"We will be following the deer for the next year to define their seasonal use patterns, fawning sites and migration corridors," said Russell Woolstenhulme, NDOW wildlife staff specialist. "The data that we gather will help us in directing our predator work in that area."
The deer were captured December 9-10 in management unit 014 near Gerlach, fitted with ear tag radio transmitters and immediately released unharmed. A crew from Pathfinder Helicopters in Salt Lake City was contracted by NDOW to perform the work.
Woolstenhulme said the trapping is in conjunction with work that is being done to suppress the number of coyotes and mountain lions in that unit to benefit deer. Similar mule deer projects are underway in units 222 and 231 in Lincoln County and units 105 and 107 in Elko County. A predator project to benefit elk is being done in unit 078 of Elko County.
During the next year biologists will fly over unit 014 to pinpoint the location of all 24 tagged deer. This will allow them to determine deer survival rates and assess what impacts predator removal has had on the herd.
Annual aerial surveys of the herd will be conducted to determine if fawn production is going up and if the herd size is increasing. Biologists will then compare the herd with adjacent herds where predators have not been suppressed in order to see if predator projects are having an effect. Comparisons will also be made with what has taken place in the herd over the past 10 years.
The areas that are being studied must meet specific criteria, according to Woolstenhulme. The projects are also being done on relatively small geographic areas because of the intensive amount of labor that is involved.
Copyright © 2005 J & D Outdoor Communications. All rights reserved.