Deer Surveys

Research


University of Freiburg experts analyse wildlife populations in ten large protected areas in Germany For The First Time July 22, 2023 Germany, India Education Diary

... Monitoring ungulate populations is a crucial part of the management process in protected areas ... In order to classify the images, a database was set up at the University of Freiburg, to which the images could be uploaded. “We had to rely on artificial intelligence in order to be able to determine the species of ten large protected areas from this massive amount of images,” ...


Assessment of the accuracy of counting large ungulate species (red deer Cervus elaphus) with UAV‐mounted thermal infrared cameras during night flights - Wildlife Biology, 2023

... Deer appeared to avoid the landing/take-off

area, but there were no noted behavioural responses to drones flying over animals when

at constant height and velocity during surveys. Our results indicate that UAV-mounted TIR camera have the potential to accurately count populations of large ungulate species, but that flight season, height and potentially temperature need to be taken into account to maximise accuracy. This approach has the potential to be scaled up to more

accurately estimate densities of wild populations compared to existing approaches...


A sampling strategy for habitat selection, mapping, and abundance estimation of deer by pellet counts 2022, Journal of Wildlife Management

... We propose a design-based strategy to exploit pellet group counts performed within plots of a prefixed size using the clearance count technique with the purposes of analyzing habitat selection, mapping the pellet group presence throughout the study area, and estimating the abundance of deer populations... The proposed strategy provided precise estimates of deer abundance and is readily implementable in the field ...


A sampling strategy for habitat selection, mapping, and abundance estimation of deer by pellet counts 2022, Journal of Wildlife Management

... We conclude that fecal DNA capture-recapture is a cost-effective alternative for estimating abundance of ungulates on winter ranges when weather is not limiting and when researchers can survey an adequate proportion of the study area and collect an adequate number of samples ...


A sampling strategy for habitat selection, mapping, and abundance estimation of deer by pellet counts 2022, Journal of Wildlife Management

... We conclude that fecal DNA capture-recapture is a cost-effective alternative for estimating abundance of ungulates on winter ranges when weather is not limiting and when researchers can survey an adequate proportion of the study area and collect an adequate number of samples ...


New AI technology being developed that could track and count wild deer in Perth and Kinross December 8, 2022 Scotland, Daily Record 

... involves images from a lightweight manned aircraft, with a high resolution camera system, being run through the EOLAS Insight AI recognition software to automatically count deer numbers...


White‐tailed deer movement in response to helicopter surveys 2022 Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2022

... Disturbance of wildlife from aircraft during aerial surveys could affect behavior or displace animals, causing them to cross multiple transects resulting in double counting or increasing likelihood of them seeking cover thereby impacting detection probability ...


New green tech could transform deer count November 18, 2022 Scotland, NatureScot

...NatureScot is working with Glasgow-based tech company EOLAS Insight to test the use of satellites, aerial imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) to accurately count deer... The AI technology that EOLAS has developed has proved that an image recognition system is feasible ...


Estimation of ungulate population density in Kazakhstan: Case study from foothill ecosystems, 2022, Journal for Forestry Science

... tData on wildlife abundance is an important indicator both for the species concerned and the stability of entire ecosystems as well as for sustainable game management. Therefore, the abundance of ungulate game was verifiednin a foothill region of Kazakhstan. The methods of thermal imagery and faecal pellet group (FPG) census on transectsnwere compared. The results obtained by the FPG counting method for moose (Alces alces, 0.34 individuals per 100 ha)

and maral deer (Cervus elaphus sibiricus, 0.04 individuals per 100 ha) were relatively consistent with the data reportednby  the hunting ground tenants. Only one moose was detected by  the thermal imaging transect count method...


Use of aerial distance sampling to estimate abundance of tule elk across a gradient of canopy cover and comparison to a concurrent fecal DNA spatial capture-recapture survey  2022 California

... Here, we evaluated the utility of aerial multiple

covariate distance sampling (MCDS) to estimate abundance of three populations of tule elk

(Cervus canadensis nannodes) in northern California... While SCR efforts were more precise and less expensive overall, our MCDS approach reduced staff time by 64% (587 person-hours) and the number of survey days by 87% (64 days). Our results suggest MCDS methods can produce reliable abundance estimates across a gradient of canopy cover, particularly when observations can be pooled across populations to decrease variance...


Comparing Methods of Estimating Fecal Pellet-Group Density in Woodlots of the Midwest United States 2022, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management

...  Our results suggest that quadrat sampling may be the most effective method for estimating pellet-group densities within woodlots of the Midwest United States, and that precision may increase in areas with higher white-tailed deer densities...


Automated distance estimation for wildlife camera trapping

P Johanns, T Haucke, V Steinhage - Ecological Informatics, 2022

... We propose a fully automatic approach we call AUtomated DIstance esTimation (AUDIT) to estimate camera-to-animal distances. We leverage existing state-of-the-art relative monocular depth estimation and combine it with a novel alignment procedure to estimate metric distances...


Mark‐resight methodology for estimating key deer abundance assisted by citizen scientists - Wildlife Society Bulletin

... Our mark-resight estimate (n = 748) was nearly 300 deer lower than the traditional distance estimate likely because of distance sampling's sensitivity to increased deer visibility along survey routes. Compared to historic data, our mark-resight population estimate indicated increased deer abundance compared to post-Hurricane Irma estimates (n = 573), but slightly below post-screwworm outbreak estimates (n = 860)...


A comparison of mixed‐mode survey designs for collecting deer and fall turkey harvest data in North Dakota - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2022

... We found that internet-mail and mail-internet treatments resulted in significantly higher response rates than a traditional mail-only survey mode. We also found that hunters who successfully harvested an animal were more likely to return questionnaires shortly after the initial wave of surveying. Finally, we found that older, nonresident, and urban hunters were more likely to return questionnaires. Our research demonstrates potential use of tailored mixed-mode surveys to increase response rates...


Methodology matters when estimating deer abundance: a global systematic review and recommendations for improvements.  2022, Journal of Wildlife Management

... . The most precise estimates were from vehicular spotlight counts and from capture–recapture analysis

of images from motion‐sensitive cameras. For aerial direct

counts, capture–recapture methods provided the most precise estimates...  The automation of image analysis using machine learning should increase the accuracy and precision of abundance estimates ...


Estimating deer density and abundance using spatial mark–resight models with camera trap data March, 2022.  Journal of Mammalogy

... In the absence of specific local information on deer detectability and movement patterns, we recommend that at least 30 cameras be spaced at 500–1,000 m and set for 90 days. This approach could also be applied to large mammals other than deer...


Comparing unmanned aerial systems to conventional methodology for surveying a wild white-tailed deer population, June, 2021 Wildlife Research

... Overall, UAS [unmanned aerial systems] yielded similar results to pellet-group counts for estimating population densities of wild ungulates; however, UAS surveys were more efficient and could be conducted at multiple times throughout the winter. Implications We demonstrated how UAS could be applied for regularly monitoring changes in population density. We encourage researchers and managers to consider the merits of UAS and how they could be used to enhance the efficiency of wildlife surveys...


Drones flying over Arlington to measure deer population March 29, 2021 Maryland, 

INSIDENOVA.COM

... Thermal and infrared imagery has helped improve counting by relating animals’ unique heat and visibility signatures to precisely count only deer. In one study, it was shown that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, can be about 43-96% more accurate than ground or human-made observations in counting wildlife...


Enumerating White‐Tailed Deer Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles March, 2021 West Virginia,  Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2021

... density estimates in 2 United States National Parks: Harpers Ferry National Historic Park (HAFE) and Monocacy National Battlefield (MONO)...  spotlight surveys may significantly underestimate deer densities. Despite the logistical challenges to UAV operation, our findings demonstrate that UAVs will become an invaluable tool for wildlife management as technology improves...


Drones helping modernize deer counts through locating fawns March 4, 2021 Minnesota, Minneapolis Star Tribune 

... Minnesota Department of Natural Resources whitetail biologists until recently flew over various deer permit areas. This method provided accurate census information, but was expensive and too dependent on safe flying weather and other variables...


Assessing Ungulate Populations in Temperate North America February, 2021, Canadian Wildlife Biology and Management

... we review major methods for estimating both absolute and relative abundance of ungulate populations across temperate North America, where season and habitat provide a further challenge to selecting and developing an appropriate survey method for a given species...


Detecting and Tracking the Positions of Wild Ungulates Using Sound Recordings

SI Salem, K Fujisao, M Maki, T Okumura, K Oki - Sensors, 2021

... A sound recording system was also developed to overcome the time drift problem in the internal clock of recorders, by receiving time information from GPS satellites. Determining deer position enables the elimination of repetitive calls from the same deer, thus providing a promising tool to track deer movement. The validation results revealed that the proposed technique can provide reasonable accuracy for the experimental and natural environment...


Where is my Deer?–Wildlife Tracking And Counting via Edge Computing and Deep Learning  B Arshad, J Barthelemy, E Pilton, P Perez

... we presented a tracking pipeline, which couples a CNN-based object detector and a set of discriminative Filters to tackle the re-counting problem.  During the 14-day field trial, 170 videos were taken, our proposed method counted 17 deer compared with 20 deer, manually identified by the operator (15% absolute error), thus proving our approach for removing re-counts is viable...


Evaluating the Use of Drones Equipped with Thermal Sensors as an Effective Method for Estimating Wildlife  JT Beaver, RW Baldwin, M Messinger, CH Newbolt… - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2020

... The method provides the ability to perform accurate and reliable population surveys in a safe and cost‐effective manner compared with traditional aerial surveys and is only expected to continue to improve as sensor technology and machine learning analytics continue to advance. Furthermore, the precise replicability of autonomous flights at future dates results in methodology with superior spatial precision that increases statistical power to detect population trends across surveys...


New deer count method shows promising results for Southeast Alaska December 19, 2019 Alaska, KFSK

... a better way to estimate the local deer population by using a combination of data collecting– DNA tests, game cameras, and collaring... The DNA tests involve gathering deer fecal pellets and sending them to a lab to identify individual deer ...


Assessing precision and requirements of three methods to estimate roe deer density

A Marcon, D Battocchio, M Apollonio, S Grignolio - PLOS ONE, 2019

... Drive counts represented the most demanding method on account of the higher number of operators involved. Pellet-group counts yielded the most precise results and required a smaller number of operators, though the sampling effort was considerable. When compared to the other two methods, camera trapping resulted in an intermediate level of precision and required the lowest sampling effort...


Detection of Animal Occurrence Using an Unmanned System  J Lešetický, P Matějka, M Olmr - Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica, 2019

... We report on tests of mobile and power‐tethered unmanned aerial systems (UASs) equipped with thermal cameras, comparing between these systems as well as to more conventional ground‐based camera traps...  Results suggested that wide fields‐of‐view and extended operational periods offered by power‐tethered UASs could be advantageous for spatially extensive and temporally continuous monitoring needs, but that mobile UASs more easily generated mapped data products for integration into existing Geographic Information Systems...


Best method for counting deer doesn't include corn, study finds July 26, 2019 Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources - University of Georgia

... “Baiting can alter movement patterns and affect hunter harvest rates,” said Johnson, noting that this method also assumes that the deer who come to the cameras to eat are coming at equal rates for males and females. But this is inaccurate, as female deer have smaller roaming areas and are more likely to visit certain cameras more often...


A Spatially and Temporally Concurrent Comparison of Popular Abundance Estimators for White-tailed Deer  JM Haus, TB Eyler, JL Bowman - Northeastern Naturalist, 2019

... FLIR surveys had greater detection probabilities relative to spotlight surveys and required less effort to achieve sufficient precision. Jacobson camera surveys appeared to overestimate Deer density and provided no measures of precision. The N-mixture model camera surveys provided sufficient precision and generated point estimate and detection probabilities similar to FLIR surveys. Camera surveys were costlier and more labor intensive relative to road-based surveys. We recommend road-based distance sampling using FLIR technology ...


Wildlife biologists turn to solar-powered ear tags March 26, 2019 Idaho, LocalNews8.com-18 hours ago

...  solar-powered ear tags ... expected to last four to five years... tags will record and save the locations of tagged bucks every 30 minutes, then transmit the data the next time the device is near cellular service ...


Determination of the big mammals migration corridors in the particular areas using remotely-operating intelligent camera system  S Matuska, R Hudec, M Benco, P Kamencay - 2018 ELEKTRO, 2018

... Large mammals free movement through the large areas is fundamental element of the healthy mammals ecosystem. The migrations keep the balance between animal populations, maintain sufficient genetic diversity or prevent the temporary lack of food. With the growing rate of transportation, urbanization and industrialization across the all countries, the barriers in the countrysides are created. Because of these barriers, the natural migration corridors of big mammals are endangered ... The information about mammals movement, movement trajectory and time in the scene are send to the master and stored in the database. The system uses the algorithm of computer vision to automatically classify appropriate animal species for moving mammals ...


Way too many deer in NJ? Drones will count them November 18, 2018 New Jersey, nj1015.com

... A group of New Jersey farmers have overseen a test flight for an infrared-sensing drone to measure the number of deer around their fields... "The drones fly between 200 and 400 feet above the ground...


Use of track counts and camera traps to estimate the abundance of roe deer in North-Eastern Italy: are they effective methods?  T Romani, C Giannone, E Mori, S Filacorda - Mammal Research, 2018

... drive count and vantage point count estimates (i.e. counts by hunters) have been reported to be the most effective to assess deer densities in woodlands, but they require a high volunteer human presence, which limit their feasibility. Results of count by hunters were thus compared with estimates obtained through camera trapping and track counts... Track-count survey was shown to be—with equal effectiveness—the cheapest method to infer roe deer density in forest areas (i.e. near 28% cheaper than camera trapping). ...


Do occupancy or detection rates from camera traps reflect deer density?

AW Parsons, T Forrester, WJ McShea… - Journal of Mammalogy, 2017

... Density estimation using camera-trap data is a commonly desired outcome, but most approaches only work for species that can be individually recognized, and researchers studying most mammals are typically constrained to measures of site occupancy or detection rate... Using occupancy or detection rate as proxies for density may be particularly problematic when comparing between areas where animals might to move or behave differently, such as urban–wild interfaces. In such cases, alternate methods of density approximation are recommended...


Noninvasive genetic spatial capture‐recapture for estimating deer population abundance  JL Brazeal, T Weist, BN Sacks - The Journal of Wildlife Management, 2017

... For deer (Odocoileus spp.), the use of closed-population, capture-recapture (CR) methods, in conjunction with noninvasive DNA sampling, has become increasingly practical, but, up to now, these methods have been used in a non-spatial modeling framework, which has limited their utility for population-level inferences.  ... In comparison, non-spatial CR analysis produced density estimates on average 60% higher, likely reflecting bias resulting from use of the commonly employed mean maximum recapture distance (MMRD) to estimate effective sampling area. 



Saving time and money by using diurnal vehicle counts to monitor roe deer abundanc M Pellerin, A Bessière, D Maillard, G Capron… - Wildlife Biology, 2017

... Despite being a widespread and important game species in Europe, scientifically reliable, easy applicable and cost effective methods for monitoring abundance of roe deer Capreolus capreolus populations do not yet exist... The positive correlation of AI-p and AI-v with CMR density estimates as well as the reduced costs of conducting surveys by car instead on foot (-47%) suggest that diurnal vehicle counts of roe deer can provide a suitable abundance index to monitor temporal trends in roe deer populations at operational management scales...



The Truth About Spotlight Deer Surveys January 24, 2017 South Carolina, deeranddeerhunting.com

...  in South Carolina called Brosnan Forest. ... Researchers identified 4,508 deer during 79 Bronson Forest surveys. Thermal imagers detected 85 percent (3,861 deer) of the total deer seen, and spotlights detected only 48 percent (2,174 deer) of the total... This study demonstrated that the likelihood of detecting an individual whitetail during spotlight surveys is very low, averaging about 41 percent of the time...


Are camera surveys useful for assessing recruitment in white-tailed deer?

MC Chitwood, MA Lashley, JC Kilgo, MJ Cherry… - Wildlife Biology, 2016

... At Savannah River Site, South Carolina, we used six years of camera-based recruitment estimates (i.e. fawn:doe ratio) to predict concurrently collected annual radiotag-based survival estimates. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.445, indicating some support for the viability of cameras to reflect recruitment... because so few researchers concurrently estimate survival and camera-based recruitment, examining this relationship at larger spatial scales while controlling for numerous confounding variables remains difficult...


AnimalFinder: A semi-automated system for animal detection in time-lapse camera trap images JLP Tack, BS West, CP McGowan, SS Ditchkoff… - Ecological Informatics, 2016

... Although the use of camera traps in wildlife management is well established, technologies to automate image processing have been much slower in development, despite their potential to drastically reduce personnel time and cost required to review photos. We developed AnimalFinder in MATLAB® to identify animal presence in time-lapse camera trap images by comparing individual photos to all images contained within the subset of images ... Our results show that the program significantly reduced data processing time and may increase efficiency of camera trapping surveys...


Spring spotlight counts provide reliable indices to track changes in population size of mountain-dwelling red deer L Corlatti, A Gugiatti, L Pedrotti - Wildlife Biology, 2016

... The reliability of spotlight-based indices to monitoring deer population changes has been widely debated, possibly owing to inconsistent performances of the method in different landscapes. For mountain-dwelling deer populations living in similar habitats, our results suggest that spring spotlight surveys represent valuable tools in support of wildlife managers for long-term, large-scale monitoring programs; furthermore, they can provide appropriate indices to estimating population growth rates and thus modelling deer population dynamics...


Comparison of three different indirect methods to evaluate ungulate population densities

S Pfeffer - 2016

... For moose, camera traps yielded a population estimate similar to dung counts. However, estimated densities from the dung count approach were much lower for all other three ungulate species than densities from the camera trapping. Even though the use of camera traps is more time consuming and costly, this method is evaluated as a trustworthy estimator of population sizes. In addition, further information about habitat associations, activity patterns, behaviour, or community structure can be successfully accomplished...


A simple method for estimating the effective detection distance of camera traps

TR Hofmeester, JM Rowcliffe, PA Jansen - Remote Sensing in Ecology and …, 2016

... Camera traps can be used to estimate the abundance of terrestrial mammals, including elusive species, provided that the sensitivity of the sensor, estimated as the effective detection distance (EDD), is quantified... EDD estimates derived from simulated passages using binned detection distances approximated those obtained from continuous detection distance measurements if at least five intervals were used over the maximum detection distance...


Mobile Data Collection and Analysis in Conservation  M Wergeles, C Shang, Z Peng, H Wang, J Sartwell… - 2016 IEEE International …, 2016

... This paper presents some recent development of mobile computing and data analysis systems for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), including a mobile data collection system, an improved bear tracking website, and new analytics results obtained from real Missouri bear and deer GPS trajectories ... Using real world data, interesting movement patterns of a large number of bears and white-tailed deer have been obtained ...


A detection probability model for aerial surveys of mule deer

CJ Zabransky, DG Hewitt, RW Deyoung, SS Gray… - The Journal of Wildlife, 2016

... Population estimates derived from aerial surveys of ungulates are biased by imperfect detection, where probability of sighting groups is influenced by variables specific to terrain features and vegetation communities...  Our detection probability model is a simple and effective means to reduce bias in estimates of mule deer population size in southwestern rangelands...


Comparison of Three Techniques to Identify and Count Individual Animals in Aerial Imagery [PDF] PA Terletzky, RD Ramsey - Journal of Signal and Information Processing, 2016

... Manual photo-interpretation had a high probability of detecting an animal (81% ± 24%), the lowest probability of over-counting an animal (8% ± 16%), and a relatively low probability of under-counting an animal (19% ± 24%). An unsupervised, ISODATA classification with subtraction of a background image had the highest probability of detecting an animal (82% ± 10%), a high probability of over-counting an animal (69% ± 27%) but a low probability of under-counting an animal (18% ± 18%). The multiimage, multi-step procedure incorporated more information, but had the lowest probability of detecting an animal (50% ± 26%), the highest probability of over-counting an animal (72% ± 26%), and the highest probability of under-counting an animal (50% ± 26%)...


Trail-Camera Surveys used to figure out deer population July 16, 2016 Alabama, Montgomery Advertiser

 ... A Trail-Camera Survey is an incredibly useful tool to give you a look at your deer population   ... take your photos and start compiling. Count the number of bucks, does, and fawns, or deer under a year... a handy form [PDF] on QDMA’s website from Thomas to help you get all the details worked out ...


Observing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) behavior in Northwestern Vermont Using Trail Cameras [PDF] B Cole - 2016 

... Non-invasive techniques significantly reduce induced stress levels and the risk of injury and/or death. They also require limited human-to-animal interaction... Average life span 4.5 years in the wild ... Resource preference: herbaceous plants, fruits, and fungi (summer) nuts, twigs and stems, leaves, and grasses (winter) ...


Visible and thermal infrared remote sensing for the detection of white‐tailed deer using an unmanned aerial system  LP Chrétien, J Théau, P Ménard - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2016

... Some agencies are focusing on animal surveys to manage species such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)... Our pilot study (data collected on 6 Nov 2012 at Saint-David-de-Falardeau, QC, Canada) ... Overall, this approach had an average detection rate of 0.5, which is comparable to conventional aerial surveys. Visual obstructions by coniferous canopy and the spectral confusion associated with certain elements (e.g., bare soil, rocks) are problems that remain unresolved. Using UASs with image processing for surveys of deer and other species of large mammals is promising, but currently limited by the flight range of unmanned aerial vehicles ...


Wildlife research project encounters defective technology January 4, 2016 Delaware, Village Soup

...  male deer after animals were found with severe neck injuries.  Two years ago, Hopkins opened his land to researchers, who began tagging juvenile male deer in efforts to learn more about white-tailed bucks' travel patterns and mortality rates through a $395,000 Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife grant ...


Citizen scientists use hidden cameras to track urban wildlife October 22, 2015 South Carolina, News & Observer

... Until recently, information about the movements and habits of urban wildlife has been scarce due to a lack of widespread monitoring data. That data is becoming available with the help of more than 400 volunteers who have participated in the program in North Carolina and five other Southeastern states.  “We generally ask people to set up the camera in their backyards or a nearby woods ...


Employing Ultrahigh-Frequency RFID Technology on Deer Farm Managment  L Hsiao-Mei, W Chih-Hwa, H Yan-Der, H Kuo-Hsiang - Indian Journal of Animal …, 2015

... This project uses ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) ear tags and readers with a readable range of 3 to 5 m. Forty stags were tagged with radio-frequency identification (RFID) ear tags and allocated into 20 pens. When deer with RFID ear tags walked through the aisle, handheld RFID readers, used as personal digital assistants (PDAs), and stationary RFID readers in frequency range received signals from the tags, and individual deer tag data were transmitted immediately and completely through wireless PDAs to a computer. The inputted data were sent to the deer-farm management system to be collated and organized. Farmers obtained individual deer data without approaching the deer, which decreased the risk of the deer attacking. Employing UHF-RFID technology integrated with software contributes to enhancing the efficiency of deer identification and farm management.,,


Entering a 'golden age' of animal tracking June 12, 2015 Science Daily

... Driven, in part, by consumer demand in the past five years, radio-tracking technology has been replaced by smaller GPS tags that allow scientists to accurately track vastly larger numbers of animals and use satellites to track individuals as they move across the globe....


How to Conduct a Trail-Camera Survey QDMA.  It's almost trail-camera survey time again! Formal 14-day trail-camera surveys should be conducted after velvet has shed but before acorns start falling or hunting season opens. The results can help you track deer density, buck:doe ratio, buck age structure, and fawn recruitment.Our online guide tells you how. 



Evaluating the Effectiveness of Two Distance-Sampling Techniques for Monitoring Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) Densities  F Horcajada-Sánchez, I Barja - Annales Zoologici Fennici, 2015

... In this study, we compare the results of roe deer sampling based on distance detection performed by two techniques: surveys on foot in the evening and nocturnal surveys by car... when it is necessary to estimate absolute densities of roe deer populations, nocturnal distance sampling by car seems to be the most appropriate method due to its low cost, yet the influence of the vehicle on the distribution of roe deer and, therefore, on the estimated density, must be taken into account when carrying out such studies.


Comparing Population Density Estimation Techniques for Columbia Black-tailed Deer ... : Fecal Standing Crop and Distance … JD Brenneman - 2014 Washington

... I estimated deer density and population size on Blakely Island, WA, using the fecal standing crop (FSC) method described by Martin et al. (2011). I compared the FSC method with a well established and broadly applicable estimation method, distance sampling...  As the FSC density estimation was much greater than that of distance sampling, and because it did not compare to other high-density island populations of deer, I concluded that this newer technique may not be comparable to well established methods...


Animals Spy a New Enemy: Drones October 20, 2015 New York Times

.... They programmed autonomous quadcopters to fly in circles over four adult black bears and several cubs in forest, shrub land and farms in northwest Minnesota. In an earlier study, the adult bears had been outfitted with GPS collars and small heart rate monitors. Judging by appearance alone, the bears did not seem particularly disturbed. They rarely made an attempt to evade the drones ...


Estimating sex‐specific abundance in fawning areas of a high‐density Columbian black‐tailed deer population using fecal DNA ZT Lounsberry, TD Forrester, MT Olegario, JL Brazeal… - The Journal of Wildlife …, 2014, California

... The recent development of fecal-genetic capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods has increased the feasibility of estimating abundance of forest-dwelling ungulates that are difficult to survey using visual methods. Unless genetic markers differentiating sex are incorporated into such studies, however, genetic CMR approaches risk missing sex-specific differences in population trends.... Incorporating sex and individual markers into a single assay provided a cost-effective means of applying CMR estimation based on fecal DNA to a high-density ungulate population in a forested ecosystem and emphasized the importance of explicitly modeling sex in abundance estimation.


Using Mark-recapture Distance Sampling to Estimate Sitka Black-tailed Deer Densities in Non-forested Habitats of Kodiak Island, Alaska [PDF] MCA Cobb - 2014

   Management goals for Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) at

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge are to minimize deer impacts to native flora and

fauna while maintaining subsistence harvest opportunities. Accomplishment of

these goals requires statistically-robust estimates of deer abundance. We

estimated deer abundances in non-forested, non-mountainous habitats of southern

Kodiak Island using double observer (mark-recapture) distance sampling applied

to traditional line-transect aerial counts... This survey provides the first statisticallyrobust

means of indexing annual trends in deer densities and abundances on

Kodiak Island


Monitoring ungulates in steep non-forest habitat: a comparison of faecal pellet and helicopter counts October 24, 2014 New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Zoology

... There was a positive curvilinear (concave down) relationship between faecal pellet and helicopter counts. Compared with faecal pellet counts, helicopter counts were cheaper, could identify ungulate species and provided estimates of absolute density. Helicopter counts are a cost-effective method for monitoring ungulates in the steep non-forest habitats of New Zealand's Southern Alps...


Aerial vertical‐looking infrared imagery to evaluate bias of distance sampling techniques for white‐tailed deer JT Beaver, CA Harper, RE Kissell, LI Muller… - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2014

... Despite its higher cost (US$10,000) over spotlight surveys, we recommend aerial imaging instead of road-based ground surveys for monitoring populations of deer and discourage the continued use of non-random road-based surveys as a method for estimating white-tailed deer populations.


Comparison of occupancy modeling and radiotelemetry to estimate ungulate population dynamics JF Duquette, JL Belant, NJ Svoboda, DE Beyer Jr… - Population Ecology, 2014

... Radiotelemetry and unmarked occupancy modeling have been used to estimate animal population growth, but have not been compared for ungulates. ... Radiotelemetry provided more precise population growth estimates, while allowing collection of vital rates and location data. However, the Royle–Nichols occupancy model may be preferred to radiotelemetry because it reflected yearly variation in population growth with reduced labor and no invasive marking...


2013 White-tailed Deer Surveys [PDF] Brian S. Haroldson, Farmland Wildlife Populations and Research Group.  John H. Giudice, Wildlife Biometrics Unit 

... The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) uses simulation modeling within 125 permit areas (PA) to estimate and track changes in white-tailed deer... abundance and, subsequently, to develop harvest recommendations to keep deer populations within goal levels. In general, model inputs include estimates of initial population size, and spatial and temporal estimates of survival and reproduction for various age and sex cohorts. Because simulated population estimates are subject to drift as model input errors accumulate over time, it is imperative to periodically recalibrate the starting population within these models with independent deer population estimates (Grund and Woolf 2004)...


[PDF] Aerial-based Inventory Methods for Selected Ungulates: Mule Deer B Harris, F Iredale, B Jex, G Kuzyk, C Procter, A Reid.  British Columbia - 2013

... Standard stratified random block surveys using helicopters are routinely used in many of the western United States, and have successfully been used to estimate Mule Deer population size in the Peace Region of British Columbia... Mule Deer show strong fidelity to small ranges in winter, so movements are limited and replicate counts of blocks have produced virtually identical results. The applicability of this method in other areas of the province has not been tested and thus stratified random block surveys for Mule Deer are not recommended. However, stratified random block surveys for Mule Deer may be possible once a sufficiently accurate/precise sightability model is developed. 



From Battle To Birds: Drones Get Second Life Counting Critters April 25, 2013 NET Website

...  the U.S. Geological Survey, has been trying to find a second life for retired military drones in the areas of environmental and wildlife management ... The USGS office overseeing these drones gets more than a dozen calls a week from other Interior Department units interested in using them. Upcoming experiments include surveying pygmy rabbit habitat in Idaho, counting mule deer in Nevada and a climate change study near Niwot, Colo.


Incorporating detection probability into northern Great Plains pronghorn population estimates CN Jacques, JA Jenks, TW Grovenburg, RW Klaver…  Journal of Wildlife Management, 2013

...  Detection probability of pronghorn was not constant but depended on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. When pronghorn detection probability is a function of animal group size, animal activity, landscape complexity, and percent vegetation, traditional aerial survey techniques will result in biased pronghorn abundance estimates. Standardizing survey conditions, increasing resighting occasions, or accounting for variation in individual heterogeneity in mark-resight models will increase the accuracy and precision of pronghorn population estimates.


Accuracy of Aerial surveys (taken from news article) September 3, 2013 WDNR News

 ... Deer change their movements in response to weather, food availability and other factors and are not evenly distributed through a deer management unit. Aerial surveys often show a large number of deer in one square mile of habitat with very few deer in one of the neighboring square-mile blocks ... Kevin Wallenfang, the big game ecologist for the state Department of Natural Resources ...

Example:  Sunset Hills ... September 4, 2013 Missouri, Call Newspapers

... Two studies conducted when deer were at their peak population in Sunset Hills last December found 72 deer per square mile in the area of the city ... Residents conducting the study drove through another part of town and did not find enough deer for their study...


Using a Double-Count Aerial Survey to Estimate Moose Abundance in Maine August, 2013b LE Kantar, RE Cumberland - … : A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose Abundance in Maine. 2013

... The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife most recently used the relationship between moose sightings by deer hunters and moose abundance to produce density indices within Wildlife Management Districts (WMD). Due to the marked decline of deer hunters in much of northern Maine that invalidates use of this technique, we tested a double-count aerial survey method to estimate moose abundance in 9 northern WMDs. ...The density estimates tracked closely with trends in moose sighting rate by moose hunters, harvest level, and hunter success rate in the survey area, and were consistent with jurisdictions in eastern Canada that also have low levels of predation and a preponderance of younger-aged forests. The double-count aerial survey is considered the preferred method to estimate population density, whereas hunter sighting indices would be most useful to track temporal population changes within a WMD.


Using DNA to Test the Utility of Pellet‐Group Counts as an Index of Deer Counts

TJ Brinkman, DK Person, W Smith, FS Chapin… - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2013

... Despite widespread use of fecal pellet-group counts as an index of ungulate density, techniques used to convert pellet-group numbers to ungulate numbers rarely are based on counts of known individuals, seldom evaluated across spatial and temporal scales, and precision is infrequently quantified... Assuming that our DNA-based results were a more accurate and precise metric of true deer count, we do not support the use of pellet-group count to index deer count in southeast Alaska unless confounding factors are accounted for at fine spatial (e.g., habitat patch) scales...


Reliability and precision of pellet-group counts for estimating landscape-level deer density  2013 Human-Wildlife Interactions. 7(1): 60-68.

...This study provides hitherto unavailable methodology for reliably and precisely estimating deer density within forested landscapes, enabling quantitative rather than qualitative deer management... Precision on the small landscape was high; 95% confidence intervals for individual counters were <7.5% of mean estimates of density, and coefficients of variability were <10%. Precision on the larger landscapes was acceptable: 95% confidence intervals were 18.4 to 30.4% of mean estimates and coefficients of variability were <25%. The pellet-group technique produces reliable and precise estimates of deer density, is inexpensive, requires little training to implement, and is best suited to northern hardwood forests where snow and cold result in minimal deterioration of pellet groups. Unless corrected for hunter harvest and overwinter mortality, pellet-group counts represent average overwinter density and overestimate spring density...


Road bias for deer density estimates at 2 national parks in Maryland September 22, 2011 Wildlife Society Bulletin, William J. McShea, Chad M. Stewart, Laura Kearns, Scott Bates

Estimating the population density of deer is an essential task for public agencies that plan a herd reduction... Many of these surveys are conducted along public roads due to limited resources and accessibility, which may violate a critical assumption of distance sampling and potentially introduce sampling bias. We used infrared cameras to confirm deer activity with respect to survey roads ... Although density estimation using DISTANCE can account for most sources of error introduced by use of public roads, our data indicate bias is likely to occur in landscapes with high road densities and long sight distances...



Accuracy of two techniques used to estimate pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) numbers in Chihuahuan Desert rangelands  F Clemente-Sánchez, JL Holechek, R Valdez… - Journal of Applied Animal Research…, 2013

... It can be concluded that driving transect sampling is an accurate method to study pronghorn densities in the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem, while walking transect sampling estimations need to be adjusted to obtain accurate population sizes...



Mapping Urban Deer Populations Using GPS and GIS, Brandalena Gianette Blake, University of Texas at San Antonio. Stephen Castlebury Brown, University of Texas at San Antonio. Abstract: "Using a real-time, differentially corrected GPS receiver connected to a laser range finder, researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio were able to create GIS maps of the white-tail deer community in Hollywood Park. These researchers were then able to document the various factors that influence this white-tail deer herd." 


Aerial Censusing of White-Tailed Deer and Comparison to Sex-Age-Kill Population Estimates in Northern Indiana 1997.  SJ Burgdorf, HP Weeks Jr,  Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, 2013

... : Accurate estimates of population size and composition are important for effective deer management. White-tailed deer {Odocoileus virgini- anus) population estimates were obtained in two northern Indiana Counties, Marshall and Steuben, by winter aerial censusing in 1990 and 1991. To optimize helicopter flight time and decrease the variance among sample areas,stratified random sampling with optimal allocation was used to census 25% of each County. Ground truthing a subsample of woodlots provided a check on the accuracy of the aerial counts. Mean posthunt deer density calculated from aerial counts was 0.09 deer/ha in Steuben County in 1990 and 1991. In 1991, mean deer density in Marshall County was 0.04/ha. Compared to combined ground counts, the aerial counts were 93% accurate. Stratified counts from a helicopter were relatively accurate for northern Indiana when adequate snow cover was present. Population estimates from aerial counts approxi- mated the sex-age-kill model estimates. 


The value of a random sampling design for annual monitoring of national populations of larger British terrestrial mammals LJ Wright, SE Newson, DG Noble - European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2013

Making use of an extensive network of volunteer birdwatchers, this study illustrates how a large-scale monitoring scheme originally designed for common breeding birds can be adapted to also provide robust monitoring data for medium- to large-sized, easily detectable terrestrial mammals. Compared with bird monitoring, the monitoring of common and widespread terrestrial mammals is rarely carried out using a well-designed sampling design and is largely restricted to sites selected by the observer or biased towards particular habitats of interest, making it difficult to know whether trends are representative of the populations of interest.... Here, we present population trends at national and regional scales for nine species of common mammal over the first 18 years of BBS mammal monitoring and examine these in relation to our current knowledge on these species...


GIS for Wildlife Conservation File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat GIS for Wildlife Conservation. 3. Launching Spacecraft From a Wildlife Refuge .... GIS FORWILDLIFE CONSERVATION. As the Joint Base Operations Support ...


U.S. Fish and Wildlife Geospatial Services Home Aug 18, 2010 ... Home page of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Geospatial Services. ...Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a system of hardware and ...


GIS In Wildlife Studies

This site is to serve as a reference for individuals interested in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in wildlife studies. ...


Analyzing Wildlife Movement Corridors in Montana Using GIS by R Walker Using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, the best available spatial data on habitats, and considering the habitat preferences of 3 select ...


GIS-Generated, Expert-Based Models for Identifying Wildlife ...

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat

by AP CLEVENGER - 2002

Modeling habitat linkages with a geographic informa- tion system (GIS) is another means of determining opti- mal placement of wildlife crossing structures. ...


Index of Available GIS Data Disclaimer: The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) is currently in the process of updating its GIS data. The data associated with some of these ...


GIS Tools and Information for Designing Wildlife Corridors ... Aug 11, 2010 ... GIS tools and information for designing wildlife corridors. Our goal is to transfer everything we've learned about designing wildlife ...


Bill's Wildlife Sites; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) ... Bill's Wildlife Sites; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Telemetry/Data Acquisition Equipment/Information.


GIS and GPS in Wildlife Ecology File Format: Microsoft Powerpoint - Introduction to GIS for Habitat Analysis and Home Range Estimation 


Analyzing animal movement patterns using potential functions  HK Preisler, AA Ager, MJ Wisdom - Ecosphere, 2013

... we present a statistical framework for analyzing movement data that is based on the concept of a potential surface. The potential surface is motivated by the assumption that animals are moving on a space-time surface with regions or points of attraction or of repulsion. We demonstrate the use of the technique by analyzing movement data from a long-term controlled experiment to evaluate the responses of free ranging Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) to anthropogenic disturbances that vary in time and space. Our results demonstrated a strong avoidance of elk to all-terrain vehicles detected up to one km from the disturbance...


Examples of Surveys for Suburban Management

Woodland Trust Deploys Drones To Revolutionise Deer Surveys March 15, 2024 United Kingdom, Heliguy

... Drones offer a landscape view, offering a more comprehensive and complete picture of species distribution and density. This builds confidence that deer are not being undercounted or double-counted... "Drone technology helps to grow our understanding of deer population metrics with an unprecedented level of accuracy and efficiency." ...


How To Manage Whitetails on Private Land: Part 2 March 14, 2024 North American Whitetail

...  the evolution of deer population estimation  ...  the most questionable method was the pellet-count, which some biologists persist in using to this day!  ... Several of my colleagues later showed that the number of times a deer defecates is variable, and again the error rate is terrible! So, how do you get a reasonable density estimate for your deer herd? ..,


Mill Creek, Low flying plane conducting another deer survey in Mill Creek MetroParks January 23, 2024 Ohio, WFMJ.com

... The company uses infrared technology that captures 15 frames per second. Then, deer are tracked manually, meaning no AI is involved in counting the deer. The accuracy is about 85%, the most accurate out of all other forms of population tracking. Holthouse ensures the count is fairly accurate...


Hunting with guns started Saturday in MetroParks; deer-density debate continues December 5, 2023 Ohio, The Vindicator

...Derico [ natural resources manager for the Mill Creek MetroParks] said the most recent survey method employed in the MetroParks was in July when trail cameras were used. The results were an estimated deer density of 125 deer per square mile.  In the spring, MetroParks officials said using aerial, nighttime thermal imaging technology indicated that the number of deer in the MetroParks was 387 per square mile...


Geneva City Council shoots down deer-harvesting proposal September 9, 2023 New York, Finger Lakes Times

... City Manager Amie Hendrix ... said such deer kills need state Department of Environmental Conservation approval and must be backed up with data.  “We would have to prove that there is an actual nuisance — the amount of deer in the area and the damage they are doing,” ...


Does Grand Rapids have a deer problem? City data shows increasing nuisance August 23, 2023 Michigan, MLive

... “The next formal step would be that we request that the DNR maybe look at our community and see what the population is so we can make an informed and scientific decision about if we need to do anything or not,” ...


Avon Lake opens annual deer survey May 1, 2023 Ohio, Chronicle Telegram

... The 15-question survey asks residents about a wide variety of deer-related issues, including whether they have experienced yard and property damage and if they think the deer population is growing in the city as a whole or their neighborhood...


McCall, Idaho Fish and Game Biologists Count Over 250 Deer in McCall During Town Deer Survey March 8, 2023 Idaho, Big Country News

... Staff divided McCall into four separate survey areas, all of which were patrolled three times (once in late 2022 & twice in 2023) by a pair of observers counting the number of deer ...


Presidio of Monterey assessing deer population on post January 27, 2023 California, The United States Army

... a vehicle driving at speeds of between 5 and 10 mph on the Presidio’s main roads. At night, personnel used high-lumen spotlights to see the ungulates... Officials plan to hold two more later this year and hope to repeat the process for another four years.  “That’s how you can get a baseline understanding and statistically significant understanding of your population,” Parish said. “It takes about five years.”...


Port Townsend city officials: Deer count first step in developing plan December 14, 2022 Washington, Peninsula Daily News

... council members agreed at a workshop on Monday that the next logical step is to obtain as accurate a count as possible of the number of deer living within the city...


Hendersonville, City approves up to $7.5K for deer survey  December 8, 2022 Tennessee, Hendersonville Standard

... an accurate survey of the deer population needs to be conducted within the city to properly evaluate what actions need to be taken,” reads Ordinance 2022-33... The 2015 survey estimated the population to be at around 872 deer — or 19.4 deer per square mile. An aerial and road survey of the same 45 square miles within the city limits in January of 2018 estimated at least 83 deer – or 1.8 deer per square mile...


Helena starts deer count as part of culling program October 13, 2022 September 13, 2022 Montana, Independent Record

... The Urban Wildlife Program may receive approval from FWP to remove deer from within the city to maintain a previously established population density of 25 deer per square mile, which was established by Helena’s Urban Wildlife Task Force ...


Drones used to count deer in Sioux Falls October 22, 2021 South Dakota, KELOLAND News

... a drone is being used for the second year in a row... “It’s being used in remote areas…,” ... “They are flying at night looking for the heat signals from the deer,” ...


Richmond Heights deer count to take place in late November, culling could follow shortly after October 6, 2021 Ohio, cleveland.com

... Richmond Heights City Council’s Safety and Recreation Committee heard from the USDA’s Caleb Wellman about the next step toward culling -- performing an infrared count of the city’s deer... 


Helena plans to resume urban deer culling October 4, 2021 Montana, Independent Record

... After the survey is complete, the data collected will be sent to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists to determine the number of deer per square mile. The Urban Wildlife Program may receive approval from FWP to remove deer from within the city to maintain a previously established population density of 25 deer per square mile ...


Homestead to host deer survey September 17, 2021 Nebraska, Beatrice Daily Sun

...  offering the public the opportunity to help conduct a fall deer survey ... a walker or a counter ... [walker[ needed to watch the park’s boundaries and count deer as they exit...


Richmond Heights prepares for deer culling in coming months September 8, 2021 Ohio, cleveland.com

... “The first thing is a survey of the deer population in town,” he said. “I believe that is in the works in Richmond Heights, and once we have that (information), we’ll have a good handle on what the base (deer) population is in Richmond Heights... and enable us to make some management decisions on what needs to be removed.” ...


Drones Used for the First Time at South Mountain to Count Deer May 10, 2021 New Jersey, jersey digs

... “Drones are much more accurate and make it less likely deer are double-counted,” ... Drones also allow scientists to perform surveys in a wider variety of conditions because the machines can penetrate the forest where deer hide during severe weather... 


Just how many deer are on Shelter Island? New flyover data provides an answer April 14, 2021 New York, Shelter Island Reporter

... a total of 635 deer on the Island. The data is based on information released from a Jan. 24 flyover, using infrared video techniques from 1,600 feet...  “the most accurate number we have had.” ...


How many deer are in Arlington County? Drones are flying above the area to find out. April 12, 2021 Virginia, WJLA

... When the drone is in the sky it collects heat signatures of deer and it does not identify people... In one study, it was shown that drones can be about 43 to 96% more accurate than ground or human-made observations in counting wildlife..,


Hear the call of the wild: Tracking deer movements by sound January 28, 2021 Japan, Phys.org

... keeping track of the deer population has been a difficult ... by setting up a grid of listening stations, we are able to triangulate the position of each deer with precision and track its movements ...


State presents analysis of deer estimates October 21, 2020 Massachusetts, Wicked Local Brewster

... using eight transects in Nickerson State Park the model suggested there were 41 deer per square mile, with a probably range between 21 and 61, with 95 percent confidence. That was based on finding 64 pellets...


Woodside property owners group to determine future deer cull with new survey July 31, 2020 South Carolina, Aiken Standard

... The Woodside Treasurer's report shows that the February deer cull cost a total of $42,593 for the removal of 100 deer... Ongoing costs will include the annual deer count survey estimated at $4,000, which is required by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.  The city still requires a fee of $6,250, and the sharpshooters that would conduct a future cull would require a fee of $200 per deer ...


Forest Department Monitors Herd Of Deer By Drone, Netizens Laud For Being 'less Intrusive'  July 8, 2020 India, RepublicWorld

... Video footage of a herd of deer being monitored by a drone is going viral on social media because of its amazing bird-eye view. The video shared by Ramesh Pandey, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer gives an insight into the animals' movement without invading their privacy...


Helena, FWP indefinitely extends Helena Urban Deer Management Plan May 28, 2020 Montana, KTVH

... The City is required to conduct a survey of the urban deer herd to determine how many animals should be removed... 


USDA count of deer in South Euclid stands between 130-167  March 12, 2020 Ohio, Cleveland.com

... estimates that there are between 130 and 167 deer in the city.  Two USDA deer counters each used hand-held thermal imagers while driving down each city street between 6 and 9:50 p.m. on the day of the survey. During that time, 130 deer were actually seen...


Missoula to count urban deer February 18, 2020 Montana, KPAX

... There is no program being launched. There's not a 'turkey shoot' that's happening up against some hillside,” von Lossberg said. We're trying to get a handle on population and a review of what is out there from a management strategy standpoint."...These are the first order responsible things to do ...


Surveying deer population in Colorado Springs February 10, 2020 Colorado, FOX21News.com

... CPW staff teamed up with volunteers all day on Monday to survey neighborhoods west of I-25. An application on their mobile phones allows them to seamlessly log the location, approximate size, and sex of the deer that goes straight into an agency database.  The survey takes place over several years to get a consistent estimate ...


Kimberley's annual deer count January 9, 2020 British Columbia, Kimberley Bulletin

... Of the 69 deer counted, there were 28 does, 28 fawns and 12 bucks, and one unclassified... “We use the same method annually. At this time, the trend indicates the population is stable. The counts are conducted by knowledgeable volunteers, usually during November or December while snow is on the ground...


Helena suspends deer culling due to budget cuts January 7, 2020 Montana, Independent Record

... The city began culling deer in 2008 by trapping them in pens ... the city plans to survey the deer population this fall, which is required by FWP in order to cull ...


Englewood panel calls for drone count of deer population December 26, 2019 New Jersey, The Record, Bergen County 

... The panel spoke with officials in River Vale who used the drone survey and called the information gathered from the drone survey "invaluable." ... would cost an estimated $4,500 ...


Deer surveyed in city limits of Cody December 19, 2019 Wyoming Game and Fish - State of Wyoming

... Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel conducted a classification/trend survey of deer within the city limits of Cody.  This annual survey has been conducted since 2011 for the purpose of providing city managers with information related to town deer numbers... The city was broken out into 10 count blocks and all deer encountered by observers were classified into sex/age categories (adult buck, yearling buck, doe, fawn).  Surveys were initiated at approximately 2 p.m. and continued until dark..,


Englewood, Deer Census, Citizen Survey Urged by Task Force December 9, 2019 New Jersey, Pascack Press & Northern Valley Press

... the city’s Deer Task Force director recommended Nov. 26 that council members conduct an aerial drone survey to get precise deer population numbers and also survey residents about deer-related impacts...


The experience of the Blue Hills deer cull in Massachusetts illustrates the problems with deer survey reliability:  Blue Hills dream hunt was a total bust  December 7, 2019 Massachusetts, The Lowell Sun

...Months ago I put in for deer permit to hunt the Blue Hills Reservation just south of Boston. This was a lottery draw that saw more than 1,000 people put in for just 80 of these coveted permits.  ... the place has no deer and is overrun with coyotes. We all saw them, and Vinny had one attack him. There was five inches of snow on the ground and thousands of coyote tracks and no deer tracks found by any of us...

     Controlled Deer Hunt Set For Blue Hills Reservation In Milton December 2, 2019 Massachusetts, Patch

... Eighty hunters will be spread out over six management zones beginning at 8 a.m...


Highland Heights conduct infrared deer count; online and mail deer surveys also scheduled November 13, 2019 Ohio, Cleveland.com

... the U.S. Department of Agriculture will undertake a deer count utilizing infrared technology... going to drive up and down every street in the city detecting heat and counting how many deer each street has ... will cost the city just under $1,100...


Beminidji, Deer and density: BSU surveys deer population in Bemidji city limits October 30, 2019 Minnesota, Bemidji Pioneer

... the university provides the results of the annual deer survey to the city ... When their spotlights would land on a deer, they’d record data such as how many deer there were in a given spot, whether they were does or bucks and their approximate ages. They would then take distance measurements from the road. They use that information to calculate a deer density estimate...


Local deer cull fills freezers, divides community October 5, 2019 Wyoming, Rawlins Times.com

... Before the plan was implemented, Game and Fish conducted a population assessment, then issued the governing authority a Chapter 56 permit, allowing Rawlins to cull a set number of animals from the herd...  residents are still divided about whether it’s needed...


New Castle, Deer kill dispute leads to deer count debate in New Castle September 16, 2019 New Hampshire, Seacoastonline.com

... Bill Henson on Monday called the deer-population estimates in Gayer’s memo “gross exaggerations.” He said he and others believe there are “a dozen or so” deer in New Castle and to prove the point, volunteers will conduct a count this Saturday. He said volunteers will be at 17 different locations where they will count deer from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m., then again from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m...


Colorado Springs not ready to address deer overpopulation August 15, 2019 Colorado, KRDO

... "We've had two deer counts and need more ... We need more data about how many deer we have, how much the herd is growing, how much it needs to be reduced and how much chronic wasting disease is present." ...


Oak Bay report shows deer only a problem for a few, says scientist February 25, 2019 British Columbia, Victoria News

...  95 percent of an Oak Bay deer’s time is spent within a 0.64 square kilometre range. Half of their time is spent in an even smaller 0.14 square kilometre core home range...  it’s an example of the representative heuristic – a phenomena where humans believe there’s a lot of something because they see it often... the small home ranges mean some residents are seeing the same deer frequently, not an abundance of deer...


Deer study using collars, cameras under watchful eyes outside of Victoria  February 21, 2019 British Columbia, BC Local News 

... By using a two-pronged GPS and remote camera approach to study a specific population, the UWSS created deer density maps with a high degree of confidence. The traditional method for such research would be aerial surveys, which are not as accurate Fisher said...


Woodland Park, Third annual count collects data on Woodland Park deer population  February 13, 2019 Colorado, The Gazette 

... Counters use data sheets to record the number and age of bucks, does and fawns, map their locations and record the times of observations. Recording the locations of observations is important to help map deer distribution. The time of the sighting is recorded to help avoid double counting deer that may wander into a different count area...


Ann Arbor, Controversy abounds as Ann Arbor undergoes another deer cull January 10, 2019 MIchigan, The Michigan Daily

... Estimates of the size of Ann Arbor’s deer population vary due to methodological difficulties in getting an accurate count. A 2017 count indicated a 50 percent increase in the number of deer spotted from the previous year, but White Buffalo admitted in March 2018 it had significantly overestimated the size of the local population...


Okotoks asks citizens to install deer-counting app to help track local population September 8, 2018 Alberta, CBC.ca 

... the NatureLynx app , which was launched by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) in July, allows any Albertan to record wildlife sightings in the province... In 2015, volunteers in Okotoks counted deer populations the old-fashioned way, but this year, they're using NatureLynx to make things easier...


If survey results give go-ahead, Beachwood could cull deer later this yearAugust 21, 2018 Ohio, The Plain Dealer 

... "You need an ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) permit. And, what needs to be done before anything else is a community survey."  The survey, he said, would tell the city if residents want to proceed with culling, and why, and where deer are gathering ...


Spotlight counts provide information and are fun September 23, 2018 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph 

... the regional TPWD biologist who runs them through a computer program to determine a recommended harvest size, including how many bucks and does are to be taken. In an effort to go from a deer to an acre to a deer to 5 or 6 acres ... the count comes with a multiplier of 3.7 to determine an estimated herd size... 


Project looks for ways to lower deer population August 10, 2018 New York, Westchester News 12

... immune contraception...  a method to test if the population is in fact getting smaller... "Fifty households all around the village put a hasta plant in a pot and they check it every day, and then they report back in how long that plant has survived without being eaten," said Dr. Lemons. “We saw a doubling of the time that those plants would survive.” ...


Town to conduct deer census with local volunteers May 15, 2018 New York, Suffolk Times

... Helpers will be given a time frame around dusk to set out for the count, and the process will be repeated on three separate occasions. An average will be calculated to be show result ... Southold Town runs a deer management program that formed in 2008 with the goal of reducing deer numbers through bow-hunting ... No real estimate has ever been done ...


Contractor significantly over-estimated Ann Arbor's deer population March 23, 2018 Michigan, MLive

... After killing another 115 deer in January ... White Buffalo now acknowledges it significantly over-estimated the deer population in Ann Arbor last year.  "Based on observations from the 2018 survey, the correction factor utilized in the prior year is believed to have been too high," ... 234 fewer than were estimated last year ...


Survey assesses status of fort's deer herd March 22, 2018 Kansas, Fort Leavenworth Lamp

... Bass used three cameras from the Environmental Division and photos from four Rod and Gun Club volunteers to survey 22 160-acre areas around post. Cameras ran 10 to 14 days in each location. More than 1,000 photos were taken and more than 200 photos showed deer. The results came out to 15 deer per square mile with a buck to doe ratio of 1:2.9 per square mile and the same ratio for does to fawns...


Biologists turn to citizens, DNA to count urban Alaska moose March 6, 2018 Alaska, Washington Post

... Moose thrive in Alaska’s largest city with little to fear from natural predators such as wolves or bears ... Biologists for three days last month asked Anchorage residents to call or text whenever they spotted moose. Teams of moose trackers with dart guns then hurried to the locations. The darts they fired captured DNA samples...


Cedaredge, Deer count begins for Cedaredge herd February 28, 2018 Colorado, Delta County Independent

... To conduct the deer count, Cedaredge and areas near the town limits were divided into eight zones. Counters were given zone maps and instructed to record the number, gender, and location of animals spotted between 4 p.m. and dusk...


Ladue, Deer survey, latest community to tackle growing deer population January 24, 2018 Missouri, fox2now.com

... the City of Ladue began conducting deer surveys. Police officers in marked vehicles will are out in the late evening and overnight hours, tracking deer and noting information such as gender, approximate age, and location...


Chesterfield police hitting the streets to patrol for … deer? January 12, 2018 MIssouri, fox2now.com

... A survey of deer in Chesterfield is being done during the evening and early morning hours... the first step in managing your herd is finding out how many you have and where they are living, because you might have problems in one side of town but not the other ...


Kelowna considers what to do about urban deer January 11, 2018 British Columbia, InfoTel News Ltd

... deer culls have always proven controversial, often facing legal challenges and are of unproven efficacy...  Some provincial money for urban deer management is available but would require a local plan, matching funding and a deer population estimate. ...  staff is recommending the Central Okanagan Regional District become a member of WildSafe B.C., described as an education program designed to reduce human-wildlife conflict...


Syracuse deer count underway in effort to start curbing herd growth June 21, 2017 New York, WRVO Public Media

...  The next step is finding out just how many deer are out there... "We count them just as it gets to be dawn," said research wildlife biologist Brian Underwood. "We’ve been doing that once a week for about 18 months straight.” ... 


Southfield City Council approves deer monitoring service May 10, 2017 Michigan, C&G Newspapers

...  council voted 5-2 to award a contract for deer monitoring services to Ann Arbor-based Nature Write... Through the survey, city officials learned that the majority of respondents enjoy having deer in the city but are worried about the issues the deer cause...


Watchung, Wildlife Management Committee to review deer census results in Watchung May 10, 2017 New Jersey, New Jersey Hills

... an aerial deer census conducted in February by Vision Air Research Inc... found about 165 deer traveling in 65 different groups within the borough, ranging from one deer per group to four... 27 deer per square mile ...


Cody, Deer culling hits target, plus 1 April 10, 2017 Wyoming, Cody Enterprise

 ... The most recent Game and Fish deer count was taken on Dec. 15 by 10 people counting in 10 zones. Results showed 258 mule deer broken down as 37 bucks, 100 does and 62 fawns... 


Delafield eyes herd control April 4, 2017 Wisconsin, Lake Country Now

... In 2017, Delafield has budgeted $2,200 to shoot 10 deer.  ... to receive that approval, the city would have to conduct a deer census in the early winter... deer count is conducted by helicopter and costs about $2,400 ...


Blaine to prohibit feeding of deer March 11, 2017 Wisconsin, ABC Newspapers

... There was not enough snow this winter for the city of Blaine to receive a good count on how many deer could be in the community, according to Blaine Police Capt. Dan Szykulski. Therefore, the city will not be pursuing a deer harvesting permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ...


Bay Village considering white-tailed deer management options March 2, 2017 Ohio, cleveland.com

... "Part of that deer management plan includes having a good idea of the number of deer that you have within your municipality,"  ... Avon Lake does a deer survey in early March. So to facilitate economies of scale, when they do their flyover, we're going to go in with them and have them do Bay Village  ...


Sonoma, Local 'Bambi count' underway February 23, 2017 California, Sonoma Index-Tribune

... wildlife experts in the department’s Wildlife and Lands Management Program are conducting a two-county study, employing a combination of GPS technology, DNA analysis, and good old-fashioned grunt work to tally the local Bambi numbers. As part of the months-long study – being conducted across Sonoma and Napa ...


Mamaroneck, Drones Fly Over Sound Shore To Hunt Down Accurate Deer Population Count February 8, 2017 New York, Mount Pleasant Daily Voice

... concerned about the overpopulation of deer in their   ...Williams said one wildlife biologist's "pellet count" method estimated there were 74 deer per quarter square mile which "translates to 1,800 deer in Mamaroneck! This was an absurd figure. . . The estimate only supports the belief that deer populations are inflated to encourage hunting activity." ...


Blaine, Deer count in Blaine January 1, 2017 Minnesota, ABC Newspapers

... The city of Blaine will be working with the Three Rivers Park District to conduct an aerial survey of Blaine’s deer population before the city decides whether to apply for a special archery hunting permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources...


Moline, No deer kill in Moline, DNR says September 23, 2016 Illinois, Quad City Times

... "The problem is, Mr. Harris was quoted as saying there are too many deer," Tom Micetich, deer project manager for the DNR said in May. "There never was a formal population assessment done." Despite having his firearm-use waiver, Harris' request for a permit to kill our deer has been denied...


Blythe Island, County to consider culling deer in Blythe Island Regional Park August 7, 2016 Georgia, Brunswick News

... USDA wildlife biologist Jonathan Smith, who conducted a study on the deer population, said there were not enough deer to warrant a reduction in the population. But county officials continue to receive complaints ... deer will be culled by the USDA ...


Farmington Hills includes deer survey in summer tax bills July1, 2016 Michigan,Observer & Eccentric Newspapers

... in their summer tax bills.  City officials have included a survey they hope will help determine if there is a deer problem in the city and, if so, what to do about it...


Batavia,  Deer task force planned May 25, 2016 New York, The Daily News Online

... the DEC has offered to facilitate a management plan in Batavia, beginning with a survey to determine the deer population, but the city would be involved as well...


Port Townsend, Deer census in Port Townsend tallies 230 animals in 30 minutes April 15, 2016 Washington, Peninsula Daily News

...  Volunteers counted 230 deer within the Port Townsend city limits during a half-hour census of the population.  About 60 people participated in the count that began at 7 a.m. Saturday, with 13 areas designated and divided for each group... Port Townsend School of Woodworking Executive Director Tim Lawson spent a lot of time developing the website ... 

      Counting our city deer herd March 16, 2016 Washington, Port Townsend Leader

... Volunteers, led by a team leader for each zone, are to walk or bicycle the streets ... This deer count is only that – a count, to see how many there are, not to decide what to do about them.  "I think of the deer as kind of a mascot for Port Townsend," ...


Galena voters will decide how to deal with the city's deer March 9, 2016 Illinois, WQAD.com

... On the March 15, 2016, ballot ... Should the city of Galena spend public funds to annually count the number of deer in the city limits, and if those counts determine that deer are overpopulated by Illinois Department of Natural Resources standards, should the city of Galena spend public funds to annually reduce the deer population by lethal means? ...


Ann Arbor, Deer cull fell short on planning, and controversy followed February 2, 2016 Michigan, MLive 

... Ann Arbor lacks area-wide assessment of deer-browse damage, relying instead on an observational study in a single park. An area-wide study has now been contracted, but results will be uninterpretable: With no pre-cull baseline, it can't assess the impact of current culling, or even establish the necessity of an Ann Arbor cull to begin with...


Morgantown, City council approves aerial deer count contract January 21, 2016 thedpost.com

...  City Council approved a $5,900 contract with Vision Air Research to conduct an aerial deer count, utilizing forward-looking infrared (FLIR) ...


Muddy Run deer count set for Sunday January 15, 2016 Pennsylvania, Lancaster Online

... you can have the chance to see lots of deer by helping with the annual deer count at Muddy Run Recreation Park in southern Lancaster County.  Park officials count the deer inside the park’s fenced 800 acres every year ...

GoPro footage inside the fences at the Muddy Run deer count January 18, 2016 Pennsylvania, LancasterOnline

... The annual deer count at Muddy Run Recreation Park in southern Lancaster County was held Sunday. More than 100 people volunteered to count deer...


Galena hopes helicopter will target deer problem December 30, 2015 Iowa, Telegraph Herald

... The helicopter count would cost $1,500 ... the association has been conducting helicopter counts of the deer population annually since 1992 ...


Toledo, Marksmen to cull deer in Metroparks early next year December 21, 2015 Ohio, Toledo Blade ·

... monitoring deer browse is hard to pin down, because deer have an incredibly diverse selection of browse ...  [just relying on surveys of vegatation can give misleading results since other factors are at play]


S.C. DNR conducting deer survey in Tega Cay December 4, 2015 South Carolina, Rock Hill Herald

...  surveying to see if Tega Cay has a deer population problem...  their findings show that the peninsula has an over-population of deer ...


Shaker Heights Deer Task Force reports to City Council in December November 6, 2015 Ohio, cleveland.com

... The count was done earlier this year by Davis Aviation ... The eight communities, which together from the Eastern Wildlife Management Partnership, shared the cost of the $54,000 deer count.  The aerial count found that Shaker Heights had the second-lowest number of deer -- nine a square mile ...


DNR needs to continue aging deer October 5, 2015 Wisconsin, Madison.com

... the Department of Natural Resources has formulated some alternative plans to help provide data to be used, in part, to estimate the size of the deer herd... working with venison processing businesses and plan to use them as an alternative to getting the deer age data we need for the sex-age-kill formula ...


Granite Shoals outlines priorities for year, continues studying deer issue July 24, 2015 Texas, The River Cities Daily Tribune 

... The first step is determining the deer population, he said. That number will help the city create a plan.  “Texas Parks and Wildlife will tell you if you’re overpopulated,” the city manager said. “Then we can identify what we can actually do. No decision has been made at this moment.” ...


North Olmsted, North Olmsted hires helicopter pilot, assistant to count deer March 5, 2015 Ohio, cleveland.com

... The city has hired Precision Helicopter of Cleveland to fly over North Olmsted in a grid pattern, searching for deer... "That will give us an idea of where the deer are and where we have problems. We don't know if we have 50 or 500." ...  paying $3,000 for the service.  [the city is evaluating the need for an urban hunt]


Eau Claire survey crews count deer from the sky February 26, 2015 Minnesota, WEAU 13 NEWS

... “The ultimate goal is to write a deer management plan for the city. The first step of any good management plan is to come up with an inventory to decide what we have out there and it will help us make a decision on what needs to be done in the future,” ...


Newtown Forward Looking Infrared Survey (FLID)  Deer Survey - 2015 [PDF] February 19, 2015

      On January 11th and 14th, 2015, residents of Newtown, CT contracted with Vision Air Research for a Forward Looking Infrared ( FLIR ) survey to determine the deer population in Newtown, CT. This survey was conducted between the hours of 1500-2000 (3-8pm) on the dates given and the results of this survey showed on average 11.41 deer per square mile; a total of 689 deer were located in 296 groups.  This survey covered all Newtown's  60.38 square miles and therefore represents a true census of Newtown's whitetail deer herd.   The CT DEEP transect survey for 2015; is based on surveying 1.5% of Newtown, CT;  the privately funded FLIR surveyed the entire town of Newtown, CT.


Ann Arbor, City conducts helicopter flyover to count Ann Arbor's deer population February 13, 2015 Michigan, MLive.com

... The flyover cost the city $2,200 ... to establish a baseline deer population count to assist in the development of a deer management plan...


A look from above January 16, 2015 Rhode Island, Block Island Times

... wildlife biologist Susan Bernatas took to the air on Wednesday for the final infrared survey for the Deer Task Force (DTF). Bernatas, who founded the company Vision Air Research out of Idaho, has been hired in order to get fairly accurate numbers of the Block Island deer population... 


Salida, Intern offers deer task force update January 10, 2014 Colorado,  Mountain Mail Newspaper

... A deer count is the first step before any of the other steps or recommendations can be taken. After a reliable count of the number of deer that actually live in town is determined, CPW (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) can compare the population to other cities and towns and make further recommendations about strategies and actions...


Comparison of estimated white-tailed deer population densities during two different seasons in the Miami University Natural Areas  ML Barrett - 2014 Ohio

...  In order to manage a deer population to an acceptable carrying capacity, it is important to have accurate measurements of deer density. This study used pellet-group distance sampling using transects ...


Ohio State faculty seek to educate about animals on campus September 27, 2015 Washington Times

...  a project that maps animal sightings across campus ...  the project maps animals photographed by OSU police security cameras across campus and mounted motion-activated cameras ... visitors include deer, ducks, geese ...


Hendersonville 'neuters' lethal deer plan December 10, 2014 Tennessee, The Tennessean 

... At issue was whether the city should bait deer to private land and hire U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified sharpshooters to cull the herd.  In the end, members of the city's Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 9-4 on an amended version of the proposal — minus the use of lethal force... According to the recommendation, the city would first do an aerial survey of the city's deer population...


Deer in Cody pose problem for town, officials December 5, 2014 Wyoming, goHUNT

... Wyoming Game and Fish officials are counting deer in Cody and administering an annual survey that could help the city determine how the herd is managed... one thing that everyone can agree on is that no action should be taken until officials have an accurate count of the number of deer...


Wallerford, Controlled deer hunt being considered for popular Wallingford land preserve April 26, 2014 Connecticut

... Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said Friday that he needs more information. “The first thing will be to have evidence documenting that there’s an over population,” he said. “The next step would be what should be done about it. I don’t think conclusions have been reached whether there’s over population.” ...


Pinehurst Rules Out Hunting to Control Deer Population December 12, 2014 North Carolina, The pilot 

...  recommendation to allow deer hunting in Pinehurst to control the animal’s population failed not because of anguished and emotional debate but a simple lack of sufficient “hard” data to justify such an extreme measure, Village Council members say...


Mule deer four-legged works of art – or pests? November 24, 2014 Wyoming, Cody Enterprise

... Game & Fish Department staffers will fan out around Cody in early December to count mule deer ...  the 2011 deer count of the in-town herd registered 307. The count was 261 in 2012, and 292 in 2013.  Those numbers indicate the population is “fairly static” and he doesn’t expect to see any major difference in the results in December...


Counting the deer November 14, November Rhode Island, The Block Island Times 

... three fly overs to count the current number of deer on the island. The cost of the service, which will be conducted by Vision Air Research Co., out of Boise, Idaho, will cost $13,215... “We all agree that we need to see the results of the fly overs and [to assess] how the tail initiative is going,” said Chair Ruth Perfido ...


Mt. Lebanon deer survey results inconsistent May 29, 2014 Pennsylvania, The Almanac

... In 2013, an aerial survey counted 342 deer. A year later, a similar survey counted only 196 deer... Deer could have moved beyond the boundaries of Mt. Lebanon ... Benner said many townships use multiple data points to monitor deer populations. These can include police reports, reports to local administrators and data from insurance companies ... “You don’t have a bunch of scientists out there recording data in the same, repeatable way, so there’s a lot of error,” ...


Muddy Run deer count tops 500 January 19, 2014 Pennsylvania, Lancaster Online 

... For nearly three decades, volunteers have gathered on a January afternoon to count the deer at Muddy Run," just so we have an idea how many deer are in there," ... by doing the count the same way every year, Byers said, Exelon can get an idea of the size of the deer population at Muddy Run ... more than 500 deer, according to park manager Dave Byers... "It should have been up this year, because the winter wasn't too bad last year," ...


Estimating White-tailed Deer Abundance at the Blue Hills Reservation using Distance Sampling November, 2013 Massachusetts, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

...  The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) uses a harvest-based estimator to model deer density for 15 Wildlife Management Zones (WMZ) across the commonwealth, such that the density estimate for WMZ 10, where the Blue Hills is located is approximately 25-35 deer per square mile of forested land... 


Plane-mounted camera will help city track Staten Island's deer population October 21, 2013 New York, SiLive.com

... "The survey, called Forward Looking Infrared Radar, uses an infrared camera mounted on a small plane and will measure the temperature difference between the deer and its environment," explained Parks spokeswoman Tara Kiernan... "This survey is the first step in developing a management plan for [the] deer population. The results will be used to establish a baseline population number ...


East Hampton Town Deer Survey Results May Not Reflect True Population June 11, 2013 New York, 27east.com

... aerial survey ... count came in at 877 deer, a dramatic decline from the 3,293 deer that were tallied in 2006 by a different method, known as a roadside distance sampling ...


[PDF] Population Analysis for White-tailed Deer in the Village of Cayuga Heights, New York PD Curtis, ML Ashdown, JR Boulanger -  May, 2013

... Camera-trapping has been recently used to estimate population size for big cats (Karanth  and Nichols 1998) and free-ranging deer (Jacobsen et al. 1997, Koerth et al. 1997)... The Village of Cayuga Heights (1.8 square miles) was divided into 12 equally-sized sections by overlaying a grid of approximately 100-acre blocks over a map of the community. Twelve infrared-triggered, digital cameras (Cuddeback, Non Typical, Inc. Green Bay, WI) were deployed over bait piles on properties with high probability of deer activity within each block. It was intended that each camera would “capture” a large sample of the deer population for that 100-acre block. In accordance with our NYSDEC permit, technicians were granted permission by each landowner before setting up the cameras and putting out bait for deer. Camera sites were baited daily with approximately 14 pounds of dry, shelled corn ...


Fort Thomas, Vision Air Research Will Continue Deer Census in Fort Thomas August 1, 2013 Kentucky,  Fort Thomas Matters

...  The surveys have seen the deer population decrease from 205 in 2010 to 132 in 2011 and 96 this year... with aerial technologies such as forward-looking infrared (FLIR) to conduct wildlife surveys... Vision Air Research is based in Boise, Idaho. President and founder Susan Bernatas has more than 18 years of experience conducting such research...


Outcry in Eastern Long Island Over a Plan to Cull Deer December 19, 2013 New York, New York Times

...  In 2006, the wildlife group paid for a ground survey in the town of East Hampton. The tally was 3,293 deer. This year, the town commissioned an aerial survey. Its count was 877. Local officials dismiss the new survey as flawed...


Cape Girardeau, Survey collects data on deer in Cape Girardeau January 13, 2013 Missouri, Southeast Missourian

...  the team spends several hours shining spotlights into the yards of homes and along the edges of parking lots. The rest of the team rides in the bed of the pickup... The conservation department's survey is the first of its kind in the city, and follows more than a year of debate between supporters and opponents of urban deer hunting as a means to manage the deer population...

CapeGirardeau Deer Survey Results [PDF] March 11, 2013 Missouri, Missouri Department of Conservation

... Deer density estimated 36.97 deer per square mile, just under the social carrying capacity of 40 deer per square mile so the Department of Conservation recommends:  Continue to monitor deer populations in the city.  Continue to Cooperate with MDC and network with other communities.  Strive to keep residents informed on deer related issues.  

     The best estimate was for 36.97 deer per square mile, with a 95 percent reliability based on the survey statistics the true density is between 25.86 and 52.85 deer per square mile. [see table 2]


Avon Lake to use chopper to take deer census today March 6, 2013 Ohio, Chronicle-Telegram

... Officials including Avon Lake police Lt. Michael Bulger and a pilot who will fly the Precision Helicopter Services aircraft concluded that the snow cover would also make it much easier to see deer moving on the ground.  Bulger is in charge of a deer control program that will eventually determine how deer should be reduced and maintained in the future.  The aerial survey and population count was strongly recommended by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as a more accurate means of counting deer...

     Avon Lake hires company for deer count March 5, 2013 Ohio, The Morning Journal

Mayor Greg Zilka has hired Precision Helicopter Services out of Cleveland to conduct an aerial count ... the city set aside $8,000  ...  “When we had our discussions, people who were against the culling said we had fewer than 40 deer in Avon Lake,” Zilka said. “Others think there are over 300.” ... 


Sunset Hills deer survey will continue until spring February 18, 2013 Illinois, SuburbanJournals

... The committee has taken two of six surveys to count the deer. The surveys are taken at night by car on designated routes ... Erin Shank, an urban wildlife biologist for the St. Louis region of the Missouri Department of Conservation, praised the committee for starting an early approach to detect any deer problems...


Mt. Lebanon hiring firm to count deer February 7, 2013 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

... Commissioners decided to spend up to $12,000, a late addition to the 2013 budget, to conduct surveys to estimate how many deer are in Mt. Lebanon... A survey method commissioners have discussed involves aerial infrared sensor technology ... 


Solebury ponders action against deer February 6, 2013 Pennsylvania, phillyBurbs.com

At their meeting on Tuesday, the supervisors agreed to spend $7,000 to count the number of deer in the township this winter and spring, as well as create the necessary documentation should the township later agree to a deer-hunting program...


State Park wildlife should be viewed but not touched, estimating deer population May 7, 2013 Texas,  Lone Star Outdoor News

 ... Texas Parks and Wildlife conducts surveys in state parks to get an idea of how many deer live in the area. By documenting how much first-choice and second-choice plants are eaten in a certain time frame, TPWD gets an idea of how many deer live in the area... 


Parma January 14, 2013 Ohio, Plain Dealer

...  a program to place radio collars on deer and coyotes in and around West Creek Reservation in Parma... which started in January 2012, is to study how the animals move and behave in Parma as a first step toward deer management.


Fort Thomas, City continues to monitor deer population January 9, 2013 Kentucky, Cincinnati.com

... commissioned Vision Air Research, Inc., to conduct a third census of the animals... Councilman Eric Haas said ... “The concept is to hold these censuses to see if the program is successful,” ... For more information about the city’s archery program or to read the reports for the first two deer censuses, visit www.ftthomas.org and click on the “news” tab along the left side of the page.


Westport, Finance Board Approves $6K for Infrared Deer Survey December 5, 2012  Connecticut, Westport Now

The Deer Management Committee ... said the aerial survey would help determine if Westport had a deer problem, where they were, and set benchmark to measure the success of any deer control measures...  conducted by Vision Air Research, Inc. of Boise, Idaho


Cape Girardeau, Missouri Department of Conservation Deer Survey Begins in Cape Girardeau December 19, 2012 City of Cape Girardeau

...  a team of about 15 personnel from the MDC, the City’s Police Department, and the University began the process of counting deer last week. Surveys are conducted simultaneously on 2-14 mile, randomly-determined routes. While driving at slow, consistent speeds, two observers shine spotlights out of both sides of a truck ... “It will take a series of surveys across a few months to generate a quality density estimate for the city’s deer population..." Matt Bowyer, an MDC Wildlife Management Biologist.


Interview with a Deer February 13, 2013 Missouri, Southeast Missourian (blog)

... The Department of Conservation in conjunction with the Biology department from SEMO has been conducting a survey of the deer population within the city limits of Cape Girardeau.  This blogger feels this is a huge waste of time and money since everyone knows that most deer are notoriously bad at filling out surveys. Some just outright refuse to take one. Others will just answer "D" no matter the question...