Using Preliminary Data to Guide a Research Project: Bear Safety and Bear Management

This methodological and theoretical note is the cornerstone of empirical research I began this past summer (2023) on bear safety in backcountry wilderness settings. I am using this pilot data to inform the future iterations of the study to learn more about people’s relationships to bears and their knowledge of safe practices while recreating in the presence of bears. This note, written in the early months of 2024, focuses on refining the pilot survey and developing the research program which will be expanded to four locations in the U.S. to assess the knowledge of backcountry hikers regarding bear safety and their preferences for bear management. This essay ponders the development of future iterations of this research agenda, including methodology, theoretical development, and practical value.