Field notes
What we've learned counting deer
Short, sourced answers to the questions township managers, land stewards, and landowners ask us most.
How many deer per square mile is too many?
Where the often-cited 20 deer per square mile comes from, what local counts have found, and how to find the number for your own land.
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Why deer counts happen in winter
Leaf-off canopy, cold ground, and grouped herds make December through March the window for accurate thermal counts. Here's the evidence, and what it means for scheduling.
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What a thermal drone can and can't see
Thermal cameras find deer in the dark through bare branches, but not through conifers, roofs, or water. An honest guide to the strengths and limits of drone wildlife counts.
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Reserve a winter count window.
Counts fly Dec 1 – Mar 15, on cold, clear nights. Windows fill in order of request, and townships often need the numbers before spring board meetings.