Encounter Measures in Carrying Capacity Research: Actual, Reported, and Diary Contacts

Carrying capacity determinations require accurate information about the effects of management parameters (such as use level) on impact parameters (such as encounters with other parties). Measuring use levels is usually relatively simple, but it is more difficult to measure encounters. This study uses encounter data collected by trained observers to determine the accuracy of encounter measures derived from recall reports and diaries completed by users. Results suggest that recall reports are accurate only at the lowest encounter levels; at higher levels users under-report by about half. There is close agreement between reported encounters and diary encounters, so diaries appear to share the inaccuracies of recall reports, even though they have some other advantages.