White Tailed Deer Case Study

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INTRODUCTION

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a species that is causing an uproar, and residence unrest in two Northland counties of Fremont, and Natrona. Each of these counties need a deer management strategy that can minimize the deer population while addressing the concerns that residence in both counties have. Which are maintaining as high a population as possible to maximize viewing and hunting opportunities, increasing the growth of the mature trees of forest owners, exploring the richness of bird species, minimizing damage to unmarketable Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) in the forests’ understories, and minimizing deer-auto collisions. All of which need to be met without the extirpation of deer from the two counties. …show more content…

This is because the carrying capacity of the two counties is very different. Managing the two populations at the suggested levels will result in Natrona operating at 45% of the possible carrying capacity. While Fremont is predicted to operate at 60% of the possible carrying capacity. This will impact viewing opportunities of deer in both counties yet will help satisfy other objectives.
The higher the carrying capacity of the population the higher the percent kill can be without harming the population, while the inverse is true for a county with a lower carrying capacity like Natrona. Viewing opportunities will be higher in Fremont county under the suggested management technique. The predicted population following the removal will be higher in Fremont than Natrona, with the chance of a severe winter event not having a substantial impact on either counties deer population. To satisfy the lone objective of viewing opportunities of deer, it is suggested that the population in either county not be touched. Although this is an issue that drives the creation of this report.
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