Roe deer census by pellet-group counts

Abstract

Pellet-group counts were taken in a big pen (ca 87 thous. m²) to determine wheter they could be used to census roe deer, Capreolus capreolus (Linnaus, 1758). Twenty counts made from August 1972 to May 1974 showed that the method was unrestrained environment. An adaptation of pellet-group counts to roe deer would require a determination of daily defecation rates during individual seasons of the year, assesment of the weathering rate and decomposition of pellets under various habitat conditions, and repeated field test based ona a known number of animals. Pellet-group counts may provide an idex of use among various types of habitats by roe deer. A young plantation, a pole-sized stand of pine, an the ecotone between various habitat types were more intensively frequented by roe deer than a timber stand and thicket.