Once a deer is captured and collared, they are checked for mortality every day for four weeks. Deer are located by radio telemetry 3-10 times/week throughout the year at selected time blocks during a 24-hour period. Locations are triangulated from the roads and visual observations sometimes occur. Home range location and size for each deer is calculated using ArcView 3.3 Animal Movement extension.
Deer moving out of their original home range are tracked daily and the type of movement they are exhibiting is determined. Dispersal rates and distances, as well as distances and duration of exploratory movements are then calculated.
Gestation Period
(January 1-May 9)
Telemetry is focused on all deer equally during this period in order to identify home ranges, with particular attention to newly captured deer.
Parturition Period
(May 10-June 30)
Telemetryduring this period helps to further understand interaction within and among the social groups. Special attention is placed on adult does as they narrow their home ranges to fawning territories and young deer of both sexes that may disperse as their mother prepares to have new fawns. These data are valuable in identifying social groups of adult does which may serve as reservoirs for CWD and dispersal rates and distances which can contribute to the spread of CWD.
Non-Parturition and Non-Rut Period
(July 1-October 9)
Equal data collection is conducted on all collared deer. During this period, adult females and their new fawns will interact with other members of their social group.
Rut Period
(October 10-December 31)
Telemetry effort is increased on adult males. This is also a time dispersal of yearling deer. During the fall, rutting bucks can move up to 10 miles a day seeking estrous females, making them likely candidates in spreading CWD.
Visit the WDNR site for current reference maps of positive deer locations as well as management and eradication zones.
To see a list of deer captured in the 2A and 4A landscapes visit the Summary of Deer Captures link.