Drive-Line Census for Deer Within Fenced Enclosures

Methodology is presented for conducting drive-line counts to obtain absolute numbers of deer 'within fairly small (<560 ha) areas. Planning and layout of the drive and the organization of persons who make up the drive-line teams are discussed. Procedures for maintaining proper spacing and alignment of drivers are described. On a drive of a 5.7-km2 estate enclosed by a 2.5-m-tail deer fence in northwest Pennsylvania, numbers of deer (78) were within one of an estimate derived from a standard deer pellet-group court. The key elements of a successful drive are organization and communication before and during the drive. This article was written by David S. deCalesta and Gary W. Witmer for the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station.

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