what is the best way, then? or one that is, at very least, acceptable? does anyone on this forum have any formal training in wildlife management? I think there is more to it than observing deer while hunting, counting dead ones, and taking bribes from special interest, although I could be wrong.
There are tons of methods other states use. One is the use of forward looking infra red. FLIR. Each year in the spring the fly a certain route right after dark, the same route every year. And they count the number of deer out in the fields. The object is to get a baseline for the local population. If they count about 200 deer every year and the next year they only count 125 they know something's up. This gives them a trend line for the population.
The DNR drives around in the spring stopping at certain spots and counting turkey gobbles. They have a set route and set spots. The same can be done with deer. We have a warden in every county. One week out of the year in the spring the wardens can drive a set route and count deer in their county. Every year the same route. 5 evenings in a row. It doesn't give them a population rather a trend line for the population.
When I brought this up to Tonk he said that costs money. It does. We have DNR employees walking around poking sticks in the mud counting bog turtles but you can't count a species that accounts for almost half of your revenue? They count turkey gobbles but not deer? Hell. We have biologist that drive around in the spring counting the sound of peeper frogs.
There are many ways a state can keep an eye on the deer population. They're about to start a camera study on public land to check hunter impact. If they can do that they can have their warden drive around and count deer. That is if it doesn't take away from their hunting on the clock time.
But here's the deal. Whatever the method, they know how to get a count and keep an eye on the population. They simply refuse to do it.
