Douglas, Howell, Texas and Wright counties to be part of five-year deer study
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| Douglas, Howell, Texas and Wright counties will be part of a five-year deer study that begins in January. The study will collect data on deer survival and movement trends. |
WILLOW SPRINGS, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is beginning a five-year research project to evaluate white-tailed deer reproduction, reproduction and movement patterns. The study area of this project will include four counties in south-central Missouri. The work conducted in this part of the state is a component of what will be one of the most comprehensive deer research projects ever conducted in the state.
MDC has scheduled two workshops in the south-central part of the state for landowners and hunters interested in participating in or learning more about this project. The first workshop will be 6 p.m., Nov. 10 at Willow Springs Middle School Auditorium. The auditorium is located at 215 W. 4th Street in Willow Springs. The second workshop will be 6 p.m., Dec. 4 at the Mountain Grove YMCA. This facility is located at 1 YMCA Drive in Mountain Grove. No registration is required for these workshops
The deer study will begin in January and is being done in partnership with the University of Missouri at Columbia. The study will include monitoring bucks and does of all ages. Biologists will capture and place GPS tracking collars and small metal ear tags on deer, which will then be immediately released. Hunters will be encouraged to harvest deer in normal fashion in study areas, including those with collars.
The study area in this part of the state will consist of Douglas, Howell, Texas and Wright counties. Another part of the study will be conducted concurrently in the northwest Missouri counties of Nodaway, Gentry, Andrew and DeKalb counties. Data from these two regions will give biologists a chance to compare deer survival and movement trends in in timber-dominated areas of the Ozarks with those of agricultural areas of northwest Missouri.
MDC utilizes several sources of data to monitor Missouri’s deer populations. That information enables science-based decisions for deer hunting seasons and harvest limits. This deer survival, reproduction and movement study will provide a broad data base that MDC biologists can utilize in making decisions about deer management. This study is being funded with assistance from Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Funds.
Project information can be obtained by contacting MDC Deer Biologist Emily Flinn atemily.flinn@mdc.mo.gov or by calling 573-815-7901, ext. 3619. Landowners interested in allowing deer trapping on their property may contact Jon McRoberts, University of Missouri project leader, atmcrobertsj@missouri.edu or at 573-881-1978.
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