DNR asks citizen scientists to count deer and game birds

MADISON, Wis. — The Department of Natural Resources wants your help tracking wildlife this time of year. It’s simple: if you spot deer or game birds, report it to the DNR.

Two surveys — Operation Deer Watch and the Game Bird Survey — rely on public sightings to measure reproductive capacity for deer and popular game bird species.

Late summer is the “ideal time” for counts

“Late summer is really an ideal time for counting both deer and game birds with their offspring,” says Paul Frater, Wildlife Data Analyst at the DNR.

“The young are still typically found with their mothers, but they’re still readily distinguishable from the adults. Juveniles are still quite a bit smaller than adults. Fawn deer still have their spots, which makes it easy to tell them apart from adults. These characteristics help to provide a more accurate count of juveniles which is what those surveys are intended to measure.”

Frater says the information helps scientists measure the fawn-to-doe ratio for deer, which is a parameter used in the Sex-Age-Kill (SAK) model to measure the post-hunt deer population.

Fawns tend to lose their spots in toward the end of the survey period. That why September 31 is the deadline for Operation Deer Watch.

The Game Bird Survey wraps up at the end of August. Its poults-to-hens ratio also helps wildlife analysts measure the population of game and compare it to historic trends.

A long history of wildlife counts

State biologists have tracked deer since the 1960s. In 2010, the DNR launched Operation Deer Watch to expand data collection beyond what agency monitoring alone provided. The Game Bird Survey began in the 1970s and was later opened to public reporting for a similar reason.

“It started with a DNR staff survey. For a number of reasons, reduced field staff, staff spending less time in the field than they used to., we were starting to notice decreased observation. In 2010, we decided to ask for observations from the public. That’s when we started getting the public involved.”

Frater says every observation helps. In recent years, the surveys have brought in 700–1,200 submissions annually, though deer reports have declined over the past three years.

What the surveys look for

The Game Bird Survey looks for ruffed grouse, pheasants, wild turkeys, and gray partridge. Operation Deer Watch counts does, bucks, and fawns — and asks if fawns are with their mothers, a detail Frater says is crucial even if it means pulling over to get a better look.

“Take the time to make sure a doe is or isn’t accompanied by a fawn. It’s hard to do that if you’re just driving past… so if you’re able to pull over and especially if you can use binoculars, that’s really preferred.”

The surveys will ask you to record the date, location, and whether animals are alone or with young. They’ll also ask you to only submit information collected from dawn to dusk.

The Game Bird Survey is open through Aug. 31. Operation Deer Watch runs until Sept. 30.

Observations can be submitted on a smartphone using the Survey123 app.

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