SmallChunk
5 year old buck +
just wondering if this is something that you guys are doing. I think I might just do it for the two weeks and see what my results come out to. Just looking to see if anybody else does it!?
Trail Camera Survey
- Thread starter SmallChunk
- Start date
SmallChunk
5 year old buck +
That's pretty much what I assumed. Just thought it would be interesting to crunch the numbers with an after season survey. Might have to give it a run!
Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
I posted this a month ago regarding my trail camera survey:
http://www.habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/10-years-of-herd-data.1868/#post-31613
It is anything but scientific and I do not follow QDMA's survey methods but it is something. A 2 week survey is only going to give you a small snap shot in time. I like running it for the entire time there are hard horned deer.
http://www.habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/10-years-of-herd-data.1868/#post-31613
It is anything but scientific and I do not follow QDMA's survey methods but it is something. A 2 week survey is only going to give you a small snap shot in time. I like running it for the entire time there are hard horned deer.
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
I used to do something almost identical to QDMA's method, but found it extremely flawed, as it doesn't account for emigration and immigration. I find that simply reviewing chips all season gives me a better feel. I inventory/name/create folders for all the bucks of interest before, during and after season. I then label each with RIP, maybe or leave the named folder as is for those I know are alive after season has concluded. I'll be honest. by far my favorite cam pulls of each yr are the first couple during late summer and those after ssn has ended.
Maya
5 year old buck +
So long as you do it the same way, trends are the important thing. #'s of bucks, mature bucks, does and fawns. Are they trending up, down? I think a larger sample though, gives you a little more accurate data though. I don't care about naming deer! I don't use it for hunting per se, just herd trends to make sure we don't have anything seriously out of wack and rough goals are being met.
Also important to me is to do a browse survey. I want a healthy herd and habitat.
Also important to me is to do a browse survey. I want a healthy herd and habitat.
Maya
5 year old buck +
Same idea, Survey a number of different species and a number of branches at browse level. Say 10 species and 100 branches of each in 5 different areas around your property at certain times of year. Log the # of branches browsed. Is the trend going up or down? Are non preferred species such as beech going being browsed more? Are you loosing certain species from being over browsed?
I found a bunch of beech being browsed one year. Time to shoot some does, do some logging and improve winter feed. I suspected it, but this confirmed it.
I do it out in the orchards. Survey say 100 terminal ends on given varieties for whatever...lets say aphids. 30 of them have aphids, I'm not worried, 50+, time to knock them down and make sure I spray dormant oil the following spring. That's good IPM, that's good deer management. It's not perfect but it does provide some science behind all the effort of everything we do.
I found a bunch of beech being browsed one year. Time to shoot some does, do some logging and improve winter feed. I suspected it, but this confirmed it.
I do it out in the orchards. Survey say 100 terminal ends on given varieties for whatever...lets say aphids. 30 of them have aphids, I'm not worried, 50+, time to knock them down and make sure I spray dormant oil the following spring. That's good IPM, that's good deer management. It's not perfect but it does provide some science behind all the effort of everything we do.
West Branch
5 year old buck +
I could not convince my dad that cattle would made a difference for deer on the south side of the farm. Now my brother owns it and he knows it matters for hunting but admits he doesn't want to cut into his pasture rent too much. But he is willing to work with me at least, hopefully we can get a couple 20+ acre chunks of woods fenced off in the next few years.
bueller
Moderator
they must really think your a nut. not only do you have brush growing up all over the place but you are cutting down perfectly good trees and leaving them lay instead of chopping them for firewood. they must be thinking "where the hell did this guy come from" :)
SmallChunk
5 year old buck +
Well I did a ten day survey of my 22 acre "small chunk". Without running any numbers, I can tell you exactly what is living on/near the farm. Two adult does, one yearling doe and two doe fawns. For bucks I have a yearling basket rack 8 that frequents dang near evey night, a busted up yearling 8 that comes every one in awhile and a dandy three year old 10 that showed his face only twice during the survey and has been hanging around all season.
Now. I see a whole computation form on the other sides website. These are the numbers I found..
Unique bucks- 3
Unique does- 11.33
Unique fawns- 10.07
doe per buck- 3.4
Fawns per doe- .89
How do I find acres/deer and dee/sq mi? I am confused with the total population number I guess. I saw a total of 354 deer in my pictures. What am I missing?
These numbers just seem weird to me knowing exactly what I have coming to my cameras I guess ha! I see what your saying about consistency though, and how that could be helpful in the long run!
Now. I see a whole computation form on the other sides website. These are the numbers I found..
Unique bucks- 3
Unique does- 11.33
Unique fawns- 10.07
doe per buck- 3.4
Fawns per doe- .89
How do I find acres/deer and dee/sq mi? I am confused with the total population number I guess. I saw a total of 354 deer in my pictures. What am I missing?
These numbers just seem weird to me knowing exactly what I have coming to my cameras I guess ha! I see what your saying about consistency though, and how that could be helpful in the long run!
