Beginning early in 2015, the Missouri Department of Conservation will begin a major deer research project in two areas of the state.
The five-year study is designed to gather information and data regarding reproduction and movement patterns of the state’s white-tailed deer population. It will take place in two four-county areas: a south-central zone comprised of Douglas, Howell, Texas and Wright counties and a northwestern zone consisting of Andrew, DeKalb, Gentry and Nodaway counties.
To carry out the project, the MDC will trap deer and outfit them with electronic collars to track their movement. Females will also be equipped with transmitters that will send out a signal if the animal gives birth.
Trapping is scheduled to begin in mid-January and conclude in early April. MDC Texas County resource forester Travis Mills said the effort will lead to better deer management in the future.
“It will help deer biologists with setting optimal hunting seasons, regulations and limits,” Mills said. “One of the main reasons they’re doing this in north and south-central Missouri is we have such different habitats, and that will make a huge difference in what they learn. And in areas of up north where they’ve had problems with Chronic Wasting Disease, it will help develop disease management protocols, which will help a lot if it breaks out down here in our part of the state.”
To move forward with the study, MDC is seeking cooperation from landowners willing to allow capture and research on their property. The goal is to tag 120 deer in each study zone, including 30 adult bucks, 30 yearling bucks, 30 females and 30 fawns.
MDC data indicated there are more than a million deer in the state and about 75,000 in the southern study zone.
“The success of the study hinges on land owner support,” Mills said. “Just like with feral hog eradication or the bear study, if we don’t have that, this project won’t work.”
Deer will be trapped through a baiting process conducted by MDC technicians.
“It will be a smooth, quick deal,” Mills said. “They’ll rush in, get all the information they need, put the collars on them and then they’re out of there. We have a lot of acorns on the ground this year, so when we get some inclement weather in January and February, it’ll be all hands on deck and we’ll trap and collar as many as we can.”
Mills said participating landowners will receive email updates about the progress of the project and other related information from around the U.S., and that participation includes the possibility of an active role.
“We’re not just wanting full run of their land and not share with them,” he said. “We want people to have a sense of ownership in this, and there are plans to – at very least – allow observation so they can see what’s going on. And if there are certain dates or times of year they don’t want us to have access, they’ll be able to specify that.”
MDC officials advise hunters not to alter their actions should they come across a collared deer.
“We want to stress that if a hunter sees a deer wearing a collar and it’s a deer you would normally harvest, then please continue to do that,” Mills said. “Don’t let the collar influence the harvest in any way.”
When a collared deer dies, an assessment will be made regarding the cause. Collars will be equipped with phone numbers for hunters to call if a project deer is harvested.
“With any type of mortality, there will be an assessment of how the deer died,” Mills said, “and hunter-caused mortality is part of the study.”
The MDC will rent a house in each study zone and a crew of four –– a leader and three technicians –– will take up residence for the duration of the project. The crew in the Houston office will assist with research in Texas County.
“Right now our task is to get the word out,” Mills said. “We’ve always had great cooperation from landowners in this area in the past, and we expect the same thing this time.”
Mills said one of the workers has well-established local ties.
“That should help people feel more comfortable with having several conservation guys show up on their property,” he said.
The entire project is being overseen by Jon McRoberts, a post-doctorate research specialist at the University of Missouri.
“We’ll be using some new statistical modeling techniques that are somewhat new to wildlife management,” McRoberts said. “We won’t be the first to use them, but we’re the first to use them on this sort of scale with the white-tailed deer. This is going to be a great project because there will be proactive component and direct applications as soon as we have data collected and analyzed.”
Mills said no property will be accessed for research without permission and all information about the project is will be readily available. Landowners will be able to sign up for the project or drop out at any time.
“There’s nothing hidden – we’ll be trapping deer, collaring them and then keeping track of them,” Mills said. “January will be here before you know it, and we’re ready to get going with the help of interested landowners.”
“This is something that will be beneficial to folks who are wildlife enthusiasts, who might have conflicts with deer, or who like to hunt deer,” McRoberts said. “We’ll learn a lot from this – it isn’t something just for deer hunters, it’s really for everyone in Missouri.”
A workshop for land owners interested in learning more about the MDC’s white-tailed deer research project or signing up to participate is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Mountain Grove YMCA. Information or sign-up forms can also be obtained by calling the MDC office in Houston at 417-967-3385 or project leader Jon McRoberts at 573-881-1978.
White-tailed Deer Rersearch Project Cooperating Landowner Questionaire