Red deer population census in mountains: testing of an alternative method

Abstract

, 1986: Red deer population census in mountains: testing of an alternative method. Acta theriol., 31, 31: 423-431 [With 2 Tables & 3 Figs.] The population numbers of red deer, Cervus elaphus (Linnaeus 1758), in four forest districts in the Bieszczady Mountains were estimated on the basis of social structure and the number of roaring stags according to Langvatn formula. On October 3 both factors reflecting deer activity i.e. the average number of roaring stags heard per hour (4.4) and the average number of deer sighted per hour (7.2) were highest. It was assumed that the peak of rutting activity fell on the period between 2 to 4 October. The average harem size was equal to 3.6 animals with harems of three as the most common size (30% of all sightings). The deer densities found in the studied areas were: 7.4; 6.2; 5.4 and 4.7 per 100 hectares respectively in Stuposiany, Cisną, Komańcza and Wet-lina districts. These figures obtained at the beginning of hunting season, exceed the official snow tracking estimates made at the end of the winter by 2 to 5 times. In mountaineous hunting grounds the presented method proved to be cost effective and yielded much more reliable estimates than hitherto used method of red deer census.