Abstract
The first volume of Human Dimensions of Wildlife (HDW) was published in 1996 to promote social research and standards in fish and wildlife management. To describe and reflect on the journal's empirical content, we conducted a formal scoping review of HDW's first 25 volumes (1996-2020). Findings highlighted several noteworthy patterns and emergent trends. First, publications focused primarily on wildlife-related issues in the United States and most authors were affiliated with U.S. institutions; but, since 2011, representation from Europe and Africa has increased. Second, game management species dominated HDW, although conservation and nongame topics have increased over time. Third, a limited range of theories and concepts comprise the journal's core contribution to scientific literature. Fourth, contributions are based primarily on cross-sectional, quantitative, and survey research, but qualitative and mixed-method research has increased. We discuss these results with reference to HDW's foundational goals and contemporary relevance to fish and wildlife management.