover receive $16.15 per acre per year from hunting leases, but doubling the cover would generate only an additional $3.20 per acre per year.