Feb. 12, 2015

Effective deer management requires hunter participation in surveys

PRATT – One third of the hunters who pursued deer during the 2014-2015 season will be randomly-selected to receive an e-mail survey from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) this month. Because biologists depend on the data gathered to make deer management recommendations, hunter participation in completing the survey in its entirety is crucial to ensure data is statistically-valid.

“Some people reply back and tell us they killed a doe or got a 10-point buck and think that is all we really need. That is not the case,” said KDWPT big game biologist, Lloyd Fox. Fox explained that KDWPT wants to know about multiple aspects of the hunt in order to gain a clearer picture of the men and women who hunt deer and the impact of hunting on the resource.

The survey, which is conducted every year, gathers a variety of information from deer hunters including: harvest success, dates and seasons hunted, days spent in the field, locations hunted, choice of equipment during the 2014-2015 seasons, opinions on current deer populations, and more.

Even if a hunter did not harvest a deer, they are still encouraged to complete the survey.

For more information on Kansas deer hunting, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting / Big Game Information / Deer.”

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