IDGF Tracking Deer and Elk Herds With GPS Collars

IDGF Tracking Deer and Elk Herds With GPS Collars

IF YOU PASS A HERDOF ELK ORDEER...AND SEE THATA FEW OF THEM HAVECOLLARS ON LIKE ADOG...NO... PEOPLE ARENOT TRYING TO TAKETHEM FOR WALKS...IN FACT IDAHO FISHAND GAME IS USINGTHE G-P-S COLLARSTO HELPDEPREDATION ANDTRACK DEER ANDELK POPULATIONS...THE COLLARS GIVETHE EXACTLOCATIONS OF THEANIMALS AND CANSENSE MORTALITY,SO BIOLOGISTS CANDETERMINEPREDATION.BECAUSE OF THECOLLARS... THEYHAVE AN EXTENSIVEDATA SET THAT CANPREDICT OVER THEWINTER FAWNSURVIVALDEPENDING ONWEATHER.IF ELK ARE HEADINGTOWARDS PRIVATEOR FARMLANDS, THECOLLARS WILL PING,LETTING FISH ANDGAME KNOW THEYNEED TO COME PUTFENCING UP TOPROTECT THE LAND...BUT MOSTIMPORTANTLY THECOLLARS AREMAKING SURE WEHAVE HEALTHY ANDABUNDANTPOPULATIONS OFDEER AND ELK."THE THING THATDRIVE POPULATIONSARE FAWNPRODUCTION, CALFPRODUCTION, DOESURVIVAL AND COWSURVIVAL, SO THATIS WHAT DRIVESTHESE POPULATIONSSO THAT IS WHEREWE PUT OUR EFFORTIS TO MONITOR THESURVIVAL ANDCAUSE OFMORTALITY FORTHOSE SEGMENTSOF THEPOPULATION."FAWN SURVIVALLAST WINTER WAS AT62 PERCENT WHICHMEANT A LOT OFOPPORTUNITIES FORHUNTERS...AND THEDATA FROM THECOLLARS SO FAR ARESHOWING ANOTHERSIMILAR YEAR AHEAD.