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Best Practice Feral Deer Management Insert Presenter Name Insert Presentation Date
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IntroductionThis module is part of a series of modules in the Pests Cost Us All project.
The project aims to improve and update landholder knowledge in pest animal management and weed management across South Australia.
This will be achieved through provision of training and awareness sessions and demonstration sites.
The Pests Cost Us All project is part of the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, the government’s plan for stronger farmers and a stronger economy.
Learning outcomes from this module• Understand the different feral deer species and their management• Understand potential impacts of feral deer • Understand the importance of working as part of a group for
successful feral deer management• Develop objectives and a plan for feral deer management • Understand legal requirements for feral deer management• Select appropriate management techniques, with regard to animal
welfare• Employ correct timing of feral deer management techniques (create
a feral deer management calendar)• Assess the effectiveness of feral deer management activities
What other issues would you like to address in relation to feral deer management?
We will record these and refer to this list throughout the session.
Before we start – your issues
1. Define the problem2. Determine objectives3. Develop plan4. Implement plan5. Monitor, evaluate and revise plan
Best practice feral deer management -key steps
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This module will walk through each of these steps so that you understand how to develop a plan for your property includes, impacts, identification, ecology SMART objectives methods, timing, legislation
• Feral deer - all deer in Family Cervidae, that are not confined by fences and that do not belong to a registered herd under the Livestock Regulations 2013.
Step 1. Define the problem
FallowRedChitalHogRusaSambar
Most common species in SA
Presenter
Presentation Notes
All feral deer are declared pest species under NRM Act 2004. More about this later Farmed deer –deer that are confined on land that is registered to keep deer under the Livestock Regulations 2013. Deer keepers must hold a permit to keep deer. Farmed deer are confined by fences, which comply with the Natural Resource Management Regulations 2005 and fencing standards
Fallow deer (Dama dama) identification
• Medium sized deer (40 - 90kg)• Males (bucks) have palmate,
multi-point antlers, females without antlers
• Bucks have a prominent Adam’s apple
• Variety of colours, from white, to light brown (most common) to dark brown/black, often with white spots and dark tail.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The body mass of free-ranging adult males is from 46 to 80 kg with an average of 67 kg the mass of adult females is from 30 to 50 kg with an average of 44 kg Antlers range in length from 50 to 70 cm. The antlers are usually shed annually in April and the new ones are regrown and free of velvet by August, until the fifth or sixth year. very long tail colour of coat can be black, white, grey-brown and light-brown Rump patch is white, black or brown bordered, and heart-shaped As a rule, there are visible white spots on the back and flank, less on the neck, and none on the head or legs Feeding during daylight in clearings, on short grasses, wattles, blackberry and improved pastures.
Fallow deer (Dama dama)• Prefer to bed in dense
cover during the day• Graze from dusk until
dawn on grasses and forbs, will also browse on trees/shrubs
• In small groups or larger herds, dominated by single female
• Breed once per year (April), gestation 8 months, single fawn
Distribution from Atlas of Living Australia Jan 2017
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Most common species in SA Adult males solitary, but may survive as individuals and adult males may join bachelor groups, of less than 6 animals. Autumn mating, males defend territories. Females sexually mature - 16 months. Males mature - 17 months, don’t breed until at least 4 years old. After approximately one year, the young are independent Fallow deer have a good sense of smell and hearing and very good vision. They communicate through body language, smells, and vocalizations. Fallow deer have six types of vocalizations: barking, which is an explosive alarm call used by females; bleating, which is produced by females during parturition or with their young; mewing, given by any deer during submission postures; peeping, produced by fawns in distress or contacting their mothers; wailing, an intense distress sound by a fawn older than 2 days; and groaning, produced by rutting males
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) identification
• Large deer (120 – 240 kg)• Red-brown coat and cream underbelly• Cream rump patch which extends onto
back• Favour undulating wooded country with
water courses. • Grazers and browsers, feeding dusk to
dawn on grasses, sedges, forbs and trees/shrubs.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
second largest of Australia’s deer species U-shaped, multi-pointed, complex antlers that can reach up to 1m in width stag: up to 120cm at shoulder and 135-160kg hind: up to 90cm at shoulder and 95kg They are active throughout the 24-hour period, but tend to be more so in the evening and at night, possibly due to human activity
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)• Social animals in herds dominated by single female. • Stags territorial during mating season. • Seasonal breeders, mating in March/April. • Gestation period 8-9 months with single offspring• Both sexes mature at 16 months.
Distribution from Atlas of Living Australia Jan 2017
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Second most common species in SA Stags and hinds tend to stay in separate groups for most of the year stags group into unrelated 'bachelor herds' hinds live in groups consisting of a dominant female and her daughters
Chital Deer (Axis axis) identification
• Similar size to Fallow Deer• Striking white upper throat• Dark brown/black muzzle• Reddish to chestnut brown coat
with white spots• Prefers living in woodlands, forests
and clearings near waterways. • Grazes afternoon into night until
dawn on native and improved pastures.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
long tail stag: up to 85cm at shoulder and 80kg hind: up to 70cm at shoulder and 40kg The antlers of a Chital stag are slender and usually of three points as in Sambar, Rusa and hog deer The call is a peculiar, loud, hoarse barking sound, easily recognized but difficult to describe
Chital Deer (Axis axis) • Large herds of females and young with 2-3
stags.• Breeding non-seasonal (any time of year)• 8 month gestation • Twins and triplets can be common
Distribution from Atlas of Living Australia Jan 2017
Presenter
Presentation Notes
First species of deer introduced to Australia Chital is particularly frequent in grassland–forest interface The basic social unit is a matriarchal family group, normally consisting of an adult female, her offspring from the previous year, and a fawn Twins and triplets contributing to rapid population growth. Female Chital reach sexual maturity at around a year, males several months later. Mating may occur throughout the year. Weaning occurs at 5 to 6 months
Hog Deer (Axis porcinus)
• Smallest deer species in Australia (30 - 50 kg)• Upward sloping back to a high rump• Mostly live as an individual. Strongly territorial• Breeding activity throughout the year • Found in coastal shrublands, tea tree swamps,
grazing on native grasses, sedges and improved pastures.
• Feeds late afternoon to early morning.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Not recorded in SA- currently mainly eastern Victoria coat ranges from dark brown to reddish-brown often has uniform light spots from shoulders to rump white-tipped tail stag: up to 70cm at shoulder and 50kg hind: up to 61cm at shoulder and 30kg small yet powerful, with a stocky, muscular body. The face is short and wedge shaped 8 month gestation, usually a single fawn calving in late winter/spring, coinciding with antler casting in stags Individual behaviour (not herding) can probably be attributed to its evolution in the tall grasslands (up to five metres high) along the major rivers in Northern India and Nepal. In this dense grass jungle, herding would not have been a practical option.
Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis) identification
• Medium sized deer, slightly larger than Fallow Deer (60 - 135 kg)
• Line of dark hair runs down the chest and between the forelegs
• Semi-nocturnal, preferring cover/shelter during the day.
• Grazes on a diet of grasses and improved pastures.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
coarse grey to grey-brown coat with light chest and throat The tail is long and narrow with a black tip. Males have lyre-shaped, three-tined (spiked) antlers very vocal compared to closely-related sambar deer long tufts of light hair from inner ears stag: up to 110cm at shoulder and 135kg hind: up to 95 cm at shoulder and 60kg
Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis)
Distribution from Atlas of Living Australia Jan 2017
• Gregarious, forming herds. • Rutting any time but peaking from
June to October. • Most fawns born March and April. • Gestation - 8-9 months, single calf,
occasionally twins.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Outside the breeding season, males form separate herds to the females and young
Sambar (Cervus unicolor)• Very large deer (180 – 300 kg)• Body fur uniform in colour, varying
from pale brown to black • Tail black above and paler grey below• Breeding throughout the year, peaking
in August/September.• Gestation - 9 months, usually a single
calf.• Live in dense forests/scrub.• Nocturnal feeder, both browser and
grazer• Eats a variety of grasses, forbs, shrubs
and trees.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Not recorded in SA, eastern Vic Male have antlers with three side branches, tail black on top and grey underneath. Body up to 2.5 m, tail up to 30 cm. browse on a variety of shrubs and plants. They are active at dawn and twilight (crepuscular) and night (nocturnal). Stags (males) are solitary while hinds (females) and their young form small groups of up to five individuals
Agricultural• Competition with stock for pasture • Potential vector for livestock diseases• Ring-barking trees and destroying saplings,
particularly during the rut • Trampling and grazing of agricultural crops • Damage to vineyards • Soil compaction • Damage to fences
(Step 1). Feral Deer Impacts
Environmental• Changes to bushland through trampling,
grazing and ring-barking vegetation • Soil erosion and compaction in areas of high
use such as trails, pastures and creek lines • Weed dispersal • Fouling of waterholes • Spread of plant diseases such as
Phytophthora cinnamomi• Disturbing native fauna by damaging habitat
e.g. trampling mallee fowl mounds
(Step 1). Feral Deer Impacts
Step 1. Define the Problem
• Determine the specific impacts or threats • Identify areas that may be hotspots for activity • Assess habitat conditions and food abundance (are they
suitable?)• Identify signs of presence and damage• Map the information gathered
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The most important first step in developing a plan is to determine where they are present and what impact they are having- this will help in developing management strategy and objectives Understanding the problem at hand (and monitoring the situation over time) allows for: Determining if and when a control plan is required Setting objectives Effectively planning a control program, including choosing the most appropriate control techniques On-going monitoring of density and/or impact Successful management When looking to assess or define the extent of the current situation on a property (or across properties), what can you do? You can: Identify areas that may be hotspots for activity Assess habitat conditions and food abundance (are they suitable?) Identify feral deer signs Monitor deer presence/density/damage and/or movement and mapping the information gathered.
(Step 1). Identify presence of feral deer
• Feral deer tracks are used to determine if deer are present in an area and how many are there.
• Tracks can tell you;• the sex of the deer. • the direction the deer was travelling.• the time of the day the deer passed.• the size and age of the animal.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
By looking at the surrounding area you can often deduce some detailed information about a deer and its habits. Tracks pointed toward bedding areas were likely made in the morning and tracks pointing toward feeding areas were likely to be made in the afternoon. There is often a tendency for tracks of a buck or stag to be toed out slightly and rear tracks fall outside and often well short of the front tracks. a doe’s tracks on flat ground- the rear tracks will generally contact the ground either directly on top or just outside the front track
(Step 1). Property MappingIdentify potential activity sites and
assets
Forested area for cover
High value asset –crops
Public road
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Aerial maps are a really useful tool for assessing a property to identify all the possible places that are likely to have signs of feral deer activity, if deer are present. Think about potential feral deer movement across the property and use of areas within the property (e.g. forested areas for cover, crops as food source). Also useful to identify high priority assets on the property to protect, or areas to conduct control- e.g. around public roads to reduce risk of collisions. Mapping can be used to plan and discuss control programs with neighbours and NRM and monitor programs (step 5).
(Step 1). Property MappingKnow your property – map your problem
= signs of deer damage
= deer sighting
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Following the desktop assessment and mapping, the information gathered can be used to assess the property on-ground to quantitatively define the feral deer problem. Collect baseline data on: Feral deer impact / damage (location and extent) Distribution of deer activity – locations and extent of the various signs Deer sightings Habitat conditions Food abundance Monitoring before control is important to gather baseline data on feral deer abundance and damage, to which you can compare all future data to measure program effectiveness. This map shows: Areas of known deer impact/damage(purple circles) Observed (or perceived) movement of deer on the property (arrows in yellow ovals). Feral deer sightings (red dots). The map only needs to be a rough indication of where the problems are occurring
What do you plan to achieve and what should your objectives be?
• Measurable Objectives• How much effort should you put in?• Focus on reducing damage from feral
deer, not just numbers
Step 2. Determine Objectives
Presenter
Presentation Notes
At step 1 you have defined your feral deer problem. Now you can move on to step 2. which involves determining your objectives. It’s important to determine why you are planning to develop a control program and how much effort you need to put in. Keep in mind that: the responsibility to reduce feral deer densities on a property rests with the land owner/manager, whether it be park ranger, private landholder or indigenous community. Preferably feral deer control (and therefore objectives) should be aimed at damage management rather than eradication. Eradication is unlikely except at a local level or on offshore islands. Objectives should be SMART: Specific – what exactly will be accomplished by who, where and why? Measurable – how will success by demonstrated? Achievable – is it within the means (financial or otherwise) of the group or individual responsible? Relevant – does it relate to the group or individual’s key responsibilities? Does it link in with other objectives and the broader plan? Time-bound – when will it happen and how often? Are there other deadlines that need to be met (e.g. budget or reporting)? Is the timeframe achievable?
• Are you trying to protect your livestock, native fauna, water sources or other infrastructure?
• Are you planning to undertake broad scale control for population reduction?
• Are you planning to conduct proactive control to maintain and limit impacts in the future?
Step 2. Determine Objectives
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Why are you planning a control program? Determine what you are trying to achieve. Some examples may be: (as per slide) Provide 15 minutes for participants to develop objectives for their property. Use pest plan template
Step 3. Develop a feral deer management plan
• Scale and approach of the control program
• Identify and understand relevant: Legislation, Work, Health and Safety considerations and animal welfare requirements
• Identify and evaluate suitable control options
• Plan – what will be done and when
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Once you have defined the problem and determined your objectives use the information gathered in steps 1 and 2 to develop a strategic plan. Developing a strategic plan outlining how the objectives will be achieved will involve: Determining the scale of the control program and will it be a co-ordinated approach Identifying and understanding relevant: Legislation, Work, health and safety considerations and animal welfare requirements/considerations Identifying and evaluating suitable control options Control Program Plan – what will be done and when This may be one-off control (e.g. erecting fences), sustained control (e.g. an initial knockdown followed by periodic maintenance control to slow/ prevent recovery), or targeted control (e.g. conducting control only at critical times when damage is most severe). When developing a plan, try to prioritise and break large areas up into suitable management units. Use the baseline data collected and property map(s) developed at Step 1 – for example they can be useful for determining and discussing locations for control.
Step 3. Develop a feral deer management plan• Determine management levels – property, local, regional• Integrated plan/co-ordinated approach - long term• Choose your strategy – feasibility/cost effectiveness, current
distribution and persistence
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Scale should be at a level that can achieve effective long term outcomes. Working together (co-ordinated control) with neighbours – the best results are achieved where neighbours conduct simultaneous feral deer control across a landscape, rather than just on individual properties. When deciding on the best strategy, you will need to consider: your objectives control costs (including – detection of animals (pre and post control), operating/labour costs, co-operation with landholders). What financial and human resources are available? What do you need to effectively implement control techniques?
Step 3. Develop a feral deer management planInclude:• Where you will do the control• What tools you will use• When will you do the control• How you will monitor for success• Record keeping
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Develop an action plan using the various tools discussed and discuss your plans with your neighbours. If you are having trouble with feral deer, it is more than likely they are having trouble too. Include in your plan: Where on your property you are planning to do the control. What tools you are planning to use and at what time of the year you are planning to use them. Legislation and WHS considerations Animal welfare requirements Monitoring plans Coordinate your control efforts with your neighbours. Allow time for participants to record details of their plan in property pest plan template
• NRM Regulations 2005, Part 6, sections 26-28• Animal Welfare Act 1985• Other Acts
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Landholders are responsible for the satisfactory control of feral deer on their properties. NRM Boards will require landholders to eradicate new populations of feral deer that have established as a result of recent escapes/migrations. The control of feral herds on both public and private lands is responsibility of landholder. The State Deer Management Plan and updated policy are currently under development (as at June 2017) It is an offence to wilfully or negligently release a deer in to the wild. Some of relevant sections of the NRM Act 2004 which can be applied include; Section 7(3) Objects of the NRM Act (g) if the management of natural resources requires the taking of remedial action, the first step should, insofar as is reasonably practicable and appropriate, be to encourage those responsible to take such action before resorting to more formal processes and procedures Section 179(1) Offence to release animals or plants A person must not release an animal of a class to which this subsection applies, or cause or permit an animal of that class to be released, in a control area for that class of animals. Maximum penalty: $100 000 or imprisonment for 2 years. Section 181 (1)Requirement to control certain animals or plants An owner of land within a control area for a class of animals to which this subsection applies must comply with any instructions of an authorised officer with respect to keeping any animal of that class on that land in captivity. (c) if the offence relates to a Category 3 animal—$10 000. Expiation fee: If the offence relates to a Category 3 animal—$500. Landholders taking measures for the control or destruction of deer on land pursuant to the NRM Act and Regulations (2005) must not destroy, sell or otherwise dispose of the deer if— (a) the deer bears a clearly visible ear tag at least 6 cm wide and 5 cm high; and (b) the person has received notification (either orally or in writing) from a deer keeper that deer have escaped from land where deer are kept by the deer keeper; and (c) less than 48 hours have elapsed since that notification was received. If wandering deer have no visible tag or no notification has been received from a deer keeper (as above) then the animals can be destroyed humanely by a landholder. Rusa Class 16, 17; Category 3. 'State Alert' status: all suspected occurrences must be notified to regional NRM Board within 7 days Animal Welfare Act 1985 - Requirement to treat all animals humanely. Regulates use of certain trapping devices and control methods. Ensure you are familiar with and understand the requirements for each of the control techniques you will be using in your program.
(Step 3). Work Health and Safety
• Work Health and Safety Act 2012• You have a duty of care to employees and people working on your
property• YOUR welfare is also important• Risks of working with firearms • COPs and SOPs
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Ask group: What can/do they do to minimize risk to themselves and others working on their property? Explain Codes of Practice and Standard Operating Procedures available for feral deer control techniques, see PestSmart website http://www.pestsmart.org.au/pest-animal-species/feral-deer/
• Shooting programs should not be undertaken when females are calving/fawning
• Timing will vary depending upon the species of deer
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Female deer will often hide newly born young until they are old enough to be mobile. To minimise the risk of missed dependant young suffering a slow death from starvation, shooting programs should not be undertaken when females are calving/fawning. This will vary depending upon the species of deer but fawns will generally be weaned prior to the rutting season for that species: ― Rusa: calves may be born at any time of year but there is a peak in March to April. ― Fallow: fawns are usually born in November or December. ― Red: breeding is regular, calves are born from late November to December. ― Sambar: calves may be born at any time of year but there is a peak in May and June. ― Chital: breeding is not sharply defined, fawns are observed in April and May and from September to November. ― Hog: irregular breeding, fawns are more frequently seen between August and October.
• Limited control techniques available• No poisons registered in Australia• Trapping and shooting only options• Ground or aerial shooting most practical,
cost effective options• Vital to follow animal welfare codes of
practice
(Step 3). Management Options
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Methods for effective control of deer are limited to shooting or trapping. Co-ordinated control with all landholders in a defined area is the most effective way to reduce deer populations Shooting brings with it the requirements for handling firearms. Standard Operating Procedures to be used as a guide at: http://www.pestsmart.org.au/pest-animal-species/deer/
• Co-ordinated control with neighbouring landholders most effective control option
• Useful contacts (regional programs and officers)
• Any other benefits?• Local plans/projects – what is happening
in the region?
(Step 3). Benefits of working together
Presenter
Presentation Notes
One-off or reactionary control programs may kill feral deer in the short term but there may be little change in the population numbers and the level of damage over the long term. Coordinated control programs have been proven to be the most successful. Long term control will be achieved most effectively through cooperative programs. Regional staff to provide information on any regional programs available, or contacts of officers if landholders need support Ask if participants are involved in a group/ can identify any other benefits?
• Suitable for most areas provided safety considerations are met
• Carried out by experienced, skilled shooters with suitable calibre
• Spotlighting at night;• good quality spotlight with red filter and
firearm with a scope • Farmer assist website to connect with
Sporting Shooters Association
• Talk to NRM about coordinated government programs
Shooting
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Spotlight shooting can be very effective under suitable conditions (consider safety issues when shooting at night). DEWNR (particularly in South East) undertake coordinated aerial control programs on public and private land using their qualified shooters. Talk to your NRM Board to discuss coordinated options. There are regulatory requirements associated with ground or aerial shooting. There are inherent risks. Refer to SOP on the PestSmart website. And SA Regulations. It is important to address animal welfare and safety considerations in both aerial and ground shooting. Chest (heart-lung) shots are preferred over head shots in SA due to a reduced likelihood of wounding a deer. Pestsmart procedure is only applicable to the control of deer populations by authorised personnel within managed parks and reserves. Recreational hunting of deer is regulated by the relevant state agencies with the legal requirements for deer hunting laid out in their governing legislation.
• Animal must be clearly visible, able to be killed with a single shot to the heart/lung area or head
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Feral deer must always be captured or destroyed in a humane manner regardless of whether you consider them a pest or not. Suitable calibre firearms, projectiles and shot placement are required to ensure feral deer are destroyed humanely. In the interest of animal welfare it is recommended that female deer not be destroyed during the period from the end of November until the end of March as this is the lactation period for females and unweaned young may be left behind after a control program. • Only head (brain) or chest (heart-lung) shots must be used. Heart-lung shots are preferred as head shots are likely to result in a higher incidence of wounding. Shooting at other parts of the body is unacceptable. • Herd flight response is a limiting factor for humane and instantaneous killing of deer. To keep stress to a minimum, shooting operations should occur on moonless nights with the aid of spotlights. A red filter fixed over the spotlight may reduce the amount of light seen by the deer. Silenced rifles may also reduce animal disturbance and facilitate accurate shooting. Wounded deer must be located and killed as quickly and humanely as possible with a second shot preferably directed to the head. If left, wounded animals can escape and suffer from pain and the disabling effects of the injury. Note that Sambar deer can run considerable distances even when severely injured so they may be difficult to locate. • If lactating females are inadvertently shot, efforts should be made to find dependent young and kill them quickly and humanely with a shot to the brain. Behavioural cues such as vocalising, travelling in a different direction or grazing away from the herd can be useful to determine if females have hidden calves/fawns nearby. • Dogs should not be involved in any phase of deer culling programs. Deer are easily distressed and frightened by dogs and may injure themselves by running into fences and other obstacles.
Step 4. Implement Plan• Use your plan and implement
actions
• Communicate with neighboursand work together
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Now that you have defined your objectives, selected control techniques, and developed a plan, the plan needs to be actioned. Critical to talk with your neighbours, and NRM staff and work together.
Step 5. Monitor, Evaluate and revise plan
Measure outcomes:• Assess feral deer damage• Determine feral deer abundance/ activity• Costs of plan implementationEvaluate your plan:• Is it working?• Do I need to do more/ something different?• How do I stop future impacts?• Discuss with neighbours
Regularly review the plan
(and mapping) and update when
needed
Presenter
Presentation Notes
How will you know if your plan is working? How will you monitor your success? What monitoring tools will you use? Data collection Shooters included in management program can be issued with data collection sheets to record all deer sighted and destroyed, and dates, times, and sex. Jawbones from all deer taken can be kept for aging. Deer movements Notes can be kept by shooters as to where deer are commonly seen entering or exiting properties, crossing roads, fawning or rubbing. Landowner involvement Landowners should be kept well informed of the campaign and asked to assist with access and information on deer movements.
Step 5. Monitoring methods • Catch per unit effort (during control
programs)
• Pellet counts
• Aerial surveys
• Passive detection
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Methods Deer are a difficult species to monitor due to their elusive and secretive habits. Recent studies have indicated that in areas where deer densities are relatively high two methods of monitoring are best and should be implemented concurrently (Forsyth and Scroggie 2003). 1. Catch-per-unit-effort (shooters asked to record the time spent hunting and the number taken within the area of known distribution). • easy to collect; • non random; • dependant on the skills of the hunters. 2. Pellet (scat) counts start with a map of your property, and lay out transect lines that allow you to cover as much of your property as possible. The transect lines should be separated by 300m. The important thing is to use the same transect lines each year so your data is comparable across years. On your first transect walk 30m, then measure a circle with a 1m radius at the exact spot you stopped and count the number of pellet groups (deer scat) within that circle. There must be at least 10 pellets in a single group before it can be counted, at least half of the pellets must be within the 1m radius. Depending on deer density in the area, many to most of your plots will contain no pellet groups. continue sampling at 30m intervals until you reach the end of the transect. Walk to your next transect and continue the process Aerial surveys Cost effective across large spatial areas Helicopters generally preferred over fixed wing Use set transects Passive detection Records of sightings Track counts (e.g. sand plots). Remote camera monitoring.
Further InformationPestSmarthttp://www.pestsmart.org.au/pest-animal-species/deer/
Biosecurity SA Feral Deerhttp://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds_and_pest_animals/animal_pests_in_south_australia/established_pest_animals/feral_deer
Feral deer control adviceNatural Resources (Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources) www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au
• Understand the problem-biology, ecology, impacts
• Work with others• Set objectives and develop plan• Know your legal responsibilities• Select appropriate techniques• Monitor, evaluate and adapt
Review- key messages
Are there any issues that were recorded earlier that were not addressed?
What ideas and plans do you have for managing feral deer in your area?
Any other questions?
Review
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Refer to issues raised and recorded at start of session Allow 15 mins or more to discuss their issues (either those raised at start of session, or new ones)
FEEDBACK AND EVALUATIONPlease take some time to give us your feedback so we can improve this module for future delivery.
