Strategies in the Statewide Deer Management Plan, April 2011

Strategies in the Statewide Deer Management Plan

1. Continue to monitor all mule deer populations annually to evaluate fawn production, herd composition, and habitat use.

3. Implement a method to collect annual adult doe and fawn mortality estimates on representative units statewide.

5. Use standardized, reliable population models to evaluate herd size and population trends over time.

Specific Items Discussed

• How data are collected on individual units within a region

• What information, derived from field observations, goes into a population model

• Present a simplified deer model

What is the Herd Composition on a Given Unit?

1. Continue to monitor all mule deer populations annually to evaluate fawn production, herd composition, and habitat use.

• Classify deer when congregated on winter ranges (often during rut)

• Representative sample areas of entire unit• Consistent sampling year after year

La Sals

• Sampling areas

Methods

• Daily peaks of activity: 1-2 hours after dawn and 1-2 hours before dusk (no spotlight counts)

• 200 doe minimum (may vary by population size)

• Partial classifications discarded

Methods

• One count per area• Avoid interference events (storms, full

moons, weekend events)• Consistent observers (fall / spring counts)

What are we Quantifying

• Post Season (November) – Buck:Doe ratios– Fawn:Doe ratios– Fawn:Adult ratios

• Spring Classification – Fawn:Adult ratios– Fawn survival estimate

Deer Classification Unit Subunit

Post-class Observer Year

Date Area Buck Doe Fawn Unclass Total 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4 pt >4 pt Hours Comments11/25 Old La Sal 7 82 62 151 3 1 1 2 1.512/3 Castle Valley 29 126 30 185 2 13 10 4 1.312/4 Kirk's Basin 8 12 6 26 1 3 1 3 1.012/8 Pack Creek 3 21 4 28 2 1 1.012/12 Buck Hollow 0 4 2 6 1.2

Slaughter Flat 0 5 512/16 Cottonwood Bench 0 13 9 22 1.512/19 East Coyote 7 41 28 76 3 3 1 1.6

0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0

Totals 54 304 141 0 499 9 22 14 9 0 9

Post-class Summaryn 499 880fawns / 100 does 46.4fawns / 100 adults 39.4 30.2 76.6bucks / 100 does 17.8% bucks > 3 pts 42.6deer / hour 54.8 107.3

Spring class Observer Year

Date Area Adult Fawn Unclass Total Hours Comments3/24 Castle Valley 265 45 310 1.73/30 Pack Creek 73 43 116 1.6 (Ketron classif.)3/31 East Coyote 87 28 115 1.64/1 Buck Hollow 42 14 56 1.7

Cottonwood Bench 99 29 128Black Ridge 56 16 72

4/21 Old La Sal 54 29 83 1.600000000

Totals 676 204 0 880 8.2

La Sal Mtns

deer / hour

Winter survival

La Sal

2009G. Wallace, D. Ketron

2008

Spring-class Summaryn

fawns / 100 adults

G. Wallace, D. Ketron

Deer Classification Unit Subunit

Post-class Observer Year

Date Area Buck Doe Fawn Unclass Total 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4 pt >4 pt Hours Comments11/25 Old La Sal 7 82 62 151 3 1 1 2 1.512/3 Castle Valley 29 126 30 185 2 13 10 4 1.312/4 Kirk's Basin 8 12 6 26 1 3 1 3 1.012/8 Pack Creek 3 21 4 28 2 1 1.012/12 Buck Hollow 0 4 2 6 1.2

Slaughter Flat 0 5 512/16 Cottonwood Bench 0 13 9 22 1.512/19 East Coyote 7 41 28 76 3 3 1 1.6

0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0

Totals 54 304 141 0 499 9 22 14 9 0 9

Post-class Summaryn 499 880fawns / 100 does 46.4fawns / 100 adults 39.4 30.2 76.6bucks / 100 does 17.8% bucks > 3 pts 42.6deer / hour 54.8 107.3

Spring class Observer Year

Date Area Adult Fawn Unclass Total Hours Comments3/24 Castle Valley 265 45 310 1.73/30 Pack Creek 73 43 116 1.6 (Ketron classif.)3/31 East Coyote 87 28 115 1.64/1 Buck Hollow 42 14 56 1.7

Cottonwood Bench 99 29 128Black Ridge 56 16 72

4/21 Old La Sal 54 29 83 1.600000000

Totals 676 204 0 880 8.2

La Sal Mtns

deer / hour

Winter survival

La Sal

2009G. Wallace, D. Ketron

2008

Spring-class Summaryn

fawns / 100 adults

G. Wallace, D. Ketron

Deer Classification Unit Subunit

Post-class Observer Year

Date Area Buck Doe Fawn Unclass Total 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4 pt >4 pt Hours Comments11/25 Old La Sal 7 82 62 151 3 1 1 2 1.512/3 Castle Valley 29 126 30 185 2 13 10 4 1.312/4 Kirk's Basin 8 12 6 26 1 3 1 3 1.012/8 Pack Creek 3 21 4 28 2 1 1.012/12 Buck Hollow 0 4 2 6 1.2

Slaughter Flat 0 5 512/16 Cottonwood Bench 0 13 9 22 1.512/19 East Coyote 7 41 28 76 3 3 1 1.6

0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0

Totals 54 304 141 0 499 9 22 14 9 0 9

Post-class Summaryn 499 880fawns / 100 does 46.4fawns / 100 adults 39.4 30.2 76.6bucks / 100 does 17.8% bucks > 3 pts 42.6deer / hour 54.8 107.3

Spring class Observer Year

Date Area Adult Fawn Unclass Total Hours Comments3/24 Castle Valley 265 45 310 1.73/30 Pack Creek 73 43 116 1.6 (Ketron classif.)3/31 East Coyote 87 28 115 1.64/1 Buck Hollow 42 14 56 1.7

Cottonwood Bench 99 29 128Black Ridge 56 16 72

4/21 Old La Sal 54 29 83 1.600000000

Totals 676 204 0 880 8.2

La Sal Mtns

deer / hour

Winter survival

La Sal

2009G. Wallace, D. Ketron

2008

Spring-class Summaryn

fawns / 100 adults

G. Wallace, D. Ketron

Deer Classification Unit Subunit

Post-class Observer Year

Date Area Buck Doe Fawn Unclass Total 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4 pt >4 pt Hours Comments11/25 Old La Sal 7 82 62 151 3 1 1 2 1.512/3 Castle Valley 29 126 30 185 2 13 10 4 1.312/4 Kirk's Basin 8 12 6 26 1 3 1 3 1.012/8 Pack Creek 3 21 4 28 2 1 1.012/12 Buck Hollow 0 4 2 6 1.2

Slaughter Flat 0 5 512/16 Cottonwood Bench 0 13 9 22 1.512/19 East Coyote 7 41 28 76 3 3 1 1.6

0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0

Totals 54 304 141 0 499 9 22 14 9 0 9

Post-class Summaryn 499 880fawns / 100 does 46.4fawns / 100 adults 39.4 30.2 76.6bucks / 100 does 17.8% bucks > 3 pts 42.6deer / hour 54.8 107.3

Spring class Observer Year

Date Area Adult Fawn Unclass Total Hours Comments3/24 Castle Valley 265 45 310 1.73/30 Pack Creek 73 43 116 1.6 (Ketron classif.)3/31 East Coyote 87 28 115 1.64/1 Buck Hollow 42 14 56 1.7

Cottonwood Bench 99 29 128Black Ridge 56 16 72

4/21 Old La Sal 54 29 83 1.600000000

Totals 676 204 0 880 8.2

La Sal Mtns

deer / hour

Winter survival

La Sal

2009G. Wallace, D. Ketron

2008

Spring-class Summaryn

fawns / 100 adults

G. Wallace, D. Ketron

Deer Classification Unit Subunit

Post-class Observer Year

Date Area Buck Doe Fawn Unclass Total 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4 pt >4 pt Hours Comments11/25 Old La Sal 7 82 62 151 3 1 1 2 1.512/3 Castle Valley 29 126 30 185 2 13 10 4 1.312/4 Kirk's Basin 8 12 6 26 1 3 1 3 1.012/8 Pack Creek 3 21 4 28 2 1 1.012/12 Buck Hollow 0 4 2 6 1.2

Slaughter Flat 0 5 512/16 Cottonwood Bench 0 13 9 22 1.512/19 East Coyote 7 41 28 76 3 3 1 1.6

0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0

Totals 54 304 141 0 499 9 22 14 9 0 9

Post-class Summaryn 499 880fawns / 100 does 46.4fawns / 100 adults 39.4 30.2 76.6bucks / 100 does 17.8% bucks > 3 pts 42.6deer / hour 54.8 107.3

Spring class Observer Year

Date Area Adult Fawn Unclass Total Hours Comments3/24 Castle Valley 265 45 310 1.73/30 Pack Creek 73 43 116 1.6 (Ketron classif.)3/31 East Coyote 87 28 115 1.64/1 Buck Hollow 42 14 56 1.7

Cottonwood Bench 99 29 128Black Ridge 56 16 72

4/21 Old La Sal 54 29 83 1.600000000

Totals 676 204 0 880 8.2

La Sal Mtns

deer / hour

Winter survival

La Sal

2009G. Wallace, D. Ketron

2008

Spring-class Summaryn

fawns / 100 adults

G. Wallace, D. Ketron

Fawn Survival

1. Implement a method to collect annual adult doe and fawn mortality estimates on representative units statewide.

• Comparing (s) from collar data vs spring classification (preliminary)

– Within 6% on 2 units

How/When are Data Collected

• June, fawn production

• Fall, buck harvest

• Jan, population estimate

• April-May, survival estimates

Fall class – F:D ratio

Check stations, mandatory reporting, harvest surveys

All ratios collected in spring and fall

Collars, F:A ratios, range rides, habitat assessment

Data Used in Models

• All data used in models are derived from field observations from individual units– Fawn:Doe ratio’s– Survival rates of adult deer and fawns– Harvest of bucks and does

19016807686477881250

South MantiCentralMountainsC16

19611309834226561021

North MantiCentral MountainsB16

37340147143440142474142133647107918

NeboCentral MountainsA16

18849470188049047Henry

MountainsHenry MountainsA15

14201650745

Elk RidgeSan JuanB14

681827981123249635493264989982AbajoSan JuanA14

072018017Dolores TriangleLa SalB13

3737143847503665014200458LaSal MtnLa SalA13

02800183044San Rafael SouthSan RafaelB12

216299933410517774377342248San Rafael

NorthSan RafaelA12

4423483283536286

Range CreekNine MileB11

dayshuntersharvestdoe_daybuck_daydoe_huntersbuck_huntersdoebuckSubunitUnitSUUnit

DATA USED FOR HUNT RECOMMENDATIONS

BUCK DEER3 year average buck/doe ratioage data on PLE units

ANTLERLESS DEERPopulation status relative to objective (model estimate), range condition, and depredation

Utah is not Unique in Data Collection

• Every western state collects:– Buck:Doe ratio– Fawn:Doe ratio– Abundance or population size

• Most states collect:– Fawn recruitment

Models Simplified

3. Use standardized, reliable population models to evaluate herd size and population trends over time.

• Population growth is driven by survival of adult does and production and survival of fawns

JAN. 2009 DEER MODEL 158 BUCKS (30B:100D) 526 DOES 316 FAWNS (60F:100D) 1,000 TOTAL

SPRING CLASSIFICATION 134 BUCKS (S=0.85) 447 DOES (S=0.85) 221 FAWNS (S=.70) 802 TOTAL

SUMMER RECRUITMENT 245 BUCKS 557 DOES PRODUCTION FAWNS 802 ADULTS + FAWNS

NOV. CLASSIFICATION31 B:100 D60 F:100 D46 F:100 A

HARVEST-75 BUCKS-10 DOES0 FAWNS-85 TOTAL

JAN. 2010 DEER MODEL170 BUCKS547 DOES328 FAWNS1,045 TOTAL DEER

Recommendations are a Year Round Process

• Every piece of data we collect revolves around what are we going to recommend in the future

• Biologists literally spend hundreds of hours geared towards recommendations and herd management for individual units

Models are Nothing More than Calculators

• They allow us to estimate populations quickly for individual units

• They are driven by data collected from the field (ratios, harvest, etc.)

• They get better with time

• They are exceptional at detecting and presenting trends in population status

SUMMARY

• Methods for data collection are sound and replicable

• Models are driven by data collected from the field

• All hunt recommendations must reflect action towards management plans

• Biologists are working hard to meet strategies in the management plan for mule deer

Thank You