DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

CONTACT: Terry Brady
DCNR Deputy Press Secretary
(717) 772-9101

Jerry Feaser
Pa. Game Commission
(717) 705-6541

DCNR RECEIVES INITIAL FINDINGS OF AERIAL DEER SURVEY IN STATE FORESTLANDS
Researcher’s Filmed Data Shows Whitetail Numbers Vary Widely

HARRISBURG (April 19, 2005) — The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) today commented on an initial round of data from an independent wildlife researcher conducting an aerial count of white-tailed deer populations on about 250,000 acres of state forestland.

DCNR has contracted with Vision Air Research to better estimate deer populations on Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) areas on state forestlands.

Vision Air Research obtained filmed evidence of deer in the forests below and interpreted the results. Data released today represents about 30 percent of the total acreage being flown.

“We intend to combine the infrared data with habitat information to see where we may continue to seek changes in deer densities,” DiBerardinis said. “It should be no surprise to anyone that this snapshot shows fewer deer in areas where there is no regeneration, little food and sparse habitat. A healthy, regenerating forest means a healthy deer herd.

“We believe the Game Commission’s efforts to bring the herd down are working, but more time is needed for hunters to use DMAP permits to take additional deer on state forest lands to further reduce the herd,” Secretary DiBerardinis said.

Vision Air Research, based in Idaho, specializes in wildlife surveys using advance aerial infrared sensor technology—commonly called forward looking infrared (FLIR). A leader in the use of FLIR for wildlife surveys, it has filmed and interpreted results on elk, deer, bighorn sheep, moose and sage grouse since 1996.

“In some areas, our flights show deer density far beyond what the Pennsylvania Game Commission deems suitable for available habitat,” said Vision Air Research Inc. President Susan Bernatas. “And in other areas, the numbers were lower. Like the terrain over which we flew, deer numbers varied significantly from forest tract to forest tract.”

So far, the highest concentrations of deer were found in the Promised Land area of the Delaware State Forest, Pike County, where 23.69 deer were found per square mile. The second highest whitetail concentration noted by Bernatas was 20.29 deer per square mile in the Denton Hill area of the Susquehannock State Forest, in Potter County.

The lowest concentrations she found were in the Cedar Run section of Tioga State Forest, Tioga County, 9.64; followed by the southern section of Sproul State Forest, in Clinton County, 10.69.

Commenting on DCNR's investment into these aerial surveys, Game Commission

Executive Director Vern Ross noted that DCNR and the Game Commission will both be able to benefit from this data.

“We appreciate the commitment shown by DCNR and Secretary DiBerardinis in assisting the Game Commission's efforts to improve deer management in Pennsylvania," Ross said. "Data such as this will enable DCNR to craft their proposals for the 2005-2006 Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) for each of these specific tracts of state forestland.”

The Bureau of Forestry is launching an extensive analysis to see what is happening on the forest floor in areas surveyed by Bernatas.

“We know the success hunters had in certain areas, thanks to recent DMAP returns, and they support what Susan has been seeing on her film,” J. Merlin Benner, DCNR wildlife biologist said. “It’s important to note that the plane’s camera may well miss deer if they are bedded down in hemlock or other dense cover, but it does show that deer exist in these areas – and in some areas, well beyond the Game Commission’s over-wintering density.”

Benner pointed out these numbers are reflective of the herd after the hunting season closed. Based on the flight findings and regeneration studies, DCNR may alter its requests for DMAP coupons in certain areas, he said.

Bernatas said her aerial flights since their mid-February start were beset by prolonged periods of bad weather that made safe night flights at low attitudes impossible. The entire project—flying and interpretation of film—should be wrapped up by early May, she said.

Results for the other areas completed are:

Arnot section of Tioga, Tioga State Forest District, 10.91 deer per square mile; Hicks Run section of Elk State Forest, Cameron, Elk counties, 9.64; Algerine Wild Area, Tiadaghton State Forest, Lycoming County, 13.97; and McIntyre Wild Area, Tiadaghton State Forest, Lycoming County, 18.21.

State forestland tracts included in the study, as well as other information on deer, can be found at www.dcnr.state.pa.us (choose State Forests).

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2005

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

Ummm, Isn't 9.6 < 10.7?

Anyway, 10 deer in a 640 acre area is pretty tough hunting. Good luck guys - think I'll skip the PA non-resident this year.

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

i dont know if my numbers are right so can someone help me.... 15,000 acres div by 640 acres (does 640 ac = 1 sq mile) u get 23.4375 then if you are in a low dd and x that by 10(deer per sq mile) you get 234.375 deer on the 15,000 acres im not sure if thats right or not?????

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

A pretty reliable source (DCNR Employee) told me that they were actually baiting deer into those areas in the time leading up to the fly-over.

The motive being that deer would be induced into temporarily moving to areas where feeders were placed, boosting the herd numbers on select parcels.

He works for DCNR, and personally witnessed the feeders.

I have, but will not disclose, any further information to protect his identity.

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

If thats true, I sure hope it comes out in a big way! If they did that, heads should roll early and often!!!

No matter what, this helps make the case for smaller WMU's!

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

I agree, BTB -

It sounded to me like a pretty dishonest thing to do. It wouldn't have been so bad if they came out and said "Hey, we put some feeders out for this reason or that..."

Instead, they've never breathed a word about it, which I find to be a little unsettling.

Granted, I don't know if a feeder is gonna bump the DPSqMi. from 10-23 over that large an area. I can only guess as to how effective it would be at altering the results of the study based on the immense geographic swath used.

DCNR should explain more thoroughly their use of those feeders and the aim of doing so.

I'm done crying now.

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

Does this person also see mountain lions?

Look at the maps generated from the flights. It would take ALOT of bait piles to get the dispersal of deer the maps show.

Me thinks someone is blowing smoke and it isn't white smoke either.....

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

As it was explained to me, the motive was not to attract deer across the board. They were attempting to get a few select areas to show abnormally high concentrations of deer so that they could publish statements like "While the area averaged 15 dpsm, Areas X, Y and Z all yielded over 50 dpsm, which is illustrative of the need to further cull the herd on in certain areas..."

I know I came across earlier suggesting that there was baiting across the board, and that was not actually the case.

Just a few bait piles to make some spikes in the data and give them more ammo to present.

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

I don't buy it. Merlin Benner has been nothing but up front with any information related to the FLIR study on the other PA discussion board.

RE: DCNR Aerial deer survey
 

Did you read the DCNR deer management Plan ,where the numbers presented in table one were totally bogus and showed a steadily increasing herd over the lat five years,while our buck harvest declined by 39%.

He said the FLIR results were a reality check, but he didn't say if the reality check was for the DCNR and the PGC or the hunters.