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Dropping in on Deer
Objectives: 1) Describe how habitat surveys provide important information to guide wildlife management decisions; 2) Apply sampling techniques that reflect wildlife management practices developed through an understanding of species biology and ecosystem
structure.
Method: Students will estimate population density of deer in a given area by counting
Background
Deer populations are a concern in many areas where the
number of deer are increasing. Assessing the size of the
population is essential to any management strategy. The
process you are using to inventory the deer is called a
pellet group count. (Deer defecate approx. 12/day
which takes 180 days to decompose - share w/ students)
Procedure
1) Divide the group into smaller groups of 3-4 students/
group. Each group should be given a stake w/ rope.
Diagram A
2) Discuss what the students will be doing before they
sample, searching for deer pellets and clusters.
3) Students should disperse over the study area (field &
forest) and randomly select their first plot. They should
avoid overlapping. Push the stake into the ground until it stands on its own. A student should stretch the
rope out its entire length and mark the outermost point
with a rock or something similar. (See Diagram A)
4) Have students note the condition of foliage near the
ground and up to approximately 6 feet high, on the
data sheet. Is vegetation plentiful or sparse?
5) Students should position themselves evenly along the
rope, all facing the same direction. (Diagram A)
6) Have students walk slowly in a circle, keeping the rope
taunt as they move the rope and search the ground for
pellet groups.
7) When a pellet group is encountered, have them record a tally mark on the data sheet. (Diagram B)
Once the circle is complete add up the tally marks for
that sample.
8) Have students select another sample plot randomly
and repeat the process. Complete a total of three
plots in the field and two plots in the forest.
9) Do calculations and discussion questions at bottom of
student worksheet. (Diagram B)
Diagram B
deer pellet groups.
Cluster of Deer Scat (Poop)
Forest understory is missing which may lead to
exotic species invading the open space
Pellets of Deer Scat (Poop)
New scat to old decomposing
Notice the forest floor difference in
the fenced area
A mixed species multilayer forest is desired
Sampling Defined
Since it is generally impossible to study an entire population, Wildlife Biologists typically rely on sampling to acquire a section of the population to perform an experiment or observational study. Simple random sampling is the
basic sampling technique where we select an area (a plot) for study from a larger area (entire forest or field). Each
plot is chosen entirely by chance so each sample has an equal chance of being included on the data sheet. (Yale Univ)
Deer Information
➡White-tailed Deer are herbivores, but they eat a wide variety of foods, including green plants in the Summer; acorns, fruits and
nuts in the Fall; and twigs in the Winter. They also eat fungi when they can get it.
➡Deer use many species of plants as cover and shelter, including young leafy trees, such as maples, pines and American
Beech. Other cover includes shrubs and tall plants, such as cattails and reeds.
➡Deer Density for a Healthy Forest = 1 deer / 43 acres so Camp Schmidt deer population should be 10.5 deer
➡No natural predators and human interventions have caused increases in deer populations across the US and in MD.
➡Ecological Effects of Deer Overabundance: 1) No young trees; 2) Bird species that nest in shrubs of the forest have declined;
3) Reducing plant biodiversity; 4) Threaten some endangered plant species; 5) Native plant species decline leaving an opening for
invasives which often out compete native plants; 6) More deer strikes on highways (Impact on humans)
DEER ARE CHANGING THE LOCAL ECOLOGY & HABITATS FOR OTHER ORGANISMS IN A NEGATIVE WAY