White Tailed Deer Case Study

1973 Words4 Pages

INTRODUCTION

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a species that is causing an uproar, and residence unrest in two Northland counties of Fremont, and Natrona. Each of these counties need a deer management strategy that can minimize the deer population while addressing the concerns that residence in both counties have. Which are maintaining as high a population as possible to maximize viewing and hunting opportunities, increasing the growth of the mature trees of forest owners, exploring the richness of bird species, minimizing damage to unmarketable Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) in the forests’ understories, and minimizing deer-auto collisions. All of which need to be met without the extirpation of deer from the two counties. …show more content…

The purpose of this report is to find the balance between all the residence objectives through a suggested management strategy. METHODS MODELING The unique population dynamics of each county, through separate models, were developed to assess management alternatives. A percent of the population killed by hunting each year, ranging from 0% to 90%, was imputed into the models. The deer population at year 20 was then recorded for the trials. Later, when graphed, gave an understanding of different percent removals in relation to their impacts on the overall deer population, and each unique objective. WINTER MORTALITY Each model later had inputs of a random generator determining the chance a winter event may occur, and a set range of how that event would impact the overall deer population. Trials were based on 10% to 60% chance that a winter event would occur, with impact values between -30% and -50% reduction in the overall population. RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Identifying the percentage of deer to remove from each population, based on satisfying each of the objectives, then the objectives combined. These needed to be managed to please the people involved, in both Natrona and Fremont counties. RESULTS DEER POPULATION The deer population within the two counties, while being spread over the same sized territory, are different in physical land attributes. Natrona is an area that is dominated by forest cover that provides adequate deer habitat. Compared to Fremont, that is dominated by a variety of forest and vegetative conditions with an interspersed matrix of farmland. This results in Natrona having the less favorable deer habitat, which is reflected in the initial deer population (Figure 1). Figure 1. Deer population in relation to percent removed by hunt in both Northland counties. The higher initial population in Fremont makes viewing opportunities more likely, compared to that of Natrona, with a smaller initial population. The more favorable habitat of Fremont results in a higher initial population, and higher carrying capacity compared to that of Natrona (Table 1). County Fremont Natrona Carrying Capacity 65 000 40 000 Table 1. Carrying Capacity of deer in both Northland counties. The better-quality habitat for deer in Fremont makes the carrying capacity higher in Fremont compared to Natrona. This can be related to the less-desirable uniform habitat found in Natrona. ANNUAL HUNTING KILL The number of deer removed is determined by the percent of the population being removed (Figure 2).. Figure 2. Annual hunting kill based on percentage of population removed in both Northland counties. In Natrona, the number removed is much lower compared to Fremont, that has a higher initial population. The number of deer killed annually would increase as the percent harvest increases. This affects the number of deer killed annually, since the percent harvested is based on the population size. The higher the population the more deer will be removed. The more deer that are removed the lower the population. Which is true for the carrying capacity as well (Figure 3). Figure 3. Percent of carrying capacity in relation to the percent removal in both Northland counties at year 20. Meaning that the more deer that are removed, the lower the population ranks in relation to possible carrying capacity. GROWTH INCREASE OF MATURE TREES Forest owners in the two counties have discovered that higher deer populations can increase the growth rate of mature commercial trees on their woodlots’ (Figure 4). Figure 4. Growth increase of mature trees in relation to percentage of deer removed from the population of both Northland counties. Through hunting, the more deer that are removed the lower the percent growth increase will occur in the forests of Natrona and Fremont. CEDAR REGENERATION High deer populations have negative effects on the gardeners and woodlot owners of the Northland counties. Over browsing of their gardens, and healthy regeneration; Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) being the main species of concern. The lower the deer population becomes the higher the amount of healthy cedar (Figure 5). Figure 5. Healthy cedar in relation to percentage of deer removed from the population in both Northland counties. The more deer that are removed from the population the higher the percent occurrence of healthy cedar regeneration. This means that the deer population would need to be lowered to better satisfy the occurrence of healthy cedar in the Northland Counties. BIRD SPECIES The NorBirders, an Audubon Society Affiliate, placed an indirect connection on deer and mid canopy nesting bird species. The more deer that are removed from the population, the more bird species will be found according to this association (Figure 6). Figure 6. Bird species abundance in relation to percentage of deer population removed in both Northland counties. The more deer that are removed from the population an increase in bird species abundance can be expected. DEER AUTO COLLISIONS Members of the Canadian Automobile Association were concerned with the number of deer involved automobile collisions in the two counties, with the current deer population. The more deer removed from the population, the lower the number of deer involved auto-collisions is suggested to occur (Figure 7). Figure 7. Number of Auto-collisions in relation to percentage of deer removed from the populations in both Northland counties. WINTER MORTAILITY Modeling the chance of a severe winter event impacting the population was considered. Severe winter event probability of 0% to 60%, with an impact of reducing the population by 30% to 50%, if the severe event was to occur. The deer population in Natrona suffered greater as the impact of winter mortality increased (Figure 8), (Figure 9), (Figure 10). Figure 8. Natrona county deer population in relation to the percent chance of a severe winter at a 30% winter mortality impact to the population. Figure 9. Natrona county deer population in relation to the percent chance of a severe winter at a 40% winter mortality impact to the population. Figure 10. Natrona county deer population in relation to the percent chance of a severe winter at a 50% winter mortality impact to the population. As the percent chance of a severe winter event increased the lower the population became following the event. The smaller population of Natrona was hardest hit by this, compared to Fremont with a higher population (Figure 11), (Figure 12), (Figure 13). Figure 11. Fremont county deer population in relation to the percent chance of a severe winter at a 30% winter mortality impact to the population. Figure 12. Fremont county deer population in relation to the percent chance of a severe winter at a 40% winter mortality impact to the population. Figure 13. Fremont county deer population in relation to the percent chance of a severe winter at a 50% winter mortality impact to the population. DISCUSSION DEER POPULATION AND ANNUAL HUNTING KILL In Fremont, a removal of 60% is suggested, while a 20% removal is suggested in Natrona.

This is because the carrying capacity of the two counties is very different. Managing the two populations at the suggested levels will result in Natrona operating at 45% of the possible carrying capacity. While Fremont is predicted to operate at 60% of the possible carrying capacity. This will impact viewing opportunities of deer in both counties yet will help satisfy other objectives.
The higher the carrying capacity of the population the higher the percent kill can be without harming the population, while the inverse is true for a county with a lower carrying capacity like Natrona. Viewing opportunities will be higher in Fremont county under the suggested management technique. The predicted population following the removal will be higher in Fremont than Natrona, with the chance of a severe winter event not having a substantial impact on either counties deer population. To satisfy the lone objective of viewing opportunities of deer, it is suggested that the population in either county not be touched. Although this is an issue that drives the creation of this report.
GROWTH

INCREASE Through deer browsing and providing nutrient replenishment to the soil, the deer population decreases the amount of vegetative competition, and increases the soil productivity. By populations staying high in the two counties the growth increase of mature trees would stay high. Therefore, it is recommended that there be a zero percent removal of the population to satisfy the values of the woodlot owners in the two Northland counties. Through satisfying all objectives additive growth is predicted to decrease from 13% to 3% in Natrona county. While a 28% to 13%, a 15% decrease in additive growth under the proposed management for Fremont. HEALTHY CEDAR REGENERATION Over browsing of garden species, and healthy regeneration; Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) being the main species of concern for landowners and gardeners of the Northland counties. A reduction in the population is needed. To best satisfy this group, it is recommended that a 50 and 90 percent removal of the population in Natrona and Fremont respectively is needed. This would maximize the amount of healthy cedar abundance in the two counties to 100%. In Fremont, an increase from 5% healthy cedar to 10% would occur with the proposed deer removal. In Natrona, an increase from 9% to 30% healthy cedar is predicted based on the recommended removal of deer. BIRD SPECIES A population that satisfies the objective set out by the bird group would be a 90% removal of the population in Fremont and a 30% removal of the population through hunting in Natrona. This would result in the highest bird diversity possible in the two counties, that is estimated at 12 different bird species. To satisfy the combined objectives the species abundance in Natrona would increase from 4 to 10 with a 20% removal. While in Fremont the species abundance would increase from 2 to 4 with a 60% removal. DEER/ AUTO COLLISIONS To minimizing the number of deer involved auto-collisions in Fremont and Natrona the percent to remove from the two populations would need to be 90 and 50 respectively. This would minimize the number of deer involved auto-collisions to a level that would provide the highest safety possible to the residence of both counties. To satisfy the other groups involved the deer auto collisions in Natrona would decrease from 24 to 13, while a reduction from 40 to 25 would occur in Fremont. Under the recommended removal of deer from each population. CONCLUSION To satisfy the individual objectives of the concerned groups in the Northland counties there is need for sacrifice from all sides. It is not possible to give all groups involved exactly what they wish without compromising another groups interests’. To satisfy each group involved, a suggested removal of deer, through hunting in both Northland counties is recommended. A 20% removal in Natrona, and a 60% removal in Fremont county is suggested. These numbers were formulated with all the groups interests involved so no groups were favored over others. These values were also analyzed with the carrying capacity, initial population, and overall quality of habitat available in both Northland counties. Along with the impact a winter event may have on our suggested removals. All these factors influenced the considerations of what percent removal would best satisfy the objectives, set out by the residence of both Northland Counties.

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White Tailed Deer Case Study

Deer In Wesselman Woods

The History Of White-tailed Deer In Kentucky

Deer Overpopulation and Some Proposed Solutions

For Environmental Balance, Pick Up a Rifle, by Nicholas Kristof

Prescribed Fire and White-Tailed Deer

Persuasive Speech On Deer Hunting

Effects Of Deer Overpopulation