Determining Proportions of Game Animals Using Remote Censusing Camera Systems on Hunted and Non-Hunted Areas

Date of Graduation

Spring 1996

Degree

Master of Science in Biology

Department

Biology

Committee Chair

Lynn Robbins

Abstract

Camp Crowder, a military base in southwestern Missouri, is divided into two areas with similar habitat types. Deer hunting is allowed on the southern portion. Firearm hunters are restricted to a buck-only harvest, whereas archers can harvest any deer. There are no restrictions placed on the number of hunters. Ten remote censusing camera systems were used to determine the proportions of game animals and the buck-to-doe ratio on the hunted and non-hunted areas. The breeding-age deer were grouped into two age classes: 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 years or older. The cameras were placed in travel corridors to detect game in their natural movement patterns. The deer information was used in a harvest model to predict the future trends within the herd. The study determined that the game proportions are significantly different on the two areas with the hunted area being more diverse. The southern area had poor buck age class representation with only 0.86% of the deer herd being bucks in the 2 1/2 years or older group. The model predicts that the number of does will continue to increase even though the majority of the antlered bucks are removed annually.

Subject Categories

Biology

Copyright

© Matthew D Curry

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Dissertation/Thesis

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