Deer Density and ImpactDeer Density and ImpactPart I Part I –– Habitat & ReproductionHabitat & Reproduction

For For ForestlandForestland Managers: Why, When, Where, Managers: Why, When, Where, What, and How?What, and How?

Credits: Tim Pierson &Dave Jackson

Penn State Cooperative Extension

Who is this workshop for?Who is this workshop for?

PrimarilyPrimarily for forest landowners who want to for forest landowners who want to produce multiple forest products sustainably for produce multiple forest products sustainably for multiple stakeholders while dealing with deer multiple stakeholders while dealing with deer (Quality Hunting Ecology) (Quality Hunting Ecology)

Can be usedCan be used by forest landowners who want to by forest landowners who want to optimize quality deer for hunting = (optimize quality deer for hunting = (Quality Deer Quality Deer Management) Management) but there are issues with costs but there are issues with costs and biodiversity (food plots & costs, supplemental and biodiversity (food plots & costs, supplemental feeding, negative impact on other forest feeding, negative impact on other forest resources)resources)

Why This Workshop?Why This Workshop?

ItIt’’s about understanding deer biology as it s about understanding deer biology as it relates to managing deer impact, and relates to managing deer impact, and monitoring that you need to do so you can monitoring that you need to do so you can produce:produce:ooQuantitative data to asses progress Quantitative data to asses progress towards your goals for managing deertowards your goals for managing deerooSiteSite--specific data to educate stakeholdersspecific data to educate stakeholdersooData to support requests from agencies for Data to support requests from agencies for assistance, like DMAP licensesassistance, like DMAP licenses

First, Some BasicsFirst, Some Basics

First, a little on deer biology, habitat, First, a little on deer biology, habitat, forage, reproduction, and impact forage, reproduction, and impact

Next, methodology for assessing deer Next, methodology for assessing deer density and impact, producing data that density and impact, producing data that will be used to guide management of deer will be used to guide management of deer to achieve multiple forest management to achieve multiple forest management goalsgoals

Deer Habitat RequirementsDeer Habitat RequirementsItIt’’s all about energy, protein & safetys all about energy, protein & safety

Seasonal Nutritional RequirementsSeasonal Nutritional Requirements(the energy & protein thing, + a little mineral) (the energy & protein thing, + a little mineral)

How Do Deer Impact Habitat?How Do Deer Impact Habitat?

Selectively browse, eliminate preferred Selectively browse, eliminate preferred seedlings, shrubs, wildflowersseedlings, shrubs, wildflowers

Change dynamics of vegetation compositionChange dynamics of vegetation composition Increase proportion of interfering fernsIncrease proportion of interfering ferns Truncate habitat layers Truncate habitat layers –– wipe out ground and wipe out ground and

shrub layersshrub layers Reduce abundance, diversity of wildlife in Reduce abundance, diversity of wildlife in

ground/shrub layersground/shrub layers Reduce deer health & reproductive successReduce deer health & reproductive success

Impact on RegenerationImpact on Regeneration

Wildflowers Missing or ImpactedWildflowers Missing or Impacted

Change Dynamics of Vegetation Change Dynamics of Vegetation CompositionComposition

Fewer Deer, More Food to go AroundFewer Deer, More Food to go Around

Deer Density and ImpactDeer Density and ImpactPart II Part II –– Density and ImpactDensity and Impact

(density & impact & how to monitor & interpret) (density & impact & how to monitor & interpret)

Why is deer density important?Why is deer density important? What are What are ““carrying capacitiescarrying capacities””?? How do density and forage interact to affect How do density and forage interact to affect

forest resources?forest resources? Manage deer like a business?Manage deer like a business? Adaptive managementAdaptive management

Relationship Between Deer Density & ImpactRelationship Between Deer Density & Impact

Deer Density, Forage & ImpactDeer Density, Forage & Impact

Treat Deer Management Like a BusinessTreat Deer Management Like a Business““If you can measure it, you can manage itIf you can measure it, you can manage it”” –– Peter DruckerPeter Drucker

andandIf you donIf you don’’t measure (monitor) it, you arent measure (monitor) it, you aren’’t managing itt managing it

Action Justification

Identify stakeholders & quantify their goals

Multiple stakeholders: foresters, hunters, farmers, homeowners, biologists

Develop, Quantify & Integrate Stakeholder Goals

Multiple Goals: regenerate trees, protect crops, produce quality deer, protect landscaping, protect biodiversity

Evaluate Status of Goals Monitoring to determine goals status

Develop Management Strategy Reduce deer density; improve deer forage; fence regeneration and crops; educate stakeholders

Implement Strategy Adaptive Management

Assess Success Monitoring

Adjust or Cruise Adaptive Management

Adaptive Management Adaptive Management -- SimpleSimple

Adaptive Deer ManagementAdaptive Deer Management

“Quantifying deer densities is important to gauging our progress toward balancing deer populations with available habitat, but a healthy forest is our main indicator for success. Once our forest managers see habitat recovery and no longer need deer fences to consistently regenerate the forest following timber harvests and natural disturbances, we will know we’re beginning to reach our goals.”

PA DCNR Secretary DiBerardinis (2006)

What’s he calling for? Quantitative estimates of deer density and impact

Pellet Group Counts Pellet Group Counts -- WhyWhy They produce reliable They produce reliable

estimates of deer densityestimates of deer density Represent Represent averageaverage deer deer

density over winter and density over winter and average overwinter impact average overwinter impact

InexpensiveInexpensive Done quickly @ Done quickly @

2 people/2 people/½½ day/500 acresday/500 acres Done at same time as Done at same time as

impact estimatesimpact estimates

What About the Alternatives?What About the Alternatives? Aerial CountsAerial Counts

–– ““snapshot in timesnapshot in time””–– Subject to misidentificationSubject to misidentification–– DonDon’’t work in heavy overhead covert work in heavy overhead cover–– $Expensive$$Expensive$

Deer DrivesDeer Drives–– ““snapshot in timesnapshot in time””–– ManpowerManpower–– Time consumingTime consuming–– Covers small areaCovers small area–– $Expensive$$Expensive$

Trail Cams (Trail Cams (““sexysexy””))–– $Expensive$$Expensive$–– For small areas (<1,000 acres)For small areas (<1,000 acres)–– Not testedNot tested

Accuracy & Precision of Pellet Group Counts: Accuracy & Precision of Pellet Group Counts: A few indicators: The Glendorn Deer DriveA few indicators: The Glendorn Deer Drive

The Drive LineThe Drive Line

ThereThere’’s more: FLIR countss more: FLIR counts

And a little more: roadside countsAnd a little more: roadside counts

Deer counted on Deer counted on specified routesspecified routes

Counted mornings Counted mornings and eveningsand evenings

Aug. 1Aug. 1-- Sept. 15Sept. 15 Fawn:doe ratiosFawn:doe ratios Buck:doe ratiosBuck:doe ratios RecruitmentRecruitment

Great match between roadside counts & Great match between roadside counts & pellet group countspellet group counts

Problems with Pellet CountsProblems with Pellet Counts

Accuracy dependent upon:Accuracy dependent upon:–– Decay rate of pellet groups Decay rate of pellet groups –– Defecation rate of deer Defecation rate of deer –– Precise leaf fall date (October 26, 2011)Precise leaf fall date (October 26, 2011)–– Snowpack and spring weatherSnowpack and spring weather–– Yarding & migrationYarding & migrationNot possible to get Not possible to get age structureage structure or or sexsex--ratios ratios

or recruitment (thator recruitment (that’’s where roadside counts s where roadside counts and check stations come in)and check stations come in)

Identifying Deer PelletsIdentifying Deer Pellets

Deer

Rabbit

Porcupine

Browse Impact SurveysBrowse Impact Surveys How are deer How are deer impactingimpacting their habitat?their habitat?

–– Manage deer based on habitat impactManage deer based on habitat impact–– Function of deer density and forage availabilityFunction of deer density and forage availability–– Based upon deer foraging preferencesBased upon deer foraging preferences

Relates directly to carrying capacityRelates directly to carrying capacity

Deer ImpactDeer Impact Selective browsing by deer Selective browsing by deer

impacts:impacts:–– Seedling numbersSeedling numbers–– Seedling species compositionSeedling species composition–– Seedling height growthSeedling height growth

Regeneration of Regeneration of a diverse foresta diverse forest= quality habitat= quality habitat

Seedling Browse Impact

Deer ImpactDeer Impact

Occurs over a range of deer densitiesOccurs over a range of deer densities Is a function of Is a function of deer densitydeer density and and

landscape forage availabilitylandscape forage availability–– Impact is affected by the amount of landscape Impact is affected by the amount of landscape

forage availableforage available–– The greater the amount of landscape forage The greater the amount of landscape forage

available, the smaller the impact at a given deer available, the smaller the impact at a given deer densitydensity

Identifying Deer Browse

Lack of upper front teeth prevent deer from biting off stems cleanly.

Make Sure Damage is CurrentMake Sure Damage is Current

Rabbit Browse

What and HowWhat and How

Run Parallel Transect Lines:Cover deer’s home rangeApproximately 500 acres 5 lines 1,000 feet apart 1 mile long

1 2 3 4 5Systematic

4’ radiusplots

Survey Plots along Transect Lines: Every 100 feet 52 plots per line 4’ radiusMust be at least 10 pellets/groupAt least ½ of all pellets in plot Count pellet groups per plot Record browse impact every other

Layout of Transect Grids Layout of Transect Grids –– Example 1Example 1Ward Pound Ridge Reservation: 4,700 acres, 5 grids Ward Pound Ridge Reservation: 4,700 acres, 5 grids

Layout of Transect Grids Layout of Transect Grids –– Example 2Example 2Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative: 74,000 acres, 26 grids Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative: 74,000 acres, 26 grids

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

"X"

Pellet Counts and Browse Pellet Counts and Browse Impact Surveys: WhenImpact Surveys: When

SpringSpring –– immediately immediately after snow meltafter snow melt

Before greenBefore green--upup Measures overMeasures over--

winter populationwinter population Provides a measure Provides a measure

of impact and of impact and balancebalance

WhereWhere Cover as large an Cover as large an area as possiblearea as possible–– deer home rangedeer home range

500 500 -- 640 acres640 acres

Capture all landscape Capture all landscape featuresfeatures–– All representative All representative

forest cover typesforest cover types

Center survey on area Center survey on area of interestof interest

Conduct additional Conduct additional surveys for larger surveys for larger areasareas

Pellet Group CountsPellet Group CountsData NeededData Needed

Number of pellet groups deposited per Number of pellet groups deposited per day per deerday per deer–– 25 pellet groups per day25 pellet groups per day

Period of time pellet groups are deposited Period of time pellet groups are deposited –– Days since leaf off Days since leaf off –– October 26 (172 days)October 26 (172 days)

Number of pellet groups counted in plotsNumber of pellet groups counted in plots Total area sampled by plotsTotal area sampled by plots

Pellet Group Counts - Data Sheet

Browse ImpactBrowse Impact -- Data NeededData Needed

Deer browse preference in your areaDeer browse preference in your area–– Indicator species (6)Indicator species (6) 2 Low food preference2 Low food preference 2 Moderate food preference2 Moderate food preference 2 High food preference2 High food preference

–– Growing in current conditionsGrowing in current conditions Seed sourceSeed source Shade toleranceShade tolerance Crown ClosureCrown Closure

(50% rule)(50% rule)

Browse ImpactBrowse Impact -- Data NeededData Needed

Woody species identificationWoody species identification–– Winter bud and twig IDWinter bud and twig ID

Assess browse impact levelAssess browse impact level–– Every other plotEvery other plot–– % Plots no impact% Plots no impact–– % Plots no regen% Plots no regen–– Impact level/indicator speciesImpact level/indicator species

Characteristic Appearance of Characteristic Appearance of Browsed SeedlingsBrowsed Seedlings

Not browsed; no impact

Lightly browsed:< 50% stems browsed

Moderately browsed: > 50% stems browsed

Heavily browsed:plant severelyhedged, > 0.5'

6'

0.5'

Severely browsed:seedlings , 0.5' tall and may be severelyhedged, < 0.5'

Seedlings > 0.5' provide best evidence of browsing impact. Under severe deer browsing, seedlings may never exceed 0.5' tall and will be severely hedged*: deer browsing keeps them suppressed below 0.5'. Small, current year seedlings may never grow above 0.5' under severe deer browsing.

* Severely hedged = seedling browsed repeatedly over years; all stems short, thick, with "bonsai" appearance.

Appearance of Browsed SeedlingsAppearance of Browsed Seedlings

Heavily BrowsedHeavily Browsed Lightly BrowsedLightly Browsed

Browse Impact – Data Sheet

sssssssssssssssss

Dot tally

Glare-resistant sunglasses

Clicker (counts pellet groups)

Clipboard and data sheet

Compass (11degrees w)

Scratch-resistant coat/shirt

Scratch-resistant pants

Good boots (waterproof,good ankle support)

Walking stick with 4'length marked

Hipchain with biodegradable string

Equipment for Collecting Pellet Group and Browse Survey Data Equipment for Collecting Pellet Group and Browse Survey Data

Calculation of Deer Density Per Square Mile

Deer Density =

Area of plot = pi(3.14) X radius squared: r = 4’, area of plot = 50.27 sq.feet

Square miles of plot area = area of plot x number of plots(5280 x 5280)

# Pellet Groups Counted

Pellet Groups/Day x Days since leaf off x Square miles of plot area

What About When Deer Yard?What About When Deer Yard?

A word about supplemental feeding and QDMAA word about supplemental feeding and QDMA

For More Info:For More Info:

o Website: www.kqdc.com for annual updates, detailed information on all phases of the KQDC project

o E-mail: wildana@roadrunner.com, inquiries, updates, other