Operation Deer Watch survey ends but observations can be reported until Oct. 15
October 3, 2012
MADISON -- Sunday, Sept. 30 marked the end of the Operation Deer Watch survey in Wisconsin, but people still have until Oct. 15 to report their sightings. Department of Natural Resources wildlife researchers conduct they survey each fall, asking the public to report observations of does, fawns and bucks to help in estimating the reproductive status of the state deer herd.
“We have gotten a great response from the public with 1,371 observations reported so far from 576 individuals,” says Brian Dhuey, DNR wildlife research scientist. “Of those, 161 also supplied an email address to have a summary of their observations emailed to them at the end of the survey period.”
So far, observers have reported 789 bucks, 512 unknowns, 1,512 does without fawns, 313 fawns without does, 546 does with one fawn, 397 does with two fawns, and 55 does with three fawns. Observations have come in from 112 of 139 deer management units in the state. DMU 77M has the greatest number of observations (92), followed by DMU 59B with 69 observations.
While the survey period is over, wildlife watchers can still report their observations from the survey period that ran from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30 through Oct. 15. Observations can be reported by going to the Wisconsin DNR homepage and keyword search “deer watch.”
People cans also send in tally sheets to: Wildlife Surveys, Attn: Brian Dhuey, 2801 Progress Road, Madison, WI 53716.
Researchers will combine the data from the survey with similar data collected from DNR staff. They will use this information along with harvest and age information to estimate deer densities in most of the states deer management units at the end of the hunting season.